Mom Advice

Mike: Logan, are you doing anything in particular for your mom for Mother’s Day?

Logan: I will call her on the phone and also probably compose her an email. Maybe I will draw a picture and take a photo of it and text it to her. The fake holidays aren’t too big in my family. We acknowledge them, but there are no expectations. At least that’s how I’ve always understood it, maybe I’m totally wrong! (I don’t think I’m wrong.)

Mike: Card is in the mail (with a check that she can use to pamper herself however she likes). When my brothers and I were kids we used to each buy her single rose from the church ladies, and then we’d all go out to eat as a family. And my mom would sit with us and ask us each to list some reasons why she was the best.

Logan: Hahhaha. Your mom is awesome. And you’re awesome, too. Was it on your calendar to send the card, or did you just know to do it?

Mike: Oh, I remembered. And you get reminded about it! All those very helpful PR people who remind you about the holidays and such. Oh, I also remember one Mother’s Day when my brothers and I saved up some money and went to one of those stores that sell engraved glass objects, and we got her a glass rose in a little glass container and laser-engraved each of our names on it. It was pretty much the most exciting thing as a 10-year-old. My mom still has it on her vanity desk.

Logan: Your memory is unparalleled. Serious question: Will our birds who bounced their rent check post make us $1 million dollars? Is that how it works?

Mike: Haha. Probably not! But good job on finding those bird photos!

Logan: I just remembered our site has been around a year so we have a record of last mother’s day. You bought a ticket to fly home to see your mom, and I called my mom when I was half-asleep. Okay! Consistency. We are the same people one year later. Also Mike, I know you’ve never bounced a rent check, but IF YOU DID, which bird would you be?

Mike: I always thought I’d make a pretty good owl. Like the kind that brings messages to wizard children.

Logan: And the kind that is shocked when he bounces his rent check.

Mike: So that post was totally tongue in cheek. Your rent check has not bounced. Has it ever bounced?

Logan: Only once or twice. It’s definitely been late before — I always had pretty chill landlords, and it was easier to call them and say, I’m going to be a day late, or please don’t deposit this for a few days, then to call a bank and be like, so about that car payment. But it’s been a very long time. I’m a responsible adult now, Mike Dang. And it wasn’t tongue in cheek. I really did feel like those birds evoked the raw human emotion of what it feels like to bounce a rent check. Nothing funny about that.

Mike: Oh I felt for those birds. I wanted to give each one of those birds a home. Okay, one last thing about moms before we go. Are there any lessons, financial or otherwise that your mom taught you? Like maybe saving on cereal? Or which boys to stay away from? WHICH BIRDS TO STAY AWAY FROM?

Logan: My brain is filled with wonderful advice from my mom (“the only difference between a three month relationship and a three year relationship is that in the first one, you accept something is wrong sooner”). But the one that I think about the most is something she’s told me ever since I was a little kid: “Everybody is doing the best they can.”

Mike: I mentioned this in an earlier post today, but as a Tiger Cub, I had a tendency to rebel against some of the advice my mother gave me in terms of what it means to have a good life and be successful. But mothers also say contradictory things, and one of those things for me was: “If you feel good about what you’re doing, and you are doing good things, it doesn’t really matter what anybody else says.” I feel good about what I’m doing.

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