Nobody Wins ...

Unless everybody wins ...

I have been a Bruce Springsteen fan for quite some time now. I find his message about the American Dream and life thought provoking. In the past 5 years I have divested myself of things but have accumulated more people in my life. That too has been thought provoking. Some thoughts ...

Everything I own fits in a large suitcase. My jewelry consists of a watch that is almost 10 years old. I own no vehicles. I figure my net worth is under $10,000 and $9,000 of that is my time share, the only material asset that I obtained from my divorce. I am not poor ... my total income last year was $100,000 from my indexed teacher's pension and my business dividends from my limited partnership.

Do I miss things ... one thing ... I miss a motorcycle ... I have owned one since I turned 16 and bought a 650 cc Triumph Bonneville in 66. Since then, I have owned a Norton 750, a Norton 850, a Honda 650 NT, and a Yamaha 1000 FZ1. I would like one more ... maybe in a year or two ... when I am debt free. I ran up some debt while living in Vancouver for 2 years. Vancouver is a beautiful city but a very expensive city to live in. My $800 Bangkok apartment is equivalent to my $3,000 Vancouver apartment in terms of size and location.

So, what do I value? I value good relationships. I value my education ... education is something you can never lose (apart from Alzheimer's). I value music and the memories that it invokes. I value my children, especially Jaime and Jordan who are awesome .. a parent could ask for none better. I value my sisters Elaine and Ann, my fellow 'orphans' now that our parents are gone. I value my friends I left behind in Ottawa. I value my friend Thavorn, who makes me smile each and every day. I value integrity, thoughtfulness, truthfulness, reflection, humbleness, kindness, fairness, but most of all, loved ones that make life worth living.

I value an inexpensive glass of good wine. Expensive wine is lost on me. Everyday I write this blog with a glass of red wine in hand. A favorite:

I don't like narcissism (selfies), humor at the expense of others, elitism,  laziness, excuses, cop-outs, liars, boorishness, smug indifference, snobs, and entitlement.

Thai's value family, friends, food, and health. Gold is important to them as well, but mainly because of security. It is easily bought and sold at market price. In good times they buy it and in bad times they sell it.

So why today's rant ... Why not?

TTYL