So today is my day off, and of course I am online.
A NET-friend of mine (who is a lot older than me...she is 34 now) messaged me on msn. She and I met somewhere in the cyberspace back when I was young and when I was in different chatrooms. I have long forgotten where/why I have her on my msn.
Over the years, she would drop a hello here and there, and we would chat as if we were old friends, but we have never met each other before in real life.
She said "Hi" this morning, and after chatting for a bit, she asked me,
"Why are you home?"
My response of course was, "Cuz it's my day off." (I work on weekends and on 3 weekdays as well - full-time job).
She then proceeded to say.."Well, get your ass offline and go out and do something productive."
I got offended by this comment. She just assumed that I wasn't doing anything productive, and that I was merely sitting in front of my computer and chatting to her.
Hell no! I was actually in the middle of updating my previous Financial Review for Jan. on this blog when she made that comment. Which, by the act of even checking my budget, staying on track, and meeting my saving goals, I have already exceeded all of her financial achievements. (From previous chats about her life, it seems that she is living with her sister due to financial reasons, unmarried, and doesn't have a full-time job).
Then, she made a quick excuse to say that she now had to call her boyfriend to talk!
A few hours later, she came back online and messaged me again to see if I was at my computer.
I replied, "of course". And within a few mins, the same comment popped up, "why don't you get offline and do something productive. So you can enjoy the 'real world'."
Only this time, I got angry. I told her that I've just spent the last 2 hours browsing through MorningStar.com and learning about Mutual Fund investments and earning credits like I said I would in my previous post.
She replied by saying.."Sounds boring."
It ticked me off even more and I responded, "Well, it may be boring, but it'll mean that I get to retire early and spend all that extra free time to do whatever I want."
Her response? Unreal.
She said, "Great, then you can spend all that time online."
Unreal.....truly unreal.
Here I am, in my mid-twenties. I've got a good stack of savings. I just came back from my 5 day vacation and I am planning my second trip.
I have a partner, and I'm also learning about investing and saving for a downpayment on a house...and here's this cyber-know-it-all telling me to get my ass offline?
OMG. I am just at loss for words. Where do some people get the idea that they can just tell other people what to do!!
No. 1 - I didn't ask for her advice on how I should spend my day off.
No. 2 - Not all the time spend in front of the computer is useless and unproductive.
No. 3 - Sometimes by not going out translates into a no spend day which not only helps my budget, it also helps my retirement plan, and as well as the environment!! I don't need to create extra waste of energy or consume other goods.
No. 4 - Saying that investing is boring means that the person is financially retarded. And unfortunately, in the real world? Financial ignorance translates into a world of stress (unless you are super rich already and you never have to worry about money)!
On the other hand, being financially fit means you'll have a better chance of surviving and leading a more productive life!!!
It means self-dicipline, goal-setting, not being selfish by being financially responsible for yourself and your loved ones everyday and not just in case of emergencies!!! It means not being wasteful, and thinking of creative ways or even cheap/inexpensive hobbies!!!
I have made up my mind to remove this person my msn list, since chatting in the future will serve little purpose and will only make me more irritated.
end of rant.
*I apologize for my harsh terms like financial retards.
Rant - Financial Retards
February 2nd, 2007 at 08:29 am
February 2nd, 2007 at 01:19 pm 1170422383
February 2nd, 2007 at 02:58 pm 1170428286
I commend you on bein so far ahead financially... and Mutual Fund ivestments is not borign...scary, maybe (for someone like me, at this point of my financial life!)...but definetely not boring!....
February 2nd, 2007 at 04:51 pm 1170435109
I'd be aggravated as well!
February 2nd, 2007 at 08:59 pm 1170449994
February 2nd, 2007 at 11:56 pm 1170460591
Ima saver, heheh, I like your comment!! It's nice and strong!
February 4th, 2007 at 11:15 pm 1170630904
February 22nd, 2007 at 12:33 pm 1172147584