Material things or time?

[Dirtyhip]

Which would you choose given the choice?  Would you take a brand new bike or a month off work?  

I choose the time.  In the last couple of years, I have found that time is irreplaceable.  Things lose their luster rather quickly.  What is new today, is old and outdated in pretty short order.  I find this unsustainable to chase. 

[Square Wheels]

That's a tough one for me.

As the departments manager, I cannot ever imagine having a month off.  I'd fear what I would return to.  We've gone through a lot of turmoil and change in the past few years, none good.  We are just turning around.  I work at least 50 hours a week, usually more.  I barely take a day off here and there.  The good thing is I have comp time, so the few days I do take off, I don't use vacation time for.

I plan to cash out my vacation time in the spring and buy a new bike.  Or not.

I guess I am a gadget guy.  I like shiny new things.  I work hard, and am paid well, therefore I can afford the toys.  This has not always been true, and could end at any moment; therefore, I will continue to buy the occasional toy.

[dinneR ★]

Time. I don't make a lot of money so I live a very frugal life. With a month off, I could ride the divide. I don't get a lot of vacation time so it's not an option now. 

[ChrisL]

23 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

Which would you choose given the choice?  Would you take a brand new bike or a month off work?  

I choose the time.  In the last couple of years, I have found that time is irreplaceable.  Things lose their luster rather quickly.  What is new today, is old and outdated in pretty short order.  I find this unsustainable to chase. 

But this comes from the perspective of someone who has lived a life well and has things.  Would 20 YO DH answer the same?

Right now that would be hard for me too.  Although I don't need new a new bike (although an upgraded cross bike would be nice?)   my current job also gives me 3 weeks vacation, sick time and floating holidays plus a flexible schedule so I really don't need more time either.

Is a bike my only choice?  I would rather upgrade the windows and floors in my place than a month off.

[maddmaxx ★]

37 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

Which would you choose given the choice?  Would you take a brand new bike or a month off work?  

I choose the time.  In the last couple of years, I have found that time is irreplaceable.  Things lose their luster rather quickly.  What is new today, is old and outdated in pretty short order.  I find this unsustainable to chase. 

I'll take the bike please.   

[petitepedal ★]

I think I would opt for the new bike Only because I have that itch...and not the money to spare right now...I get 5 weeks of PTO a year and 8 holidays a year...granted I blew about 2 weeks on the Shingles this past year maybe more....I will get 5 weeks again in March..but I get 2 days off in November and 2 in December...and I have 2 weeks still sitting there..I keep 1 for emergencies..... Then again..if I got a month off..I might not want to go back to work

[donkpow]

It is 5:48 pm EDT. Can I have your stuff?

[Dirtyhip]

2 minutes ago, ChrisL said:

But this comes from the perspective of someone who has lived a life well and has things.  Would 20 YO DH answer the same?

Right now that would be hard for me too.  Although I don't need new a new bike (although an upgraded cross bike would be nice?)   my current job also gives me 3 weeks vacation, sick time and floating holidays plus a flexible schedule so I really don't need more time either.

Is a bike my only choice?  I would rather upgrade the windows and floors in my place than a month off.

I just used the bike as an example.  I figured it was about the same worth as a month's pay for something really nice. 

I don't know what my 20 year old self would have chosen.  That girl was impulsive and immature.    

[Wilbur ★]

Can I take a brand new bike and a month off to ride it? 

[ChrisL]

1 hour ago, Dirtyhip said:

I just used the bike as an example.  I figured it was about the same worth as a month's pay for something really nice. 

I don't know what my 20 year old self would have chosen.  That girl was impulsive and immature.    

Given your clarification I'd say stuff.  I don't usually take a lot of time off and it's hard for me to be disengaged from my work as it's not a regular office job.  It's very dynamic and things are happening daily, sheot hourly.

[shootingstar]

If I knew I would be working for another 2 yrs... then I would take 1 month paid vacation.  

 

[Kirby]

I'd say the time, although that assumes the thing is something "extra' and not something essential.   Although my job isn't going to allow an extra  month of time off without some personal emergency.  so the only tradeoff for time that's possible is an earlier retirement.  While saving for retirement is a good thing, I wouldn't go to the extreme of deferring all fun now for free time in the future.  So I guess I'd trade for time some of the time, and "things" at other times.

[Dirtyhip]

8 minutes ago, Kirby said:

I'd say the time, although that assumes the thing is something "extra' and not something essential.   Although my job isn't going to allow an extra  month of time off without some personal emergency.  so the only tradeoff for time that's possible is an earlier retirement.  While saving for retirement is a good thing, I wouldn't go to the extreme of deferring all fun now for free time in the future.  So I guess I'd trade for time some of the time, and "things" at other times.

Agreed.  I have not been deferring fun.  We took vacations this summer to bike parks and really nice lodging.  What we have been deferring is buying stuff, beyond what we really need.

[Page Turner]

....I just bought a new (to me), slightly used Cinelli.  Have I taken a month off my expected lifespan ?

[BR46]

Time 

I always feel that I don't have enuff time to do the things I want to do in life. 

[smudge ★]

1 hour ago, BR46 said:

Time 

I always feel that I don't have enuff time to do the things I want to do in life. 

Like ride bikes of all sorts.

[Further]

I've been going for the money, but I'm beginning to see that may not be the wisest path...

[Razors Edge ★]

If you have loads of time, material things are FANTASTIC!!!  When you have loads of money/material things, time is FANTASTIC!!!!

Realistically, material things (mainly money) "create" time.  Nothing drives me nuttier than something like waiting in the gas line at Costco for 20 min to save $3.  I'd rather spend money to have more time.

Tom

[ChrisL]

23 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

If you have loads of time, material things are FANTASTIC!!!  When you have loads of money/material things, time is FANTASTIC!!!!

Realistically, material things (mainly money) "create" time.  Nothing drives me nuttier than something like waiting in the gas line at Costco for 20 min to save $3.  I'd rather spend money to have more time.

Tom

Hey I did that yesterday.... But I was technically driving between worksites and made a detour for gas.

[Kirby]

 

[BR46]

[Airehead]

Time for surw

[Randomguy]

15 hours ago, Dirtyhip said:

Which would you choose given the choice?  Would you take a brand new bike or a month off work?  

I choose the time.  In the last couple of years, I have found that time is irreplaceable.  Things lose their luster rather quickly.  What is new today, is old and outdated in pretty short order.  I find this unsustainable to chase. 

I think both.  

Material things help you enjoy the time that you have.  I get joy from the high-quality purchases I have made in the past, especially if it helps me enjoy the time off I have.  

My camping gear is mostly top-shelf, and the prices I once paid, although almost all were on massively advantageous sales, would have seemed ludicrous to me before I started spending time in the woods.

At one time, I thought a $300 bike was absurd, then I started riding more.  I figured I would be needing things that were more suited to the task, so I started working in bike shops in order to get things at EP or at wholesale later on.  Even still, spending $4K on an EP deal on a bike is considered nuts by some.  That bike got me on some epic rides, performed well, helped get me fit, and was durable, and I ended up selling it for a little over $2K in 2015.  Yeah, I lost $2K on it, but I enjoyed the time I had on it, and it probably worked out to $3 a ride, which I think is reasonable to ride equipment from the toppiest of shelves.  I realize it isn't the equipment that brings the joy, it was the trouble-free operation and knowing it was me slowing me down, not the bike.

I don't need a constant churn in order to get the latest and greatest, but I can see spending on a few things where the return is worth it.  

I have spent some stupid money on stuff where the joy wasn't there, but those are lessons.  Research what you want, buy on sale, then go play.  

[smudge ★]

3 hours ago, BR46 said:

I used that fantastic line from that fantastic artist for a while as my signature line in my emails.

[Further]

On 9/23/2018 at 9:18 AM, Randomguy said:

I think both.  

Buy shit that will stand the test of time.

[JerrySTL ★]

 

 

[dinneR ★]

http://bicycletimesmag.com/pedaling-toward-simplicity/

Simplicity

At its core, cycling is simple. Push on the pedals and your bike will be propelled forward. Just keep riding. Sometimes I see this as a metaphor for life. The simplicity of cycling helps me find what’s important in life. In the saddle I’ve realized things like how few material possessions I need to be happy and how unnecessarily complicated we often make our lives.

When it’s just you, the bike, and the passing landscape for a long period of time, it’s difficult to distract yourself from what’s really going on in your head and your life — especially when you’re cycling into adversity, like a strong headwind. Even when you think you can’t go on, you somehow find a way to keep going, settling into discomfort and pushing forward.