I was in line today to get my B.C. driver’s license, and I learned something.
First, I learned the value of my time.
Second, I learned that I should apply more lessons from the board game Monopoly to Real Life.
I had been sitting there about 20 minutes when a guy walked in the door out of the rain, ignored the receptionists desk, turned to the seated folks and shouted, “Twenty dollars to the guy who has the next number if he gives it to me.”
I happened to have the next number. I sat silently.
He repeated his offer: “I’m serious. I’ll give $20 to the guy who has the next number, if he lets me have it.”
The buzzer rang and my number was called.
I stood up and said “I’ve been waiting 20 minutes. $1/minute isn’t worth it. Sorry.”
Next time, though, I’m going to be the guy who comes in the door and pays $20 to get out of waiting.
Side note: The list at the side of my Web site has been updated. Check it out.
“Almost every American I know does trade large portions of his life for entertainment, hour by weeknight hour, binge by Saturday binge, Facebook check by Facebook check. I’m one of them. In the course of writing this I’ve watched all 13 episodes of House of Cards and who knows how many more West Wing episodes, and I’ve spent any number of blurred hours falling down internet rabbit holes. All instead of reading, or writing, or working, or spending real time with people I love.”
“Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones.”
You can scroll right easily by holding down the SHIFT key and using your scroll wheel. (Firefox users trying this will end up jumping to old Web pages until a) Firefox releases a fix, b) they change their settings like so.)