Monthly Archives: November 2012

Spread Too Thin

I’m at my desk writing code for side-project of mine.  MyCurrencyCollection.com started as a US paper currency reference website when I was in high school.  It is my goal now to expand it to a web app where people can organize and share their collections. I set launch date for last year.  It and a few since have all passed with nothing to show.

Suddenly, it strikes me – I really should be looking at houses to buy.  My lease expires in a few months and I’d rather figure this out before I have to renew or pay month-to-month.  So I search a bunch of apartment listings in the area.  Maybe copy some listing details to my housing search spreadsheet.  Now, all the listings I see are duplicates.

Maybe I should search for multi-family homes – I’ve been told that living in one unit rent free while one or more others pay the mortgage is smart investment.  After exhausting the listings and noting a few, I realize it’s not so simple.  There is maintenance to consider, dealing with renters, and coping with periods that one or more units remain vacant.  And do I really want to be tied to paying a mortgage over that many years?  Instead of the headaches that accompany this secondary income stream, why not attempt drastically reducing expenses.

Yeah – I’m fired up again about living in a tiny house.  So I boot a Windows 7 virtual machine and load the latest CAD drawings for my custom tiny house.  After some tinkering with the frame, paneling, or windows and doors, I once again get distracted.  Whatever real estate path I choose, it’ll be months before things come together and get finalized.  Maybe it’d be best if I get my web app done.  Then I focus completely on something else…

And so I’m back to where I started.  Until it starts again.

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It always happens.  I’ll focus on something, make progress toward completing it, but then get distracted by a shiny new something.  Round and round it goes and I everything incrementally gets closer to going nowhere.  Maybe I’m spreading myself too thin.  Maybe these branching ideas are my form of procrastination.  I guess it could be worse – at least I’m not vegging out in front of a TV all night.