I've run into an unexpected situation where I have to bail on an anniversary night I've been planning for months. Tomorrow is our 15th year together, and with two young kids and no family around, we haven't had an upscale evening to ourselves in years.
So starting a few months ago, I began planning for a night to remember: Overnight childcare; dinner at Canoe (I've heard it's nice); Madonna concert (we grew up in the eighties); and back home to an empty house that's been setup with candles, hot bath with rose petals, wine and dessert. ** **(see 'Buy and Sell Zone').
Then Saturday, came the news from overseas that her 99 y/o grandmother fell down at home, fractured her skull and is likely in her last days. Needless to say, my wife caught the last flight out yesterday, leaving me stuck with thoughts of what might have been.
This loss will cost me a few hundred bucks and the time spent arranging all the details, but in the grand scheme of things, it's just an irritation. But it made me curious, everyone has lost or had to write off expenses. I wonder if you folks would like to commiserate by sharing your best stories of what you've lost but also what you learned.
I'll start by sharing a few other incidences that pop into my head. Many years ago, when I was still in school, I lost a wallet with over $800 of Xmas and New Year's money inside. Considering at the time, I lived in a shared basement apartment and slept on a mattress on the floor, that really hurt my comfort level for a while. Also, one time I had a smoking hot ee dancer at The Landing Strip fleece me for $600, it left me feeling sheepish but toughened me up to their mercenary charms. And lastly, I loaned a thousand bucks to a co-worker 15 years my senior, who moved away to Chicago and never paid me back. That one taught me never lend any money you're not willing to lose.
So what's your best tale?
(To keep the thread on track, let's stick to real, monetarily quantifiable losses ie: not your kids, your hopes and dreams, your anal virginity, etc... ;-)
So starting a few months ago, I began planning for a night to remember: Overnight childcare; dinner at Canoe (I've heard it's nice); Madonna concert (we grew up in the eighties); and back home to an empty house that's been setup with candles, hot bath with rose petals, wine and dessert. ** **(see 'Buy and Sell Zone').
Then Saturday, came the news from overseas that her 99 y/o grandmother fell down at home, fractured her skull and is likely in her last days. Needless to say, my wife caught the last flight out yesterday, leaving me stuck with thoughts of what might have been.
This loss will cost me a few hundred bucks and the time spent arranging all the details, but in the grand scheme of things, it's just an irritation. But it made me curious, everyone has lost or had to write off expenses. I wonder if you folks would like to commiserate by sharing your best stories of what you've lost but also what you learned.
I'll start by sharing a few other incidences that pop into my head. Many years ago, when I was still in school, I lost a wallet with over $800 of Xmas and New Year's money inside. Considering at the time, I lived in a shared basement apartment and slept on a mattress on the floor, that really hurt my comfort level for a while. Also, one time I had a smoking hot ee dancer at The Landing Strip fleece me for $600, it left me feeling sheepish but toughened me up to their mercenary charms. And lastly, I loaned a thousand bucks to a co-worker 15 years my senior, who moved away to Chicago and never paid me back. That one taught me never lend any money you're not willing to lose.
So what's your best tale?
(To keep the thread on track, let's stick to real, monetarily quantifiable losses ie: not your kids, your hopes and dreams, your anal virginity, etc... ;-)
