"unmotivated" folks annoy me

[Goldy1]

So this guy on my street had a clothing business that went out of business many years ago. He didn't work for a few years. He went to another country and imported a wife, had two kids, and so I see him sitting smoking on his porch daily not going to work.

So I was freindly with him yesterday by sitting with him for a few minutes. I asked him if he was working and he said he just closed another clothing business 2 weeks ago(didn't know he had another one as I see him home often) and he was waiting on unemployment checks. I didnt' know self employed folks could even get unemployment.

I just get ticked when I see him sitting there smoking for hours and there are big weeds growing near his porch and his shed is peeling paint in the yard etc etc (his house is gossiped to be the less well kept in the area)
I know it's not easy and I really sympathize(it must be hard not having your business do well anymore), but I mean, if you really wanted a job, the video store at the corner always has a help wanted sign for instance.

If you had a job, fine. His wife told me he wants her to have another kid.

We need to help the working middle class; we need the security of affordable reliable healthcare options now. (and I dont' consider myself very liberal . Me and dh had to BUY our own insurance when he was laid off or go without.

If my dh had not been called back to his old good paying job, he was in school preparing for a new lower paying career and would have taken any job to help stop our bank acocunt from going down.

I'm a really conservative guy, but health care costs are absolutely ridiculous. If they were more reasonable, my wife would stay home and take care of our newborn and we could actually come out ahead (she loves to cook!).

[cschin4]

What does the neighbor's life have to do with you? Sounds like he tried his own business at least twice and it didnt' work out. As for maintaining one's home, some people are more interested in doing that than others. Who needs neighbors concerning themselves with someone elses's home?

[wincrasher]

Once you've been self employed, it's hard to go back.

Some types of businesses definately have a life-cycle. They are meant to fold up and you start again.

The idea I think alot of people have is this notion that it must be obvious hard work to be successful. It's not. It's working smart. This guy may have plenty of money, but there aren't obvious signs. Ever see those businesses that are perpetually having "liquidation" sales? Same thing.

Broke people usually don't pressure their wives for more kids to feed. And I've got rich neighbors that have houses that could use a coat of paint.

[cschin4]

The problem with "motivation" is that there is many different types of motivation. I may be motivated in a different direction than you. My motivation was to pursue my career in such a way that would allow me to earn a decent income and work part time and be home with my children. I like to watch the birds outside, play with the dog and have time for my hobbies and time to volunteer at the church. I am not very motivated to want to work 50+hrs a week. I want a certain quality of life and for me that means having time to pursue those things rather than working all the time. I could earn a heck of a lot more money if i jumped back into the rat race, but no thanks. Not for me. I am sitting on the porch watching the flowers and painting a pic with kid. Obviously you can do those things and work full time so that isn't the point of which i am making. My point is that my motivation to accomplish what I did indeed accomplish may not appear to be motivation in your eyes. To each his own.

[PetMom]

He collects unemployment? (also did not know you could if self employed) - so this might not be a semi prosperous man waiting out the great recession by smoking on his front porch hoping for another child.

His motivation sounds like it applys to basic maintaining of his property. Sure if broke some gas for the lawn mower could cost a couple of bucks and a bucket of paint and some sandpaper might cost $25.00. He might be saving up for that, but he could easily reach over and hand pull those tall weeds right there where he is smoking.

And it is something neighbors need to be aware of. When properties are not kept up it is called in the biz "The Dandelion Factor".

Uncared for properties bring down the value of the whole neighborhood.

[PrincessPerky]

I like dandelions....

[disneysteve]

Uncared for properties bring down the value of the whole neighborhood.

Exactly. That's probably what spurred the creation of HOAs, though many of them go way overboard with their rules and restrictions.

I like dandelions, too, by the way. I never do anything to get rid of them on my lawn. Wish I had more, actually. In college, there was one hill on campus that was covered with them every spring and it looked so pretty when the sun hit it.

[Snodog]

I try not to jump to conclusions about these kinds of things without "walking a mile" in his shoes.

Maybe he will think of his next business idea while he is smoking.

I would say try not to let it bother you and to each their own. If the weeds or the chipping paint bother you that much offer to pick them or paint.

[kobe008]

So I was freindly with him yesterday by sitting with him for a few minutes.

Did you ask if you could sit and whittle wood with him?

[cschin4]

Uncared for properties bring down the value of the whole neighborhood.

So what? There is a difference between having trash in your yard and rodent infestation and not "maintaining" your property to someone else's standards. That is the problem with HOAs is because they begin to turn into Nazis trying to dictate everyone's behavior. All homes are in a various state of repair/disrepair. Homes ages as well and so do the homeowners. People just need to relax a little. Lower value of the neighborhood means lower assessed taxes as well. I don't know why everyone is always so concerned about their property value every minute of the day. People buy a home and then 6 months later it isn't assessed or worth what they paid. Again, so what? I just don't understand this constant evaluation. Live in your home and enjoy it. Keep your home to your liking. DOn't worry too much about neighbors as they come and go. And, if they don't go, then why get annoyed by what they do unless you are going to move?
Property maintenance is never ending. You can go from a decently kept property to one where you have to mow a checkerboard pattern into your yard and edge every edge and mulch and on and on and on. It can become absurd.
But, if I want to paint my home purple and it is my property and I own it, why should it be anyone elses' business?

[PetMom]

The real estate biz investment crowd coined that dandelion phrase.

It is actually a useful plant in that it is edible (the young leaves - always research if you do any 'weed' from the yard eating and must be nonsprayed with pesticides). I actually paid a good price for some organic Italian dandelion.

They usually just take over a whole yard as a weed factor and that is what the residential realty crowd watches out for, along with the missing windows boarded up, peeling paint, etc...And a wise homebuyer buying in the neighborhood would do well being alert for this also.

I agree with one post: offer to help. Neighbors need to help their neighbors more in these times - today my to do list involves: helping paint a neighbor's molding and babysitting a dog. Fun and we know they will return the favor - all for free.

[cschin4]

I love dandelions. The funny thing is that if they didn't grow so easily that we wouldn't consider them a weed and we would instead by trying to cultivate them! Why not just enjoy them? My daughter used to get upset when she was little when we mowed down her pretty flowers.

[Snodog]

So what? There is a difference between having trash in your yard and rodent infestation and not "maintaining" your property to someone else's standards. That is the problem with HOAs is because they begin to turn into Nazis trying to dictate everyone's behavior. All homes are in a various state of repair/disrepair. Homes ages as well and so do the homeowners. People just need to relax a little. Lower value of the neighborhood means lower assessed taxes as well. I don't know why everyone is always so concerned about their property value every minute of the day. People buy a home and then 6 months later it isn't assessed or worth what they paid. Again, so what? I just don't understand this constant evaluation. Live in your home and enjoy it. Keep your home to your liking. DOn't worry too much about neighbors as they come and go. And, if they don't go, then why get annoyed by what they do unless you are going to move?
Property maintenance is never ending. You can go from a decently kept property to one where you have to mow a checkerboard pattern into your yard and edge every edge and mulch and on and on and on. It can become absurd.
But, if I want to paint my home purple and it is my property and I own it, why should it be anyone elses' business?

Excellent post. Those are my views as well. These are some of the reasons why I don't want to live in a HOA.

[SmarterSpend]

I don't think this guys life has anything to do with you.

You're complaining that he is smoking, but in the time that you took to write the post, you could have done something more constructive instead.