Greed

One aspect of our currently shitty economy that really bothers me is the mortgage crisis. I hate the greed of the banks to approve huge mortgages without even check people's income. I hate the greed of the people who needed homes that were obviously out of their price range. Sure, a lot of people got hurt when the home value decreased or when when they got laid off. They could have planned better, but it was largely unexpected. Others couldn't pay when the variable interest rate went up. They should have better understood the deal, but they couldn't have known exactly how high the rate would end up being. But others admit that they couldn't pay the mortgage to begin with. What were those people thinking? The only explanation to me is greed and materialism. They wanted a nice house and were too blinded by that desire to think it through.

Today, I read this story in The Washington Post. Apparently, the biggest home built by the TV show "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" is being foreclosed on. How could that happen? The family didn't have to pay a mortgage. They were given money to pay the property taxes. They were even given money to put their kids through college. They should have been happy and financially stable. Why then the foreclosure? Well, apparently, they used this gift home as collateral on a $450,000 loan that they now can’t pay. Pure Greed.

Now, I must admit that I’m a quite the consumer myself. I’m often buying stuff I don’t need. I’m trying to be better about that, but it’s how I was raised. With stuff. However, I was also raised not to go into debt. I use credit cards, but I pay them off monthly. My car is currently paid off, which is why I don’t intend to buy another for a while. Sure, I used to have a mortgage. (It was pure luck that I sold before the market crashed.) But I had bought a home that was no bigger than what I needed (an 800 sq. ft. condo) with a mortgage payment that left plenty of extra income for other expenses as well as discretionary spending. I always “pay myself first” by having retirement and other savings pulled out of my bank account before I even see it. I have lots of clothes, but few are designer (unless bought used or on serious sale). I have a modest car.

I’m not a good representative for minimalism. (Something that, largely for environmental reasons I’m working to change.) But I can be an example of living within my means. And I'm proud of that.

Too many people look at debt as a fact of life. I like to look at debt as a last resort for something important that I couldn't otherwise have right now: an education, a home. And even then, just because I can get a loan doesn't mean I should take it. If you are going to sign up for a 30 year mortgage you should start by making a rough financial 30 year plan. You say you can't think that far ahead? Then you shouldn't be taken on debt beyond time periods you can imagine.

People say renting is throwing money away, but those people must not be looking at the truth in lending page of their mortgage document. Interest payments are throwing money away too. At least with renting I can walk away with 60 days notice.

10 Pounds

One of my goals for the year (I dare not curse them with the title "resolutions.) was to lose 10 pounds before my wedding. I've altered my diet (both by limiting calories and adding more healthy foods), and I've started to exercise regularly (or at least occasionally). Sometimes when people would find out particularly about my calorie counting they'd roll their eyes. You see, I wasn't fat. I know that. By both aesthetic and health (i.e. BMI) terms I was doing just fine. As a result, people viewed my wanting to lose weight as overly vain and unimportant. ("Go ahead. Have a donut. It isn't like YOU can't afford it.") But I see it differently.

I was a reasonable size by happenstance. I walk probably more than an average amount just in the act of going to and from work and various offices during work. I also live in a 3rd floor walk up. These sort of things plus a decent metabolism seemed to keep even my addiction to french fries from having too bad an effect. However, as I've grown older, the scale has been creeping up. Reason 1 to lose weight: To get a grip on an otherwise slippery slope.

Although I was a size that could be considered enviable I was not healthy. I was weak due to poor muscle tone. I became easily winded. I went days without any significant servings of fruits or vegetables (other than those french fries, which do not count). Reason 2 to lose weight: To become healthy. I believe that reason 1 ties to reason 2. It's all about reason 2.

Losing weight is demonstrative of becoming fit. Could I get fit and remain the same size and weight that would have been fine, but I knew that wasn't how it works.

When I was in grad school a few years back I was the healthiest I'd ever been (which still wasn't that healthy). I was in school full time. Although school was very challenging I needed breaks from the thinking, so I was taking a lot of dance and pilates. Because I wasn't working I had a strict budget. The cheapest place to buy food was the farmer's market. My diet was far from balanced (i.e. sweet potatoes for dinner 3 nights in a row!) but at least there were some vitamins in there. I felt good, and I looked good. When I gained 20 pounds in the years since grad school I still may have looked good, but I didn't feel good. I also didn't feel like I looked good.

I have lost ten pounds since January.

Folks roll their eyes. They feel I didn't need to do it. (I needed to do it for me.) They feel that for someone who is fairly thin it doesn't take much effort to lose ten pounds. (I have worked my ass off. Literally.) They can think what they want. I feel better.

I just did some shopping. I bought some more stylish and fun items than usual. I've only gone down one size, but I feel confident, which inspires me to take more risks. I chose clothes based on what would be flattering, because I felt that I was in desperate need of flattering. Now I can buy clothes to have fun rather than as something to hide my less favorite parts. I feel that I will look great in my wedding gown. I am excited to buy a swim suit for our beach honeymoon. But most importantly, I feel good about what I'm doing for my body. I feel that I will be able to live a long healthy life with John. I feel like I could responsibly get pregnant (which is definitely in our plans).

Folks can roll their eyes, but 10 pounds is a lot. It's a big deal. It an amazing accomplishment. Maybe if some of those folks cut back on the fast food and took a walk once in a while they'd understand.

Unimportant story in which I fail to "shop victoriously"

So yesterday was Super-Duper-Tsumani Fat Tuesday. The main results I cared about were for the presidential primaries. But I also cared about a bag I was bidding for on eBay. It was a black leather Kenneth Cole bag. Not too big, not too small. Practical yet Stylish. The perfect commuting bag.

Hey, a president is only going to last for 4-8 years. A good leather bag can work for two terms and more!

Anyway, I had been the lead bidder for several days at a bargain of $15. My max bid was set to $20. Unfortunately, I was going to be at a Chicago Dramatists meeting when the auction actually finished. This is important because there are eBay lurkers. (I know because I have been one.) These people wait to place their bids until an auction is almost over because it makes it less likely that someone else will be able to outbid them. Not wanting to lose my bag to lurkers and being willing to pay more than $20, I decided to up my maximum bid to $40. But here's the thing. I forgot to do that.

As I was getting eveything ready to leave work and head to the meeting, I forgot to up my bid. I didn't realize until I was at the theatre and couldn't do anything about it.

I hoped for the best. I still had a few dollars of buffer. It could be okay. Kenneth Cole isn't as highly lurked as, say, Coach. I paid attention to the election returns when I got home last night and didn't even check eBay. This morning, however, I checked.

I lost. But the worst thing about it is that lost by $3.65. A measly $3.65. Had I just remembered to up my bid...

But I can't think that way. I'll just drive myself crazy with it. I try to convince myself that having a higher maximum bid would have just driven the lurkers to outbid me higher. I keep telling myself that.

Now I need to seek a new bag. Another instance of affordable quality. Not to big, not too small. Practical yet Stylish. The perfect commuting bag. Don't even try to outbid me unless you want to go high.