I am one of those blokes who is perhaps unusual – I dont like gadgets. So when the subject of getting a new TV came up I braced myself for the fray.
You need to become a mini expert for a short period, make the right decision at a sensible price, and then forget it all until next time!
Dont you?
Where I am a typical bloke though is my aversion to shopping. However, off I went with daughter Charlotte to central Newcastle – to the SHOPS. Urgh!
My sister was treating Charlotte to a shopping trip for her (delayed because of snow) birthday. As sis is often travelling all over the world with her work, they were both looking forward to it immensely – unlike me!
Off they went with massive smiles all over their faces; trained female bloodhounds with the scent of shops in their nostrils. I, pathetic male, tramped off to compare goggle boxes, deciding to visit two stores before I lost the will to live.
The first thing I needed to check out after some internet research, was what type of TV was I going to go for? Was it to be plasma, LCD or LED?
Then what size? Make? Model? Price bracket? Home cinema? Bracket mounted or not? What guarantee does it have? Then after a bit more research, 3D suddenly came up as an option!
Help!
As I write, there is still no decision made. However, I suppose there is a deadline in that I do like to watch a bit of football, and there is the small matter of the World Cup coming up this summer.
Mmm.
Talking of ‘picture perfect’, it has been a very interesting start to the year with me agreeing to work with several new clients. As part of this process we really challenge them to ask themselves what it is that they want to do with the rest of their lives.
Needless to say we are aiming for their ‘picture perfect life’.
The subject of retirement planning is a biggy of course, and I often find myself saying, “if you are not going to be spending 50 hours a week with patients, what ARE you going to do?”
It is always nice to see people sending in their ‘homework’, and it being obvious with what they are putting down on paper, that planning has come at the right time for them.
I thought I would share with you a few of the things that they have said they want:
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learn to speak Italian
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buy a place in the sun
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go on a cookery course
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learn to ride a motorbike
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get out walking the Munroes
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write a book
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spend far more time with valued friends and family
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get fitter by taking up Salsa lessons
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tour the UK in a motor home
In a similar vein, we have being doing a few workshops with dentists. Part of this is to have a bit of fun by doing a quiz on various financial questions. The winner gets a bottle of wine, and I had the job of grabbing a few bottles from my local wine shop. I noticed some nice looking Italian reds on offer, chose four, and drove off to the workshop.
The time came to hand out the bottles, and one of the winners examined the bottle in detail. Smiling, she informed us that this was a very nice red as she had visited the vineyard personally!
Phew!
Ray was amazed that I had such good taste.
