Just another week...

Chaos is defined as a condition or place of great disorder or confusion. That defines this past week for me.


Monday was like every other Monday.


Tuesday started out by attending Saylor's 3rd grade class (as I have all year). Went from there to Holly, MI (a 40 minute drive) to pick up a Miche Bag order. From there, came home gathered my stuff for class and headed back out the door to head to Cleary. Sat through 4 hours of economics and finally came home for the evening.


Wednesday was one of my days for my work study at Cleary. I arrived back at Cleary at 9 a.m. and left at 2 p.m. I was then suppose to drive to Flint to deliver a Miche Bag order, except that my truck was not running right. I took the truck to a mechanic that informed me that both of my front end wheel bearings were going and it was going to cost me about $400 to fix 1 side. Feeling very frustrated, I went home to get ready for the 1st grade musical we had to attend that evening. After the musical, we stopped by our friends that are working on their house, and finally went home for the evening. I had placed a call to my dad (a life-long mechanic who lives 3 thousand miles away) to ask his opinion of my vehicle situation. My outcome looked expensive!


Thursday was quite a day. We found a mechanic that works on cars on the side at his house. We called around, found out part, and I headed to the mechanics house after working 8 hours at Tanger. The mechanic informed me that it could take anywhere from 1-4 hours to complete the job. I now have 1-4 hours to wait. I had no place to go and it started raining.  About 20 minutes after I left his shop, he called to tell me we had the wrong part. I immediately called the store we bought the part from to see if they had the right part in stock...they did and set it a side for my arrival. Now...how was I going to get there? The mechanic had my truck on the lift with the left wheel off. So he was either going to put it back together for me so I could drive down to get the right part, or this total stranger was going to have to take me to the store. This nice gentleman drove me to the store. We got the parts and went back to his shop. By now, it's like 7:00 p.m. or so. So I decided to hang out at his shop and watch the job. Exactly 1 hour later he finished the driver side. YEAH!!!! Now, on to the right side. He took the wheel apart and was about to remove the bad bearing only to realize that...we again have the wrong part. At this point, he and I can only laugh. He hands me the keys to his car so I can go get the right one...the one I previously returned. I walk into the store and the guys working there are just as surprised as the mechanic and I were that it was wrong. Make the exchange and head back (once again) to the shop. By the time I get back, he had the bad bearing off and ready for the new one. Install goes well and we are test driving. After all that, I didn't get home until after 10:00 p.m. As chaotic as it all was, the mechanic was gracious and understanding. So were the guys at Auto Zone! My heartfelt graditude to them all!!! 


Friday was much easier. Worked at Cleary for my work study, drove to Flint to make my delivery, came home only to receive a phone call my youngest son asking me to come see him. I hopped back in the truck and drive 45 minutes to spend the evening with my handsome young man. That was a wonderful ending for such a chaotic week!


Although busy and chaotic, it was all rewarding. I built wonderful relationships, learned lots of new things, and had a few great laughs along the way. For me, chaos works!

Opportunity cost

Opportunity cost, "The cost of an alternative that must be forgone in order to pursue a certain action. Put another way, the benefits you could have received by taking an alternative action." (http://www.investopedia.com/terms/o/opportunitycost.asp)

Through my economics class at Cleary, we have learned about opportunity cost from a business stand point. However, we all experience this whether in our personal lives or through business. When you really sit down and think about what it truly means, you really begin to appreciate its value. Example, going to class to finish your degree or staying home with your family. Both are important and offer value to your life but one will be forgone to pursue the other. 

The past few weeks (after learning about opportunity cost) I have taken a look at the choices I have made in my life and the value each choice held. You don't know what the future holds for you so making the choice isn't easy. All you have to go on to make the best choice is history of past actions and your heart. You are the only one that knows what is best for you. Therefore, you are the only one that can make that choice. Although you will miss an evening with your family to attend your class, in the long run it will receive a higher reward. I don't necessarily mean "higher reward" in monetary state, but in self accomplishment as well. Accomplishing a goal or doing something for yourself can be very rewarding even if you sacrifice an evening with the family. And if you look at it from another perspective, you have now lead by example for your children. They see how important eduction is and will follow in your foot steps. So the choice you made has now had a domino effect onto your children for success. 

Opportunity cost adds chaos to our lives. And that's not a bad thing. It gives us the ability to make choices for ourselves and accomplish things we may not have other wise. Without risk there is no reward. Don't be afraid to add chaos to your lives. It lets you  know you are human and that you are alive. Plus, it will give back more than it takes!