It Drives Me Crazy!

I hate human nature. The older I get, the more it annoys me. It doesn't seem to matter how much time we have or how much money, we fill our time with stupid things and think we're busy no matter what. And the second we get a raise or a new job or whatever, we start spending more money. I don't know how much of that is human nature and how much of it is our materialistic culture, but it seriously drives me crazy. We are bringing in a little more money right now, although it may very well be a temporary thing. It may be a 9 month gig and then we'll be back to one income again. You'd think I'd plan for that and try to pay down the car a little bit more or save some money just in case, but no. I don't know where it goes. Somehow we always manage to pay the bills and avoid credit card debt, but the math here just doesn't add up. I've really got to start a better savings program and stop buying pointless things and eating out every time I feel too lazy to think about cooking.

The same thing is true of our time. I hear people saying how bored they are and they want to get together and the next thing you know, you can't match up one date in your schedule to spend time with them. You finally do get together and they've got to rush away because they've crammed their schedule so full that they have 25 things to do in an hour. I just don't get it, but I wish we were a little less inclined towards filling our time completely up and using every cent (or more) of the money we earn and just learning to be content. I've learned this a little from Marcos. Latinos are much more inclined to spend hours on end sipping some drink (in Argentina it's mate) or eating some local pastry or favorite food and just chatting. The kind of friendship chatting that used to take place before TV started drowning out our memories. I seriously sound like I'm preaching, but I really think it's a problem. Not only are our relationships not the same, but I have heard it said more than once that time (or lack thereof) is one of Satan's greatest tools these days. We fill up our time so much that we can't slow down enough to think, ponder or meditate, not to mention finding the relationships that help get us through the trials of our lives. It's just too bad. I love TV as much as the next guy, but I do find that's what I have to cut out if I'm going to get my list of things done every day and still have quality time with my family.

Okay, back to the being content comment. I'm not sure, but women may be a little more inclined to feel this way. I'm trying to figure out what that means. I talk to friends of mine and many of them get this way. I have to stop myself from thinking I need new couches, new light fixture, carpet, tile, a van, etc. I have to stop and think about how much I have and how lucky I am to have a home that I take care of (or try to with crazy kids messing it up all the time) where I can be safe and sheltered and build memories with my husband and children instead of thinking that I need new things all the time. It just drives me nuts! I guess that's the natural man I will be fighting forever. Nuff said!