You Dirty Rotten Bastards!

So I edited my last post on February 25th to mention another useless (but completely AWESOME!) toy I bought.  Unlike the other items I bought this one was predicated on me getting a big surprise influx of cash.

To recap that situation really quick, part of working at this particular correctional facility is the 'retention bonus'.  I get $5000 every year just for working there.  I didn't know about this bonus when I was trying to get the job but I was incredibly happy reading about it in the Union contract.

I should add... reading a labor contract negotiated between the State and the UAW is NOT as clear as anybody would like it.  The part of the contract that spelled out the retention bonus also covered the possible use of a recruitment bonus... so the language was QUITE unclear.  A whole lot of 'If this particular nitpicky criteria is met in this time frame at this particular location while a cat crosses the road in this other area THEN this thing will happen'.  So even when I got the job, even when my supervisor told me that yes in fact there was a retention bonus, even when my co-workers said that I would qualify as I had two years as a state employee and worked there.... even THEN I held my breath.  I figured once the state actually gave me the check (well... deposited it into my account.  I mean who actually picks up a paycheck now-a-days!?), I would believe it.  If they didn't pay me the bonus... well that's the breaks and I would most certainly qualify for it next year.

Useless Wastes of Money

So I have purchased several new toys.  To be honest, these are all complete wastes of money and I'm not here standing up tall and saying that I'm spent my money wisely or purchased something that will make my life better.

Nope.  I just wasted some money, far too much money on one, on things that make me smile.

On each item I justified it to myself just before purchase and it seamed reasonable at the time.  In retrospect I wasn't so much getting reasons to buy them, I was pushing down my financial responsible side that was saying loud and clear "YOU DO NOT NEED THIS".

I think that part of me, the financial responsible side of me, is weak.  It had far to much help in the past.  In the past it was hardly ever a decision to make.  I simply didn't have the money to make purchases like this.  Sure, I wanted the techy toys since I got my Voltron action-figure/toy when I was a little boy, but I also recognized that they were wastes of money.  I guess it's kind of like wearing a cast.  Your broken body part can't support itself, so the cast does that job.  Once the cast is removed your body part is used to NOT supporting itself and needs work so that it can do it's job again.

In that way, my cast was removed when I got this job and I skipped going to physical therapy.

So my purchases were, in order of purchase, a Roku 3, a Kindle Voyage, and a Microsoft Surface Pro 4.  The Roku 3 is a video streaming device that connects to the television.  Think Netflix.  The Kindle Voyage is the Cadillac of ebook readers from Amazon.  The Surface Pro 4 is a tablet/laptop.