I really do think that I'm getting dumber as I get older. This could be because of the severe lack of sleep, the fact that I drank a few poisonous things during my early years (my parents had Poison Control on speed dial and were in the frequent caller program), long term impact of drinking too much Mt Dew year ago, brain damage from a waywardly thrown lawn dart (thanks to a sibling), or just countless other things.
I suppose that intelligence is really a matter of perspective. I really enjoyed back in the day when I didn't have to worry about retirement or the stock market. The NASDAQ was something that adults talked about when they were at parties sipping brandy and smoking a Camel. Even sitting in my Finance classes in college, I'd just kind of zone out when it came to talking about the time value of money or day trading. Just learned enough to get that C+ I dreamed of. Well, times have changed and I do have to care now. Well, I have to care or keep hope in the back of my mind that Paige or Mia are going to strike it rich and support me in my retirement years.
Carrie and I have been meeting with a few peeps the past few weeks to try and get some direction about how to invest in the future. The part that I battle within my mind is whether the Mayans really were correct and any money that I put away will be worthless come this December when the end of the world comes. If that's the case, I should just go out and party the night away with every penny I have spending it on bags of chocolate chips and IBC Root Beer. Ahhh, that's the life. I realize that it's very pathetic that I look at a night on the town involving chocolate and carbonated beverages. I've been off the hard stuff (carbonation) since January and I think that it's having an impact on me. There was a day that I use to look at a night on the town involving women and fast cars. And I digress - - - where was I?
Ah yes. Investing. I don't have a pension, 401k, or the mob to pay as part of my retirement so it's pretty much up to us to figure out what vehicle we'll use to plan for the days when we ride around on Rascals and yell at the neighbors kids that happen onto our lawn. Really scary to make these kinds of decisions that could impact whether we can travel when we retire, eating 30 years from now's equivalent of Ramen, or working until the age of dead. Of course this is all based off the hope that I actually have the funds to invest now - we'll just pretend that I do to make it interesting.
I suppose what the thought that I'm getting around to is that I don't know much about investing and it seems like a very grown up thing to be considering for a 34 year old. Isn't there suppose to be someone sitting there telling me what to do? Maybe if I play Solitaire in an open area with some investment strategies minimized on the computer, then when someone comes along to stand behind me and tell me to put the black 7 on the red 8 (as they certainly will) then I can ask them to also tell me what to do with retirement planning. Probably not a fool proof idea but could it work?
Oh well. I suppose I'll do my best to research things out and hope for the best. Dear Lehman Brothers, thanks for the memories.
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