While away, here are my thoughts that I gathered:
- In the one and half years of hosting Chasing The Points, I’ve tried posting daily, week days, every few days, and it’s a tough job to have content. While I was away, I realized that I’ve developed a niche for CTP and it’s mainly manufactured spend/credit cards and its arbitrage. I tend not to stray away from the MS aspects and will likely keep it that way, I feel like I have plenty of thoughts that I could toss out on the blog, but refrain from it so I’m planning to post whenever something good comes up.
- I’m a total screw up. During my undergraduate days, I never took any courses that were challenging and I feel like I am paying for it now. While in class, I didn’t have to do much because I understood everything. It almost felt like I was being spoonfed. While posting on CTP, I’ve tried to be as clear as I can without shedding too many details so that it won’t be spoonfeeding. You have to put on your critical thinking cap and work so that you learn to fish. This brings up this post that I saw while I was away that PF Digest posted about the comments in his “Ethics, shmetics” post. I read all of Marathon Man’s reasons and I realized I haven’t been a good steward to MS because I screwed up. Not to knock him for anything because Will did a fantastic job of all the research that he generously allowed me to post, in retrospect, I should not have posted it because it doesn’t fit with the point above.
- This quote from LA Dodgers baseball player Dee Gordon “Struggles are good because they help you learn,” Gordon said. “I remember my dad telling me how to be professional and saying, ‘Tough times don’t last, but tough people do.’ I’m more tough-minded than I used to be. I used to let it get to me if I struggled. Now it’s just part of the game.” inspired me to keep working hard because I’ve traditionally taken the easy way out, and now it’s time for me to kick it into high gear and toughen you and myself up in this arena.
- And.. I almost screwed up my life and nearly gave up my career and life for a girl that I barely know. She totally knocked some sense back into me, but I messed this one up too.
To summarize, the frequency to posting on CTP will not be daily and more random. Therefore, don’t forget to sign up for an email newsletter or subscribe via an RSS reader so you don’t miss a post! I will be a better practitioner of being a good steward to manufactured spending. I wish I heard MM’s talk at the CLT DO. I fell off the wagon, but I’m back and better than ever!
What’s up with the sand picture? Well, life is coarse and uneven like the sand and some times there’ll be rays of light to guide the way.
Dude… I can’t believe you turn to Personal Finance Digest for advice about women. 😉 Glad you’re back!
That should have read “can’t believe you didn’t turn”.
Darn it! Had I known I should have turned to you!
Whoa that was a bucket of cold honesty – and a good read. Glad to hear you’re back and have a refreshed mind & spirit. I look forward to hearing what pages you will turn next.
“Tough times don’t last, but tough people do.”
I like this and will share it with my 20 and 30something kids next time they are struggling.
I admire your honesty. Good luck at Rutgers and I will enjoy what posts you post!
Welcome back!
What a refreshing post. Also, quite good to see that MM’s message is at least getting through to rational folks!
Like this post a lot – screwing up is a wonderful thing, as long as we learn a bit, refine a bit and improve a bit each time we acknowledge it.
I’ve also been thinking about the good steward theme and how I can improve in that respect.
Thanks all! Much appreciated. I feel like I’ve just hit the reset button and am starting off anew trying to fix the past mistakes. Something akin to installing bad buggy software and uninstalling it now and moving towards a different package that will cause less problems