In the 1990s, I was broke. By “broke”, I don’t mean “Oh, man, it’s broke and can’t attend the Hootie and the Blowfish concert this Saturday.” I mean the “Oh, man, I had a layaway at 7-11 for a taco” kind of broke. My biggest thrill was the kind of broke that I bought a discounted Pepsi from the garage.
My job was not paying squat and I was just coming out of a terrible marriage. I was living in a 1930s bungalow that had one bedroom. It was more like a spider condo than a house. It is hard to focus like the sight of a Brown Recluse spider snoring in your chest hairs. This house was so old. It was so old that the outlets were all up above the ceiling. This is because someone decided to run the wires along the old lines that might have fed the gas lamps. One morning, I was shaving and the mirror and medicine chest fell from the wall. My foot almost fell off.
It was 1999 and I was driving a 1982 Chevy 10 that had been retired from ranch duty. The body was 70% Bondo. I found out this when I accidentally put my knee through one of the side panels. However, the engine was mostly brand new. Since I was visiting the boneyard every other week, I can confirm that the engine was mostly new. To get it to turn, I kept a screwdriver in my cab.
While I was broke, I created a new dish. It was called “Mexican Surprise” and I found it in a box of hard shells, as well as a can of refried bean sauce that somehow got lost in my search. “Mexican Surprise” was my surprise that there was any food left.
So, I have had money and I have been broke. Brothers and sisters, money is better. The good thing about being broke, however, is that you can learn to prioritize your priorities if you want the best for yourself. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is based on the basic needs of food, water and shelter. If it came down to buying groceries or a cold drink, I went to the grocery store, where I found the cans and boxes that were being nicked, dinged, or crushed. It is amazing how little you need to live a normal life.
Candace Owens has called for a boycott against Disney. You should be giving it to the Mouse hard. Owens’ main reason is, I believe, the recent statements by the Mouse. Also, the Disney policies that we all knew of but hoped would disappear when Chapek recovered his senses. Fat chance.
The Mouse, however, is a complete black hole when you think about money.
Did you know?
Unlimited access to Disney Plus costs around $80/year. This is almost enough gas for a car.
For a family of four, the average Disney World trip will cost between $4,500 and $5,500 in 2022. You can expect to pay anywhere from $4,300 up to $9,000 for Disneyland depending on your vacation plans.
CNBC reported that Disney’s fourth quarter earnings reached $18.53 billion. In case you didn’t know, GoFundMe wasn’t used to raise this amount of money for Disney.
Walt Disney was inspired by the idea of Disneyland. The average American amusement park was run by corrupt people who wanted to seize their visitors’ money. Walt was inspired to create Disneyland after visiting a Danish park that was family-friendly, clean, and affordable. The 21st-century Disney has strived for the exact opposite.
You can get more for your money than you pay.
