Exotic Car Hacks Ferrari 30 Buyers Guide
| I hope you know that I immediately thought of you when I read that Axios article you sent me about keeping financial secrets from your spouse. |
| Why me? I sent it to you because the survey supports my position that people in serious relationships should exchange credit reports so that there are no surprises. Not to mention, they need to be open and honest about money. |
| Well, it reminded me of how you told me about lying to your husband when you blew your Ferrari engine. It was years ago, but I’ll never forget it. In fact, I still laugh and shake my head in amazement. |
red head
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Black
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| You really do need to get a life. |
| Admit it, there aren’t too many people that have “replace Ferrari engine” as a line item on their credit card bill or monthly budget. |
|
Well, it was not a planned expenditure. Although when the engine blew on the
racetrack, I was prepared in terms of knowing where to safely pull over and quickly
exit the car. |
| Of course, you were. But, at what point did you decide to lie to your husband about the cost of the engine? I still don’t know how much that engine cost, but he could easily afford to replace it. He was already paying for you to race Ferraris. So, why did you choose to pay for half of it yourself? |
| Trust me, even half was a big number. And, the 360 Ferrari Challenge had one of the best V-8 engines they ever made. |
| You’re avoiding the question. |
| When we got married, he made sure to keep all our assets totally separate. He knew I had some money of my own, although nothing on the magnitude of his, so it was not like I was hiding money. My racing was already costing him so much, so I thought paying half was the least I could do. |
| But did you tell him that, or just lead him to believe that his “half” was the “full” amount? |
| What difference does it make? |
| Is there a reason you didn’t want him to know you were trying to be considerate? Especially because when I went through my crisis, you always talked about the importance of having open and honest communication, especially about money. |
| I still feel that way, but a conversation requires more than one person. Since I handled most of his money for him, including the interface with his wealth managers and tax accountants, he made it very clear there was nothing more to discuss. And, any time I tried to bring up the topic of money, he would cut me off and just say, “Everything’s great.” |
| Well, it was. At least financially. |
| Yes, if you only look at the numbers. But, we had very different attitudes toward money, and that was something he would not discuss. Many people, regardless of financial status, are not comfortable talking about money. |
| I know my natural tendency is to avoid what I perceive as difficult conversations, which definitely includes money, but surely not everyone feels the way I do. |
| Initially, did you avoid financial conversations because you felt intimidated and confused, or because you were trying to avoid conflict? |
| Back then, both. Now that I have a better understanding of money, it’s just an awkward topic. Especially since most people don’t talk, they argue, about it. |
| Or, keep secrets or avoid the topic entirely. Which may seem “helpful” in the short term but are not long-term solutions. |
| Says the woman who ultimately got divorced. So, tell me, if you had to do it over again, would you have handled the situation with the Ferrari engine any differently? |
| Hindsight should be 20-20. Looking back, there were probably things I could have done to avoid blowing the engine. |
Design by Sawyer Pennington
Our banter may start with two sisters, but it’s getting families, friends, and even classrooms talking.
October is Health Literacy Month, and if you've ever struggled to understand medical terminology, figure out what health information to trust, or weigh the risks and benefits of treatment options, you already know why health literacy matters.
Each of us approaches health information very differently, but as you'll discover, even Black, who enjoys statistics and research, finds navigating healthcare complicated. And Red? Just thinking about it can give her a headache!
| As a mom, over the years, I've had to become familiar with various children's health issues and basic healthcare (and don't get me started on health insurance). But whenever it was something more than the common cold or flu, a stomach ache, or the usual scrapes and bruises, I felt like I was back in school. And between the terminology and trying to understand how the body works, I often felt like I needed a nursing degree. Not to mention, there's so much information on the internet, it can be overwhelming as well as confusing and sometimes scary. Over the years, I've also had to deal with my aging parents' more serious health issues, and I've lost count of the pages of notes I've taken and questions I've asked. Or the conversations discussing risks vs. benefits that I've had with medical professionals and my sister. (I'm glad Black finds statistics "fun" and can look at them unemotionally because they give me a headache.) |
| Until recently, I had never heard the term "health literacy," and when I first did, I initially thought about general literacy skills such as the ability to read and understand numbers. Skills that are essential if you are sick and need health information and services, but also impact health decisions that should be simple, like filling out forms, taking over-the-counter drugs (aspirin, cold and flu remedies, etc.), and learning about the things we should (or should not) do to live a healthier life and reduce the chances of serious illness. But then, I thought about how anytime I had to deal with a health issue, especially ones that could potentially be serious, it was a tedious, complicated, and technical challenge. And, at the risk of sounding arrogant, I like to consider myself well-read, pragmatic, and comfortable with numbers and research documents. In other words, although it impacts some people more than others, the issue of "health literacy" affects us all. (And, that does not even address what it does to the cost of healthcare.) |
THE CONVERSATION STARTERS
- Before now, have you ever thought about "health literacy"? How would you describe it? What impact does it have on your life? How can it impact your ability to be successful in the workplace?
- Why do health and healthcare topics seem so daunting?
- Does health literacy only impact you when you are facing health issues? Why or why not?
- Have you ever had a medical situation or condition that required you to learn more about it? Where did you seek information? Did you have any problems learning about it?
P.S. – You might be interested in our Conversation Starters for Financial Literacy and Digital Literacy.
October is Bat Appreciation Month, and while most people associate bats with Halloween, they remind Red of something very different and far more important: her daughter, Natasha, a memorable trip to Austin, and a surprising decision by Black.
What started with thousands of bats flying out from under Austin's Congress Avenue Bridge eventually led to Natasha and Black getting their first — and matching tattoos. Of a bat. (Yes, Black has a tattoo!) It's a family story about memories, unexpected connections, and how something as unusual as bats can become surprisingly meaningful. | Thanks for sending me Natasha's Austin-inspired business plan. But while I know that's her future, I can't help but think about the first time I took her to Austin. |
| All I remember is that it was love at first sight. |
| It was on our way home from taking Sawyer to camp, and I told her we were making a slight "detour". She was so excited when I pulled up to the hotel, as she's always loved hotels. But that night, as we walked onto Congress Avenue Bridge and saw thousands and thousands of bats fly out into the sunset, she was mesmerized and "in love". |
assets.rebelmouse.io | Although I knew about the bats (the largest urban colony of bats in the world), if it were not for Natasha, I never would have planned a trip to Austin to see them. But having watched her watching the bats, I was not surprised, years later, when her first tattoo was a bat. |
| That may not have been surprising, but I was shocked when, a few weeks later, you decided to get a tattoo that was identical to hers. I didn't know that you were such a fan of bats. |
| It was not the bats; it was the fact that it was identical to he tat. Although, I think Natasha and I should add a few more bats. And this time, do it in Austin. |
| It's amazing how so many of my memories of the girls growing up are connected to Austin. |
| Funny thing is, whenever I would be there with you and the girls, and they would "drag" me to that old-time candy store at the top of Congress, I would see things I had not seen since we were little, so would be reminded of us as children. |
| That's always one of the first places they'd want to go to in Austin. That and Green Mesquite BBQ. They both loved Austin, and it wasn't like going to a large city, where there are so many places to go and sights to see. They were always happy to go back to the same familiar places and enjoy simple things, like that snowcone truck or even just walking around downtown. |
| For as long as I can remember, Austin has always been a foodie town. And, it had food trucks before they became popular around the country. Austin has a unique culture, which may be why the girls, but especially Natasha, love it. Its "Keep Austin Weird" vibe not only makes it the perfect place for her, but has provided some great ideas for her business concept. |
| I'll leave the business analysis to you. I know that she's doing that as part of her studies in the U.K., but I prefer to think about the great times we've had in Austin. And the mom in me thinks she'd be very happy to make Austin her home one day. |
| Especially as that's where millions of her beloved Austin bats live. |
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