I dunno….
I have problems with money. I know that it is merely a medium of exchange, of course, but I think it is one that has – somehow – taken on malevolent characteristics these past few decades. It isn’t money, ‘per se’, but greed and worship of the damn stuff that has me somewhat put off. It is the promotion and reverence for it that makes me sick. It is the hoarding of it as a metric for being judged worthy that I rebel at. I am starting to prefer NOT getting near the filthy stuff. I am starting to reject it. I am starting to be disgusted by the omnipresence of it in everyday life.
But that reaction is not very workable in this current society…..
Trump (as a current example) was and still is seen as worthy of the presidency (OMG!!!!) in large part because he is rich. It is as if Americans value wealth (and celebrity) over every other human virtue. That repels me. That disgusts me.
Our own politicians preach ‘jobs’ (code for ‘your’ money) as the most valued of their so-called efforts on our behalf despite the fact that many of those ‘jobs’ despoil the environment, exploit the worker and only serve to trap and limit the lives of the common people. The ‘salary man’ in Japan is another term for ‘slave’.
Money is NOT the answer to MOST of what ails us but it is the answer to mounting debt caused by the consumer society in which we live. Debt is here and now! And so we seek money like an addict seeks the next fix. Ironically, more money only increases our sense of need. Cashflow is an addiction. We can never seem to get enough.
Having said all that (and I can go on forever), I recognize that the world revolves on it. Love used to make the world go round. Now it is money that moves us. To ignore that, is to be a fool and a hungry, homeless ‘loser’ without a car. I know that.
So, like all of the poor saps in the world, I try to get me some – now and then. Increasingly, I try to get me some less and less but I still do it. I really try to avoid it as much as possible and I am perfectly OK simply being given some, winning some or eking out a living with very little of it but, to be honest, I sometimes think I need some. And so I go get me some. Yuck.
And I hate that.
For the record, I managed to get me some over the years. We owned a house. We sold the house. We got us some as a result. Then we used that sum to build this house and now we don’t got none. Which is just fine. Almost everyone I know who had extra money was burdened by it. Or their kids were. Too much money is like too much of anything. Too much and you can degrade quickly into a Trump-ish spiral and become a pig and a boor and an ignoramus – added bonus: with an ex-wife or two and lost-their-way progeny.
Still, I would like a new boat with a new Yamaha motor.
So, maybe the key is ‘just enough’…..? NOT too much. NOT lots or extra. Maybe ‘just enough plus a bit-for-a-Yamaha’ is just right. Kinda like the Goldilock’s version of a savings account…?
I dunno….
All of this is by way of an introduction to the idea of monetizing the blog. A friend who is a computer-guy is recommending it. My son is endorsing the idea. Sally is wondering about it. I am reacting badly. Badly, in the sense that I am considering it. Did I mention the Yamaha?
No banners. No pop-ups. No on-line transactions with Pay-Pal. No t-shirts, coffee mugs or penis enlargers. My guy is simply suggesting that I provide hyper-links to products I endorse (which I already kinda did on my OTG friendly page but NOT for referral payments). Of course, that means I will be doing a blog on Yamaha outboards pretty bloody soon and so selling out makes it’s presence felt right there.
I am a fan of the OutBack OTG power systems, too. I currently like Discovery batteries but I also like Surrettes and have high hopes for Elon Musk’s Powerwall. In fact, I can switch brands on ya in a flash – depending on performance and value. I am NOT brand loyal although Yamaha and Honda have been referenced a lot. ‘Course, I like my old Nissan Pathfinder, too, but not any models that have been made after 2004. What kinda reference fee will THAT statement generate?
So, I dunno…………..
What do you think?
Our Off the Grid Home 
W.hy not? You do like writing and you expository writing is clear and easy to follow. You are a humorous writer with a light touch.
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OK. One for ‘yes’. Thanks for that.
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I have no problem with it.
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Thanks, Gerry. That’s two-for-yes. And – what timing! Getting support when I need it. I was just offered a liquidation lot on penis enlargers. Hard to say NO. Still, I am a bit hesitant….first it is just a hundred bucks-a-month income supplement, then it is golden chandeliers and a Gulfstream. Slippery slope. Mind you, I could then afford plastic surgery. Everyone would like that. We’ll see.
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My drink just came out my nose…….
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Do we BOTH need plastic surgery?
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I think its a great idea because, unlike most celebrities ( please note I used a small “c” for celebrity…) you will actually be endorsing products you have field tested and like.
Thus, your endorsement.
Let ‘er rip
P.S. I will refuse however, to wear pink spandex lululemon XXXL shorts even if you recommend them. I dont care how good they make YOU feel…..I aint goin there.
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That’s very supportive, Noncon. I think. Thanks. But does that mean a line of underwear called ‘Dave’s Secrets’ is out? NO to heavy flannel boxer shorts by Carhart? Waddabout leather welding aprons for those spontaneous moments? Light steel ball caps, perhaps?
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Now you’re scareing me…or is that mentally scaring me .
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I think it’s a good thing as long as it wouldn’t make you feel like you HAD to write on your blog – that would be too much like work. I read another blog (sorry) called PrettyHandyGirl.com and she has sponsors from tool makers sometimes. She does comment occasionally which tools she prefers and uses, but that’s it.
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But I DO feel as if I have to write! It’s an inner-me kinda thing. Gotta vent. Gotta let it out. Gotta, gotta…just gotta! I’d write if they took my blog away. If I wasn’t so old, I’d do graffiti. He’ll, I am THIS close to getting a soapbox and giving speeches!
Waddya mean…there’s someone else!?
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Dave you must keep writing…all of it! Let it rip! You called it on Mr Comb-over and now there are four investigations Mr Ego.
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Well, to be fair, it was NOT hard to call out Trump for the dick-head he is. It’s pretty obvious. But I admit that I liked doing it. In fact, it takes all my effort NOT to write all the time about that doofus. He just single-handedly put the US at more risk than at any time since the Cold War by ‘dissing’ his NATO buddies and reneging on the Paris Agreement. He just ‘blew off’ decades of US and European cooperation. He just sucked up to Saudia Arabia and insulted Europe all in one breath-taking week of boorish behaviour and talking dumb. You can bet that US career diplomats are working overtime doing emergency triage on this one. Don’t get me started on Russian money connections.
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What US career diplomats are you referring to?
All the experienced ones have resigned in disgust or have been replaced by rich friends of Trump.
The US State Dept has been gutted of it most experienced staff.
Trump has managed in 100 days to turn the clock back 100 years to post World War 1 isolationism.
If I didnt know any better I’d say he’s a Manchurian Candidate with a small undetectable probe in his brain controling all he says and does….OR he’s in the 3rd stage of dementia and no one will deal with him.
Either way……an unmitigated foreign policy disaster, a world wide laughing stock and the best reason yet why democracy needs an enema
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My vote is for the ‘3rd stage….’
I think you are right….what are they gonna say, anyway? “Unh, well, you see….we…that is…well, most of us…don’t feel that way. Honest. And, like, we are gonna march and hold signs for four years. You’ll see.” I dunno…if I was a Chancellor or Prime minister, I would not be holding my breath….
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It seems that Alberta will possibly lead growth this year or so the pundits claim. Ontario’s economy is ramping up too. How can that be since neither province is balancing its budget? Now Harper 2.0 swears an end to this and he said he will balance Canada’ budget within two years if he is elected?
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‘Possibly’ is the key word. Keystone helped. Hopes of Kinder Morgan help. But the main reason is youth. Alberta has the youngest or second youngest population. Still, I do not think Alberta will be leading anything any time soon. As for Ontario, it is same ol’, same ol’ except the loonie is down. Lower dollar means economic growth in mfg’ing. BIG time.
Andrew Scheer will NOT get elected PM. Maybe some time. NOT next time. Just-in is still riding Trudeaumania 2.0. And the NDP are hopeless. Plus the GOP are on a self immolation trajectory that will take all neo-cons and alt-right idiots with it into Hell. At least for awhile.
Don’t listen to pundits or me. We all know squat. But DO look around you. Waddya see? Do you see hope and optimism? Or do you see worry and earth-shattering personal debt? My view is that the vision most people are seeing is dystopic, bleak, lacking in hope. But they are NOT seeing the centre of the black hole YET. It is creeping up on them but they are still watching TV. Things will get worse before they get better.
I think.
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Christy is drowning not waving goodbye! But are you heartened by her floundering? Most of Surrey rejected Liberal MLAs and went to the NDP wiho promised the elimination of tolls on the new bridges. Big boost to family income in Surrey. The daycare promise attracted many voters. Also the promise to build 100,000 unites of cheap housing units.(I think). Also the promise to reduce poverty. These promises all come with a price tag but many people found these election promises offered some light for them. For too many years the ‘personal responsibility mantra’ discouraged many youth and they returned to their parent’s basement. Boomerang kids. I am hopefull that some folks will be heartened by these platform
promises. We may see the minimum wage increasing.
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I am heartened by her defeat but I do not think it came about because of low income housing and daycare promises from the left. Liberal corruption, Kinder flip flop, site C and generally undelivered promises simply added up. She was a flake and it took awhile to show up. Had Horgan any real juice, it woulda been a landslide. It took Weaver to add a bit of sizzle and he did. This could work.
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Not a bad idea. I once considered it myself, for a few minutes. Then I discovered that if you are going to continue to use WordPress, and you would like to be paid for your endorsements, you will have to upgrade to a not-free plan. That thought put me off a bit, but hey, “they” say you gotta spend money to make money….so I am afraid I don’t know either. Now if I could only get out of the garden long enough to sit down and write my next post, money or no money, I will be satisfied once again! And, as an aside, I haven’t read you for a little while, so am unfamiliar (temporarily) with your thoughts on our election results….I think it is just how it should be, at least I am hoping!
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