Blog Dis
I'd much rather thrive...
2025-11-25
To subsist on swamp grass and turnips or to thrive on top sirloin and salad? This is the question: whether it's nobler in the mind to spend like a drunken sailor or stick one's nose to the grindstone and budget, budget!
As much as I appreciate the importance of downtime, to have a period of respite, to clear one's head, I can't imagine how people knowingly avoid having to work for long periods of time and choose instead to work just the bare minimum, when they know that someone else provides for them a safety net of cash, in effect to go to this individual and expect to be rescued. I know persons of this ilk, who'd rather avoid responsibility and work because they haven't fully launched (by their choice) and it's just easier for them to lean on someone else, who is responsible, when it comes to managing their money. Obviously, I'm being a little vague in this post but I wanted to accentuate the value of watching how you spend your dollars, at a time of year when many parents go into massive debt, to be able to spend more on their kids, than what they actually have in their account.
I know precisely where I stand on this issue. I've lived my adult years rooted in habits, like balancing a budget at the end of every month. I've made difficult choices, one of which included making a pact with myself that I wouldn't ever take out a loan to travel. I did this once when I traveled in Europe for one month with a guy , and when I returned I had to face the harsh reality that I was in debt for $6,000. It took me quite a while to pay off this debt. It was a good lesson, too, and when I was finally debt-free, my new rule was simple: no large expenses until I've saved in advance.
And then there's Christmas. This magical time of year affords me with some time off to unwind, to get a full rest, while refusing to succumb to the temptations of going massively into debt. Many travel at this time of year to be with family, and I appreciate this feeling of connectedness with our loved ones. For me, I've been fortunate to be able to avoid travel during the holidays, when it feels the most stressful. I've done so only one time, though, and this was when a friend and I went to Las Vegas right after Christmas, to arrive in time for New Year's eve. We had a blast. The return flight home, however, was an absolute nightmare. When I finally made it home, I went over my expenses and realized I spent more than I had budgeted for, and this is when I decided to travel off-season going forward, when prices are not jacked up to the sky at peak periods.
Subsistence is just this, barely a few scraps of bread that allow you to exist but not really live. I do not want to merely exist in the here and now. I want to thrive and to shape my future, however many years I have left to live, given that I know I've got more past than I currently have future... unless of course some brilliant scientist is able to fully crack the DNA code 100% and we're all able to regress aging of our bodies, to return to a more youthful stage. (How far back would you go? Well, my dears, this is a future blog post to come).
Christmastime will come and go quickly, as it always does, and my decision for 2026 is to figure out if I want to participate in a Winter Comic-Con toward end January, when pocket-books will receive their wallop tally of expenses, and VISA statements are ready to be digested online, that not-so-wonderful moment when we realize, dayum I spent too much!
We create our own suffering.
I've already been spending and I take the easy road now, ironically, which is to say I ask the adults for whom I want to treat with a gift, to know what exactly they'd like or need, rather than me guessing. Most of the adults I buy for, we agree in advance to do a gift exchange, and we keep our spending to a maximum total, such as gift cards where the denomination can be chosen in advance. Gift cards to drug stores and/or liquor stores are popular, or a fine bottle of wine. But when it comes to kids, they're simple insofar that gifts of toys, toys and more toys will generally keep them occupied, at least until they get bored five minutes later, and move onto the next gift. Kids are relatively easy to please.
Every year, I also go to the trouble of making my own wall calendar, as antiquated as this sounds. And, I conduct research in advance to select old-fashioned photos of Ottawa, my city, which others can enjoy who either currently live in Ottawa or at one time who did. I am not surprised when I learn down the road that they love their wall calendar, and every event is etched onto each day, such as their kids' activities. For me, each calendar for every year is saved, to retain a record of my comings and goings. When the calendar year ends, I review each month, with a wee glass of Irish cream on the rocks. The memories flood back to me, in terms of how often I had cycled, got together with family and friends, or if I reached some milestones in writing.
Yes! It's invaluable to budget but it's also invaluable to set some new goals for the coming year, which I've yet to do. I don't need some mythological entity like Santa to know that I'm being watched. I already watch myself, over and above how my data is being tracked by every online entity known to humankind. I also renew at this time of year my charitable donations, and try to increase them each year when it comes to automatic payroll deductions. There are so many persons in every city who are less fortunate. I've helped pack backpacks many seasons for the local youth services bureau who assists our homeless teenagers. All of them gather at the centre, and during their holiday turkey lunch, with all the trimmings, each receives a backpack that is stuffed with goodies, from socks and scarves, to shaving gear, shampoo, hygiene products, conditioner, gloves, combs, books, pens, and even monetary gift cards. Being able to spend on what you want to spend is important for everyone.
Don't forget to factor into your budget some wiggle room to treat yourself with something special. The timing of this post is purposeful, of course, because this is Black Friday week in November, which has now been extended one week after the end of November, as well as one week prior. 😆I took advantage of the lower prices last year and treated myself to a new DKNY winter coat, which I love - bought at half price. This season I'm researching indoor air filter systems for my bedroom. After reading about how some people improved their sleep, having less particular matter in their bedroom atmosphere, which negatively impacts their sinuses and breathing, they raved about their new indoor air filter unit. I am piqued! I still have a few days left to finish up research on my lunch hour.
Good luck to you and your spending.
As much as I appreciate the importance of downtime, to have a period of respite, to clear one's head, I can't imagine how people knowingly avoid having to work for long periods of time and choose instead to work just the bare minimum, when they know that someone else provides for them a safety net of cash, in effect to go to this individual and expect to be rescued. I know persons of this ilk, who'd rather avoid responsibility and work because they haven't fully launched (by their choice) and it's just easier for them to lean on someone else, who is responsible, when it comes to managing their money. Obviously, I'm being a little vague in this post but I wanted to accentuate the value of watching how you spend your dollars, at a time of year when many parents go into massive debt, to be able to spend more on their kids, than what they actually have in their account.
I know precisely where I stand on this issue. I've lived my adult years rooted in habits, like balancing a budget at the end of every month. I've made difficult choices, one of which included making a pact with myself that I wouldn't ever take out a loan to travel. I did this once when I traveled in Europe for one month with a guy , and when I returned I had to face the harsh reality that I was in debt for $6,000. It took me quite a while to pay off this debt. It was a good lesson, too, and when I was finally debt-free, my new rule was simple: no large expenses until I've saved in advance.
And then there's Christmas. This magical time of year affords me with some time off to unwind, to get a full rest, while refusing to succumb to the temptations of going massively into debt. Many travel at this time of year to be with family, and I appreciate this feeling of connectedness with our loved ones. For me, I've been fortunate to be able to avoid travel during the holidays, when it feels the most stressful. I've done so only one time, though, and this was when a friend and I went to Las Vegas right after Christmas, to arrive in time for New Year's eve. We had a blast. The return flight home, however, was an absolute nightmare. When I finally made it home, I went over my expenses and realized I spent more than I had budgeted for, and this is when I decided to travel off-season going forward, when prices are not jacked up to the sky at peak periods.
Subsistence is just this, barely a few scraps of bread that allow you to exist but not really live. I do not want to merely exist in the here and now. I want to thrive and to shape my future, however many years I have left to live, given that I know I've got more past than I currently have future... unless of course some brilliant scientist is able to fully crack the DNA code 100% and we're all able to regress aging of our bodies, to return to a more youthful stage. (How far back would you go? Well, my dears, this is a future blog post to come).
Christmastime will come and go quickly, as it always does, and my decision for 2026 is to figure out if I want to participate in a Winter Comic-Con toward end January, when pocket-books will receive their wallop tally of expenses, and VISA statements are ready to be digested online, that not-so-wonderful moment when we realize, dayum I spent too much!
We create our own suffering.
I've already been spending and I take the easy road now, ironically, which is to say I ask the adults for whom I want to treat with a gift, to know what exactly they'd like or need, rather than me guessing. Most of the adults I buy for, we agree in advance to do a gift exchange, and we keep our spending to a maximum total, such as gift cards where the denomination can be chosen in advance. Gift cards to drug stores and/or liquor stores are popular, or a fine bottle of wine. But when it comes to kids, they're simple insofar that gifts of toys, toys and more toys will generally keep them occupied, at least until they get bored five minutes later, and move onto the next gift. Kids are relatively easy to please.
Every year, I also go to the trouble of making my own wall calendar, as antiquated as this sounds. And, I conduct research in advance to select old-fashioned photos of Ottawa, my city, which others can enjoy who either currently live in Ottawa or at one time who did. I am not surprised when I learn down the road that they love their wall calendar, and every event is etched onto each day, such as their kids' activities. For me, each calendar for every year is saved, to retain a record of my comings and goings. When the calendar year ends, I review each month, with a wee glass of Irish cream on the rocks. The memories flood back to me, in terms of how often I had cycled, got together with family and friends, or if I reached some milestones in writing.
Yes! It's invaluable to budget but it's also invaluable to set some new goals for the coming year, which I've yet to do. I don't need some mythological entity like Santa to know that I'm being watched. I already watch myself, over and above how my data is being tracked by every online entity known to humankind. I also renew at this time of year my charitable donations, and try to increase them each year when it comes to automatic payroll deductions. There are so many persons in every city who are less fortunate. I've helped pack backpacks many seasons for the local youth services bureau who assists our homeless teenagers. All of them gather at the centre, and during their holiday turkey lunch, with all the trimmings, each receives a backpack that is stuffed with goodies, from socks and scarves, to shaving gear, shampoo, hygiene products, conditioner, gloves, combs, books, pens, and even monetary gift cards. Being able to spend on what you want to spend is important for everyone.
Don't forget to factor into your budget some wiggle room to treat yourself with something special. The timing of this post is purposeful, of course, because this is Black Friday week in November, which has now been extended one week after the end of November, as well as one week prior. 😆I took advantage of the lower prices last year and treated myself to a new DKNY winter coat, which I love - bought at half price. This season I'm researching indoor air filter systems for my bedroom. After reading about how some people improved their sleep, having less particular matter in their bedroom atmosphere, which negatively impacts their sinuses and breathing, they raved about their new indoor air filter unit. I am piqued! I still have a few days left to finish up research on my lunch hour.
Good luck to you and your spending.
