[biggrin] We now need to use our imagination, which, I can imagine, could show worse pictures than the original controversial slide! [fear][ohno2]

Celivia

Newgen, I am sorry to hear about the way the electrician treated your property with disrespect. How hard could it have been to throw a heavy protective canvas down before he started the job? My husband is a tradesman too (carpenter) and always protects the area with thick canvas whenever necessary.
It is IMHO disrespectful and arrogant to leave someone’s property in such state. It is totally unnecessary to do so.

I hope you are going to show us the pictures of the finished project!
Something nice to look forward to huh, after all the aggravation![axe]

Celivia

Interesting topic, resiwealth.
I would like to say a few things about happiness, as I think that sadness is just the (total or temporary) absence of happiness, and happiness is something that we al strive for.

Happiness is dynamic; it is never constant- your idea of happiness can change as you ‘grow’, or go through stages in your life.
Happiness is relative.
For many people, happiness means being wealthy.
For a sick person happines means health.
For a poor person happiness means wealth.

For a Buddhist wealth means suffering. For him, happiness may mean to be detached from all material possessions, to own nothing, which will give him freedom, enlightenment, which for him is the goal to be happy.

So, while everyone can have a different view of what happiness is, whatever a person wants(or does not want), he wants because he thinks it will lead to happiness. There is nothing more valuable than happiness.

If you want wealth, you want it because are convinced it will bring you happiness; perhaps because for you happiness means that you can live your life the way you want; you think that wealth will give you freedom and for you freedom means happiness.
So, some people want wealth because it means freedom, which makes them happy- to do what they like, to have what they want.
For some, being locked up inside a closed order and having no freedom means happiness.
For others, prestige or status means happiness.
For many people, pleasure means happiness. They need pleasure to drive away the pain, the stress, the loneliness in life.
Pleasure can sometimes lead to addiction. Feeling pleasure also can make you dependent on the things that give you pleasure. Being addicted to anything usually creates problems for the addict. For an addict, happiness can mean not to be addicted.
For others, wealth, having a load of money, will make them feel safe about their future. Feeling safe gives them a sense of happiness.
It can happen that people focus far too much on the wealth aspect in their lives. They are convinced that the more they have, the happier they will be, and the happier they will be in the future.
Having money gives a person so many more options, and makes life so much easier and pleasurable.
But like ‘poor’ people can be worried because they do not have enough money, ‘rich’ people can worry about losing what they have- their happiness.

I do think that happiness is such an abstract concept that it can be misleading to say that wealthy people are generally happier than poor people. Would a happy and wealthy person really become an unhappy person if he suddenly lost all of his wealth? If that is so, it means that his happiness depended on his possessions. This could not have been true happiness.
Perhaps happiness is even an illusion.

To turn it around: Perhaps having joy inside you to start with, being a naturally joyful person will attract true happiness into your life.

Happiness can mean a feeling of wellbeing, of being content with who you are regardless of what you have.
Happy, joyful people generally do have better, richer social lives. They share things with friends and family. They are generous people, sharing knowledge, ideas, feelings, wealth and worries.
Joyful people, I have to agree here with Dazzling, are usually productive and/or busy people. I have never seen a happy, bored person.

I also think that being able to share things brings a person a lot of happiness. Having good social contacts enables you to share things. Happiness cannot exist if you cannot share it with others (IMHO).

Perhaps this joyfulness regardless of wealth is a factor that attracts wealth into your life.

Celivia

34 replies to one very short question from psychiatrist; we’ve done well, haven’t we?[biggrin]

Look, I still stand by what I said, and:
If you HAVE to get married, go in it with 100% of what you have.
If things do not work out, the worst thing that will happen is that there will automatically be a 50/50 split…
Is that so bad?
You win some, you lose some.

BOTH partners have put different energies into the marriage. One might have put in more money than the other, perhaps the other cared for the little kids and the family and was stronger on putting in a lot of emotional energy or be supportive in every other way. The emotional support, the caring for kids, or other energies poured into the marriage over the years can’t be snatched back if the marriage ends. We can’t really put a price on everything.
Why place more value on the finances than on other things?
Just split the possessions equally and get on with your life. As Kevin@34 said: make a new start.

Celivia

Exciting, mcubed, to be planning an addition to the unit.
An council approval may not cost as much as you think- ring the council and ask.

I would not build anything unless I had council approval.
Insurance companies are not likely to cover the unapproved areas.This could get you into serious trouble if something did happen and you were not covered because the addition was illegal and not insured.
I know it can be slow and will add to costs a bit more, but having everything done legally will give you peace of mind as well as increase the value of the property.
It would also be costly to remove the improvements you made if you want to sell.

Are you planning to do all the work yourself as owner-builders, or give the work to a builder?

We extended our home years ago as owner-builders. You will need architectural plans which are required for council approval.
If you employ an architect, they will probably do the application for you to gain council approval.

I can’t remember what we paid exactly, but it certainly didn’t go into the thousands.

For ideas, just google “home additions” and you will be able to view lots of ideas. Store rooms, garage, rumpus, home office, study, etc. Then you can choose one to suit your house and needs.

Let us know what you decide, I’m interested!
Good luck.

Celivia

Good on you, X!

MrSimba, have you, in the meantime, decided anything yet?

Great many different opinions on here, that’s what I like about these forums.[thumbsup2]

Celivia

I should have known that you knew that riddle, Simon; it is exactly the riddle I couldn’t remember.
I think I know the answer, so I won’t answer it yet to give someone else a chance. [eh]

Celivia

Hehe Gatsby, you have my word that I do not know what truth is.

I heard a riddle a longish time ago about two persons- one was ALWAYS telling the truth and the other one was ALWAYS lying.

You had to find out which one was the liar by asking them one question each. I vaguely remember it was the exact same question, but not sure about that.

One, of course, would lie about the answer and the other would tell the truth.

There was a way of finding out by just asking this question who the liar was.
Does anyone remember this riddle properly?

Celivia

Fantastic reno, Dohicky!
The bathroom looks so fresh and modern now- a big asset to the house! [thumbsupanim]

Celivia

ANd it reminds me of some things I heard once on one of the early morning programs, Sunrise I believe.

They got people to email or call in to let everybody know what kind of things they did to get back at their partner after or during an argument.
A couple I remember:
* She sold his very special (and expensive) car on eBay for $1.
* She tore out the last few pages of the book he was reading so he never got to know the ending.
* She sowed alfalfa seeds over the carpet and sprayed it with water before she left.
Funnyyyy

Celivia