Things I wish Someone had Told me: Part 2
I’ve taken some heat for my last post, everyone seems to get caught up on me using numbers in my example. It was only to help get my point across as to just how rare it is for two people who are compatible with each other to actually meet at the right time in their lives.
So what’s next, well on the same thread as the earlier post, stages in life, I’ll talk about another realization I had recently in my own life.
I remember having lunch with a good friend who happened to be older and a successful lawyer/accountant. This was a few years ago, even before I bought my house. He said something at the time that didn’t click until just recently. I was asking him some advise, I can’t remember the exact topic but I remember him saying, “Well you really need to move out of Waldorf and into the city.” It had something to do with dating or meeting girls or something like that. At the time I figured he just ment DC or closer to DC was better just because it had a higher population density then a suburb like Waldorf, MD.
Let me finish this line of thought, before tying things back to my main overarching theme. Ok, just the other day I was going to a salsa class in Ballston VA with a friend of mine, Dave. The place we were going was only a few blocks from his apartment, how convenient. After checking out the scene and meeting up with another friend of mine, we headed over to another club, also very closeby. A few days later, I was back in Balston/Clarendon area for more salsa lessons. Dave always goes on about how convenient nightlife activities are in his area and he’s right. I compare it to my area and realize the main difference, my area is for married folks starting families, Dave’s area is for young, unmarried professionals. Also they are all densely concentrated in that area. Dave 1: Paul 0
Lol, how’s this relate to my underlying theme of Life Timing? Well, as I’ve mentioned, it’s important to do activities or take actions that are consistent with the time/stage you are in your life.
Lesson 1, don’t buy a house, till you actually need it. If you are a young, single person, do you really need 2500sf+? Should you be paying county taxes (>5k/yr) of which ~88% go to public schools if you have no children? Do you really want to spend your time mowing the lawn, repairing the A/C, microwave, roof? Do you want to be rooted to that area? Do you want the burden of that added responsibility? It’s certainly not for everyone, rather it’s not for those who aren’t at that point in their lives yet. To those people who cite the “Joys of Home Ownership,” I say no thanks, I’d rather be flexible enough to take a job far from here if need be, I’d rather not leak money in the form of property/county taxes for services I don’t use, I’d rather call a maintenance person rather then fix the microwave myself, I’d rather go play basketball then mow the lawn or landscape the garden (at this point/time in my life : )
Add to that, the point I raised earlier for those single individuals and the old addage, “birds of a feather, flock together,” and I think you’ll agree, making choices at the wrong time/stages of your life can certainly be costly if in opportunity cost alone.
In the next installment, I’ll be talking about life’s biggest mistake…
Wow
I have just read your other post. That’s pretty interesting. I have never thought about it in that way.
Donna
LOL! Paul, waiting for your next post. But believe me, everyone has been in your position at some point in their lives. Making mistakes and repenting uselessly is life!
Well, I agree with “kedar”. There’s allways a point in life when you realize you’ve been doing something wrong. I’d dare to say it’s just another “stage” in life. Re-evaluate your desitions is a healthy activity.
Big hug and a kiss.
X
Can’t wait to read the third installment to the post. Who knew you were a writer?