Thursday, July 10, 2014

Well That Escalated Quickly (first post)

A friend of mine told me I should start a blog so here I am. It's been hard to write this first one so I'm starting the 500 word challenge. This means I'll write at least 500 words every day (if I remember) for the next month. I have to post whatever I write and can't edit any of it ignore all the grammatical errors. So I'm sitting in my office at church with Jxcarl listening to Macklemore's The Heist.  I really needed to hear the song "White Walls" yesterday because I was wishing I had a Cadillac so instead of buying just the song I bought the whole album. It kills me when I look though someone's iPod and they only have 1-5 songs of an artist. If I want a song then I feel compelled to buy the entire album. I always just assume that if the artist can make one good song then they must have more to offer. Most times this is a mistake but I continue to do it every time. 

You would think I'd learn my lesson after buying such classics as Ultraviolence from Lana Del Rey or Frank Ocean's Channel ORANGE. I do this every time and it rarely pays off. The most recent album I purchased was the new Jack White album titled Lazaretto. I tried really hard to love it but I couldn't. That was really disappointing for someone who considers themselves to be a pretty big Jack White fan. I've been told by many people that I'm not an optimistic person and I agree with them but for some reason, I become overly optimistic when it comes to music and my wallet feels the consequences. 

I seem to do that a lot with money. I tend to be very cheap when it comes to things I really need but I'm careless when I think someone has a shot at giving me a unique experience. I'm more than willing to contest a price at Kroger when I'm buying milk or eggs. I'll complain all day about gas prices or my car payment but I'll spend money I don't necessarily have if it means I get to share an experience with friends, loved ones or just myself. I'll tell myself I "don't have the money" for paper towels or light bulbs at Target, get a text from a friend asking if I'd go to the Reds game with them, and without hesitation buy a ticket, drive to the stadium, pay for parking, eat 3 hot dogs and buy a $7 beer. 

I'm not sure how I ended up with this view on money and life. I grew up in the most practical environment imaginable. I lived my entire childhood in the wealthy suburbs of Cincinnati in a Christ-centered family and a dad who is a very successful financial advisor. My dad is the most rational, play it safe man on the planet and raised me to think the way he does but for some reason I've come to really dislike that life. I grew up hearing that if an idea or thought doesn't make complete sense from a economic or professional standpoint then it's immature and foolish. Somehow, living in this ultra conservative bubble, I became this frivolous, whimsy, go with the flow, kid. 

I think the majority of people I come in contact with have a similar mindset as my father and it is a safe, responsible, well-intentioned mindset but I feel it misses the mark. Maybe I'm crazy but I think we often overlook the focal things in life. People live their whole lives trying to obtain the right amount of safety and padding. They want a certain level of stability in their bank accounts or houses. They have this person that they want to become and they'll spend their whole lives wrestling it to the ground trying to own it. I don't think there is anything wrong with having dreams for your life but I don't let my dreams get in the way of the focal things of life. I have this fear that when I die, I'll meet Jesus and he'll ask me what I did with all the time and blessings and opportunities he gave me and I won't have an answer. So I'll spend my money on experiences, people, love and community because I'd rather be seen as "whimsy" or "irresponsible" by the men in suits and ties than play it safe and have no answer when my time is up and that question comes around.

Sharpton for President ya'll. 
Im outtie