Why Plan B

....since primordial cave man, there has always been a plan B:

Day 1
(Caveman) --- Honey, I'm going hunting with the guys.....
(Cavewoman) --- That's fine dear, hey you know before you go, could you plant some of this wild wheat close to the cave so I don't have to go down to the river... it's a long walk... besides it's scary down there.
(Caveman) -- (sigh) OK Honey

Day 2
(Caveman) -- Honey... is it OK if I go out hunting with the guys today.
(Cavewoman) --- Sure dear, but first, could you get some of that fire that burned down the forest and bring it into the cave, it would make the cave nice and warm.... not a lot of fire, just a little fire, and put it right there.
(Caveman) --- umm... well, I guess so, isn't that really, really dangerous?
(Cavewoman) -- not if it's just a little fire.... thanks dear.
(Caveman) -- (looking dubious) ...umm...ok............?!?

Day 3
(Caveman) -- (sneaking away with spear looking over his shoulder.....)
(Cavewoman) --- Oh good your going hunting....
(Caveman) --- !HUH!...yes....yeah.... bye dear!
(Cavewoman) -- Hey Before you go... could you build a you know a building or something to hold the wheat for when we harvest it... and maybe a place where we can stay, you know.....inside of the, building, instead of this damp old cave?

...and on and on until we reach the Moon and develop Rice-a-roni.... Yes, you guessed it all of civilization is just a giant Honey-Do list.

What I am saying is that in some way or another we all have to live Plan B.
There is no shame in Plan B, in fact without Plan B, we would all still be hunting and gathering and living in caves. In fact, hunting and gathering has become our new plan B. But before that begins, I would like to discuss my own personal Plan A and Plan B.

Plan A: Get an MBA, Help a buddy with a business, sell the business 10 years later, put all the money into the stock market and retire at 40, to raise a lovely small family.

Ok...well... I think you see my problem.... and it's not that children are little animals, which surprisingly they are..... lovely little animals, but still. My problem is that I have retired at 40, with all of my money into the stock market, just three years before the stock market has declined the most since the great depression.

I am not boo-hooing over my mess. In many ways I am quite lucky, I do have savings, I do have a great deal of equity in my home. My family is healthy. I can pay my bills....for now. My wife still loves me, and the kids are clever little monkeys. Also, I have lived poor, really poor, and even though it is frightening, it's not the end of the world. In fact, when my wife and I were first married, we were so poor and so deeply in debt that I had a hard time keeping the faith that we would ever survive. It was the happiest time in my life......more about that later.

Well, anyway, I have to go now. What about Plan B? Next time.... next time.