- Joined
- Jun 30, 2006
- Messages
- 4,567
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- 3
- Age
- 60
- Location
- th' south
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- www.facebook.com
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- 2,854
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Greetings 'tempers,
Some of you may have noticed that I've been very scarce around here for the past little bit. No need to worry (if you're apt to) I'm doing fine, the kids are doing fine, and my ass is still attached. I've just been busy.
My friends around here know that I've been separated from my wife for well over a year, and our two kids are in my custody full time. I'm living on savings right now, and odd computer jobs, but the money's running low. I have assets that I haven't been exploiting, a rental house that has lain dormant for several months, and items from my late father's estate that need to be sold. Trouble is, I'm a bad combination of nice and lazy. The reason I haven't been making much money on the rental house is that I've been renting it too low and to the wrong people.. friends. In the last case, I rented it to my kids' mom, hoping that she could be closer to our children, physically and emotionally. She had been living out of state, chasing a rainbow (the guy she left me for, don't get me started) and when she got pregnant, my goal was to move her back, help her out, and re-connect her with the kids. That didn't work so well. She moved into my rental house for a bit, then when her baby-daddy changed his mind and wanted her back, she raced back to the rainbow, leaving me in a lurch. I'll spare you the details, but in the end, my honorable intentions were twisted to her ends, and I was left holding the bag.
To make matters worse, my lazy was getting the best of me. My financial acumen is practically non-existant, and my money was running down the tubes in myriad ways that went largely unnoticed by me. I would use any excuse I could find, including GBAtemp, to put off going through the bills, paying them, and managing my costs.
I had to do something. Right about the time my wife (we aren't legally divorced yet) had her (boyfriend's) baby, I decided that I'd better get on the ball and push the divorce through, collect as much of what she owed me as I could, and start cleaning up my financial life.
I had a dragon to slay, and he was bearing down on me fast.
So, during my absence from GBAtemp, I've been drafting papers with my lawyer for the divorce, custody, and child-support agreements, learning to manage my money and learning to streamline my life so that I can actually see all it's workings in front of me. I've been doing this with the help of several websites and software designed around the concept of GTD (Getting Things Done), a concept designed by a guy named David Allen. GTD is practically a religion for some, and I'm not that deep into it, but I'm learning a lot of practical things in my studies of it. One of the main things I've taken from it so far, is the idea that "too much stuff" can distract you from seeing the big picture, and keep you from collecting and concentrating on the important aspects of your life. I've been very busy paring down. I have an office now, and a filing system, and a shredder. I've thrown so many things away in the last month that didn't need to be in my life that I'm finally starting to get a grip on what's left.. the important stuff.
Don't take this all to mean that GBAtemp isn't important to me, it is, and you all are, quite important. However, with everything going on in my life I had to make temporary sacrifices, so that in time, I will be better able to focus my attention on the stuff I consider fun, without detracting from what I need to do for myself and my family in the process. That day is coming. Coming soon. The dragon is under my lance, and I'm about to snuff dat suckah.
In the meantime, I'd like to thank the staff that has taken up my slack while I've been gone. I'd also like to thank Costello, who actually had the foresight to be concerned from the beginning of my tenure here, that I might not focus on my life first, and the 'temp afterwards. He has been wise and understanding, and I appreciate that greatly.
Also, I just wanted to say hey to my friends, and tell y'all I'd be back soon.
I'll be back soon.
I love you,
mthr
