"If you have to ask how much something costs, you can't afford it."
I think it was a US President.
Last night I was accused by my neighbors (all felons and high-school drop-outs) of claiming to have been a millionaire 3 times and lost it all 3 times. I have never said that.
What I have said is I have been rich 3 times and lost it all 3 times. That is true.
How that all came up is beyond me. I think they are just jealous seeing me sit around "playing with trains" all day and never work. I suppose looking at me from an outside cursory level, it might look like that - but that's far from reality.
To me "rich" was meaning I could go to a store and pretty much buy whatever I wanted (within reason) and not even ask how much it costs. Several friends have seen me do that - a very looongg time ago.
One feller helping me out at HomeDepot buying some high-dollar power tools commented that I didn't ask how much anything cost. I guess I kind of flippantly said "it doesn't matter" (which it didn't at the time). I was serious. He looked at me, also serious, and asked "where were you when I was selling Porsches?". We had a great laugh at that. Then he helps me out to the car and here I have a fully-restored old Italian sports-car convertible that I had just written a check for a week or so before. Then he starts asking what I did for a living. Maybe he thought I was a drug-dealer without all the bling.
Anyway, that saying came to mind this morning regarding my former comfortable existence and was wondering who said that. I'm thinking maybe Truman or Teddy Roosevelt, perhaps Wilson.
So I'm rambling once again......
E.
Dude, don't you have google?
J. P. Morgan??
DDSM:beer:
Several online sources (quote book, SearchQuotes and The Big Apple) attribute the quote as "Financier J. P. Morgan (1837-1913) allegedly gave this advice to banker Henry Clay Pierce in 1902, dissuading him from buying a yacht."
BigE, post: 325194, member: 435 wrote: "If you have to ask how much something costs, you can't afford it."
E.
Kind of unrelated, but related...
I grew up with my parent's always having a Mercedes, kind of a big deal in WV in the 70's, you didn't see many around, and you always waved when you met another... Dad said that when he was looking to buy the first one in '71 he asked the dealer how expensive they were to repair. Dealer told him that if he was worried about that, don't buy one.
The last one he bought was an '88 560 SEC. As with every one before, he got as much or more on the trade in. THOSE were the good old days of foreign cars. He finally sold the SEC in 2013, in excess of 200,000 miles and no mechanical issues.
Easy on me fellers. Sometimes I would just rather ask someone than punch buttons and deal with no one.
I could have sworn that was coming from one of those Presidents I mentioned.
Had no idea it was JP Morgan.
At least I should get credit for quoting it word for word.
E
BigE, post: 325216, member: 435 wrote: Easy on me fellers. Sometimes I would just rather ask someone than punch buttons and deal with no one.
Go easy indeed - he is a Super Moderator!
Warren Smith, post: 325217, member: 9900 wrote: Go easy indeed - he is a Super Moderator!
LOL! That's just dam funny!.
Wondered how long it would take before someone noticed.
It's already been a week but then again I'm not here as often as I used to be.
Since I've been asked to help, I'm here all the time now.
Well... when I'm not working on my trains.
E
so how do you get to a point where you can sit around and play with trains all day?? I must be in the wrong business!!
Andy J, post: 325229, member: 44 wrote: so how do you get to a point where you can sit around and play with trains all day?? I must be in the wrong business!!
Since he said "Last night I was accused by my neighbors (all felons and high-school drop-outs)" I am guessing he didnt spend more on a house than he could afford.
But I too would like to know the secret to being able to stay home all day, and going to Home Depot and just filling up a shopping cart with tools.
"But I too would like to know the secret to being able to stay home all day, and going to Home Depot and just filling up a shopping cart with tools."
I suspect it may be financial success, just making WAG. 😉
I don't need to ask how much something is, SWMBO already knows or is looking it up the second I notice it and has the answer before I know I want it.
Those are questions that many would like to know.
Off the top of my head:
#1) Have the company you worked for get bought out by a bigger company who happened to match 1:1 on IRA contributions and stock purchases. (I still have the stock and get dividends).
#2) Have a company you used work for as a senior systems specialist look you up out of the blue to get rid of the retirement money I didn't know anything about.
#3) Have your mother die and leave you some money (about 2.5 years ago)
#4) Have your step-dad diagnosed with terminal lymphatic cancer (about 25 years ago) decide he's probably not going to make it decides (unknown to me) to set up trust funds for all his kids. I'm the only step-child of his so I imagine Mom had a ton to include me in that. He survived that and 2 more completely unrelated cancers. Mom wasn't so lucky.
#5) Live a VERY Spartan life. e.g. My water bill rarely goes over $10 (yes ten) a month and most of that is just the "hook up fee".
#6) NEVER EVER buy lottery tickets. It's a scam. Only bet on things you are sure of the outcome.
I much prefer options #1 and #2 and #5.
I'd like to be able to talk to Mom again but in the mean time my train is all dedicated to her.
Thus the name of "Palmer Valley Railroad". Mom was nee Palmer before marrying Dad.
All that said, I'm leaving town next Monday heading to the beach for the week. I haven't been on a vacation in maybe 20 years. Yeah, I'm going to treat myself. Mom wouldn't mind and probably encourage me. Plus I'm going to be able to see my sister I haven't seen in about 25 years. I've never met her kids or her husband.
Mom would dam sure approve of that.
Don't get me wrong. My pockets are NOT deep. Not by any stretch.
Wendell and Angel dam sure don't pay. 😀 [LMAO]
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
(that's easy because it's true)
E.
Scott Ellis, post: 325232, member: 7154 wrote: Since he said "Last night I was accused by my neighbors (all felons and high-school drop-outs)" I am guessing he didnt spend more on a house than he could afford.
But I too would like to know the secret to being able to stay home all day, and going to Home Depot and just filling up a shopping cart with tools.
My neighbors, like me now, are renters. They only live for the moment with no forward thinking ahead.
He, Ronnie, made a deal with the landlord (not mine), that he would send them a $300 money order every 2 weeks when he gets paid on Thursday.
Stupid on him is he doesn't realize there are a couple months about every year where you can get nailed by that.
Last night he was trying to sell me a TV (32" I think) that's 2 years old.
Fine - I ask how much. "I have near about $800 in that TV.
Yeah, that's because he had to go to a rent-to-own POS and they raped him regardless of my advice at the time.
He says he'll take $200 for it.
REally? For that I'll get a brand-new one twice the size for just a hundred more.
But he's still eat up about how much he spent. I don't care. Dumb ass on him.
I think that's about when things went downhill and they started getting all ill with me about not working and playing trains. But hey, they are being thrown out. That's not my problem as much as they try to put it off on someone else. I just happened to be "lucky" candidate that night.
That's my take.
E.
