Monday, August 04, 2003

PromoGuy's Monday Mission 3.31 1. When you take a vacation, do you ever suffer from Internet withdrawal? Or maybe the nagging urge to blog or read blogs? Or are you glad to be away? Never. I'm very happy to be unconnected from the blogosphere. I'm also very happy if my cellphone doesn't ring. Fortunately, it doesn't work underwater when I'm scuba diving. 2. Have you ever been "furloughed" (told to take time off work without pay) or laid off? How did that impact your family dynamics? Your finances? If not to you, have you seen it happen to anyone you know? How did they handle it? Fortunately no. I did, however, quit a job after one week when I discovered the kind of sleezeball attorneys I was working for. I was unemployed for almost 2 months before I started working for my next firm (where I stayed for 9 years). Fortunately I was OK moneywise and didn't have any big expenses other than rent, so it really didn't affect things that much except for cutting back on luxury items, eating out and so on. 3. If you fell on hard times, what is are some non-essential reoccurring luxury expenses (cable TV, TiVo subscription, cigarettes, high-speed net connection, newspaper, daily Starbucks coffee, etc.) you would give up to save money? I have following my divorce. I've managed to do without cable TV, broadband, magazine subscriptions, and designer suits. I managed to get by in a one bedroom walk-up after living in a 6 bedroom house. I didn't even have a computer (of course that was in the days of the 486, or was that a 386?). 4. On the same thought, what is the one non-essential expense you would NOT give up? My laptop. 5. Would you ever ask your family (parents, in-laws, relatives) for financial assistance? What would be some of your concerns about asking for help? Have you ever asked for it before? Did it go well? I would avoid doing that at all costs. Unless you have no other choice, that can only lead to bad feelings all around, trust me. 6. Has a friend or relative ever borrowed money from you? Who were they and how much did they want? Did you ever get paid back, or did it matter? Did you feel compelled to keep an eye on them to see if they spent it wisely? No. 7. Imagine you won a tax-free gift of $7,000. The only stipulation on the gift is that it must not be invested or saved, and must be spent before 2004. How would you use the money? I'd put it toward the back taxes I still owe from my time being married to The Bitch. BONUS: Whatever happened to unity? It got sacrificed on the altar of diversity. Today's Comment Question: Write a caption for this photo! The annual running of the bulls in Pamplona was marred when a young bullock got loose and narrowly missed goring a policeman. 8:17:55 PM