The High Cost of Money
Before borrowing money from a friend, decide which you need more.
In The Merchant of Venice Shakespeare explores the dangers of borrowing money, and in Hamlet, Shakespeare says; ‘neither a borrower nor a lender be…..’ And, especially think twice, and twice again before borrowing money from a friend. Think about what you need the most ~ the friendship or the money, for money is often the cause of acrimony and breakups of even the closest of relationships. Your friend may not charge you financial interest on the sums you borrow, but there are likely to be charges and obligations other than strictly monetary.
In order of the least to most desirable lenders from whom you could think of approaching are;
- Friends and lovers. Borrow from a friend and be prepared to soon lose a friend.
- Parents and family.
- Payday Lenders, who will charge you usuary rates of interest ~ 250% to over 1,000% per annum.
- Guarantor Lenders. If you have a poor credit rating you could get a friend or family member to guarantee your loan. These are doubly bad, with all the disadvantages of actually borrowing from friends, lovers, parents and family ~ plus very high rates of interest 50% per annum being about the norm.
- Credit card debt. These insidious borrowings can cost you 25% or more over a year ~ if you go on using that card you may never be debt free.
- Bank loans. If your bank will lend you money you may expect to pay a low rate of interest, maybe between 3% and 10% per annum.
- Mortgages and other secured loans from your bank or a mortgage company / broker. Personally, I could get a mortgage at 2% per annum.
- Car loans. If you should want to buy a new car, many dealers will offer you a car loan at 0%.
And, why do you want a loan anyhow? The very worst reason for borrowing is to feed your addiction; gambling, drugs, booze, sex…. and the second worst reason for borrowing money is to pay off another debt. Both of those are likely to get you into deeper and even worse trouble. Maybe the only good reasons for borrowing are to buy a home, or car, (or in some places to pay medical fees). Vacations, wide-screen TVs, plush furniture, jewellery, fancy clothes, expensive shoes, are all not worth getting yourself into debt for.
So, just beware of borrowing anything from anyone.
Some say a fool and his money are soon parted. And that a man in love never counts the cost of anything. All I know is that Shakespeare was a pretty smart guy.
~
Jack Collier
jackcollier7@ talktalk.net
Maybe a convertible Mustang isn’t the most prudent purchase.
Monochrome Monday~ Backside
The pleasures of the flesh are but fleeting passions.
~
~
~
~
~
~
Jack Collier
jackcollier7@ talktalk.net
Women deserve respect
Dissilusionment Defined
What becomes of the broken-hearted man.
~
land of confusion
desire’s lost illusions
an inevitable conclusion
~
Jack Collier
jackcollier7@talktalk.net
hit the road Jack,
and don’t look back
Scenes on Sunday ~ Memories
Life is full of moments you can’t put into words.
~
~
~
~
~
~
Jack Collier
jackcollier7@talktalk.net
often, people just get in the way
Toxic Snakes Can Ruin Your Life
Poisonous people are like rattlesnakes hiding in the shadows.
Some people are naturally duplicitous and treacherous, charming and dangerous, destructive and toxic. They are snakes who lie hissing in the grass, ready to strike at their victims without warning. And yet, these snakes fool us all the time because they are also beautiful, fascinating, interesting, and seductive.
No matter how much kindness, love, and trust we offer the snake, it’s never going to repay our cherishing support with anything but venom. Snake people are naturally toxic, and the wiser man will keep his distance, limiting his contact, trying to avoid the snake’s poison as much as possible.
If you are unlucky enough to be friends with a snake, and maybe stupid and innocent enough to fall for one, be aware that they will bite the hand that feeds them, and their bite may just about destroy you. Toxic people can ruin a beautiful day, disrupt your life, torture your emotions, do a number on your self-esteem, and take every penny you have. If you know that snake then physically, mentally, and emotionally brace yourself for the ruin to come.
Snakes have an insatiable need for attention, to have the world just the way they want it, to have you behave exactly as they wish ~ while giving you little or nothing in return. They will complain, bitch, be self-righteous and demanding. Snakes never pay for much, but expect your wallet to be open all the time. And these toxic people see nothing wrong in their own bad behaviours.
Toxic snakes will usually have innumerable skeletons in their closet, have some serious personality problems, and be prone to drinking too much, gambling, smoking, occasionally taking drugs, picking up casual sexual partners in bars, being abusive….. Generally being the kind of a person it’s unwise to get close to. And yet we do, all the time.
In dealing with a toxic snake you need to be disciplined, controlled, guarded, positive ~ and preferably somewhere else at the time.
If you recognise the snake in someone you know, or are close to, then walk away. Walk far away, and never look back.
Some say that snakes are cool and fascinating. And that toxic people are just misunderstood and not at all dangerous. All I know is a snake is always nothing but a snake.
~
Jack Collier
jackcollier7@talktalk.net
dangerous toxic snakes can be beautiful and seductive
Times Like This
if there’s something I can’t do for you
~
dispair’s stygian midnight darkness
the lost bloom of rose’s red dark abyss
my spirit told me there’d be times like this
my dreams told me there’d be days like these
and my heart warned me there’d be love like this
but nothing told me that there could be hurt like this
ending this painful bliss with our one last farewell kiss
~
Jack Collier
jackcollier7@talktalk.net
just some far away blue horizon.
Road Trip Arizona
Arizona is arid and mostly empty.
I’ve only been in the Copper State for a few days, but it will leave some lasting impressions on my memory. And, not just the obvious ~ that it’s big, empty, and fucking very hot.
This is a place of contrasts; from the red desert to the high pines, and from downtown anywhere Phoenix to utterly crazy, totally living in the past, Flagstaff, Arizona continually surprised me.
Red Rock Country around Sedona reminded me of John Wayne western movies, and the high pines on the road to Flagstaff reminded me of innumerable Jimmy Stewart westerns. Funny how one’s impressions of a place can be coloured by the film’s one watched as a boy.
But, mostly what I’ll remember about this place is that, on average, it’s empty. There’s a lot of space with bugger all in it except rocks and heat.
I like Arizona, but the whole world is a big place, so I don’t think I’ll ever get back here.
Some say that Arizonians know what’s best for Arizona. And, that there’s more to the Grand Canyon State than heat. All I know is that this state is extreme.
~
Jack Collier
jackcollier7@talktalk.net
Meteor Crater has no visual references to tell your mind just how damn huge it is
Meteor Crater, Arizona
And God created the Heavens and the Earth.
Some say that God created the cosmos in six days, and that the Earth is 6,000 years old.
Science tells us that the Earth is 4.5 billion years old, and that the mile wide crater near Winslow Arizona was made by a meteor 50,000 years ago.
Standing on the edge of the crater there is no sense of scale, but it’s huge.
What nobody will tell you is that standing on the edge of the crater in June, you will get eaten alive by midge and mosquito alike. Go very early in the morning, in colder weather, but go. If just to know that all the religious fundamentalists are wrong.
~
Jack Collier
jackcollier7@talktalk.net
If a meteor had to strike anywhere, AZ is as good a place as any, as AZ is mostly empty space.
Drugs and Loose Morals
Immorality is the natural mind-set of all politicians.
Yet another English politician is linked with using the illegal drug cocaine. This time it’s Boris Johnson, the favourite to become next leader of the conservative party ~ the once natural party of government in the United Kingdom. This is no surprise as just about every other contender for this top political job is also a proven (past or present) drug user.
Some say that using drugs in the past should not prevent someone from getting on in politics, effectively holding down a top job, and being a success. Some say that smoking pot does not indicate that the stoner is a bad person, a liar lacking in morals.
I disagree. I contend that anyone who has used cocaine is dishonest, amoral, dishonest, and unethical. To begin with, if these people have ever entered the USA, they have lied to US customs and immigration. And, I don’t want a proven liar as a potential leader of my country. But then, all politicians lie all the time, don’t they?
Some say that all drug users are also addicted to other things; alcohol, gambling, infidelity, casual sex…. All I know is that no male politician, business leader, or top public official, has ever been able to keep his dick in his trousers. In my experience most men and women who use / have used drugs are also heavy drinkers, gamblers, liars, and not averse to casual sex. But then, everyone has skeletons in their closet, don’t they?
Some say that the lawlessnes and knife crime on the streets of London can be directly linked to the non-enforcement of the UK’s drug laws by politicians and officials themselves guilty of illegal drugs use.
Some say that there is noting wrong with a dishonest, amoral, sexually promiscuous person leading a country / business / charity / law enforcement agency. And that using drugs in the past shouldn’t affect someone’s life today. All I know is that I prefer to know ethical, honest, clean and (mostly) sober people in my life
~
Jack Collier
jackcollier7@talktalk.net
How long before we see this on our streets again?
Monochrome Monday ~ America
They’ve all come to look for America
~
~
~
~
~
Jack Collier
jackcollier7@talktalk.net
Pictures by the girl riding shotgun
