Sickness

So today is day two of my head cold, which doens’t seem to be getting any better. In fact, I’m hoping that by some off chance, I’ll wake up tomorrow feeling better than ever and ready to go to work. Though I might have to call in sick, which, in the last few days, I’ve realized is a privelege, not a right.

I began reading Nickle and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich a few days ago. It’s a really great read. I love her style (and sarcasm/wit). Worth checking out for sure. Anyway, in the book she moves to different places across the country to see whether people can actually get by on $6-$7/hour, which she quickly finds out is easier said than done. In one of her adventures as a cleaning lady in a maid service, one of her coworkers actually badly sprains, if not breaks, her ankle, and she still continues to work throughout the day with a limp. She also shows up the next day to work, but is sent home (complaining all the way) by their boss.

Being sent home sick has never been a big deal for me. I mean, I love getting the extra day off. It feels nice to relax at home and do nothing. But no one has ever depended on me going to school or to work everyday to bring home my $50+ for the day that might be vitally needed for rent or food. Are the lower classes of America truly struggling this much to pay their weekly or monthly rent? Can they really not afford apartments and are stuck renting motels by the week? Maybe it’s the shelter of the middle class that I take advantage of. Or maybe I just never thought about money til I moved out. These people aren’t “bums” trying to live off welfare, nor are they trying to take advantage of the system. They all have jobs, but are still unable to make ends meet or save up on capital to make the deposit for an apartment, or worse, buy food.

I’ll never have to be in that situation, and I am extremely grateful for that. I just wish that people would be more willing to help those in the lower classes (particularly those with jobs already) to get on their feet and make their way in the world. What’s the point of keeping people down in this society? Once the lowest among us is elevated to a higher status, aren’t we, as a society, elevated too? Maybe it’s the cold medicene talking, but I’ll stop my delusional, socialist ramblings for now.

Money

My friend and I were talking last night about money. Since living on my own, and being stuck in this economy, I think I’ve truly learned the value of a dollar, or at least I’m still learning about it. I’ve grown up pretty well off, never not being able to afford basic necessities. In the past few years, my family’s extra money has gone by the wayside. I don’t really mind it. Yes, it’s harder for me to afford entertainment, but still, all my necessities are taken care of. I’m getting more and more thankful of that by the day. I’m learning to be more appreciative of that splurge of going out to eat or going to the movies.

I know a lot of people in their lives who couldn’t imagine living without having a large amount of disposable income, buying designer clothes, or having an aston martin or whatever. Maybe this is because I grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona and just recently moved to LA (Scottsdale + a beach). I’ve been there, but it really just leaves a hole. It’s sad. Possessions are no substitute for people, friends, and family. Just see “Up in the Air,” the new George Clooney movie, and you’ll know what I mean.

So take your wife, husband, girlfriend, boyfriend, friend, lover, mom, dad, uncle, aunt, cousin, sister, brother, whoever, out to eat, and enjoy their company, whether or not you arrive there in a porsche.

2010: The Dawn of a New Decade

Well, it’s been nearly 20 years since I took my first breath on this earth, and I can successfully say I’ve learned a lot. I’m not going to say I’m wiser than anyone else, more well off, or anything like that, nor will I say that I am worse off than the next person. To call myself wise would be foolish; to call myself rich would be poor. I am smart enough to know that I’m not the smartest person around (see Downing Effect), but I think that I have learned some valuable things in near 20 years alive.

I’m a writer, a friend, a lover, a daughter, a thinker, a photographer, etc. As a writer, though, especially in the last few years, I’ve been lacking. I do need to write more, hence this blog. I’m not exactly sure what I want to write about, but lately I’ve been thinking a lot about what I’ve learned in life. Not that it’s valuable information or particularly useful, but like many others of my generation, I overvalue my opinions and views. So, here it goes. I’ll write about what I’ve learned about love, heartbreak, friendships, family, school, politics, happiness, sadness, jealousy, isolation, anything, everything, just about life in general. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll sort some things out for someone, including myself.

Here’s to the new decade. Let’s see where it takes us.