Category Archives: Problems

Are You Too Smart to Be Rich?

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Is it really possible to be too smart to be rich or successful?

I think that it is entirely possible to be too smart, here are a few cases:

  1. Perhaps those that went to a high caliber college came out with a slight elitist attitude?  I would like to suggest that they make a decision on what they think is correct and not objective data…  So when Johnny, a graduate from a local state college ran the numbers and suggested something different… he gets largely ignored.  After Johnny turns out to be correct, sometimes those smarter than he, still largely ignore his research and conclusion.  Johnny, who knew that he was in the right, finally gets upset and quits…  Then Johnny goes on to start a competing business based on his research and knowledge.
  2. Perhaps another example would be the learned man/woman that just doesn’t have time for trivial matters, they are living for a higher goal.  They are in a perpetual state of learning (or enlightenment), soaking up everything like a sponge!  I have a friend that has a doctorate degree in chemistry.  But he works at a grocery store…  He has been going to college his entire adult life.  As long as they are happy this way, who am I to judge.?.
  3. Perhaps you are smart in certain areas, but can’t communicate those thoughts and ideas.   Nothing discredits a brilliant idea as the inability to communicate your thoughts so that others can comprehend what you are saying.  As a technologist, I have many friends that fall into this camp, including myself to a lesser degree.

Other smart people are held back from being rich because they don’t have the ambition, drive, or focus to do so.  I’ve seen entire families like this.  I think this behavior is learned…  Perhaps they don’t believe that is deserving enough?

There are countless other scenarios… some don’t delegate tasks out or try to do it all, or the inexperienced smarty tries to out-think the wise battle-worn expert.

If you are lucky enough to be able and open enough to identify these personal faults, perhaps you can create a system to work on to overcome such hurdles…

Do you know people like I’m writing about?  How about you, do you know what your weaknesses are?  Do you believe if you try with great focus, you can overcome any obstacles?

-MR

Someone Clipped My Car!!!

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Practically every day for lunch, I go to the library.  My library is within 2 miles of where I work at, and overall it’s a great experience. In some ways, it’s like I’m Norm from the old TV show “Cheers”, but instead of a loud “Norm”, I get a hushed “Hi” from a few of the Librarians. I’ll hop on the computers and read other blogs, respond to comments on mine, and sometimes start writing a blog article.

Four months ago, a really sucky thing happened! I did my regular library routine, but when I came out to get in my car and go back to work… somebody had clipped me! My bumper was damaged and even cracked badly! Now, as regular readers know, I’m totally debt free, and this includes my cars.

So can you guess what I did?

Nothing! Yep, that’s right I did absolutely nothing to fix the problem. Here’s why:

  • The damage to the car is cosmetic (although I’m sure it’s a little less aerodynamic).
  • The depreciation on the car makes the cosmetic repair less appealing!
    I have a high deductible on my car.
  • Since it’s a Malibu, nobody is checking it out anyway. If it were a Lexus, well then I’d fix it.
  • It’s basic purpose in life is to be a work car.

Would you fix your work car if it’s wasn’t worth it?

– D

Dark Side of Frugality – Losing Your Integrity

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With frugality, we must be careful, not to take the practice so far that we start to lose our integrity!

What do I mean by this?  Well a year ago I went to Wal-Mart to replace my kid’s electric ride-on car battery.  I paid my $50, and brought it home, opened the package, and low and behold… someone’s old used battery in the box.  I was very upset!

Of course, I returned it… and Wal-Mart took it back, but I was still very upset!  Being the frugal guy that I am I thought what happened to would be so easy to do!  Buy the new battery with cash, and return it!  But I won’t stoop to that level.

So what else would be considered dark practices of frugality?  How about buying clothes wearing them for a month then returning them?  I know of people that do this.

Most of the people I know justify their actions by trying to put a false face on the businesses that they end up taking advantage of.  It’s almost like they brainwashing themselves into believing the stories that they make up, or just don’t care.  The funny thing is I never see a hint of remorse or doubt about their actions.

Then you also have the people that steal from the goodwill dropoff points.  They’ll go to drop off their junk, but then take something else that’s worth value.

The exchange of the battery is criminal since it’s stealing, but the exchange of the clothes is a gray area.  As for the exchange of items at goodwill dropoffs… hmmm, I would think it would be stealing, but very hard to prove?

– MR

Reading in Cars is Costly and Dangerous

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This morning I had to be at work at 6:00AM, and while there are just a few cars out, I notice a strange glow coming from a car that is passing me on the left.   “What going on in there” I thought to myself as the driver passed me…  

So having a “cat-like” curiosity, I decide to speed up to keep up with her.  That’s when I notice the car practically slid into a ditch on the left side (it was very slippery from the snow on the ground… just crazy!).  Then a little further down the road the driver almost ran into a car (stranded?) on the left hand side, missing it by maybe a foot (which is way to close when a car is moving 60+ mph). 

The near collision, must have spooked the driver, because she decided to move over to the slow lane.  This allowed me to catch up and pass her.  And low and behold, the glow was a lighting apparatus connected to her steering wheel, and she was reading a novel (or a very thick book of some sort)!?!?  (WTF?  that’s just plain crazy).  Now I’ve posted about Listening to Audio books while driving to work, but reading a book is way too dangerous, even during the wee hours of the morning!  After all, the driver almost got stranded in a ditch, next almost hit a car that was having problems on the side of the road, and is making herself an easy target for insurance fraud. 

Insurance Fraud?  What does that have to do with my story?

Well, there are fiendishly opportunistic people out in the world that, when seeing how the driver was driving and reading a book, would and do capitalize on it.  

How?

All they needed to do would be to sneak in from of the driver unnoticeable, and slam on the brakes.  The unaware (engrossed in her book) driver would plow right into the baiting insurance fraud fiend!  So the insurance crook gets a new car and most likely money from the insurance company for alleged injuries.  

Don’t think this happens?

I once had a friend in college driving down the road and a scam-artist did this exact thing to him.  He missed the crook the first time she slammed on her brakes, but then she did it again, and he lightly ran into her.  She claimed neck and back problems and claimed that his car did more damage to her car then it really did.  My poor friend has very unfortunate in that he was switching insurance companies at that point in time and ended up not being covered…  In his scenario, he wasn’t reading a book…  The young female driver stopped suddenly three times on him, so he’s sure it was intentional.  Why he kept following her, I have no idea…  I know that I wouldn’t have!!! 

People do reckless things sometimes (unless it me… I’m special 😉 ) 

-D