How diverse is your family?

[frugalfarmwife]

My dear 82 year old mom made me laugh today. She's a great and very unique woman and has raised 4 incredibly unique children. I just really have to laugh.

I'm very blue collar, have taken care of myself from the moment I graduated high school, VERY independent. I'm sure I'm the cause of many of moms grey hair. When I was young I always flew by the seat of my pants, always wanted to experience life more than focus on a career. I had lots of great experiences and never went hungry.

My older brothers are very well educated and wonderful men. Focused, career minded and self made wealthy family men. They earned it and they deserve it.

Today mom told me "now don't judge, your brother bought himself a fancy present for his 60th birthday present." I thought oh cool, he broke free and got himself a toy!

Now mind you, 2 years ago my hubby and I were looking for something for my 50th birthday, really looked at a used BMW convertible but there is not a dealership within 60 miles to work on it and we couldn't do it, so bought a cute little Cavalier convertible that we can do anything on. MUCH cheaper but cute and fits for us.

So what did my dear sweet brother buy? He bought a BMW, but a used SUV. I laughed and told mom that the only thing I'm going to do is razz him for not buying a really cute convertible that he REALLY deserves!!

I just had to shake my head, his kids are grown, he's had the SUV's for the sports etc. Even had a Saab for a while. So for sporty he went for the SUV?

ff

[disneysteve]

I've read and re-read your post and I honestly have no idea what point you are trying to make or what the post has to do with the title of the thread.

You wanted a convertible and went out and bought a convertible.
Your brother wanted an SUV and went out and bought an SUV.

It sounds like you are saying he should have gotten a convertible instead. Except that isn't what he wanted - it's what you wanted. Why would you "razz" him for that?

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

I took your story showing as a humorous one pointing out one of life's ironies. Two siblings, each different in their life experiences and economic standing, arrive at their pre-retirement years and, different as they may be, both find themselves wanting to buy a luxury brand car, the same luxury brand. But staying true to themselves, they each end up buying something special, but perhaps a step down from from they might have. Maybe their life approaches are not so different after all. They both appreciate good things, they both decide to do something special for their birthdays, they both make smart choices for themselves without going all out.

I think that is kind of cool. It does remind me of how my own brothers and sisters are so different from each other, yet have a foundation that underpins personal economic decisions in a similar way.

[rob62521]

Too funny! Not exactly a wild man, is he? Glad he bought something he wanted though.

[disneysteve]

I took your story showing as a humorous one

Too funny!

I guess I'm just missing the joke here. He bought an expensive luxury vehicle that he wanted. What exactly is funny about that?

[ua_guy]

So you bought a small economy car and he bought a family hauler respectively for your 50th and 60th birthday presents. That's what I call being practical and conservative in a sense of splurging money.

As a car guy I'm also aghast at the idea of cross-shopping a Chevy Cavalier with a BMW. I do enjoy small cars from GM and they're good in their own right, but they're very different from a BMW and the only similarity may be that the top is removable on both cars.

[rennigade]

Sweet story bro.

[riverwed070707]

I guess I'm just missing the joke here. He bought an expensive luxury vehicle that he wanted. What exactly is funny about that?

I had to read it a few times as well but I think it was just that brother is wealthy and "splurged" on a used SUV for his 60th. Albeit a BMW, I think the point was that despite the fact that they've made different career choices, they both come back to being frugal? Maybe. Either that or he's jealous his brother got a BMW I'm not 100% either way

[ronb]

I expected this would be about a gay uncle or something.

[dawnwes]

I expected this would be about a gay uncle or something.

Yeah, I was thinking diversity in terms of race. How many different ethnicities are in your family, etc....

Cars don't excite me. Get me a BMW or get me a Camry, as long as it runs and is fairly comfortable, I am good.

[disneysteve]

Yeah, I was thinking diversity in terms of race.

Me too. I don't think of one person driving a Chevy and another driving a BMW as a from of diversity.