I am blessed and fortunate for what I have. I am grateful, though I am not sure if I believe in the existence of a supposed “higher” power(s). I know that my situation could be worse, much worse. If I had a million dollars, well, $100K I would use the funds in the order stated below.
First Priorities:
Pay off Tilly’s medical bill
Pay off my medical bill
Donate to charities, food-shelf and heat-share (which I depend upon now)
Auto, tune-up and 4 new tires
Washing machine procurement
Dehumidifier purchase, due to a wet basement
Fix front walkway (which is a hazard)
Repair shower
Replace rotting garage boards and paint whole garage
Throw a thank you party for my supportive friends
Second Priorities:
Donate to more charities, Garden Hub and my faith community
Buy gifts for my friends
Start college funds for my friend’s children and grand-nieces/nephews
Rebuild my savings and emergency funds
Save for retirement
Pay extra on mortgage
Procure new stove and overhead fan
New clothes and shoes
Travel to visit friends, and grand-nieces/nephews (which I’ve never met)
Third Priorities:
Donate to more charities, any which have helped me during the past five years or focus upon single childless adults
Go to theatre and musical performances
Repair interior of house, install a french drain in basement, fix plumbing and electrical
Exterior house repairs
Procure an electric cat litter box
Build a raised garden bed
Fix my old bicycle or get a new one
Procure a treadmill with slow walking mode for home
Install permanent crowns on my front teeth
Go on a real vacation, without visiting anyone
Relax and enjoy life
Be grateful everyday.
Copyright © 2014 by Ima B. Musing; All rights reserved
Showing posts with label wealth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wealth. Show all posts
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Monday, May 19, 2014
VIRTUAL IDIOTS
A lot of existence has moved into the “virtual” realm these days. People can do so very much via their smarty-pants device or computer but they still need food, water, clothing, and shelter at minimum. There will always be physical needs but more and more people don’t want to deal with it. A growing number of priviledged people want to remain dependent with a pejorative “serve me” attitude.
It is sad to prefer to spend their time in front of a screen instead of interacting with flesh-n-blood humans. They don’t want to own any objects or invest in relationships. They can order what they want and have it delivered. They are choosing to be a demanding child and not be self-sufficient. This social stratification permits the financially secure to become more self-absorbed and forces the service-workers, like myself, to be trapped by lack of opportunity and suppressed wages.
Stratification always lead to angry uneducated surfs that eventually revolt against the 1% or the wealthy privileged few. The United States of America and several other industrialized countries are showing signs of this divisional weakness; remember the Occupy Wall Street efforts? Since revolt has occurred before, why would the uber-wealthy want this to happen? They could stop the oligarchy from tearing apart our fragile democracy by insisting that all workers are paid a working wage, and that CEOs are not paid an outrageous amount of money. They could give up a little bit of their already enormous wealth instead of turning their heirs into permanent toddlers. “Only 9% of Americans give high ratings to the honesty and ethical standards of CEOs of major companies, according to a 2013 survey [sic] by the Public Affairs Council” (10 Things CEOs Won’t Tell You article by Quentin Fottrell, Wall Street Journal).
The Great Recession, aka 21st Century Depression, isn’t an excuse that can be used to punish employees. Wages for the workers have not increased with the cost of living so more people are more reliant upon food-shelves and other charities. Per my own example, I have struggled with unemployment and underemployment for five years. Sixty grueling months have taken their toll. I am nearly broke and worried about bankruptcy and losing my home. I have an education and experience but can’t land a job that pays enough for my meager bills. Thank goodness, I know how to be frugal or I would have been foreclosed upon long ago.
Being poor causes stress. Fear for the present and future makes it difficult to make wise choices. I suffer increased anxiety, which makes me want to eat to be calm. I don’t sleep very peacefully, my body is in pain a lot, and I am emotionally vulnerable. I am sick and tired of being poor. I don’t need a million dollars, just a job that I am good at with a boss who leaves me alone, nice co-workers, my own office with a door, benefits, and at least 35K per year. However, I do appreciate the kindness of others. I would be honored by your gift at www.gofundme.com/Ima-B-Musing Thank you for your contribution!
Kind thoughts are greatly appreciated!
Copyright © 2014 by Ima B. Musing; All rights reserved
It is sad to prefer to spend their time in front of a screen instead of interacting with flesh-n-blood humans. They don’t want to own any objects or invest in relationships. They can order what they want and have it delivered. They are choosing to be a demanding child and not be self-sufficient. This social stratification permits the financially secure to become more self-absorbed and forces the service-workers, like myself, to be trapped by lack of opportunity and suppressed wages.
Stratification always lead to angry uneducated surfs that eventually revolt against the 1% or the wealthy privileged few. The United States of America and several other industrialized countries are showing signs of this divisional weakness; remember the Occupy Wall Street efforts? Since revolt has occurred before, why would the uber-wealthy want this to happen? They could stop the oligarchy from tearing apart our fragile democracy by insisting that all workers are paid a working wage, and that CEOs are not paid an outrageous amount of money. They could give up a little bit of their already enormous wealth instead of turning their heirs into permanent toddlers. “Only 9% of Americans give high ratings to the honesty and ethical standards of CEOs of major companies, according to a 2013 survey [sic] by the Public Affairs Council” (10 Things CEOs Won’t Tell You article by Quentin Fottrell, Wall Street Journal).
The Great Recession, aka 21st Century Depression, isn’t an excuse that can be used to punish employees. Wages for the workers have not increased with the cost of living so more people are more reliant upon food-shelves and other charities. Per my own example, I have struggled with unemployment and underemployment for five years. Sixty grueling months have taken their toll. I am nearly broke and worried about bankruptcy and losing my home. I have an education and experience but can’t land a job that pays enough for my meager bills. Thank goodness, I know how to be frugal or I would have been foreclosed upon long ago.
Being poor causes stress. Fear for the present and future makes it difficult to make wise choices. I suffer increased anxiety, which makes me want to eat to be calm. I don’t sleep very peacefully, my body is in pain a lot, and I am emotionally vulnerable. I am sick and tired of being poor. I don’t need a million dollars, just a job that I am good at with a boss who leaves me alone, nice co-workers, my own office with a door, benefits, and at least 35K per year. However, I do appreciate the kindness of others. I would be honored by your gift at www.gofundme.com/Ima-B-Musing Thank you for your contribution!
Kind thoughts are greatly appreciated!
Copyright © 2014 by Ima B. Musing; All rights reserved
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
POOR PRIVS
Many people have participated in a physical rendering of financial elitism. The group starts out standing in a line. They take steps forward or backward, depending upon the instructions. The goal is to show the members of the group who have had the most advantages. Advantages directly translate into financial opportunity. (Examples: If you have a trust fund in your name, take three steps forward. If you went into debt to pay for college, take two steps back.) Alas, every time that I have participated in this type of display I end up in the end of the group. It’s a lonely place and the reaction is pity, concern or scorn from the other members of the group. Thus, I have created an alternative exercise.
It will show that being limited income gives you special skills that the financially secure may not develop. NOTE: The person announcing the list should always state that this demonstration is not meant to shame anyone. It is a highly emotional experience. It is okay for people to internally step forward or backward and even walk off to stand on the sidelines. No one is forced to participate.
IMA’S POOR PRIVILEGES:
If you wore hand-me-downs from relatives (not for fashion), take two steps forward.
If you have never received heat-share, take one step back.
If you have eaten food past the expiration date and risk stomach upset, take a step forward.
If you have darned or worn darned socks, take one step forward.
If you have never used public transportation, take three steps back.
If you know how to pick tiny bits of meat off every bone, take a step forward
If you have worn shoes with holes on the bottom, take two steps forward.
If you don’t take physical risks because you are afraid of the cost of the medical office or Emergency Room visit deductible or medications, take two steps forward.
If you have worn socks darned two times, take two steps forward.
If you live “green” with your home temperature below 65 degrees in the winter to save on the cost of heating bills, take two steps forward.
If you have worn clothes with patches for fashion, take two steps back.
If you have a garden for food, take two steps forward.
If you use the public library as your book and video source, take three steps forward.
If you have never been to a food-shelf as a recipient, take one step back.
If your primary source for clothing is the thrift store, take two steps forward.
If you have received government food commodities, take three steps forward.
If you don’t worry about retirement because you know that you will be working until you die, take three steps forward.
If your kids have received reduced or free meals at school, take a step forward for each child.
If you don’t wash clothes until they are dirty or smelly, take two steps forward.
If you share leftover garden produce with the local food-shelf, take three steps forward.
My score is +24 steps, what is yours? Please post in the comments section.
Copyright © 2014 by Ima B. Musing; All rights reserved
It will show that being limited income gives you special skills that the financially secure may not develop. NOTE: The person announcing the list should always state that this demonstration is not meant to shame anyone. It is a highly emotional experience. It is okay for people to internally step forward or backward and even walk off to stand on the sidelines. No one is forced to participate.
IMA’S POOR PRIVILEGES:
If you wore hand-me-downs from relatives (not for fashion), take two steps forward.
If you have never received heat-share, take one step back.
If you have eaten food past the expiration date and risk stomach upset, take a step forward.
If you have darned or worn darned socks, take one step forward.
If you have never used public transportation, take three steps back.
If you know how to pick tiny bits of meat off every bone, take a step forward
If you have worn shoes with holes on the bottom, take two steps forward.
If you don’t take physical risks because you are afraid of the cost of the medical office or Emergency Room visit deductible or medications, take two steps forward.
If you have worn socks darned two times, take two steps forward.
If you live “green” with your home temperature below 65 degrees in the winter to save on the cost of heating bills, take two steps forward.
If you have worn clothes with patches for fashion, take two steps back.
If you have a garden for food, take two steps forward.
If you use the public library as your book and video source, take three steps forward.
If you have never been to a food-shelf as a recipient, take one step back.
If your primary source for clothing is the thrift store, take two steps forward.
If you have received government food commodities, take three steps forward.
If you don’t worry about retirement because you know that you will be working until you die, take three steps forward.
If your kids have received reduced or free meals at school, take a step forward for each child.
If you don’t wash clothes until they are dirty or smelly, take two steps forward.
If you share leftover garden produce with the local food-shelf, take three steps forward.
My score is +24 steps, what is yours? Please post in the comments section.
Copyright © 2014 by Ima B. Musing; All rights reserved
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)