What is the Good Life?

[Doc Tinker]

Someone tell me what the Good Life is. Am I living it? Does it get better? Should I do something to make it better? Does it get any worse?



Doc

 

[Power Wagon]

Ya got me Doc...



I spent the first ten years of married life waiting and wishing for "my ship to come in", if you know what I mean. Wanted security, routine, money in the bank, and not struggling from paycheck to paycheck unable to deal with any crisis that might come up.



Since then I've decided that things are unlikely to be so dull and routine until I'm so old or otherwise incapacitated that someone else does it all for me.



For the last 4-6 months we've generally had money left at the end of the month, and some of the otherwise "big" things have seemed to have shrunk in size. That generally means something big is about to hit again, that'll toss everything into a tailspin.



So, what's living "the good life"? I think it's pursuing your dreams (whether you make it or not), managing to live mostly at peace with your friends, neighbors, and family. I no longer think in terms of getting all the toys, the big house, money in the bank and 150K of open credit limits on the Visa cards. No matter what toys you get, you can always want more/bigger/better/faster/more expensive than you used to have, so that's a dead end...

 

[TxDieselKid]

I would have to agree with Power Wagon....

Having a CTD in the driveway.



Andrew

 

[merryman]

Pre-1960... . :>)



Vaughn

 

[Big MAK]

A loving wife (#1) that supports and likes your hobbies (#2); happieness is the bottom line.



Throw some great kids in the mix (#3) and you've achieved nirvana.



I had to think for awhile about the order on 2 and 3, weird huh? Obviously my kids are more important then my hobbies; if I couldn't afford the hobbies they could drop out and it wouldn't impact my happiness that much. But if you can afford to do some things you enjoy it is totally irritating to be married to someone that won't let you (been there; done that). And frankly; eventually the kids grow up and leave. So I think this order makes sense.



The money thing; forget about it. The IRS has managed to tax me into oblivion. Unless you're insanely lucky and become super rich it's no longer possible to build up money in this country due to the excessive taxation. I'm at a 66% tax rate if you couldn't tell. 38% to feds up front, 7. 5% to socsec, 7% to state, 2% to medicare and medicaid, 6. 5% on everything I buy, 5% on everything I own. On the bright side; l'm lucky enough to have a good job that gives me enough cash flow to gradually put some away and have some nice toys; so not really complaining. Just stating the annoying facts about money.

 

[Shovelhead]

The Good Life

When at the end of the month... ..... INCOME>OUTGO

 

[Champane Flight]

Money?

Money doesen't have a thing to do with the good life. Having people around you that love you and that you love is everything. Knowing that when the chips are down there are people that will help you up is what its all about. The good life is right now,you are exactly where you are supposed to be!Make it good... .....

 

[QRTRHRS]

It's about change.

Being able to accept it. You might not like it. In that case, your going to have to do something about it. So you do. If your influence was postive, you will know it. Negative, well, you will know that too.

 

[Briar Hopper]

I'm in Kissimee, Florida right now, looking for it. Doubt I'll find it here though.

Surrounding yourself with people that you love, and that love you, that's as good as it gets. Nothing else really amounts to a hill of beans.

 

[LarryB]

My Family, my dog, my boat, and my motorhome. All in Baja.





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