Opinionated. Stubborn. Stingy. Hermit. Lazy-ass.
These are all words that can be used to describe me. (Though the only person who calls me a “lazy-ass” is my mum, for whom nothing ever satisfies. ?) They’re not the most flattering of descriptions, and don’t make me the go-to-guest on anyone’s party list. Not that I like parties, or going out when I don’t want to, so it all works out. ?
But you know the upside of being all these things? I don’t spend a lot of money. And 90% of the time, I literally could not care less what others think of me, as long as I’m comfortable with the choices I make. (There’s still that icky 10% that I’m trying to eliminate, but hey, I’m human and I still have unfortunate bouts of self-consciousness. ?) I try not to hurt well-meaning people’s feelings, but honestly, some things are between me and God, and absolutely none of any other person’s business, and I refuse to do what I don’t want to do. Unfortunately, this is life, so there are times I am roped into obligations I don’t want to be part of, because not caring what others think doesn’t mean one is entitled to be an irresponsible shithead. But these occurrences are so much less than they could have been if I cared about appearances.
I try to stay as informed as I can about the things I care about. These include, but are not limited to progressive issues like climate change, sustainable living, justice for minorities and overlooked communities who have been denied it for too long, and more. Sometimes, that means I don’t carry the most popular of opinions. But anyway, what was it that Dumbledore told Hagrid when people found out he was half-giant and were sending him hate mail?
“Really, Hagrid, if you are holding out for universal popularity, I’m afraid you will be in this cabin for a very long time,” said Dumbledore, now peering sternly over his half-moon spectacles.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Not everyone in the world is going to love me. And I’m completely fine with that. I would hate it if white supremacists loved me. Something would be seriously wrong with me in that case.
This learning is an ongoing process, so I fully expect to get things wrong sometimes. But when I get things wrong, heaven forbid that it’s because I listened to nonsense sources like Fox News and Breitbart, or that I have the wrong value systems, like believing that healthcare isn’t a universal human right, tax cuts for corporations will somehow boost the economy and that social welfare nets foster lazy people.
If everything I said above hasn’t turned you off already, AND you’re curious to know how I live well (or have any fun) as a 90% stingy ass bitch, YOU are the one I’m writing this blog for. The trick is that I’m stingy with my time, money and energy and I put them only into things I really care about. And one of the things I really care about is not spending a single cent more on anything than I have to. (Others include spending time and/or energy arguing with ignorant mules who believe in “alternative facts” — aka LIES — when, in the immortal words of Big Sean, “I got a million trillion things, I’d rather fuckin’ do”.)
Whoever you are, but especially if you’re my kind of people, I hope you’ll be amused and also be able to take away useful tips from this blog.