Lessons Learned From an Elton John Concert

Welcome to MoneyGrubbingLawyer. If this is your first time here, you may want to get started by learning a little bit more about me and about this site. If you like what you see, you can subscribe to receive updates by email or in a reader. Thanks for visiting!

This past Friday I got to cross an item off my lifetime “to do” list when I saw Elton John live in concert at Mile One Stadium in St. John’s. This was actually my third attempt at seeing Sir Elton live- my first attempt was foiled by SARS, the second by bad timing on my part. But the third time was the charm, and it proved to be a fantastic evening, probably the third best concert I’ve ever seen. And not only was it thoroughly enjoyable, it was also educational. Here’s what Elton John has taught me:

1. The best things are free, but some very good things cost lots of money - At over $100 each, my pair of tickets basically cost me at least a full day of sitting at my desk. Could that money have bought other, less transient pleasures, or been invested, or used to pay down my mortgage? Sure, but life isn’t about always choosing the most frugal and prudent use of your money. Money is useless if it can’t help you do the things that bring you joy.
2. Lady Luck is a fickle mistress - Tickets for both shows sold out very, very quickly, and we were lucky to get the tickets we did. Technically, we had the “cheap seats” behind the stage, but as luck would have it the open stage design (with Elton facing sideways on his piano) meant that we had some of the best seats in the house, probably as good or better than those folks who were “lucky” and paid 50% more for seats at the front of the floor. I actually heard some of those fancy “front of the stage” people being a little miffed about our turn of fate, although I’m not sure why- they still had the seats they had wanted, and our luck didn’t detract from their experience in the least. Happiness is not a zero-sum game.
3. Being your own boss means setting your own dress code - If I were to show up to work wearing rose-coloured glasses and a velvet tuxedo with tails embroidered with rainbows, there’s a very good chance I’d be asked to go home and change, or at least be sent to a counselor. Not Sir Elton, though- he can wear whatever he wants and look absolutely fabulous doing so. That’s one of the biggest benefits to being your own boss- you can wear just about anything, and nobody can say a damn thing. And ultimately, that’s my goal.
4. Your fingers don’t dictate your fate - What struck me the most about this concert wasn’t Sir Elton’s incredible energy or his exceptional piano skills- it was his stubby little fingers. I’m not expert on pianists (in fact, I can hardly say the word without giggling like a schoolgirl), but most accomplished pianists I have seen have those emblematic long and graceful fingers. Not Elton- his hands make mine look like Shaquille O’Neal’s. It was quite a surprise, sort of like seeing Usain Bolt without his shirt and finding out that he has man boobs. Not at all what I was expecting. Even so, Elton John has established himself as an extremely skilled musician and has enjoyed a long and successful career. Skill, dedication, and a boatload of luck can help you overcome a plethora of initial obstacles.
5. Plan well for retirement - Sir Elton is 61 years old, and should be nearing retirement. Instead, he’s playing venues in remote parts of Canada for schmoes like me who scream “Sing Circle of Life, dude!”. His financial problems and lavish spending habits have been no secret, and I can’t help but think that he would rather be sipping fancy rich person drinks in the secret rich person country of Svenborgia rather than playing in a converted hockey arena in Newfoundland. Or perhaps he just loves what he does, and truly enjoys being on tour and performing for his adoring fans. I like to think it’s the latter, but regardless of whether he’s on tour because of necessity or because of passion, the lesson is the same- plan for financial freedom so you can choose to do the things you love, instead of doing the things you have to do to make ends meet.

• Foodie Friday: Red Wine and Herb Carrots (aka Carrots That Don’t Suck)...
• When Did Flying Stop Being Fun? (and 7 Tips for an Enjoyable Flight)...
• October Goal Updates and New Hopes for November...
• Get Your Snow Blower Ready for Winter...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.