Thursday Thirteen #15 - Hammer's 500 M-Word

Groovy Lady tagged me and this little exercise has thirteen components so I told her that I would devote this week's TT to it. It was created by Hammer (When Your Only Tool is a Hammer) on his 500th post. I hadn't read him before, but his blog looks pretty interesting and funny. I may have to include him in my blog reading routine.

Thirteen Random Questions About Me

1. What is the stupidest mistake you have ever made with money? I guess it was buying the house that I am trying to sell now. I never moved into it; my life changed about the time I bought it. Instead of NOT buying it, I bought it as a saving mechanism. Now, I will feel lucky if I can sell it without owing money, since the housing market has changed.

2. Do you think taxes are unfair or do you think it is your civic duty? Both. Depending on who is in office, taxes are collected and used unfairly. One party wants to throw money (yours and mine) at problems and the other wants to cut taxes and "protect" the higher income people. I remember when Bush was running in his first term. The solution to EVERY problem was cutting taxes. Press Corp: "Governor Bush, how can we ease the tension between Israel and Palestine?" Bush: "We need to cut taxes." We need taxes to function as a government, but we need more accountability.

3. Do you take risks and possibly turn your life upside down for new opportunity? It isn't in my nature, but I do. I bought that stupid house in #1 and I got married. Those things have turned my life upside down. I haven't quit any jobs to work on a crab boat in Alaska or anything like that, though.

4. Are you the Alpha in your household? I don't know. In some ways, yeah, but other ways no. Sometimes I feel like I don't have the energy to maintain the alpha position. I am the alpha over the three dogs, though, but the wife . . . Sometimes I would rather just give in than deal with the fallout over confrontation. I pick my battles. In the old days, it was simple. You established your dominance by slugging your wife with a leg of lamb. Today, you have to use other tools rather than physical ones. Let's face it; women are much better in that area than men (yes! I made that point without mentioning the word "nagging"!).

5. Do you compromise with your significant other or does someone always get their way? We compromise. Sometimes the person who is willing to give the most, does so to protect the peace. That be me.

6. What curse word do you use the most often? I don't really curse that much. The D-word or the H-word may creep in from time to time, but that is about as far as it goes. I think that words are too important. You can't take them back and people judge you for every word that comes out of your mouth. I respect myself too much to throw around words like that, but more importantly, I respect those around me more.

7. Do you easily change your mind or are you dead set on most issues? Both. I have a deep desire to know the truth. If I have a belief, I listen intently to opposing views in case I missed something. One needs to be compelling to change my mind (because I have given things WAY too much thought), but it is possible. We are never through learning. If you are stuck with one position on ANYTHING, chances are you are going to be wrong eventually.

8. What famous person would you like to trade places with for one week? When I read the question the first time last week, I had no idea. When I got to it as I was filling out this little questionaire, it hit me that I would trade places with GW Bush. In one week, I could sit down with party leaders in Congress, work out a compromise that would result in putting an end to the war. I would also resend the "tax breaks" and work to put more regulation on the oil industry to protect the consumer from all this price abuse that miraculously didn't happen in the previous administration. Besides, how many people can claim they shared a bed with Laura Bush? ;)

9. If you could go back in time and tell one person off, who would it be and what would you say? Truthfully, I can't think of anyone. I have been mad at people before and didn't tell them off, but I can't see going back and doing it would be constructive. I just let things go so they won't consume me. I guess I could go back and tell Hitler off, but he wouldn't care and my German is sehr schlecht.

10. Were you a good student or did you just do enough to get by? This is a recording, but BOTH. In elementary school, I was a good student and it came easy for me. In high school I did just enough to get by but was still in the top 10% of my class. In college, I got a wake up call and struggled to do both. However, in grad school I was a good student and made the Dean's list.

11. If you could give advice to someone just starting out on their own, what would it be? Buy low and sell high; most people are wrong so don't be taken in. The most important thing I would say is to let God find you. There really is no meaning to life without the divine. If there is no meaning, than it really doesn't matter what you do, does it?

12. Are most people good and honest or are most people opportunistic and predatory? People are not born good, they have to learn to be good. It would be wise to assume that people are greedy and out for themselves and then be pleasantly surprised when you find a good one. You don't have to teach a child to be selfish, but you certainly have to drill the concept of sharing in his head. Thomas Hobbes held that the only reason we have any kind of society and order is that people had to be willing to give up their actions that cater to their selfish nature in order to not be victimized by other people that have the same evil attributes. For Hobbes, man in the state of nature is brutal and greedy. I believe he is right and the Bible pretty much confirms that philosophy.

13. Is there someone you wish you could go back and apologize to? Yes, tons of people (I always made fun of the obese - just joking here - get it, "tons"). Seriously, I feel I owe a lot of people apologies. I didn't represent myself or God well on occasion. I hurt my first couple of girlfriends pretty badly because I didn't know any better and was immature about such things. Sometimes I wasn't as good of a friend as I should have been. It is sad, really, but I learned from these experiences. It is a shame they had to come on the backs of others.

That is it. I am not going to officially tag anyone about it, but feel free to consider yourself tagged if you have any interest. I would suggest that you do it if you don't have anything better to write about. It will help you learn about yourself - at least it did for me. Let me know.




10 comments:

Emily Suess said...

I'd trade places with John Wayne and film all of my cowboy movies in pink undies--you know, for giggles.

Anonymous said...

Really well written responses, Jeff. Thomas Hobbes, no less. I'm more than a little impressed.

I did the exact same thing with the last place I bought in an "up and coming" area just outside of Boulder. Barely made out even. And, yes, I'm going to admit this to you - I was a real estate broker at the time.

Stephanie/HollyGL/Epiphany11 ;)

Stepping Over the Junk said...

I feel differently regarding #12. I believe we are all born good and bad experiences taint us, whether it is a simple conflict as a child and the natural instinct to stand up for what we want turns to selfishness or greediness as a manner in which to protect ourselves. In teaching children to react appropriately, I feel if they react inappropriately, they generally have seen it or learned it somewhere else...or they don't know that swatting at a friend who took their toy because they dont have the reasoning skills to say to themselves "oh, wait, this other kid was playing with that", all they know is that they are interested in it and there is nothing malicious about it...I also believe that how we were treated as children, usually by a parent, is what taints us and/or helps us through life. There is usually one life event that happens or one trait or behavior pattern that can basically be the cause for issues we carry as adults. Okay, I could go on and on. I feel a post on this coming on!!

Jeff said...

Two Write: I don't know how to respond to that. lol

Stephanie: Yeah, Hobbes. I had to read Leviathon in route to my political science degree. I actually remember some of that stuff. You should have seen me teach my senior government classes about Hobbes. They were like, "Huh?" However, my thinking was "hey, I learned this stuff; I'm using it." See, I am still using it.

I guess I am in good company as far as real estate. Any suggestions?

Stepping Over: I know that some people would disagree with #12. That's okay. I mean, who wants to believe that people are basically bad and that children are not as innocent as it has been claimed? Somethings are just hard to live with. ;) Besides, without absolute proof one way or the other, why choose to believe something so disheartening? It still rings true to me, however - especially with the Bible there and everything so I am stuck with this theory for a while. But that is just me.

Jod{i} said...

Two write!! LMAO! I like that answer!
I will have to copy the questions and save for a rainy day...or should I say a particularly dry writing day? Interesting answers...

Peace
jodi

Oh and its not like a newsletter newsletter...its like a feed or bloglines, where a person subscribes and they get an email with the daily post or weekly, etc...Comes to you instead of you to it...I guess...and dont feel bad, I'd rather go back in time than ahead as I do, I have been writing '08...

Anonymous said...

I don't know the market where you are. Actually, I don't know where you are! Generally speaking, though, just make sure that your agent is on top of his/her part of the deal. I never sold much through "open houses", but it can't hurt - just to have some movement/flow. Oh, and pay special attention to showing feedback. Sometimes a simple change here or there can make a huge difference.

Lippy said...

Really interesting questions on this survey, and some good, candid answers.

Good luck with that house. Mistakes shouldn't always cost so much!

Charles said...

If I was able to go back into time, i'd trade myself with Bruce Smith of the Bills, or Jim Kelly. Maybe i'd win the Super Bowl for the Bills.

none said...

I just found this site through the links, thanks for doign the meme. good answers. Although I support tax breaks until the government stops throwing our money down the toilet.

Reagan once said that the governemnt is like an infant, voratious appetite going in and total irresopnsibility going out.

Jeff said...

Jodi: Oh, I understand. I am behind on my blogreading so don't think I am blowing you off after my tag.

Holliphany: Thanks for your input. Right now I have the house on the FreeFSBO.com and a sign on the yard. It has been up for about four days without a nibble.:(

Jimmy: They shouldn't, but I guess I am special. ;)

Charles: I wonder if you trade with an athlete, that you get their body and skills. If not, I would stay away from the pro gridiron.

Hammer: Then you will ALWAYS be for the tax breaks. I think tax breaks are good, if it does the most good for the people that actually NEED the break. Thanks for stopping by, I will be a frequent visitor to your blog from now on, btw.