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Coach Ellis's Financial Goals
Hello there, friend. How are you this fine day? I myself am doing well.
OK. Enough small talk. Maybe this is a bit unusual, but because I am going to ask you for contributions, and because I'm planning on charging a nominal fee for access to certain future parts of SkyVillage, it is appropriate for me to let you know my financial goals.
And so, ready or not, here they are:
Coach Ellis's Financial Goals.
I'd like to own my own home. I'd like to own it free and clear, without any mortgage or debt attached to it.
I'd like for my dream home to be two stories plus basement.
I'd like for the basement to be finished. I'd like for it to consist of a big open space that I'd use for several purposes: my office, a music rehearsal and performance space, and a place where people could gather informally to watch things on television, like movies or sporting events. I've got a small PA system that I'd set up down there. I'd also set up my keyboards, and there would be a small drum kit in one corner. I'd use the basement for musical gatherings in which people would play instruments and sing. I'd also use it as a amateur recording studio. I'd have my desk in the corner, with my computer, my filing cabinet, a side table, and a couple of shelving units for books, supplies and such. There'd be a couch somewhere and a big screen TV up against a wall. There'd be a few comfortable chairs scattered around as well.
In an absolutely perfect world, my house would be situate on a slope, sloping downward to the rear, so that the back wall of my basement opened up to the outside with sliding glass doors and a couple of windows. It would be nice, at least, if the basement had it's own access to the outside. But I could live without any of that, if necessary.
Upstairs from the basement, the ground floor would be largely open: the kitchen, dining area and living room would all be a large open area, more or less. There'd be a TV and a stereo system, and nicer furniture than the informal stuff in the basement. The back wall of the open ground floor area would either open up to a deck, with outside stairs leading down to the ground (if the house were situate on a slope, as described above), or it might simply open to the back yard if the house were not situate on a downward slope. The ground floor would also have a separate room, which any companion that lived with me could use as an office, or for anything else that she might desire.
The top floor would be bedrooms, either three or four of them. The top floor would also have two full bathrooms, one opening from the master bedroom, the other for the use of the other bedrooms. In my perfect world, the master bedroom would open out onto a small balcony--but I could live without this.
The ground floor would have a half bath. The basement might also have a half bath, but I could do without that.
Behind the house, in the back yard, I'd have a patio area with a table, umbrella, and chairs, where four to six people could gather, to eat, drink and socialize. It'd be nice to have a hot tub back there as well--but, again, I could live without it.
I'd like for my house to be on a large fenced lot in a quiet neighborhood. I'd like for there to be a view out of the back yard--not necessarily a view of the Grand Tetons, but something pleasant and green that one could gaze upon in the distance.
I have an inkling, you could say, of having this house be out in the country, away from urban and suburban development. I'd prefer to be at a certain distance from a big city--say, an hour or more away. Still, I'd need to be within twenty minutes, say, of a small city or town in which I could get basically anything--a nice bottle of wine, a good piece of cheese, a nice cut of salmon, a good steak, etc. As I mention elsewhere, I live in Colorado, and there are many areas around here that would be serve me well with this dream.
(However, no matter what, I'll need a good internet connection.)
I have a dream of building community through hosting musical gatherings at my home. This house would serve that purpose.
I realize that my dream house is not modest and would be fairly expensive. I understand if you think I am being materialistic, or perhaps even entitled or greedy, in my desire for this dream house. OK. But it's still my dream. I've been living in smallish apartments and condos for decades now, so I figure I've paid my dues. Also, I am going to use this house, not only to continue to work on this website, but also to build community. So, I'm going to go for it.
What else?
Well, I have at the top of my bucket list to travel to certain areas in the American West that can only be reached by dirt and/or gravel roads, to do some hiking and camping out in the wild. I'm not exactly sure how this would work out in the long run.
Of course, in general, living here in Colorado, it makes a lot of sense to have a vehicle with four wheel drive and decent ground clearance, not only because we get a lot of snow, but also because there are many dirt and gravel roads, and some of them are gnarly. So, an SUV kind of vehicle, equipped for the possibility of off-road use, is something I'd like.
However, I also have a notion of having a van or minivan that's outfitted so that I can camp (live/sleep) in it from time to time while on vacation. Again, this minivan will have to deal with snow, and I'd like for it to take me down dirt and gravel roads, some of which, as I said, are gnarly. I understand that there are four-wheel drive hybrid minivans that get good gas mileage and that can handle fairly difficult terrain. A plug-in hybrid minivan would maybe be perfect, who knows. Maybe then I could just rely on the minivan, outfitted as a small camper, for all of my transportation needs.
Right now, I am subsisting on a limited income, so I'm driving a front wheel drive Mazda 3--which is a great car, by the way--but it's not going to get me down some of the roads that I am itching to travel, to get to far-flung hiking trails and camping areas and the like. So, if my income picks up, I'll start doing research, with the hopeful idea that I can use a four wheel drive hybrid minivan, or plug-in hybrid minivan, for all of my needs.
I do not need or desire a vanity vehicle--that is, a high priced car with a spendy, trendy nameplate. If that's your kind of thing, no worries, but moderately priced cars work for my needs.
What else?
I do not have a desire to own more than one home. I figure that I can rent whatever I need for vacation purposes, or stay in hotels. I work a great deal--I enjoy my work--but I do have some vacation goals. As of this minute, there are two places that are at the top of my vacation list: Japan, and Italy. I like to stay in decent lodgings when I go on vacation. I don't need (or like) to stay at lavish and extravagant places, but, like you, I value cleanliness, quiet, safety, and a reasonable amount of comfort.
I don't fly first class. I like associating with the regular folk. I don't fly very often in any event--there's plenty of great stuff within the range of ground travel where I live--but, of course, I would have to fly to either Italy or Japan.
I cook most of my own meals--I love to cook and I'm good at it--and, not matter what, I'll keep doing that. I rarely eat out, and when I do, I very rarely eat at expensive restaurants, although a splurge every so often is nice. As of now, I buy almost all of my clothes at Walmart or Target.
I don't value "spendy and trendy" stuff. I'm not particularly impressed by displays of wealth, and I don't try to impress others in that way either. But I do value "class"--and by that I mean, a decent, honorable, steady-as-she-goes, honest, forthright, clean, organized, comfortable way of being, and of living. You get it.
In addition to the above, I will need to set aside some funds in the event of emergencies, etc. I might have to pay lawyers if this website takes off, because it's going to draw fire, of course. I might have other financial needs that I can't anticipate at the present time. I'm not planning on going broke.
But once these goals are taken care of, if that happens, then I'm not going to look for anything else. If my ship comes in, so to speak, and the above goals are handled, then I'll give the rest away in one form or another.
OK, my fine young Pilgrim, there you have them: my financial goals.
By the way, what are your financial goals and dreams? It's useful and productive to put things like this down in writing.
Travel back to your previous location by clicking here--and I'll see you there.
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