killerdwarf
Scooby
I've been thinking about this situation for a week or so, and I decided I'd like to get some input from all of you. First, the incident that broached the subject:
My oldest dwarflet just got back from spending two weeks with his Auntie and Uncle out in Alberta (a 4hr flight from here, for all you non-Canuckleheads). My sister-in-law (Mrs. D's sister) is a teacher, and has summers off. This visit was planned well over 6 months before, and my beloved twister-in-law was happy to be the host at that time. As the date drew nearer, her husband started a new business (he already has a full-time job), they moved to a new house, etc, etc, etc. She became less enthusiastic about his visit, but didn't cancel. She also said she would still take him to the places he had said he would like to see, for example, the Calgary Stampede, which was on while he was there, the Columbia Ice fields, the dinosaur research center at Drumheller, and a visit to Banff National Park. Well, he got there, and it seemed they all would be "too busy" to do the things they said they would do. Eventually, they did get to most of the places, but the Stampede was missed. I would have been kinda pissed if I had paid for the ticket, but my dwarflet, bless him, had saved up his own money and paid for it himself! Thus, I was even more torqued about the attitude, 'cause he worked hard to save that much!
This incident got me thinking about money, and life. My twister-in-law and her husband are good people, despite the recent behaviour. But with the business stuff, and all the other things they seem to do, they are increasingly obsessed with making a LOT of money ( millions), like they don't have enough now...and this is not isolated behaviour. I know at least 3 other couples who are madly running about, investing in this scheme and that initiative, with the intent of making a killing and getting millions. Both partners work 60 to 80 hrs a week, and keep on doing it even as their families and lives fall apart, still looking for the big score. This may sound a bit hypocritical coming from a guy who does a fair amount of work on the side himself (I do some electrical work for a local company, but in my defence, only in the summer, and not on a constant basis...about one weekend in 4), but I wonder...how much is enough ? The Chinese saying is "No money, no life", but how much life should you give up to get money? I'm pretty sure that if my in-laws won the lottery, they'd still run around like they are...it's the old "Ok, I caught the tiger by the tail, now what am I gonna do with it" scenario. I gotta believe that this has affected my niece and nephew too. Just the amount of time ("quantity" time, if you will) that they missed out on is significant, and I think it must have some effect, probably not a good one. I guess I would like to hear your opinions on how much is enough, and what the cost of the pursuit of happiness really is. Sure, we'd all like to make millions, but at what cost to the family, friendships, etc? Where is the balance between chasing a better life, and actually having a life to live once you catch it?
My oldest dwarflet just got back from spending two weeks with his Auntie and Uncle out in Alberta (a 4hr flight from here, for all you non-Canuckleheads). My sister-in-law (Mrs. D's sister) is a teacher, and has summers off. This visit was planned well over 6 months before, and my beloved twister-in-law was happy to be the host at that time. As the date drew nearer, her husband started a new business (he already has a full-time job), they moved to a new house, etc, etc, etc. She became less enthusiastic about his visit, but didn't cancel. She also said she would still take him to the places he had said he would like to see, for example, the Calgary Stampede, which was on while he was there, the Columbia Ice fields, the dinosaur research center at Drumheller, and a visit to Banff National Park. Well, he got there, and it seemed they all would be "too busy" to do the things they said they would do. Eventually, they did get to most of the places, but the Stampede was missed. I would have been kinda pissed if I had paid for the ticket, but my dwarflet, bless him, had saved up his own money and paid for it himself! Thus, I was even more torqued about the attitude, 'cause he worked hard to save that much!
This incident got me thinking about money, and life. My twister-in-law and her husband are good people, despite the recent behaviour. But with the business stuff, and all the other things they seem to do, they are increasingly obsessed with making a LOT of money ( millions), like they don't have enough now...and this is not isolated behaviour. I know at least 3 other couples who are madly running about, investing in this scheme and that initiative, with the intent of making a killing and getting millions. Both partners work 60 to 80 hrs a week, and keep on doing it even as their families and lives fall apart, still looking for the big score. This may sound a bit hypocritical coming from a guy who does a fair amount of work on the side himself (I do some electrical work for a local company, but in my defence, only in the summer, and not on a constant basis...about one weekend in 4), but I wonder...how much is enough ? The Chinese saying is "No money, no life", but how much life should you give up to get money? I'm pretty sure that if my in-laws won the lottery, they'd still run around like they are...it's the old "Ok, I caught the tiger by the tail, now what am I gonna do with it" scenario. I gotta believe that this has affected my niece and nephew too. Just the amount of time ("quantity" time, if you will) that they missed out on is significant, and I think it must have some effect, probably not a good one. I guess I would like to hear your opinions on how much is enough, and what the cost of the pursuit of happiness really is. Sure, we'd all like to make millions, but at what cost to the family, friendships, etc? Where is the balance between chasing a better life, and actually having a life to live once you catch it?
