I came across a ridiculous question on the Internet that I’ll run by you in a moment. First though, let’s review last week’s question; have you kept your resolutions.
I mentioned that I don’t like resolutions and claim to not make them, except that I do. I’ll call them non-resolutions because I’m a weirdo. Perhaps I’m just setting myself up for non-failure?
Anyway, my non-resolution is to get by butt (and the rest of my carcass) in better shape through P90x. It’s been a bumpy ride, filled with many near-puking incidents and sore muscles. However, I have no intention of giving up. More on that in another post.
My buddy Kyle over at Kythesis is a biking, mad scientist. Kyle, let me know if you want to hit Kettle Morraine in July. It is in your backyard and really awesome:
I’m also considering joining my friends mountain biking this year, and I’d like to get back to studying physics and mathematics – see if I can remember any quantum mechanics and dirac notation mathematics,
My twisted mind read Lady FruFru’s resolution as panty raid. I was confused until I read it again:
So far, I’m on track with my resolutions, both financial and personal. (I am very type A). One of my goals is doing a different challenge on the blog each month. Last month’s was a Pantry Raid, and February’s is to dump 100 things. (Gotten rid of 13 so far–I have a ways to go by month’s end.)
I’m in awe of Scott’s determination and consistency:
I’m on week 2/block 2 of P90X3 and missed 0 workouts so that’s one resolution/goal kept.
Ms. 2016’s resolution is to start a blog and it looks like she’s off to a good start. Welcome to the blogosphere! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do:
I didn’t make a resolution until January 30th when I came up with the idea for my blog. My goal is to eliminate 2,016 items from my life during the year 2016 and publish it for the world to see on my blog. I’m at 224 and counting!
Good luck to all of you keeping your resolutions. On to this week’s riveting question.
I saw this while wasting time on facebook the other day:
My first thought was that this is quite possibly the dumbest question ever asked. Hell yeah I’d do it! If I can bring a load of books, a spiral notebook for writing and a couple changes of underwear, I’d be in heaven.
Hell, forget all of that stuff! I’d sit around and watch the trees all month in the same underwear for $100,000.
I have a feeling that most of you are like me (except maybe that you’d require more underwear), so you most likely share my enthusiasm.
Would anyone not do this?
This question is either just dumb click-bait or sad commentary on society that questions like this are even asked.
Commode Conundrum?
Then, I started thinking about it a little more. I’d have food and water, but the challenge said nothing about a potty. Hmmmmm. From the look of the place, I’m pretty sure it doesn’t have a toilet or sewer line going through that rock.
So, how would I relieve myself? Do I cut loose in the water? That wouldn’t be good. I may harm the water supply and besides, my butt would get cold.
What if I fell into the water squatting over the edge? I could hit my head on the rock and drown, all with my pants around my ankles. Yikes. I feel bad for the folks who found my body.
I don’t care though. I’ll figure out something. For $100,000, I’m in! Hell, I’d probably do it for free. A month of peace would be priceless.
So, would anyone NOT to this? If not, are you insane? Am I missing something besides the potty problems?
I’m off to work on my porta-potty.
Join the 10s who have signed up already!
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*Only if your life is pretty bad to begin with.
My big questions is how well is the thing attached? After about 10 days I would find myself running laps around the “living room” just to get some movement in. Knowing me, I’d run to the side too quickly, throw it off balance, and tip it right into the water!
But yes, I would do it in a heartbeat. The idea of a forced month away to detox and relax sounds incredibly appealing. It is incredibly hard to do on your own even when it is your goal when you are vacation. I’m sad to admit that turning my phone on and looking at whatever is on it is basically a habit now.
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Heck yeah I could stay in that house for $100k. No problem. Compared to what I grew up with, that would be positively entertaining! As far as doing my business in the water…no problems there. It would be the first time 😉
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I’d do it! I wish it was for real….
Good luck on P90X. I’m trying out something called dietbet.com this year to aid in being healthy. Pretty much you bet money that you can lose 4% of your weight in 4 weeks, and then you split the pot with the other winners. I just finished my first bet today (and won), so I’m hoping I’ll win at least $30 extra from it… I’ll find out how much in a few days. I am HIGHLY motivated by money 🙂
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That DietBet idea looks kind of neat. Hmmmm…
“I am HIGHLY motivated by money.”
Yeah, and getting paid to lose weight! Win-win!
Sign me up for that challenge. Looks like you would have a kayak for exercise and exploration and could even use it as transportation to what looks like land to solve the toilet issues. I love getting disconnected from everything every now and then. Books and spirals would be a nice convenience to have in addition though.
JC @ Passive-income-pursuit recently posted…Weekly Roundup – February 13, 2016
The biggest downside during those 30 days would be if I missed another 30 day challenge that was even easier!
+1 for books/journal. Those would make the time pass so easily.
I’m interested in your challenges. You mention Pantry Raid (which I originally misread) and Dump 100 things. I cannot find these on your site. Any details on them and/or what March’s challenge will be?
Ha! I though it said “Pantie Raid” too!
Hell yes. That is the easiest question I’ve ever heard. Especially if I get to play with that Kayak too! Plus sit on that awesome porch! Seems almost like a vacation.
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Yeah, that porch! It would be pretty awesome to just be able to sit there and think for an hour a day.
I’m in. I think your over thinking the potty thing. You can always kayak over to the land to the right. Can I bring a fishing pole?
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I would do it no questions asked. I can only imagined how refreshed I would be after a month of solitude. It would be a great time to practice meditation.
Cheers,
Dom
Dominic @ Gen Y Finance Guy recently posted…Monthly Goal Check-in #1 – @ 2/1/2016
Just jump in the lake and go! It doesn’t appear anyone is around. 😛
$100,000 for one month and I can still bring in other stuff like books and notebooks, then yeah, I’m in. One month of 100% solitary confinement with no distractions, ehhh, probably not.
Broke Millennial recently posted…Are You Paying a Luxury Tax for Your College Degree?
Yeah, a month of nothing could quickly turn into torture!
I like your potty idea though! You must have seen this too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbgBNi3-3ns
The bigger issue for me is that I don’t know if I’d want to be completely alone for 30 days *there*. I’d be fine without the internet or TV, etc., but if I am to give up my family and friends for that amount of time, it would have to be for either a life-changing amount of money or for something that would charge my batteries.
And, if I were going to recharge, this is not the environment I’d do it in. The cabin, I might consider; the location – no. I can see the appeal for others, but it does not appeal to me.
In the end, the money is irrelevant – I mean, if I needed it, that would be one thing, but I don’t. I would not get that time back. If it were a million dollars, it would be life-changing, and I’d consider going somewhere that would potentially be unpleasant. But, $100k would just be a step.
Yeah, I just don’t think the $100k would be worth spending my limited time isolated away from those I love, in an environment that looks cold and inhospitable to me. If it were a place I wanted to go, it might be nice to have a month without the distractions in a nice cozy little cabin or cottage, with or without plumbing – but this isn’t for me.
“Yeah, I just don’t think the $100k would be worth spending my limited time isolated away from those I love…”
But, that $100,000 could buy a load of time to spend with those you love. The way I look at it is that it takes me over 1000 hours to earn that much. There are 720 hours in 30 days and I’m sleeping for 1/3 of those and working for another 120 (360). So, I’m giving up 360 hours for well over 1000.
Well, I hear and respect what you are saying, but one of my main things right now is living. Just trying to live, now. Not putting off my life until next month, or next year, or until I retire, or until I have X amount of money.
Living – now.
As I said, if it were a life-changing amount of money, it might be worth staying in an unheated, isolated place that is only accessed by stairs without any rail (stone is beautiful but slick when wet), without my family or friends.
I’ve spent the vast majority of my life NOT being with friends and family because I was doing things I didn’t like or enjoy so that I could get money, and I’m really trying to change that. I think that making that change requires me to challenge fantasies like this that feed into my historically unhealthy way of life. I mean, it’s not like anyone is actually offering me the chance to do this 🙂
Anyway, not questioning your choice, just trying to be honest.
– Rae
PS: You did notice the lack of a chimney or other heat source, right? I lived aboard a boat for two years, and going without a sink, shower, or potty is bad enough without also going without heat!
Going biking on the John Muir trails in Kettle Moraine sounds like fun, I’ll hopefully get my trail ready mountain bike within the next couple months. I drive right through Kettle Moraine about once a month, that is one beautiful drive and a great cruise on a motorcycle if you don’t get stuck behind people going 35 mph in a 55, which only happens 90% of the time.
I’d easily stay in that cabin for a month for $100k. Hell, if I can bring a friend and go Kayaking I’d pay to rent that cabin for a month. I think that would be an awesome experience. For bathroom, I’d just bring a 5 gal bucket and some straw/saw dust and do a compost toilet.
For a while I got really interested in the Tiny House movement, they generally use composting toilets. I’d still love to build one and scale down my stuff, get to retirement faster, I just don’t know where I’d park it. They’re not really allowed, legally, in our “free” society.
Yeah, I’ve been on a motorcycle through there too! I was driving a little aggressively and entered a corner a little too hot. I stayed upright, but that dumb move was momentarily terrifying.
I love biking the trails at Kettle. Some of them are intense and technical (P90x of biking!).
I would totally stay in that little house for 1 month. That’s $3,333 a day. And it looks like it has a little poop deck.
LOL, on the panty raid thing. This is why I deviously love bad puns.
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“This is why I deviously love bad puns.”
Hmmm, I’m going to have to keep an eye on you! 🙂
Too bad it would never be a real offer, though yes I would do that. For $100k, I would make the sacrificies for just a month.
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Just imagine the peace and quiet. I love my wife and kids but I would love to just sit somewhere and do nothing (and not have an f’ing cell phone) for a whole month.
Chris @ Flipping A Dollar recently posted…A Tale of Two Buyers and One Shirt
Yes. And then I could retire a year earlier.
You spend 100k a year???
Chris @ Flipping A Dollar recently posted…A Tale of Two Buyers and One Shirt
Maybe she means that she’d get to her retirement savings goal a year earlier; like she is saving $100,000 per year.
Going camping and getting paid for it, yes please 😉
As for the P90X, its hard but keep going, it will get better (in every way). Results are amazing with that program.
Team CF recently posted…How Much Do You Need To Become Financially Independent In The Netherlands (Part 2)
Thanks for the P90x encouragement. Today, I was really worn down, so the workout did not go well.
As a confirmed hermit, this actually sounds like a cruel trick. I LOVE being alone and if I had a comfy place to sleep and lots of books (I am a speed reader, so LOTS of books for a month) and art supplies… that sounds like an awesome vacation idea for me. And I would get paid? OMG yes.
I’d miss the internet for the first week maybe, but after that I’d remember how to be a real live person again. 😀
I’d do it even if I had to kayak (I see one in the pic) back to the mainland to dump the waste pot. My mom told me how people used to do back in olden times. They were called a chamber pot in polite society (well, as polite as you can be when discussing poop). It has a lid, and you take it out and bury the waste or dump it in a designated area, just like if you were camping. I’d want one that had a sealable lid, because I’d rather it not tip over and spill on the way back and forth, but if that’s the worst thing I’d have to deal with for 100K? OMG, yes, I’d do it.
Too bad it isn’t true; I have a feeling there would be a huge waiting list. I’d do it for the bargain price of 10K actually. Oh who am I kidding; I’d do it even if I wasn’t getting paid (but I’d require a real toilet in that case).
Yeah, I’m a hermit too. People wear me down. Ideally, I need at least one hour of time all to myself of else I start to get cranky.
And yeah, I’d put up with a lot of crap for 100K too…
I probably would have bought that house to live in for the long haul anyway if my wife wasn’t there to stop me from being such a cheap @ss!!! 😉
— Jim
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That’s a silly question, the answer is YES! Where do I sign up?
Considering I’ve done my shares of backcountry camping both in summer time and winter time, I’m pretty used to the low key life. Taking a dump while sitting on hard edged rocks isn’t as bad as you’d think. 😉 Being able to live completely cut off from the world for a month and be able to kayak around the area for a month sounds great. I wouldn’t second guess and start wondering what’s the catch.
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“Taking a dump while sitting on hard edged rocks isn’t as bad as you’d think.”
LOL! Bad imagery!
A clear yes here!
I managed to meditate 10 days without speaking to anyone during a course, so the solitude thing should be fine. On travels, I slept in far worse places that this one.
One question: can I kA my photo equipment. I think it creates great opportunities to shoot the wild life.
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“I managed to meditate 10 days without speaking to anyone during a course, so the solitude thing should be fine.”
Whoah, I’d love to hear more about this. If you’ve written about it, please point me to the post.
Even with the basic description and the picture I would certainly do it. I mean you could kayak to the cows come home. And we are talking 30 days. I have gone without important things for a lot longer than that. I can certainly give up TV, the internet, and the like for that time. I would just hope they would let me bring some books.
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That’s funny. Here in MN there’s a different one going around. You have to stay in a cabin for the whole month of January with enough firewood to last for the month. Here’s the link. http://imgur.com/gallery/oULEmkt
I would happily stay in either cabin for a month. No bosses and no work for a month?? Sign me up!
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Wow, that cabin looks awesome actually! While I love being on the water, being in a quiet, snowy forest would be its own kind of awesome. Where do I sign up?? 🙂
I am also confused about what the drawbacks would be????
I would do it too. I wonder if the drawbacks are to do with weather. Maybe the place leaks and is really drafty and you don’t have big heavy blankets to keep you warm.
I would say I might get cabin fever after a week. But if I made it past that hump I’m sure I could make.it to the home stretch.
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I feel pretty certain we’d pay to take that deal, so to get $100,000 at the end of it? Um, yeah. No brainer! The tiny housers have all kinds of bucket toilets rigged up these days that they swear don’t smell, so there goes that issue. But a month of no internet… it sounds like an impossible dream. 🙂
Our Next Life recently posted…How We’ve Grown Up Together Financially
Haha man without a doubt, I definitely would do this, although without phone and internet would probably drive me insane..
I’d be able to read a heck of books, get back to nature etc although I’m not convinced it would be as easy as what I think 🙂
I’d do it, in a heartbeat. I’d also bring with me enough gear (maybe $150 worth) that would ensure I stay dry, warm, and content. Solar shower, three dozen ball-point pens and five blank diary books, one box of garbage bags, tarp, five rolls of toilet paper and one trowel, sleeping bag and hammock and reflective blankets, two or three 5-gallon lidded buckets to store/transport all these, and the best flotation vest, woolen long underwear, and socks I can find. Set up a simple latrine on-island and bury it off-island on a twice-weekly trip. I might even be willing to negotiate week-to-week extensions at $20k a pop. 😀
I know plenty of folks who would not do it, even if given two months to prepare. The litany is nigh-on endless! Too much effort; I don’t know what to ask or who to ask on how to get ready; I’d miss my dog; not enough people around; how could I possibly go without flushing my poo; I don’t know how to cook; I’d get sunburn; I’d get bored.
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My family’s summer cabin originally had no phone, we’d drive around the lake to use the pay phone to call dad (he still had to work) once or twice a week. No TV, the internet wasn’t a household thing then. My concern like Rae said would be contact with my family. I know it affects my overall mood if I’m out of touch with my mom for too long. I’d have to evaluate the cost of my mental health, is it worth $100k? Or If I could get a clause for a 5 min phone call half way through I’m in!
The challenge says you have to stay IN this little house for a month… It doesn’t say you get to kayak around the place exploring, swim in the lake, or roam the mainland… Heck, even sitting out on the verandah could be considered breach of contract.
Either way, I’d still do it for that kind of money.