When I retire in a couple of years, I won't have a huge amount of money. I'll live on about what I make now or a little more.
I know the lifestye I want and I've carefully researched it. I'm not a trailblazer, others have done it and continue to do it on the same amount or less that I'll have.
Today I had lunch with a woman I've worked with for 6-7 years. We've talked alot over the years about our lives and families. I was talking to her about my plans and how it would work and she said but I thought you were going back to school to get a masters to teach. I explained I had thought about it but the costs were to heavy in time and money and I want my freedom sooner. It would only change my retirement amount by $4800 a year. Alot of money but not enough to devote 3 years of my life to school and work to teach for 3 more years and then retire. She said "I don't get it." Its what she says when asked to think outside the box she lives in. Its not a bad or wrong box, just her box, and she gets confused when others live differently. I want to travel and have figured a way to do it most of the year within my means now while I'm young and healthy. She thinks I should work til I'm 55-65. With her finances, she'll be 65 or older.
She was telling me she is paying court fees to force her exhusband to sign over the SUV to her per the divorce decree. I told her she doesn't have to (I'd been through the same thing), she can pay $10 for a duplicate title, take her divorce decree with her and change the title. She said "No I'm not paying one penny more to get it in my name," shaking her head stubbornly. I told her she would make back more than $10 when she sells the SUV as planned to buy a more effienct car and fills it up for the first time. Oh well, we all make choices. They don't have to be the same.
I suppose one day I will be someone she tells others about saying "I don't know how she does it," while shaking her head. Me, I'll be on a cruise ship or tangoing in Argentina or hiking a mountain or drinking coffe in Paris or watching a festival in India while she spends time in court chasing an SUV title. Maybe I should be the one saying, "I don't get it."
I Don't Get It
April 18th, 2008 at 03:37 am
April 18th, 2008 at 11:44 am 1208519049
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April 19th, 2008 at 09:04 am 1208595887
April 20th, 2008 at 05:14 am 1208668492