In the world of Save. Spend. Splurge.: “I am my father’s retirement plan and it scares me”

1. Retirement plan

This was an extremely powerful article – I am my father’s retirement plan and it scares me. There’s a lot in here to unpack. I cannot say that I would be as forgiving or as lenient, but I understand that it is complicated because they’re in a certain kind of culture with certain expectations, especially the terrible heaviness that is placed on their eldest daughters and yet, in an ironic twist, they treat their daughters worse than their sons.

Sentimentality and emotions play a lot in a situation where there can be none, such as wanting to keep the house as a symbol of what they’ve accomplished. I get that. But financially, it seems like it’s a much better plan to sell the place, the land, and use that money to fund his retirement. He’d have about $400K at the end.

I am also questioning little things like why he isn’t even cooking for himself – ordering Uber Eats when he’s on low pay, living alone? I am going to gently question that. But again, I am an outsider. I don’t know the whole story.

It’s a lot to think about. I encourage you all to read it. I just know it is much harder when you’re in the thick of it and having to live it. It is not so easy to tell someone to do X or Y, like I am above.

2. Scrabbled

I picked up this Travel Scrabble set for Little Bun and I to play. I figured it would make sense as well to be able to bring it on trips as he loves games and spelling.

3. Loaded

I read a Deloitte report “Sharing the Load” on equality in the household, and what stood out to me was how much we had to gain as an economy if we would just stop expecting men to be at work all the time and women to be in the home, allowing both earners to share the workload at home and at the office.

It dovetails very nicely with a witty and quite funny book that has been incredible to read – The Wife Drought – that goes into detail about how we are making it a woman’s problem to deal with ALL OF THIS when in fact it is OUR problem in society of why we expect this and how to change it, to better both men and women’s lives.

4. Wireless

I am looking for a new pair of wireless headphones, as my Apple ones after 4 years of 8-10 hours / day usage, have finally conked out on me. I am researching, and these ones look pretty good for under $40 but I can’t handle anything with silicone covers as it triggers my motion sickness (the lack of air flow to my ear canal makes me nauseous). Maybe I could wear them without…? It’s so tough to not be able to shop for things in-person. I am going off guesswork and comments.

5. Nursed

I was watching this documentary – Nursery University (2008) – on TubiTV the other day, and was completely bowled over at how.. intense (?) these parents are in trying to get their kids into the “best” nursery preschools that feed into schools that feed into high schools into universities. It seems like a crazy rat race that.. maybe is all in their heads. I mean they’re just playing with some sand and cutting out paper penguins. I get that you want them in the best schools later, but is it worth all of this?

6. Goddess-y

This white, tiered, flowy sundress is a thing of dreams and on sale for 50% off from Banana Republic. Also comes in many different colours! I even like it in black. And I never like black dresses.

7. Home Wrecked?

Did Home Economics empower or hinder women? This was an extremely interesting article on Home Economics and what it really did for women in the end. Today, it’s more about the woman’s choice to stay at home or go to work (although it is wholly unfair that men do not have the same “choice” to stay at home or go to work). Back then, there were no choices. Women were expected to stay at home.

8. Obi

I am loving this wide obi belt from MM Lafleur. The middle part is a smaller belt section so it doesn’t look like a boa constrictor is hugging your waist, and a HUGE leather piece is wrapped around it. Way more elegant.