9 Oct
It’s Not “Once-In-a-Lifetime”, It Just Seems That Way
Some days getting out of debt is exciting! Some days it’s mundane. And some days it sucks.
Prepare for a rant.
I’m warning you right now that this post is going to hurt you as much as it hurts me. In fact, it is my goal to share my pain here.
Okay, to be honest, I think I just want to completely transfer my pain to you so that I can move on.
A dear out-of-town friend of ours is a rather famous beer and food chef. The Wife has never gotten to attend one of his dinners, but I worked at one earlier this year and they are fabulous.
Next week he is doing his first dinner in our town. Here is the menu:
First Course
Scotch Quail Eggs
quail eggs wrapped in homemade duck sausage infused with DBA, rolled in bread crumbs, Pale 31 aioli
paired with: Firestone Walker 100% Oak Double Barrel Ale Cask
Second Course
Wet Hopped Crudo
hamachi, shaved fennel, pumpkin ribbons, micro herbs, yuzu, IPA, amarillo hop French gray salt
Speakeasy Wet Hopped Big Daddy IPA
Third Course
IPA Ceviche
halibut cured in citrus juices, Union Jack IPA, mangos, red onions and peppers, topped with IPA foam
Firestone Walker Union Jack
Fourth Course
Ale Braised Beef Short Ribs
Imperial Red Ale braised short ribs with a parsnip Red Ale purée, malt glazed baby purple carrots and ale reduction
Speakeasy Mickey Finn Imperial Red Ale
Fifth Course
Deconstructed Ruben
Porter pastrami brined lamb cheeks with a smoked tomato “special sauce”, rye DBA spätzle, malt vinegar cured red cabbage, Swiss cheese air and candied caraway seeds
Firestone Walker Reserve Porter
Sixth Course
Assorted Cheeses & Charcuterie
Humboldt Fog goat cheese, aged gouda, gorgonzola, duck prosciutto, lardo and nduja
Speakeasy Double Daddy wort honey, malted mixed nuts, malt pickled cippolini onions
Speakeasy Prohibition Ale
Seventh Course
Beer & Donuts
XII infused donuts, filled with an XII crème and glazed in a XII TCHO chocolate glaze
Firestone Walker XII
Eighth Course
Porter Poached Pears
bosc pears poached in Speakeasy Porter and vanilla beans, with a Porter caramel sauce and Old Godfather sabayon
Speakeasy Bourbon Barrel Aged Hunters Point Porter
Are you dying? I think I should have a bib on right now to catch all the drool.
Tickets: $125.00 per person, all inclusive.
Ouch. The event will sell out within minutes, but he offered to hold back tickets for us. I painfully responded that it just isn’t in the budget. Being $47,000 $35,000 in debt has never hurt this much!
I have to remember that even when things feel like a once-in-a-lifetime “opportunity” the odds are they really will happen again.
Besides, no dinner tastes as good as being debt-free will feel.
At least I hope so.
the Dad
Posted by Sharon on 10/09/09 at 3:57 pm
It sure does sound like a LOT of food…I’m not sure I would feel good after attending an event that had so much rich food! If you could take it home and eat for a week, it might be a good deal!
Posted by jpkittie on 10/09/09 at 5:22 pm
Wow! That does sound like a lot… Good for you for making the decision to do what you felt was best for you — even though you would have wanted it bad enough. That shows amazing restraint!! Want to pass some of that along to the rest of us
Posted by Music Man on 10/09/09 at 5:33 pm
They use that logic in Weight Watchers too: “That cake will never taste as good a being skinny feels.” What they are really teaching is patience and planning over immediate indulgance. Ramsey says that to: “We don’t sell microwaves here we sell crock pots.” It is so hard to put our wants on hold in our give-it-to-me-know society. Knowing you are in this for the long haul and able to make those tough decisions really give a guy like me hope that I can do it to. Great Job Dad!
Posted by the Dad on 10/09/09 at 6:20 pm
@Sharon – think “French” portion sizes. Tiny. Just enough for a good taste. Honestly, it’s heaven.
@jpkittie – My restraint is waning as I re-read the menu…
@Music – Sigh. Okay… You’ve guilted me into sticking by my post. But NEXT year I’m totally going!
Posted by Music Man on 10/10/09 at 9:22 am
Next year it will work….if you bugdet now!
Posted by Gramps on 10/10/09 at 8:43 pm
I don’t think the point is “guilt”…..it should be that you have a choice and you choose to take the action that will serve the greater good for everyone involved. There will be other dinners and you will go to them….for now the real prize is living debt free…..and that will taste far, far better than any 8 course meal, far better……..you are choosing to indulge in a whole new way of “debt free” living, rather than an evening of living beyond your means….at this point in time. The taste of you controlling your money rather than your money controlling you is priceless, a banquet, so to speak! Chew on that, Dad!!!
Posted by Dallon Christensen on 10/15/09 at 4:46 pm
I truly admire your willingness to say “no”. I don’t think I’d be able to do this!
Now when you are debt free, you should make this type of event one of the celebration items. You can think back to when you had to skip this event in order to win.
Like Dave Ramsey says so often, “Live like no one else so later you can LIVE like no one else!”
Posted by Jon on 10/20/09 at 8:10 pm
I sure hope that is more like “once every five years” because you can bet on my attendance once we’re debt free! BTW, I got the “once in a lifetime” request from the Wife about the U2 concert– had a coworker who could have got us a “great deal” on a box seat package. Compromise was nose-bleed tickets and no overnight stay. We came away without busting the budget and with a great experience. In that vein, I think I’ll have a ruben and a porter with my blow money next week. Not rye DBA spatzle, but still… Prost!
Posted by Tam on 11/17/09 at 4:40 pm
My husband understates the U2 experience. It was fabulous even if were 8 rows from the top of Tampa stadium. That is what the JumboTron is for, duh.
I get this way over travel. It is hard. But just last night, Jon and I toasted with a $4 bottle of wine–”Here’s to having enough.” We are rich indeed.