Welcome to my blog. On occasion things may be a little "off topic" in here, but hopefully you'll find them informative, and maybe even entertaining.
Recently, I've done a number of consults that, at least in my mind, touch upon metaphysics and the existential ramifications of some agreements. In particular, (and perhaps unfortunately for me) I've found myself tethered lately to the Eighth Century, (Yes, I know, this far predates Existentialism) and specifically to Fridugis' ON THE BEING OF NOTHING AND SHADOWS.
When I first came across this work in school, it provided no end of amusement for me. In it, Fridugis adresses the question "Is nothing something or not?" While he concludes through reason and appeal to authority that nothing is in fact a great and distinguished something, in the context of my consults I find myself advising others to the contrary.
Jane asked me the other day if she had a case against her ex-boyfriend John. It appears that over the course of several months, she had loaned him, in the aggregate, a substantial sum of money. Of course, there was nothing in writing between the parties. Did she have a case? Absolutely. Would she be able to prove her case? Specifically, that John owed her the money because it was given as a loan? Much more difficult.
So my advice, based upon reason, is that when "loaning" money, particularly to family or friends, make sure you get it in writing. Otherwise, you should be prepared to have your loan considered a gift or find yourself explaining to somebody in a black robe how it wasn't. At the very least, don't take cash out of the bank and hand it over like Jane did. Write John a check. Put the word "loan" on the memo line. That, at least, is something -- and in the law, something in writing is always better than nothing.
Recently, I've done a number of consults that, at least in my mind, touch upon metaphysics and the existential ramifications of some agreements. In particular, (and perhaps unfortunately for me) I've found myself tethered lately to the Eighth Century, (Yes, I know, this far predates Existentialism) and specifically to Fridugis' ON THE BEING OF NOTHING AND SHADOWS.
When I first came across this work in school, it provided no end of amusement for me. In it, Fridugis adresses the question "Is nothing something or not?" While he concludes through reason and appeal to authority that nothing is in fact a great and distinguished something, in the context of my consults I find myself advising others to the contrary.
Jane asked me the other day if she had a case against her ex-boyfriend John. It appears that over the course of several months, she had loaned him, in the aggregate, a substantial sum of money. Of course, there was nothing in writing between the parties. Did she have a case? Absolutely. Would she be able to prove her case? Specifically, that John owed her the money because it was given as a loan? Much more difficult.
So my advice, based upon reason, is that when "loaning" money, particularly to family or friends, make sure you get it in writing. Otherwise, you should be prepared to have your loan considered a gift or find yourself explaining to somebody in a black robe how it wasn't. At the very least, don't take cash out of the bank and hand it over like Jane did. Write John a check. Put the word "loan" on the memo line. That, at least, is something -- and in the law, something in writing is always better than nothing.
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