Embracing Change

I am regularly surprised at my reluctance to embrace change, even if the result will likely be positive. These thoughts are coming up because we have been looking for a place to live for the winter. Of course we can rent, but the amazing real estate deals in Las Vegas have inspired us to look at buying something that will be a good place to live and will be a good investment.

Pat and I have been chanting the mantra, "simplify, simplify". Buying a place here will throw that way off. First of all, we will incur debt. We haven't had debt during our almost 23 years of marriage...maybe a little in Chicago, I forget. Second we will have to deal with the unknown problems of an HOA. (This is no little issue due to the high foreclosure rates here.) Third we will be obligated to return to Las Vegas year after year. Fourth we will have to buy lots of stuff to set up our home like furniture. The building I like the most due to it's location right near the prime poker rooms is very hotsy totsy. One thing that has happened to us during our many years living aboard Island Belle is that we've lost any hotsy or totsy that we had in Chicago.

We are still looking, but we made a short term decision to rent in the same extended stay hotel as last year. It is so "simple". We incur no debt. We buy no furniture. We make no commitment. We make no pretense. The drawbacks? It is a bit shabby, a bit cramped, not as secure, not as personal. We are not taking advantage of a good investment opportunity. We are not embracing change.