I don't like the glorification either. I miss the days where Tinkerers build things just to do it.

That said, I'm afraid we will never go back to those days.

Its just too cool to be filthy rich in too many circles.

I remember watching that movie about Facebook, and cringing. I could just feel the shift in attitudes.

That said, I'm glad founders are telling their stories of success. Get it out there. I haven't read this post yet, but plan to.

I remember a few months ago a guy had a domain website selling .io domains. He had a auction type site, and yes--"it's hard work tracking down .io domain owners to see if they want to sell." I have no reason to question the guy, but something just didn't add up. I did some further research, and it looks like he bought thousands of the .io domains early on, and that's the secret to his success, but what do I know.

On a different note, I had a acquaintance who was always chasing the big bucks.

He once told me, I will start dating again when I make my money. He spent so much time chasing the dream. I once invited him on a rafting trip. He said, "Just too busy with my business." I said, "We have females going?" He said, "No--I have to get these patents done." (Patents he got from my ideas, but I didn't care; they weren't great ideas.)

He always had some business in the works. He took investment money from guys who shouldn't be investing in risky investments. My final straw with the guy is when he took 10 grand from a Mechanic. This 10 grand was all this Mechanic's savings.

I haven't seen the guy in eight years. Last night I decided to look him up. I saw his obituary. I had a weird feeling he died about a month ago, but when I looked him up; he was on YouTube pitching another business. Last night I got a weird feeling again, and looked him up. He died a out a month ago, of complications of esophageal cancer.

I've been thinking about him all day.

When I look back, he was so consumed with making it big, he was no fun to be around. He couldn't talk, nor cared about anything besides his current business. I got it kinda, but felt he was missing out on life.

As men we are judged on how much money we make, and it needs to change. Society ferrits it out of us with the American required question, "What do you do?"

I'm so tired if that question. I am not what I do? We should just stop answering it?

I know it's not nice to talk about the dead, but he was cheap, deceitful, and so selfish. He was always concerned with getting the edge on everyone--including his "friends". He thought he was more clever than everyone, but he was an open book. He used to do this one trick.

After dinner, we would all pay our bill, and tip well. We would be at the door, and he would always go back to the table--"To make sure the tip was sufficient." He would go back and take back a few dollars. Yea--I caught him red handed one time, and wasn't suprised, but felt it was a petty act. I thought, just like ____. I'm glad he decided to skip the movie he was invited to.

Anyways, after all those big buck speeches. After all the delayed gratification. After hiding money because he was always on the end of a lawsuit. After never helping out anyone, without $ signs in the back of his head. After--oh I will eventually be very happy. After all those years chasing something big; he just died in Feburary.