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I'm really not one for money. Yes, I have a job, and yes, I spend money and enjoy having things. If it were realistic, I'd go live in a tree and be the empathic mystic people come to for inspiration. But since I'm a city girl and I want children and a husband who is amused and amuses me, I choose this life.
But money has never been something I concentrate on. Here's an application to illustrate this. I work in the testing center. Apparantly, we get raises at the beginning of every extra semester we work, depending on whether our employment spans more than one semester. This is sensible: it encourages us to stay with the student job. Yet, I have no idea what that raise is and whether I've gotten it for every semester I've been here. I really don't care what that raise is. Yes, I eventually look at my paychecks every month. Yes, they get deposited into the appropriate places. But as long as I'm doing something constructive with my time; as long as I'm furthering myself in some way and simultaneously helping the people around me on a day-to-day basis, I'm content. As long as I'm putting some kind of contribution into the savings account, that's counted as furthering myself and I'm satisfied. I used to have to force myself to buy something each month with my earnings.
I think I differ from many Americans in this way. Is it not The American Way to work for the next raise, to keep track of expenses drop by drop? To balance earnings and spendings meticulously? Of course, it's also typical of people in general to rush to get as quickly as possible to wherever they're going. I don't always do that, either; thus, I'm often a little late to wherever I end up.
My enjoyments are being surrounded and influenced by people. My job allows for that. School allows for that. That is one main reason I do theatre. It's a reason I write here.
But money has never been something I concentrate on. Here's an application to illustrate this. I work in the testing center. Apparantly, we get raises at the beginning of every extra semester we work, depending on whether our employment spans more than one semester. This is sensible: it encourages us to stay with the student job. Yet, I have no idea what that raise is and whether I've gotten it for every semester I've been here. I really don't care what that raise is. Yes, I eventually look at my paychecks every month. Yes, they get deposited into the appropriate places. But as long as I'm doing something constructive with my time; as long as I'm furthering myself in some way and simultaneously helping the people around me on a day-to-day basis, I'm content. As long as I'm putting some kind of contribution into the savings account, that's counted as furthering myself and I'm satisfied. I used to have to force myself to buy something each month with my earnings.
I think I differ from many Americans in this way. Is it not The American Way to work for the next raise, to keep track of expenses drop by drop? To balance earnings and spendings meticulously? Of course, it's also typical of people in general to rush to get as quickly as possible to wherever they're going. I don't always do that, either; thus, I'm often a little late to wherever I end up.
My enjoyments are being surrounded and influenced by people. My job allows for that. School allows for that. That is one main reason I do theatre. It's a reason I write here.
