the times, they have changed

from Jason Mulgrew's old blog (dead link)
"When my dad was 26, he had been working full-time for eight years, had a two year old son, and a wife of three years. I’m 26, and I’m spending my Sunday afternoon hungover in a cell phone store trying to customize my number around vulgarities so that I can buy a phone that represents 5% of the cost of my dad’s first home. God bless America"

It is totally absurd what I will spend my money on. I bought a used Ipod mini a few weeks ago from a guy I work with. I spent more on this than I normally spend on gifts for my wife for her birthday or Christmas (perhaps I will have to start buying nicer gifts).

I am thinking about spending around 200k for a condo sometime in the next year. This is also totally absurd. I am fairly certain that this is approximately 160% of the value of my parents current home and at least 50k more than my parents last home which was sold in 1994. Granted my parents live out in BFE and I live in one of the most expensive housing markets in the country (at least Im not in NYC). I have no idea how I can afford this, or why it is even possible. I take a quick look at the numbers, at what is available, and what I think i will want etc... and this is probably what will end up happening.

But I still don't give money to the bums on the street, which, on average, I run into about once a week (I dont walk around a lot). I figure I give money to charities from time to time, and I am forced to give to many government sponsored programs, through my taxes, of which most of them could be taking advantage. I know if I ever ended up on the street I would do everything I could to keep from having to beg people for money including looking for every government hand-out available. Perhaps that I why I am not out on the street.