Comments on: Birds of a Feather Don’t Have to Flock Together

By: Dana

Dana — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:52:43 +0000

To be fair, I didn’t read Jess as saying she was going to leave. I only read her as saying she felt intimidated because she couldn’t relate. I’ve seen lots of flounce posts in my time, some on my own work *snerk*, and that wasn’t a flounce post.

Part of the reason I started my own blog was because I don’t want to be a loser forever, but I wanted to write about my experiences becoming a winner, that way there would be a narrative that people in my old situation could follow later and go, “Hey, she was in X situation with Y resources and she achieved Z result, just like me, so I can do it too.” It’s a little different when you’re reading someone who is already there. And it’s very, very easy for someone who’s Made It to forget the nitty-gritty details of what it was like in their past and to lose empathy for those who haven’t yet grown and changed to the same degree. I didn’t want to be the comfy middle-class personal finance blogger who makes fun of the minimum wage worker because he doesn’t know how to effectively ask for advice and none of the advice he’s given is helping him. (This has actually happened, though not on your blog that I’ve seen.)

I hear ya about getting away from bad influences too. I don’t want to be cruel to people who are already having a hard time, but success is self-driven, peers are a powerful influence and I’ve already let myself be dragged down way too much by negative people.

As for the fat people and McDonald’s and diabetes thing, I’d totally go to McD’s in a pinch, but I’d toss the bun, skip the fries and get the salad on the side. Presto, no huge blood sugar spikes, and less chance of diabetes. But anyway…

By: E

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 07:19:57 +0000

SM,
I’ve read your blog religiously for the past year but have never been prompted to comment until now.
Your words of wisdom/struggles/experiences have motivated me to completely eliminate credit card debt and increase my credit score by 200 points.(Since I began reading your blog last May.) My financial house is in the best order of its life.
Perhaps we have very little in common as far as life circumstances, but what I have taken away from your blog—an attitude of “optimization” towards personal finance/work/etc—keeps me coming back for more!
Keep up the good work!

By: Delonda

Delonda — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 06:57:09 +0000

Greetings, I have been reading your blog for about a month and let me tell you, I can’t go to bed without reading it….I Love It! I totally agree with the person that comment above, you are very inspirational keep doing your thing girl. Now, your Birds of a Feather blog is Fantastic, Everything that you stated was very real and again inspirational, I got something out of it and you know what as of this day I will not hangout with people like myself, but really I believe I have in away and my oldest son & I was just speaking about my ex-close friend, we have nothing in common any more because I keep a very positive attitude about life, I’m trying to start my business, I’m about to attend college to Major in Business Administration, I’m have a wonderful husband, my mother and I are very close and so on. Every time she calls me, things are always bad, now I am facing some challenges, but I dust them off and keep stepping and I try to find positive ways to get through, I also try to offer her inspiration but she continue to complain, so I stop calling her and I told my oldest son, sometimes you just out grow your friends. So I truly agree 100% with you and thanks a million. To one fabulous sistah to another!
Peace & Blessings!

By: Joy30906

Joy30906 — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 10:45:29 +0000

I love your blog because you are very smart. I like your swag. I love the fact tha you are willing to share with us. I have learned so much from you. I’m a broke college stundent for now. I still love your blog, the info I get here is priceless! I have learned sooo much from you, things my parents do’nt know about finances. Thank you.

By: Single Mom Seeking

Single Mom Seeking — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 01:05:55 +0000

Wow, what a poignant post! I’m so glad you wrote this.

As you know, I’m a single mom, too. Reading your blog isn’t always easy because it reminds me that I’m not in the financial place I WANT to be in right now, today… But that’s why I keep coming back.

As you say, “You should never avoid someone because they are in a better place than you.”

You’re showing this mama the ropes. Thank you.