Hehe, upon Jason's initiation, I have started a "Top 5 Aspirations" List. I just went with the top 5 things that first came to mind with little (but still a little) reflection. i.e... It was tempting to write something like.. "To become more spiritually enlightened".. for some reason, the really moral route is something to list, but at the same time it wouldn't be completely sincere because it's not really something I am thinking about often.. truthfully, I feel pretty "spiritually enlightened" as it is, where I can easily fess-up to the "gray areas" I really am not sure about. The point is.. I know where I stand.. I know my values/morals.. and I am naturally guided by those things on a daily basis with little conscious thought.
Technically, haha, and I'm sorry to make this so "scientific", but -Aspire- means:
" 1. To have a great ambition or ultimate goal;
2. desire strongly: aspired to stardom.
3. To strive toward an end: aspiring to great knowledge.
4. To soar. "
So really, the whole "spiritual enlightenment"-idea just doesn't work with this.. I guess someone can strive to be "more Godly," or something, but I see it more as something that just IS... perhaps because I've been a Christian my entire life and have gone through the phases (ins and outs).. it's just something I've decided I truly value, can believe in, and have full faith that there is a much higher power out there.. and I try my best to abide to *good* (as relative a term as that may be).. but it's not like I think about "how can I be more *good*?".. I think about how can I be more respectful.. what I can do to help out... but those are natural things.. not something I aspire to consider more..... .. wow is that bad? haha. I just don't know how to put it.
AT ANY RATE.
I'VE MADE MY TOP 5 ASPIRATIONS (completely side-tracked up there)..
already listed them as to not be influenced by Jason's, but I'll still post them at the rate Jason does since it's his blog-idea. :P
5. To Be Debt Free
Simple idea. Nothing too deep. Maybe this aspiration is strongly influenced by my father who has always emphasized that he pays his debts ASAP because otherwise you are "a slave to your debt." Naturally, me being very independent.. someone who likes to walk through doors of opportunity easily... I never want to catch myself deeply in debt because it's easy for me to see that with a great amount of debt, opportunity is limited... you're forced to take jobs that might end up no-where instead of having the flexibility to take a job that might pay less initially, but will be better for networking in the long-run.... things like that.
If it's necessary to reach some higher end (i.e. a college degree), then I will gladly make an *investment* (especially because that investment helps me care more about the quality of my work/time), but in the meantime I'll always be looking for a way to make my investment work for me. Being in major debt after earning an investment is craziness to me.. basically it puts you in the negatives after earning something pretty significant, but not significant-enough (at least these days). My philosophy is to delay superfluous gratification. When I come out with a degree, I want my degree to start working for me *immediately* and not be haunted by an accumulated mass of money. So in that respect, I want to be debt free so that I can start *living* my life immediately after college, and continue to live without worry. I've done a pretty good job to meet this goal so-far. It's funny because I'm in the process of being pressured to "consolidate" my loans.. LOOOTS of pressure... the Catcher: you lose your 5 months grace period. I spoke with a guy on the phone in-depth about it today, and he said.. "Well I don't know who has ___ just lying around, so I think it's better to consolidate.." .. and it felt so wonderful to say, "Actually, I do." ... and then for him to say, "Well, if you have credit card debt or a car loan, it's better to pay that off and consolidate since the loan will be much less in interest.." ..... and again, to be able to say, "Yeah?..Well luckily I don't have any of that to worry about..." ... which upon he said, "Well then, yeah, I guess you shouldn't consolidate.."
That's what I thought. Risky-business, especially not being able to predict the future, but I'm confident that this is the right choice. NOT Lock in at 2.8%, rates WILL rise to about 5% (minimum)... and risk 5 months passing and not having the rest of the money to pay off the loan to accrue no interest.
OR..
Lock in at 2.8%, and start making payments immediately after graduation, but I already know I will *not* have all of the money I need by then to pay off the loan.. and will be earning 2.8% interest on loans that could potentially have been paid off within 5 months if I go hard-core with payments, still leaving room for "enjoying" things(which is the plan) ...
because it's definitely possible to enjoy life (living abroad a year, traveling to DC for 5 mo.. living in Malibu), accrue loans, and somehow still come out ok..
it's all about living within your means.
Finito de numero cinco (maybe that's a mix of both Italian and Spanish?.. non sooo..)
Lin *
Jason
Sarah
Phil