So I have a huge favor to ask for anyone who is financially capable to do this. I often wonder if there are people out there in our beautiful world who look back on their life and their sucess and ask themselves this question. What can I do to make a difference before I leave this life. Do I donate a sizeable amount to a charity? Maybe to my church? Do I set up a living will with funds for my family with my restrictions?
May I make an out of this world suggestion that would give a person some freedom from their financial woes. A gift that last a lifetime. I know it's crazy but what about paying off someone's mortgage in more direct terms how about my mortgage.
Now before you shoot me down, let me at least make my case. I currently own around 265k on my house. If a person were to donate to a hospital or some large Charity 265k that money would be spent within a month to 3 months depending on the charity. A hostpital can deplete that in a day. Now both charities are noble and if a person were to chose that I would say that is a good right decision but if I had any persuasion option B could be a good decision also. A decision that last not just for 1 month or 1 year but gives an entire family and their families a debt free life for 30+ years. Let me repeat that 30 years. An investment that would not also save but would allow my family to comtinue your legacy of giving through our savings. Allowing us to give more as a return on your investment. It is wishful thinking on my part but as I always say. If something feels right do it. If not, don't.
Now if I haven't presented my case with enough pursuasion may a make one other suggestion. I call the the funnel donation effect. So imagine wanting to donate to a charity not directly but through another person. You would pay them a certain amount or in my case 265k. They would relive an obligation or debt. Again in my case my mortgage. Then would forward your donation to its final destination. The charity of your chosing. It would be an interest free mortgage that the funneller(again me) or middle man. would be obligated to pay the same amount of funds onward towards the charity. In this option, (Which if I'm honest and could find some legal way to enforce, I think is a great idea) you kill 2 birds with one stone. You give a person more freedom in his financial life while still giving to the charity of your choice.
Again I honestly write this down as wishful thinking. Me my wife and our 4 girls would be beyond believe if either one of these were to happen but this is life. I am fine. My wife and I both work hard and even though we don't have alot we are great full for everything we do have.
Thursday, February 22, 2018
Thursday, December 7, 2017
No presents from in laws for my sweet 2 year old rant
So my daughter's second birthday just passed. The night before her birthday my parents asked if they could stop by and give her a gift. My mom is into sewing and crafting and she gifted my 2 year old a pair of home made dolls. My mom has been very good at making sure we are all thought of on our birthdays. This includes 9 children 9 children in laws and around 30 grandchildren. I have said this over and over again my parents have been fiscally responsible their entire life. They don't have much but they do own their home. They garden and have a massive food storage. No debt and quite a bit in savings. She gives small gufts to all of us ON TIME and I have no doubt being financially secure has helped with being able to do that.
Now my in laws gave my sweet 2 year old.
Now my in laws gave my sweet 2 year old.
NOTHING!!
Yes that's right nothing. Here we are 1 week later and not a single card has been put in the mail. But instead of focusing my rant on my deadbeat egocentric in laws I want to turn my attention to my wife's grandma.
Sorry grandma nothing personal but I have to rant and ask some questions.
She too didn't give my child anything and I didn't expect her to. But I've had some questions lately that make me wonder why she can't. Let me explain my wife's Grandma just turned 80 and is just recently a cancer survivor. She is very sweet and somewhat forgetful I get that but during all of these cancer treatments her van was repossessed. The same van I repaired last Christmas for her christmas present. This van is barely worth 500 dollars and it had a loan on it? Title loan maybe?
So my wife's grandma is 80. She's been in retirement for 10+ years now. She had a rough beginning. Her husband, an officer, was killed in the line of duty when their son (my wife's dad) was just 6 years old. So their is some heartfelt understanding to her beginning circumstances. With her being married to an officer killed in the line of duty she received and still receives a check and benifit's from the state of California. Yet here we are 50 something years later and things have gotten bad that she has decided to sell her burial plot next to her former husband. This has begged the question to me. Where is the money? I mean did she not have any financial goals in life such as owning a home? She had 1 kid a pay check she didn't have to work for and still could not find it within herself to work hard and save for her retirement? Last year she provided a great Christmas for her son and his wife. She also provided good christmas presents for her great grandchildren. Some had better presents than others. But how did she do it when she has very limited income and no savings? She applied for a koles store credit card and maxed it out. Is koles getting there money back? Probably not. When I first met my wife she told me her Grandma was loaded. At one point she was making a good income but eventually we find out it was all show. Cars were being financed and eventually repoed and money was not being controlled. Eventually here we are. Old and broke.
I bring this up for 2 reasons. One to let myself and others know that the decision you make today do impact your quality of life later INCLUDING the simple joys of giving gifts. And 2 to show yet again that my hand in life somewhat sucks. There is barely any suplimental support when it comes to help with me and my family. While other families with kids are being spoiled with gifts vacations and even a check here and there. My family has been on our own from our first child to our last. No financial and not alot of physical help either. It's not all bad we have learned a lot yet have a little spoilage every once in a while wouldn't be bad either.
So my wife's grandma is 80. She's been in retirement for 10+ years now. She had a rough beginning. Her husband, an officer, was killed in the line of duty when their son (my wife's dad) was just 6 years old. So their is some heartfelt understanding to her beginning circumstances. With her being married to an officer killed in the line of duty she received and still receives a check and benifit's from the state of California. Yet here we are 50 something years later and things have gotten bad that she has decided to sell her burial plot next to her former husband. This has begged the question to me. Where is the money? I mean did she not have any financial goals in life such as owning a home? She had 1 kid a pay check she didn't have to work for and still could not find it within herself to work hard and save for her retirement? Last year she provided a great Christmas for her son and his wife. She also provided good christmas presents for her great grandchildren. Some had better presents than others. But how did she do it when she has very limited income and no savings? She applied for a koles store credit card and maxed it out. Is koles getting there money back? Probably not. When I first met my wife she told me her Grandma was loaded. At one point she was making a good income but eventually we find out it was all show. Cars were being financed and eventually repoed and money was not being controlled. Eventually here we are. Old and broke.
I bring this up for 2 reasons. One to let myself and others know that the decision you make today do impact your quality of life later INCLUDING the simple joys of giving gifts. And 2 to show yet again that my hand in life somewhat sucks. There is barely any suplimental support when it comes to help with me and my family. While other families with kids are being spoiled with gifts vacations and even a check here and there. My family has been on our own from our first child to our last. No financial and not alot of physical help either. It's not all bad we have learned a lot yet have a little spoilage every once in a while wouldn't be bad either.
Monday, November 27, 2017
Cheating ticket holders of the motab christmas concert (last one)
I got the tickets! Yes it's finally true I finally got tickets to the Motab Christmas Concert! Now before you say I'm lucky or that there are others more deserving than me let us compare stats shall we. I'm 32 and never been. So if your say 27, I'm older and have waited longer to go. So there:/ The first time I wanted to go to this concert was when I was 12. 1997 to be exact. 20 years! My older brother took his then wife to the concert in the old tabernacle. I'm pretty sure the tickets were easier to get back then. Lastly this is my 10th time in a row trying to get tickets. Let me put this in perspective. My mom told me to enter the drawing of the concert back in 2008. Barack Obama wasn't even president. That was the first year I put in for the drawing and I got this famous e-mail
Back then my oldest daughter was not even 1. We were living in an apartment and a trip to the MOTAB Christmas Concert would of been an emotional boost. Especially considering the long hours I was putting in at work. I had just donated plasma for my first time after waiting 8 hours. And I was working EVERY Saturday. Life wasn't easy.
I have put in for tickets every single year since then. For 2009 with David McCullough and Natalie Cole 2010 with David Archuleta and Michael York 2011 with Jayne Seymore and Nathan Gunn 2012 with Alfie Boe and the candy bomber Gail Halverson. The one year I really wanted to go. Had no clue who Alfie was but when I saw they surprised the audience with candy from the sky in parachutes and told the story of the candy bomber, wow I wish I was there. Ksl news was letting everyone know they received tickets that year. I'm sure they put in for the drawing like everyone else and just got lucky. I mean come on the church doesn't do favorites and just give out tickets to a church owned news station or church employees. Right? (Catch my sarcasm) I continued trying for tickets in 2013 with guest artist Deborah Voigt and John Rhys-Davies 2014 with the sesame street muppets and Santino Fontana. My kids would of loved that but while I lost others like this person had hookups.
(So I can't find the post but basically there was a lady who had a special conection to someone in the motab ticket world. She called her "her secret friend" she asked this friend after not getting tickets through the lottery system if she could get her tickets. The lottery system only allowed 4 tickets. She got 5 through her friend. Very unfair considering she has been several times to the concert while others like me have to wait. If I find the post I will edit this post)
2015 was the last year for the lottery. That year again I lost. Guest artist
Were Laura Osnes and Martin Jarvis. 2016 was the first year I thought I had a chance. They changed it from a lottery system to a first come first serve. Nope still lost Guest artist were Rolando Villazon.
Other people who have been able to have priority without going through the lottery system include this person.
Again I write this out to show I have waited and tried A......LONG.....TIME.
I'm excited in fact for years I have refused to watch any previous years concerts on t.v. due to my somewhat extreme jeolousy. The system still is not fair far too many people get tickets EVERY year. Or multiple years like this person.
Luck is one thing but giving tickets to the same people every year NEEDS TO STOP. more though, people who have never been need to have first priority when the ticket selection start. I still see way too many people saying "yay we got tickets AGAIN" and way too many people saying they've stopped trying to even get tickets because just like me they've tried again and again with no sucess. I've read blogs where a person has bragged about getting 5 tickets from a friend or her "secret source" when that year the max tickets you could request was four. (Mentioned above) I've read blogs where it's "Christmas tradition" to go because so and so's aunt or mom is in the choir and they get tickets EVERY YEAR. I've even read one blog where a lady in the choir who asked her niece how many tickets she needed. She requested 3 and she got them. How many tickets do the choir members get!? Look The Motab Christmas Concert is a highly coveted treat. It should not be made into a Christmas tradition because not everyone who wants that tradition (like me) can do that. Unless you do the music and the spoken word where no tickets are not required. People who have went the previous year or years please step aside and let someone else go.
Well I'm done ranting on this subject. I made a list of 10 goals and this one was just added in January. As long as nothing is in my way and I get to go to the concert I am done with my rants on motab christmas concert cheaters. But before I end can I at least add a few suggestions to the ticket distribution center.
1. Revise the ticket processing for the
Tabernacle choir members. Every year they get ALOT of tickets for their friends and relatives. Some who get to go every year while again others like me put in for 9 years straight (10 times). It's honestly starting to become an entitlement issue. Not necessarily the choir members themselves but the choir members family. It's now expected they get tickets every year And may I say something else to the distributor at the Ticket Office, wasn't it President Monson himself who came home from Germany with no shoes and less clothing because he gave them away yet it's funny how NOBODY can sacrifice a ticket!
My suggestion, split the tickets in half among the choir members. I understand that the choir members should get tickets but every year? No. Half the members, 4 tickets each switching every year. Meaning if I'm in the choir this year I get 4 tickets next year I don't. That easy. 2nd stop giving tickets to church employees or News stations or Senior Hatch's office. Again why are politicians getting them every year??while others like me put in 10 tines before getting them? In my other blog post I talk about a friend of mine who was able to go twice because his Dad worked for the church. Again why are church employees getting them when we ALL pay tithing?Seems as though one or 2 suggestions I have wrote about have been enforced. One performers no longer get tickets and 2 they do put your name on the tickets.
Well I'm done ranting on this subject. Anyone else who has tried at least 5 times and not gone I give you the reins to tell your story and what you think needs to be done. You can continue the rant. I'm done.
Back then my oldest daughter was not even 1. We were living in an apartment and a trip to the MOTAB Christmas Concert would of been an emotional boost. Especially considering the long hours I was putting in at work. I had just donated plasma for my first time after waiting 8 hours. And I was working EVERY Saturday. Life wasn't easy.
I have put in for tickets every single year since then. For 2009 with David McCullough and Natalie Cole 2010 with David Archuleta and Michael York 2011 with Jayne Seymore and Nathan Gunn 2012 with Alfie Boe and the candy bomber Gail Halverson. The one year I really wanted to go. Had no clue who Alfie was but when I saw they surprised the audience with candy from the sky in parachutes and told the story of the candy bomber, wow I wish I was there. Ksl news was letting everyone know they received tickets that year. I'm sure they put in for the drawing like everyone else and just got lucky. I mean come on the church doesn't do favorites and just give out tickets to a church owned news station or church employees. Right? (Catch my sarcasm) I continued trying for tickets in 2013 with guest artist Deborah Voigt and John Rhys-Davies 2014 with the sesame street muppets and Santino Fontana. My kids would of loved that but while I lost others like this person had hookups.
(So I can't find the post but basically there was a lady who had a special conection to someone in the motab ticket world. She called her "her secret friend" she asked this friend after not getting tickets through the lottery system if she could get her tickets. The lottery system only allowed 4 tickets. She got 5 through her friend. Very unfair considering she has been several times to the concert while others like me have to wait. If I find the post I will edit this post)
2015 was the last year for the lottery. That year again I lost. Guest artist
Were Laura Osnes and Martin Jarvis. 2016 was the first year I thought I had a chance. They changed it from a lottery system to a first come first serve. Nope still lost Guest artist were Rolando Villazon.
Other people who have been able to have priority without going through the lottery system include this person.
This person went 2 years in a row because they get tickets through her husbands work. Where exactly does he work? At Senator Hatch's office. So Senator Hatch and possibly other political offices get ticket....why?? Again I wouldn't be asking if it didn't take me 10 TIMES (9 years) to get tickets!
If you missed my first blog on this subject it's here.
Again I write this out to show I have waited and tried A......LONG.....TIME.
I'm excited in fact for years I have refused to watch any previous years concerts on t.v. due to my somewhat extreme jeolousy. The system still is not fair far too many people get tickets EVERY year. Or multiple years like this person.
2 years in a row.
Luck is one thing but giving tickets to the same people every year NEEDS TO STOP. more though, people who have never been need to have first priority when the ticket selection start. I still see way too many people saying "yay we got tickets AGAIN" and way too many people saying they've stopped trying to even get tickets because just like me they've tried again and again with no sucess. I've read blogs where a person has bragged about getting 5 tickets from a friend or her "secret source" when that year the max tickets you could request was four. (Mentioned above) I've read blogs where it's "Christmas tradition" to go because so and so's aunt or mom is in the choir and they get tickets EVERY YEAR. I've even read one blog where a lady in the choir who asked her niece how many tickets she needed. She requested 3 and she got them. How many tickets do the choir members get!? Look The Motab Christmas Concert is a highly coveted treat. It should not be made into a Christmas tradition because not everyone who wants that tradition (like me) can do that. Unless you do the music and the spoken word where no tickets are not required. People who have went the previous year or years please step aside and let someone else go.
Well I'm done ranting on this subject. I made a list of 10 goals and this one was just added in January. As long as nothing is in my way and I get to go to the concert I am done with my rants on motab christmas concert cheaters. But before I end can I at least add a few suggestions to the ticket distribution center.
1. Revise the ticket processing for the
Tabernacle choir members. Every year they get ALOT of tickets for their friends and relatives. Some who get to go every year while again others like me put in for 9 years straight (10 times). It's honestly starting to become an entitlement issue. Not necessarily the choir members themselves but the choir members family. It's now expected they get tickets every year And may I say something else to the distributor at the Ticket Office, wasn't it President Monson himself who came home from Germany with no shoes and less clothing because he gave them away yet it's funny how NOBODY can sacrifice a ticket!
My suggestion, split the tickets in half among the choir members. I understand that the choir members should get tickets but every year? No. Half the members, 4 tickets each switching every year. Meaning if I'm in the choir this year I get 4 tickets next year I don't. That easy. 2nd stop giving tickets to church employees or News stations or Senior Hatch's office. Again why are politicians getting them every year??while others like me put in 10 tines before getting them? In my other blog post I talk about a friend of mine who was able to go twice because his Dad worked for the church. Again why are church employees getting them when we ALL pay tithing?Seems as though one or 2 suggestions I have wrote about have been enforced. One performers no longer get tickets and 2 they do put your name on the tickets.
Well I'm done ranting on this subject. Anyone else who has tried at least 5 times and not gone I give you the reins to tell your story and what you think needs to be done. You can continue the rant. I'm done.
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Life still sucks.
(Before reading my rant please note that all trials suck but the death of a family member is by far the worst trial someone can go through. I would never wish that on anyone and anyone who has had that may you receive healing and blessings.)
Life sucks some times. 1 year ago I was debt free. I didn't have a fancy car but the bills were being paid easily. Fast forward to now, both vehicles that used to run great are either gone or soon to be sold due to car problems, we bought 2 newer cars on credit. ( No not a car loan. Hell no I won't do that again) One for the family the other for a buisness venture. Our income has went down my buisness venture has not panned out as much as I would like dentist are overcharging us doctors are overcharging us speaking of doctors I have had the worst ear infections in years and that happened right before our first cruise. Our income is slipping I'm working 3 days a week now (I actually enjoy that) I have teeth that need to be fixed that I can't afford. My chest was hurting. I'm not alarmed but can't go to the dr. Credit cards are maxing out on basic essentials and I'm trying out a few government programs. Actually 1 government program the other one I'm just trying to get my kids on chip. But anyways what gives? I didn't tell anyone what I made when we tripled our income in one year. It was as Devine help let us have one year of fun with a TON of restrictions then took it away. You can buy an ATV buuutt it wont run right. You can go to Disneyland buuutt your income will shrink soon after. You can have that house buuutt your income will go down and you'll lose popularity in you buisness. You can go on a cruise buuutt your going to have to fork out 1000 dollars to get your tooth fixed 300 dollars to get your ear fixed suffer through 3 weeks of pain and on the morning when you depart while your still in doubt that you should even go then will you finally find relief.
Don't get me wrong. I believe in being tried and tested. But havn't I already been tried and tested. Didn't the several expensive dr visits try and test me. The ones others had help with through government programs and I didn't. Wasn't I tried and tested when I skipped out on college to work hard and have a family while others went to college had families through government assistance and church assistance and again I did not. Even when I thought I finally was being rewarded for my many years of trials barely making it. Selling my blood for formula barely seeing my family. I have one excellent year but within that year marriage problems vehicle breakage medical problems and even financial problems. Money won't fix my problems but lack of it does make it worse. Honestly I know am going to have trials and don't expect a perfect life but I do wonder why others lives our more perfect than mine because of financial well being. If only I could taste their life for half of my life while they taste mine for half of theirs. We all have trials yet I still contend some trials are worse than others.
Life sucks some times. 1 year ago I was debt free. I didn't have a fancy car but the bills were being paid easily. Fast forward to now, both vehicles that used to run great are either gone or soon to be sold due to car problems, we bought 2 newer cars on credit. ( No not a car loan. Hell no I won't do that again) One for the family the other for a buisness venture. Our income has went down my buisness venture has not panned out as much as I would like dentist are overcharging us doctors are overcharging us speaking of doctors I have had the worst ear infections in years and that happened right before our first cruise. Our income is slipping I'm working 3 days a week now (I actually enjoy that) I have teeth that need to be fixed that I can't afford. My chest was hurting. I'm not alarmed but can't go to the dr. Credit cards are maxing out on basic essentials and I'm trying out a few government programs. Actually 1 government program the other one I'm just trying to get my kids on chip. But anyways what gives? I didn't tell anyone what I made when we tripled our income in one year. It was as Devine help let us have one year of fun with a TON of restrictions then took it away. You can buy an ATV buuutt it wont run right. You can go to Disneyland buuutt your income will shrink soon after. You can have that house buuutt your income will go down and you'll lose popularity in you buisness. You can go on a cruise buuutt your going to have to fork out 1000 dollars to get your tooth fixed 300 dollars to get your ear fixed suffer through 3 weeks of pain and on the morning when you depart while your still in doubt that you should even go then will you finally find relief.
Don't get me wrong. I believe in being tried and tested. But havn't I already been tried and tested. Didn't the several expensive dr visits try and test me. The ones others had help with through government programs and I didn't. Wasn't I tried and tested when I skipped out on college to work hard and have a family while others went to college had families through government assistance and church assistance and again I did not. Even when I thought I finally was being rewarded for my many years of trials barely making it. Selling my blood for formula barely seeing my family. I have one excellent year but within that year marriage problems vehicle breakage medical problems and even financial problems. Money won't fix my problems but lack of it does make it worse. Honestly I know am going to have trials and don't expect a perfect life but I do wonder why others lives our more perfect than mine because of financial well being. If only I could taste their life for half of my life while they taste mine for half of theirs. We all have trials yet I still contend some trials are worse than others.
Friday, September 15, 2017
Not going to take it.
I think with the recent news events of a nurse being falsely arrested and me feeling a connection to the story. No I am not a nurse and I am not even comparing any of my situations to hers. I have however worked in the service Industry for the last 10 years and have had may I dare say A-holes as customers I too have been falsely accused of not doing my job or overcharging. I have been yelled at told I was an A-hole and one guy even told me after I told him after 10 years no one has treated me as bad as you, his answer to that was, "well there's a first for everything." After I quit I made a few promises to myself I was going to treat those in the service Industry with more respect than I ever got. I don't care if they forget to fill my drink or avoid my table. I will find reason before I find fault. I have proven this true over and over again tipping even the worst servers because I felt they still deserve it. The other thing I promised myself was that I was not going to be treated like like a "Whipping boy" when certain situations arrised. This is not to say that nobody is going to treat me unfairly and get away with it I mean come on that's impossible. Imagine all the road rages you would be in. All I am saying is if my integrity or my families integrity is threatened and I feel it's in my best interest to defend it I will not shy away. Which brings me to my next story.
A few days ago I stopped at my local car wash to get a rinse and clean out my car. Working for a rideshare company, I have to keep my car clean all the time. There is large dumpster in the back of most car washes that is for YOUR CAR TRASH. It is actually against the law to dump any other trash in this bin. It's called Theft of services. Got that? OK moving on. Normally when I go to a car wash I stop by the large Dumpster to clean out my trash. It makes more sense to me to just dump it there than any other trash bins they have because eventually it just ends up there. Right after I threw away a diaper a some receipts and I believe a pepsi bottle I noticed a older man approach me with chains in hand telling me he is sick and tired of people using his trash cans to use for their household trash. I told him I was just using it to clean my car. He then reiterated what he had just said saying he was going to lock up the trash can to put an end to it. I again reiterated why I was using it trying to be friendly when he raised his voice telling me that if I have trash use the trash cans over by the vacuums. At this point I realized his frustrations of other people were directed at me. I also realized after 10 years in the service Industry I didn't have to take that amymore. It was as if I felt something snap. My body went cold and my anger came out. I was done with people treating me that way. I was the customer! And he the owner I believe was treating me like crap and I let him know that. I think it startled him because he actually stopped working and stared at me. I basically told him I wasn't going to be treated that way and that I was planning on using his services but after the way I was treated I will find somewhere else. He stared at me I stared back and I left. The next day I stopped by to see how the trash cans look locked up. He didn't finish it. Makes me wonder if he gave up or felt bad?
Anyways, Stand up for yourself. Not in all situations but there are times you need to defend yours or your families character.
A few days ago I stopped at my local car wash to get a rinse and clean out my car. Working for a rideshare company, I have to keep my car clean all the time. There is large dumpster in the back of most car washes that is for YOUR CAR TRASH. It is actually against the law to dump any other trash in this bin. It's called Theft of services. Got that? OK moving on. Normally when I go to a car wash I stop by the large Dumpster to clean out my trash. It makes more sense to me to just dump it there than any other trash bins they have because eventually it just ends up there. Right after I threw away a diaper a some receipts and I believe a pepsi bottle I noticed a older man approach me with chains in hand telling me he is sick and tired of people using his trash cans to use for their household trash. I told him I was just using it to clean my car. He then reiterated what he had just said saying he was going to lock up the trash can to put an end to it. I again reiterated why I was using it trying to be friendly when he raised his voice telling me that if I have trash use the trash cans over by the vacuums. At this point I realized his frustrations of other people were directed at me. I also realized after 10 years in the service Industry I didn't have to take that amymore. It was as if I felt something snap. My body went cold and my anger came out. I was done with people treating me that way. I was the customer! And he the owner I believe was treating me like crap and I let him know that. I think it startled him because he actually stopped working and stared at me. I basically told him I wasn't going to be treated that way and that I was planning on using his services but after the way I was treated I will find somewhere else. He stared at me I stared back and I left. The next day I stopped by to see how the trash cans look locked up. He didn't finish it. Makes me wonder if he gave up or felt bad?
Anyways, Stand up for yourself. Not in all situations but there are times you need to defend yours or your families character.
Thursday, August 31, 2017
Breaking point? Accepting government programs?
So I don't know if I am at a breaking point or what. For years my wife have done things on our own. When my wife became pregnant I got a second job. When medical bills came up I picked up more hours. When I needed formula or food, when all of my money went to rent expenses or medical bills I donated plasma. I didn't ask the government for help like so many others did. I didn't go to my parents or my church. I looked at my situation and found a solution knowing that some day some how I would come out ahead of those who have chosen the easier path. My choices would reward me right? Last year it seemed as if that was becoming true. We started out the year deeply in debt a 520 credit score a car loan and no idea if our plans of moving were going to happen. Slowly yet quickly my credit healed. Bills were paid off. Credit cards that have had balances for half a decade finally were paid off and we're paying me money and finally after 8 years of being slave to my car lender I was free. I quit my job and have been a stay at home dad for the last year. Yeah you would think that I have finally been rewarded for all of my standards yet have you ever been given something with restrictions? For example; a nice restored car but you can't drive it. A free vacation package that's only redeemable if you fly out a certain day oh and by the way airfare and food are not free and they cost more than the vacation itself! Thats what the last year has felt like. I bought an ATV, fixed it and it BROKE. Can't try to fix it because I have so many other things breaking. Right before a trip my newer van breaks. Spent all summer toying around with it finally take it to a mechanic. They charge me 400 dollars and 4 week's later it's toast! My other vans power steering goes out. I took it to a mechanic who says it will cost 1000 dollars to fix it. Anyways nothing is getting done I'm ranting and complaining again so I'm finally caving. I'm done! I need help and until this start heading in the right direction I will try hard as I can to get that help. My kids are getting free lunches at school and soon I hope to get them on chip insurance. I've tried doing it the right way but continually I and my family are being punished. I have 10+ goals in life. Not one of them said not to work not one said that life should be easy. I want a few amenities some relaxation and a freaking honeymoon!! That is it. Come on universe. Some LUCK and good FORTUNE my way would be nice please! Here I am saying this while people are losing their homes and livelihood in Texas. I hope they rebuild soon. Yes their problems are worst than mine but still I've had almost 10 years of non stop restrictions. 10 years of bad luck. My savings is drying up and I just need help. I'm finally caving for any and all help. Not to depend on but to build me back up. It's my turn to have my Facebook plastered with good things. It's my turn to go on coveted vacation. It's my turn to have fun.
And that concludes my rant.
And that concludes my rant.
Friday, July 7, 2017
I believe in good luck.
I have a confession, I buy lottery tickets. Sometimes I myself wonder why...
If luck were on a scale from 1 to 10 where 10 was the luckiest such as your lottery winners or the people who win vacations and trips all the time and 1 was your unluckiest of people who simply do not buy tickets because they always lose. The people who try to call the radio station or will put in for free stuff but will never win. I would probably put myself at a 2. Maybe a 1.95. I'm not lucky! My wife is not either. I have probably put in and called to win at least a hundred times. In all I have won once. And that was a t shirt! As far as the lottery goes, I again probably win around 20% of the time. Yes I do have my lucky streaks but they're not life changing and the value of them are minuscule even compared to some of my friends who have won bigger prizes.
Do you know anyone who is simply lucky?
Do you believe in luck? Do you believe some people are just lucky?
I do and it sucks sometimes. I mean come on UNIVERSE. Why them and not me? Why not spread some luck around.
I have 10 goals in life I would like to see happen in my lifetime. I'm adding one more today.
THAT IS..
To have some financial lucky thing happen to me that would be either life changing such as financial fortune or the more likely version of winning a top prize from some sweepstakes such as a dream vacation or even a disneyland vacation or some type of cruise.
That's never happened to me and yet I still believe it will. That is why I buy lottery tickets.
Before I get to my stories of luck (obviously from other people I know) I want to address a saying I've seen on Facebook. That is that the lottery is a poor man's tax. Ok I agree with you that your chances of getting wealthy are very very slim and the vast majority of people who do play the lottery lose especially when it comes to such games as the power ball or mega million. Then there are those who are addicted to the lottery who simply should avoid it at all cost. What those friends of mine on Facebook should do is go to an actual lottery winner and say that. Yes you may become rich through hard work and such but there is no way you can become instantly wealthy overnight unless your stock skyrockets or you win the lottery. That is again why I play. Yes it's a small minuscule chance.
But it's a chance!
And I typically have around 2 days of dreaming of my winnings before the disappointment begins. Yet my day dreams are great..... until I read off those numbers.
I myself have a few stories and again I will get to those after stories of some people I've met and some people I know.
Hmm where to begin..
How about a short story.
You know how much I love a good vacation right? Once at work the lottery topic came up. After sharing the most I've won a guy next to me said he won a vacation prize worth 28000 dollars. That included cash hotels airfare shows and much more. He enjoyed a 2 week vacations with just him and his wife living it up in Europe.
2 weeks is a bit extreme without my kids but still 28000 dollar prize?! As in the words of Napolean Dynamite, LUCKY!
In between these stories of luck I have decided to share my stories of how unlucky I am.
Summer/Fall 2006. My wife's father invites us to go to an air show outside of Pheonix Arizona. There was a vendor there who was advertising their company by giving away a cruise my wife and I are not interested in the product so we pass but still put in for the cruise. When I turned around after filling out the form my wife claims she saw them throw away that form. Too bad camera's weren't as popular as they are today. There are laws against that! My guess is they were acting like they were following state laws on sweepstakes with NO PURCHASE NECESSARY to avoid a gambling fine yet they were not going to give away a trip to a person not interested which is illegal yet still my luck.
We have these friends from our old ward who again seemed to have around a 6 or 7 on my lucky scale. Always winning at company parties even a few radio station prizes. At one company Party they won a pair of bikes among other stuff. There was a charity event we all went to. This was back in the days of us having no money and constantly fighting off medical bills. Our family and their family had both purchased raffle tickets for several prizes. The top prize was again a cruise. (I'm beginning to think I'm forbidden to win a cruise.) That family won something we didn't. The top prize actually went to the main organizer. Scam? I don't know everyone knew she deserved it for her efforts but again come on. Spread some luck my way universe.
We had these friends durring our early years in our marriage who had been to the CMA'S twice. Yes twice! How? No they don't have alot of money. They won both trips two years in a row from two different radio stations! The trips were all inclusive too! Airfare food and tickets to the CMA'S. Two years in a row!!
Do you remember the pepsi promotion in 1998? The Pepsi pop culture game where you collected phrases such as "As If" "Shop Till You Drop" "Talk To The Hand". If you found all of the words to the phrases you won a certain prize such as a shopping spree, trips, or even a brand new jeep wrangler. Now for this next part of the story I have to go on what I remember and what I heard and experienced. Looking back now I kind of doubt everything I am going to say is true but then again....... I don't know!
Anyways here is the story as I remember it. By this time I had been getting into snowboarding a little bit. I had been about 3 times and liked the sport and wanted to be better so the only prize I wanted was the snowboarding trip to Vail. From what I remember the phrase was "Been There Done That". The hardest word to find was "Been" The trip was several nights at some lodge in Vail Colorado for 4 people and included 5000 dollars spending cash. While I was at school I found out a friend of mine had "Been". He found it in a 24 pack. We decided to split the trip. We would both bring one friend and split the 5000 dollars where each of us would have 1250 each. If this actually happened this would be by far the best materialistic thing that has happened to me TO DATE that money can buy.
Well it never happened. Apparently after trying and even physically fighting his sister for two days his sister hid the promo word and he couldn't find it. As far as I know she didn't even cash in the prize which makes me question if it was real or not.
I apparently have more unlucky stories so here another one of mine.
My wife's grandma (step grandma or nana to be more specific) took care of an older lady who had a house in Staton Island. She was also very wealthy. She would hire my wife's grandma to take care of her cat's in Staton island. Yes you read right, cats! My wife's grandma could not go so she asked if her granddaughter could do it. She would get airfare and several grand per week by simply feeding cats! This was durring the summer after our second year of college. We also called up a summer camp to see about being camp counselors and we secured a job in New Jersey. The plan was to live at the cat house together for 3 weeks and then move to summer camp for the rest of the summer and eventually fly back home.
Again it didn't happen.
Once again our bad luck prevailed and we had to cancel the whole trip.
My wife won a thousand dollars from taco bell once. Apparently she found a game piece and left it on her dresser. When she returned home from school it was gone and her mom pulled up with a new car. Yep you guessed it she stole the game piece cashed it in and put a down payment on a car. Here's the real kicker she never admitted to doing that. She claimed for years that the game piece was lost. It wasn't until years later after talking to an aunt my wife finally realize that she had lied. She did in fact cash in the game piece that belonged to my wife.
For a grand opening of a new Papa Johns Store we were giving away free pizza and a bike. An older lady came in to enter the drawing. Before leaving she said with confidence that she would be back for the bike later that day. My boss smiled and wished her luck. Later that day she came back and WON! Later on I found out she is one of those lucky people who really do always wins. She's won anything from cash to trips including a few cruises. Again UNIVERSE you think you could let me have her good luck for 10-20 years while she has mine.
My hometown did a Christmas drawlings one year. They gave away alot of good presents that kids in my town could only wish having. At least my brothers and I wished we could have them. Did not win a thing. Hard to watch the snobby kids from school take home their build a monster kit or Legos they just won.
Speaking of Christmas my home town would do a coloring contest around Christmas. After both my sister and my brother won I decided to focus on one stores picture more than any other one so I could win a prize. I used colored pencils and really focused on staying inside the lines. Even used a brush to even out the colors. But again NO PRIZE!
Since writing this I've had tools I've needed stop working or break. My van that needed a new ac pump is not working and still has no ac, my wife has broken her 5th or 6th mirror she just got and my outdoor umbrella snapped in half.
Again just wishing for more ALOT more luck.
I think for now unless I find more stories I'll leave it at that. Life is full of unfortunate events that let us down and I still believe some of us gain our luck someday. I was just telling my wife we should endure our hardships well because it's training us with sympathy charity and management skills for the luck and blessings thar lie ahead.
Have a great weekend people and good luck to you.
If luck were on a scale from 1 to 10 where 10 was the luckiest such as your lottery winners or the people who win vacations and trips all the time and 1 was your unluckiest of people who simply do not buy tickets because they always lose. The people who try to call the radio station or will put in for free stuff but will never win. I would probably put myself at a 2. Maybe a 1.95. I'm not lucky! My wife is not either. I have probably put in and called to win at least a hundred times. In all I have won once. And that was a t shirt! As far as the lottery goes, I again probably win around 20% of the time. Yes I do have my lucky streaks but they're not life changing and the value of them are minuscule even compared to some of my friends who have won bigger prizes.
Do you know anyone who is simply lucky?
Do you believe in luck? Do you believe some people are just lucky?
I do and it sucks sometimes. I mean come on UNIVERSE. Why them and not me? Why not spread some luck around.
I have 10 goals in life I would like to see happen in my lifetime. I'm adding one more today.
THAT IS..
To have some financial lucky thing happen to me that would be either life changing such as financial fortune or the more likely version of winning a top prize from some sweepstakes such as a dream vacation or even a disneyland vacation or some type of cruise.
That's never happened to me and yet I still believe it will. That is why I buy lottery tickets.
Before I get to my stories of luck (obviously from other people I know) I want to address a saying I've seen on Facebook. That is that the lottery is a poor man's tax. Ok I agree with you that your chances of getting wealthy are very very slim and the vast majority of people who do play the lottery lose especially when it comes to such games as the power ball or mega million. Then there are those who are addicted to the lottery who simply should avoid it at all cost. What those friends of mine on Facebook should do is go to an actual lottery winner and say that. Yes you may become rich through hard work and such but there is no way you can become instantly wealthy overnight unless your stock skyrockets or you win the lottery. That is again why I play. Yes it's a small minuscule chance.
But it's a chance!
And I typically have around 2 days of dreaming of my winnings before the disappointment begins. Yet my day dreams are great..... until I read off those numbers.
I myself have a few stories and again I will get to those after stories of some people I've met and some people I know.
Hmm where to begin..
How about a short story.
You know how much I love a good vacation right? Once at work the lottery topic came up. After sharing the most I've won a guy next to me said he won a vacation prize worth 28000 dollars. That included cash hotels airfare shows and much more. He enjoyed a 2 week vacations with just him and his wife living it up in Europe.
2 weeks is a bit extreme without my kids but still 28000 dollar prize?! As in the words of Napolean Dynamite, LUCKY!
In between these stories of luck I have decided to share my stories of how unlucky I am.
Summer/Fall 2006. My wife's father invites us to go to an air show outside of Pheonix Arizona. There was a vendor there who was advertising their company by giving away a cruise my wife and I are not interested in the product so we pass but still put in for the cruise. When I turned around after filling out the form my wife claims she saw them throw away that form. Too bad camera's weren't as popular as they are today. There are laws against that! My guess is they were acting like they were following state laws on sweepstakes with NO PURCHASE NECESSARY to avoid a gambling fine yet they were not going to give away a trip to a person not interested which is illegal yet still my luck.
We have these friends from our old ward who again seemed to have around a 6 or 7 on my lucky scale. Always winning at company parties even a few radio station prizes. At one company Party they won a pair of bikes among other stuff. There was a charity event we all went to. This was back in the days of us having no money and constantly fighting off medical bills. Our family and their family had both purchased raffle tickets for several prizes. The top prize was again a cruise. (I'm beginning to think I'm forbidden to win a cruise.) That family won something we didn't. The top prize actually went to the main organizer. Scam? I don't know everyone knew she deserved it for her efforts but again come on. Spread some luck my way universe.
We had these friends durring our early years in our marriage who had been to the CMA'S twice. Yes twice! How? No they don't have alot of money. They won both trips two years in a row from two different radio stations! The trips were all inclusive too! Airfare food and tickets to the CMA'S. Two years in a row!!
Do you remember the pepsi promotion in 1998? The Pepsi pop culture game where you collected phrases such as "As If" "Shop Till You Drop" "Talk To The Hand". If you found all of the words to the phrases you won a certain prize such as a shopping spree, trips, or even a brand new jeep wrangler. Now for this next part of the story I have to go on what I remember and what I heard and experienced. Looking back now I kind of doubt everything I am going to say is true but then again....... I don't know!
Anyways here is the story as I remember it. By this time I had been getting into snowboarding a little bit. I had been about 3 times and liked the sport and wanted to be better so the only prize I wanted was the snowboarding trip to Vail. From what I remember the phrase was "Been There Done That". The hardest word to find was "Been" The trip was several nights at some lodge in Vail Colorado for 4 people and included 5000 dollars spending cash. While I was at school I found out a friend of mine had "Been". He found it in a 24 pack. We decided to split the trip. We would both bring one friend and split the 5000 dollars where each of us would have 1250 each. If this actually happened this would be by far the best materialistic thing that has happened to me TO DATE that money can buy.
Well it never happened. Apparently after trying and even physically fighting his sister for two days his sister hid the promo word and he couldn't find it. As far as I know she didn't even cash in the prize which makes me question if it was real or not.
I apparently have more unlucky stories so here another one of mine.
My wife's grandma (step grandma or nana to be more specific) took care of an older lady who had a house in Staton Island. She was also very wealthy. She would hire my wife's grandma to take care of her cat's in Staton island. Yes you read right, cats! My wife's grandma could not go so she asked if her granddaughter could do it. She would get airfare and several grand per week by simply feeding cats! This was durring the summer after our second year of college. We also called up a summer camp to see about being camp counselors and we secured a job in New Jersey. The plan was to live at the cat house together for 3 weeks and then move to summer camp for the rest of the summer and eventually fly back home.
Again it didn't happen.
Once again our bad luck prevailed and we had to cancel the whole trip.
My wife won a thousand dollars from taco bell once. Apparently she found a game piece and left it on her dresser. When she returned home from school it was gone and her mom pulled up with a new car. Yep you guessed it she stole the game piece cashed it in and put a down payment on a car. Here's the real kicker she never admitted to doing that. She claimed for years that the game piece was lost. It wasn't until years later after talking to an aunt my wife finally realize that she had lied. She did in fact cash in the game piece that belonged to my wife.
For a grand opening of a new Papa Johns Store we were giving away free pizza and a bike. An older lady came in to enter the drawing. Before leaving she said with confidence that she would be back for the bike later that day. My boss smiled and wished her luck. Later that day she came back and WON! Later on I found out she is one of those lucky people who really do always wins. She's won anything from cash to trips including a few cruises. Again UNIVERSE you think you could let me have her good luck for 10-20 years while she has mine.
My hometown did a Christmas drawlings one year. They gave away alot of good presents that kids in my town could only wish having. At least my brothers and I wished we could have them. Did not win a thing. Hard to watch the snobby kids from school take home their build a monster kit or Legos they just won.
Speaking of Christmas my home town would do a coloring contest around Christmas. After both my sister and my brother won I decided to focus on one stores picture more than any other one so I could win a prize. I used colored pencils and really focused on staying inside the lines. Even used a brush to even out the colors. But again NO PRIZE!
Since writing this I've had tools I've needed stop working or break. My van that needed a new ac pump is not working and still has no ac, my wife has broken her 5th or 6th mirror she just got and my outdoor umbrella snapped in half.
Again just wishing for more ALOT more luck.
I think for now unless I find more stories I'll leave it at that. Life is full of unfortunate events that let us down and I still believe some of us gain our luck someday. I was just telling my wife we should endure our hardships well because it's training us with sympathy charity and management skills for the luck and blessings thar lie ahead.
Have a great weekend people and good luck to you.
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