Self Improvement

Sometimes It’s Hard To Have Fun, Even if It’s Free

My first instinct was to say, “Thanks, but no thanks.” A friend of mine had acquired two free tickets to an NHL game. They were sweet tickets, too. Located in a suite, the tickets included free food and drink for the entire game. But here I was on the brink of turning him down.

Let’s back up a little, and let me tell you a little bit more about myself.

Everything has it’s place, and a place for everything. I don’t like rearranging the furniture, the first thing I do when I get home from work is to process the mail, and pick up all the empty soda cans, plates, cups and anything else out of place on the main floor of our home. I like the shoes lined up straight, I don’t like dirty dishes in the sink, and I love, love, LOVE routine.

Image courtesy of photostock at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Yup, I’m a little on the obsessive/compulsive side.

My love of routine keeps our home running smoothly. I make sure everyone gets up at the right time, off to work and school, homework done, dinner eaten and cleaned up and homework completed. A time for everything, and everything has it’s time. I have a routine for what I do each evening as well, which usually involves my work here at CleverDude. My need for a schedule does have it’s negative side, though. For example, I look forward to vacations, but after about three days of being off schedule I begin to get visibly agitated.

I don’t like deviations from my schedule.

Which is why I initially balked at my friend’s offer. I knew I should go. It should be fun hanging out and watching the game live. But all I could think of was the things I normally do during that particular evening of the week that I would have to find the time to do later. I should want to go, but I wondered how fixated I would on the tasks left undone while I was at the hockey game.

I struggle with this sort of thing frequently. I am so comfortable in my day to day schedule that I pass up fun opportunities as to not upset my beloved routine. Not this time. I was determined to let go of my need for all things being the same and enjoy the game with my friend. I did spend some time in the days preceding the game completing the tasks I would normally do on that evening.

With nothing left undone to fixate on, I went to the game. I ate way too much. I drank responsibly (hey, I wasn’t driving). For an evening I let go.

It’s a start, right?

Brock Kernin

Brock is a software engineer by day and personal finance blogger at night. He is a fitness junkie and enjoys grilling and smoking meat. Married with two children,  Brock strives to improve his skills as a husband and father, and is always on the lookout to stretch his family’s budget as far as he can.