LBYM Culture Shock

[TromboneAl]

Went to a dinner party at a 1.3 million dollar house. Super fancy throughout, overlooking the Pacific. Probably at least 120 lights on at all times.

They had the largest flat screen TV I've seen in the living room, and down the hall, in the den, there were two more, side by side. "So I can watch two football games at once," he said.

 

[lightspeed]

A house overlooking the Pacific for 1.3 million? Sounds like a bargain for the West coast.

 

[NW-Bound]

As I watch no spectator sport games, I am shocked that people devote so much to watching them.

 

[Khan]

Beyond my comprehension.

 

[Rambler]

Friends in high places, eh Al? ...or just friends with high CC debt?

R

 

[haha]

As I watch no spectator sport games, I am shocked that people devote so much to watching them.

Probably the same no-goods that won't keep their pee-pees clean. Off with their heads!

Ha

 

[Kabekew]

That's a huge bargain if it's overlooking the ocean! In my area (Washington D.C. suburbs) $1.3 will get you either a 6000 S.F. McMansion in a farmland rural area, or a 2 BR cramped old brick townhouse in the center of the city, albeit with "granite countertops."

 

[NW-Bound]

This man may simply have more "means" than us paupers. And since he cannot take it with him...

 

[Grep]

In a previous life, I had an expensive house with the proverbial "million dollar view." Now I have a very modest house with no view whatsoever. I prefer having a less expensive house, but that view... it was priceless, and all these years later I still miss it desperately.

 

[NW-Bound]

The main reason we bought our 2nd home in the AZ high country was because of the view, though it did not cost and was not worth $1M.

I told my wife, who was skittish of the expense at the time, that such a lot did not come on the market often. Have not regretted it. We watch TV even less when up there (only an old TV with DirectTV dish to keep up with the news and the stock market while in the boonies). Movie DVDs brought up went back down to the Valley unwatched.

 

[CuppaJoe]

What did they serve for dinner, Al? Yum?

What kind of wine? How do you know them?

Hum, PG&E is offering a 20% discount on gas for reduced usage during Jan. & Feb. Guess that doesn't apply to electricity.

Yeah, views are cool. It was 60ish degrees today. Had the flu all weekend but dragged myself out to the rooftop for sunburn and priceless view.

 

[LOL!]

You can't judge a house by flat-screen TVs anymore. They are dirt cheap nowadays. An outstanding Sony 52" is less than $1800. A Samsung is under $2000. You can pay more, but why would you? Even welfare moms have these TVs nowadays, so if you don't have one, then you are not LBYM --- you are doing something else altogether.

 

[W2R]

Went to a dinner party at a 1.3 million dollar house. Super fancy throughout, overlooking the Pacific. Probably at least 120 lights on at all times.

They had the largest flat screen TV I've seen in the living room, and down the hall, in the den, there were two more, side by side. "So I can watch two football games at once," he said.

For some people, I suppose that is LBYM.

It seems to me that a house big enough to have at least 120 lights on at all times, would be a huge PITA to maintain. Just changing out the lightbulbs would probably be more work than I would want to do! I suppose that for the owner of the house, that house is a dream come true. It isn't my dream, though, and probably not yours either.

I am considering having two flat screen TV's in ER, though. They are coming down in price, and I want to set up an exercise room with its own flat screen TV.

 

[Dennis]

LOL.. I just bought a 46 " for $200.. Garage Sale.. it was only 6 mos old.They were Loosing the House, etc..Furniture Co. was hauling out the futrniture as I was there..

Got a couple of repo'd 08' Cars on the Line as well, just waiting for the call
Neighbor down the street, lost a ton of $, They sold us their LR Furniture 7 Their High End Treadmill as they were Moving out.. 25% of the price they paid for it just 2 yrs ago.. Ours was 10 yrs old anyway and donated it to Goodwill..for Decent tax credit...

My Aunt and Uncle, Retired In AZ.. Wealthy.. They do Garage Sales, Then sell on Ebay.. They say It's been a Field Day down there.. Almost Whole Blocks are Deserted w/Foreclosed Homes..with tons of stuff left in them.. Their Daughter does same in Vegas area...she has had to rent space to store things..buying at 10 cents on the dollar..

One's person's loss , is another's gain..

another is Picking up Peoples older TV's that work, taking them to a Latino Charity and gets a $100 tax credit..He pays 25% in taxes = worth $25 each to him...

Ahhh. American Ingenuity..

 

[REWahoo]

LOL.. I just bought a 46 " for $200..

I noticed The price Dropped from $500 a Couple of minutes Ago. Is This an Auction?

 

[TromboneAl]

1.3 million would be a bargain elsewhere, but prices are lower here in the boondocks of far northern California.

It's true that it could be LBYM for them; he's a lawyer, she's a court stenographer. They're still working hard at ages 62 and 52, respectively.

DW met her running -- they run together each week or so.

Meal was fancy, wine was fancy, company was fancy, artwork was fancy.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Al, did you have a good time?

 

[audreyh1]

1.3 million would be a bargain elsewhere, but prices are lower here in the boondocks of far northern California.

Ummmmm......

Here is just one of the endless spectacular views from Al's "boondocks" neighborhood.

Not only can you gaze out at the beautiful ocean views, but you can watch grey whales as they migrate.

Audrey

 

[unclemick]

In a previous life, I had an expensive house with the proverbial "million dollar view." Now I have a very modest house with no view whatsoever. I prefer having a less expensive house, but that view... it was priceless, and all these years later I still miss it desperately.

Yep - 21k(that's k not a typo) Fish Camp on 12 ft pilings over Lake Ponchartrain with the back deck facing the sunset.

Beautiful sunsets and watching those poor bastards struggling home on I-10 bridge after w&*k was priceless.

Alas Katrina took it.

heh heh heh - Now I look at a few wooded lots across the street and the squirrels tease the fenced in neighborhood dogs til they bark their heads off. . But 10-15 minute drive and I'm in beautiful Kansas - praire and and all.

 

[Bestwifeever]

I bet you were restraining yourself all evening from turning out lights -- I sometimes surreptitiously turn off the tvs in relatives' houses when no one is in the room to watch them, and a little while later they go in and turn them back on.

Sounds like a fun evening with nice people. And I'm sure your hosts are saying the same thing about you and your wife!

 

[lightspeed]

Sure it might be LBYM for them, but even if it was, life would be very complex and high maintenance with all that stuff.

 

[Animorph]

I like the house and TV's, but I'd also be turning off the lights out of habit. No sense in waste.

 

[unclemick]

Sure it might be LBYM for them, but even if it was, life would be very complex and high maintenance with all that stuff.

I think Al has the right idea - I remember what I liked about nice boats - you visited, enjoyed and then went home - while your neighbor took care of HIS boat.



heh heh heh -I became a non boat owner very early in my er - frugal period. .

 

[travelover]

My next door neighbor has a mini estate that he has dumped $2M into. They have so much "stuff" that it is like living next door to a business - there is a constant traffic of house cleaners, yard and pool maintenance people, repairmen and assorted other delivery people. It makes me tired just watching all the activity.

 

[CuppaJoe]

Flat screen as LBYM!? SO and I are w*rking on turning both of our TVs into non-cable rabbit ear gadgets, retro chic. I could tell the cable TV company to [delete] um, go away. Currently, we have only one set of rabbit ears but we get a clear digital image on both “fat-back” TVs. We are convinced that people are throwing rabbit ears out left and right, and are keeping an eye out for one in a “free box.” I don’t mind living 10-15 years or more behind the times. I’ve got Dickens’ “Hard Times” queued up on the ole Kindle. Uh, make that one year behind.