Well, today is Fat Tuesday. Some people are getting drunk. Others are getting fat…ter. Some just gave up on their new year’s resolution. Others are disappointed in the way their Valentine’s day went. Some are angry that others got the day off for a non-holiday. Some people, including me, laughed hysterically at a President’s day sale at Levitz’s commercial that included a Levitz truck backing up to the front door of the White House and our President, fearless leader and commander, repeatedly saying the word “So-fa”. (I searched for about 2 minutes for a link for everyone, but if you missed it, sorry. Definitely the best commercial since I’ve seen the Superbowl – not that there were that many good commercials anyway).
I’m afraid for our generation. All of our technological advances, and rarely can I find someone refreshing that has anything to say anymore (go figure, I’m writing in my blog instead of yucking it up over a beer – yum beer)
After much run around, let’s get to part of my point. I am giving up impatience for lent. Should lent be capitalized? My spell/grammar check doesn’t come up with anything. I prefer it capitalized, like God, even though the jury is still out on whether or not a higher power(s) really do(es) exist.
After much stress over the past year of me wanting to fast forward to next year, to next week, to the next paycheck, to next May, to the next 3 day weekend per pointless holiday (but a good cause for a great furniture commercial!) I am starting to realize that it’s all going to come in due time. There’s no point in wanting to rush it because it will come. I’ll be here. Even though I was slated to die by 25 (and even I thought this and still 35% of me does – yes, you read that right. I am honestly 35% scared I will die in the next 7 weeks) I don’t think I will. I think I’ll be that old angry bastard that outlives everyone. And has memories to prove it.
Now here’s where the “over analysis” section of this post comes in. Don’t you like how I make sure to partially stay on topic? I was obviously a terrible essay writer in college/high school/junior high…not really though.
I am part of a generation that cannot be defined. Sometimes for fun though, I like to label my peers. I like to label myself. Again, for fun. Because sometimes, it just fits.
And in doing so, I’ve come up with a few things in relation to my desire to give up impatience for the next few weeks. And that is that I feel that I am a part of two groups. One is the “instant gratification” group. Everyone knows this. Everything is so much faster. Everything is so much more accessible. Shit, I wanted to go buy Jim Cramer’s book tonight. Hell, I could do it online right now with the gift card I won for being such a “good little employee” in the 4th quarter. And with that money, I could have it shipped overnight to make sure a FedEx (love the logo BTW guys) truck is ringing my doorbell tomorrow by
OR, I’ve got my car. I’ve got my gift card. Barnes and Noble is open I believe until at least
And not that there’s any problem with this. For the most part, I like the availability. My dream in this area is to have everything open 24 hours. I need to know that if I have a craving for a sandwich from Fred Meyer on a Wednesday morning at 2:23 AM that they’ll be there for me (unfortunately they’re not and probably due to FDA regulation bullshit they have to take all the food that isn’t purchased and chuck it).
But the thing is, all this speed, and all the availability leads to burn out. This leads me to my 2nd point label of my generation as the “everything sucks” generation. Things are hot for a MAXIMUM of 5 years. I think even that lifecycle is getting shorter and shorter. Think of things since you were 13. Tell me how many of them are still “cool”. Even things that lasted longer than 5 years still fell off. Still struggled after that 5 year breaking point. Things grow for 5 years, things are “hot” for 5 years while the speed carries everything around and then it sucks. Suddenly just that 1 extra person found out about Jason Mraz and now he sucks. He’s overplayed. He’s not as talented as I once thought he was. Please, by all means use MySpace as an example. Heck, use this blogger. I guarantee within 5 years traffic on both of these sites will be cut in at least half.
The backlash within the “everything sucks” generation is tremendous. The hatred with which the American public/media can come at a celebrity could be unbearable. I’m amazed that more of them don’t go absolutely berserk or commit suicide. Most celebrities/things just fall away and then are discussed 9 years later through coworkers with the discussion ending in “No, Angelica Huston played that creepy metal thing with weird arms in Captain EO, here, look at the link to Wikipedia” (and your coworker emails you the link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_EO)
So how does this all pertain to me? A good portion of our debt will be done May of 2008. That’s roughly 1 year and 2 months away. We’ve already finished about 20% of it…all obviously on no interest financing (I feel very smart for doing this) and it feels good to be done with part of it. I’ve gotten a little “taste” for what it feels like to have some cash just floating around, smiling at you and saying, “How would you like to spend or invest me today?”
And just the thought of knowing that raises will come. Tax returns will grow. Equity in our home will build. Bonuses and stock options will be given. Knowledge about everything will multiply. Memories will be made and shared. Life will change for the better. The future looks so bright, I want it to be here now. I see things like stocks from
And I can’t wait. Because waiting sucks. Remember, if I don’t get my “instant gratification” then “everything sucks”. But tonight, when searching for something to give up for Lent, this is what I came up with. I can wait. The next year will be great. Heck, we’re only 3 months away from the beginning of warmer temperatures. And I shouldn’t be pushing through each day, killing to get to 7-10 years down the road. I’m newly married, in a year I’ll be surrounded in more liquid funds than I’ve ever seen in my entire life and really won’t know what to do with it. Here’s praying at the least I’m smart about it. And if you’re thinking to yourself that I may be a little obsessed with money, that is probably true, but to me, it’s really the only worry I’ve got on my mind right now. And honestly, I feel extremely lucky to be saying that.
But until the weekend, until next may, until retirement and beyond, each day is working towards that point. And I want to make it a point for this Lent season to stop a little bit when I start to feel myself rushing. To take a deep breath when I notice my daydreaming start to excite me about my future. To take Wednesday for what it’s worth and not wish I could be at Friday already. There’s a reason I’m here tonight writing this and a reason as to why I’ve got to sit through another 3 days until I’ve got another weekend. I should be savoring this time instead of wishing I was further along. I don’t want to look back at 40 and say I wish I hadn’t hurried so much.
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