[quote=gzz]Money helps me avoid the things that get me away from my normal happy state.[/quote]

for instance?

kobe avoided some freeway traffic with his money…what are you avoiding?

[quote=Coronita]Money can’t buy you happiness….
BUT…
It sure can come pretty darn close![/quote]

my greatest personal extravagance is expensive fermented beet juice from farmers market. 10$ for a small bottle.

I believe it has curative properties. also i like the seller. i feel a small surge of happiness when i buy it.

and also my monthly donation to the buddhists in escondido. also feel good about that.

i guess my main expenditure was alcohol when I used to drink. but thats over because i cant control myself.

what else do i spend money on…hmmm…not much. my phone is 4 plus years old. a resilient samsung s7. the battery’s a little weak, but i just bought a small portable battery i carry in my bag with it.

3 cars worth about 35k together.

it all just gets put automatically in little buckets…I’m not complaining. id be more stressed out than i am if I were living on the edge. Just that not only doesnt money buy happiness, it’s practically not even useable for savers. If I didn’t have a wife and kids, I’d probably spend close to zero.

what is anyone’s life, really?

You wake up.

You either slept well or you didnt.

if you slept well, you’re already doing great. Your body feels good. man, you’re in the top half of your class at least.

you go pee. if your stream is decent, again, you’re winning.

You have a little tea or coffee and something to eat unless your intermittent fasting, in which case, no food for you.

If you poop well, life is fine.

If you feel ok about the day, dont have too much of a headache, you’re way ahead.

then you work. hopefully it’s not too awful.

in any event, the time passes, whatever you’re doing,and you try to achieve something or other. probably it’s frustrating.

sometimes things go well…

Its all pretty blurry, soon anyway. And in the rearview mirror, hard to say wtf happened.

in any case, if you’re not broke, basically, you’re doing pretty good.

Later you see your spouse, if you have one and or your kids.

maybe they can stand you. maybe not.

you eat something. you consume some media. you express yourself. You get a bit of exercise.

perhaps you engage in some form of sexual activity if someone else is willing.

you go to sleep.

Then its the next day, pretty much the same. Hopefully you get a day off, in which case you do the same stuff but dont work. You try to accomplish something, but for fun. And no $. Maybe you travel and do the same thing, but somewhere else.

this is the vast majority of life. Really, what else is there? Am i missing something?

The only thing that gives me true pleasure, and its difficult, is to sit, close my eyes and let thoughts go.