Longtom:
I measure accompishment based on the norms for American society. At the end of the day what have you done.
About the same as any hard working person in this country.
I really can't believe you would ask that.
Let's see-
I get up at 5:30 to get my oldest son up at 6 so he can leave for governors school for a half a day then on to high school.
Then I wake the youngest son at 6:45 to get him off to middle school by 7:30.
Take care of my chores around the farm and pray that a customer will stop in and buy a trailer off me. It has been a while with this economy.
Since things are slow I do have some time to talk to the members here on GBO for a while.
The rest of the day i try to figure out just how the hell i am going to keep paying all the bills.
Just because you don't have any business to speak of that doesn't stop the bills from coming.
Besides the normal bill that everyone gets,
the electric bill $600.00 to $750.00 a month during the winter and $400.00 a month in the summer.
the phone bill $60.00 a month that's an easy one
car insurance runs around $350.00 a month
hospital insurance $2058.00 a month with $2500.00 deductible
personal property tax just a tad over $400.00 a month
business license $125.00 a month
insurance on the home & buildings $800.00 a month
insurance for the business $1180.00 a month
living expenses around $250.00 a week including gas for the cars
$50.00 a week for the kids lunches at school
my BP & HEART meds $100.00 a week that's with insurance
state sales tax each month on the business varies
not to mention income tax.
Then the kids are home.
Supper and always some type of sports.
A little family time.
Some more here with you all and then to bed around ? AM
With all that I still am in business.
Both kids are pretty much straight A students.
The oldest was just voted MOST LIKELY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE by his senior class.
The youngest just finished the wrestling season undefeated.
We still maintain a loving household with time for the kids.
I am very highly respected in my line of business and by most that know me.
My wife volunteers everyday at my youngest son's middle school.
We as a family take care of my FATHER who is 81 and lives with us and will until the day he dies, I will see to that.
Even with all that I/we have managed to save over the years enough money that the kids both have enough money to pay for their college years and still have some left.
I have enough that they will never have to work a day once I am gone.
I bought the farm off my FATHER years ago to keep it out of his estate, 232 acres all paid off in full.
I also volunteer coach for the boys baseball teams.
Everything we have is paid for, I don't owe a dime to anyone.
All in all I would say I have done a pretty good job so far, just the same as many other people have in their own ways.
Better than some, worse than others.
You know, I almost didn't type this as I didn't want it to sound like I was crowing but to be honest,
I AM VERY PROUD OF WHAT I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED!!!LONGTOM