2008-05-26-9:53 p.m.
It's so weird how I can watch an episode of Morgan Spurlock's "30 Days" and feel completely different. I just watched the episode called "Minimum Wage", which I've seen before and is my all time favorite. It shows the reality of being poor in this country. My husband cannot work because of his bipolar. He is on Social Security, which may sound great, but really isn't all it's cracked up to be. What we get for our family of four, barely pays the necessary bills (rent, electric, gas, phone). I work at Target, making less than $9.00 an hour after two years and the raise I just got last week. I work 30+ hours a week, and I still bring home less than $900 a month. That has to feed our family of four, pay for the fuel for my car to drive 20 miles a day back and forth to work, gas that is over $4.00 a gallon now where I live. That also pays for my cell phone bill and anything else we may need for the month.
If I have to request a day off from work, like this week for my daughter's sixth birthday party (we won't even go into how much a small party at a free park costs), I lose a day of work out of the week. Which hurts, pretty badly. But not as badly as some of my coworkers. I'm lucky to have a job that requires someone to be there at all times the store is open. Several of my coworkers work on the sales floor, and are currently only getting about four hours A WEEK. If they're making the same amount as I am an hour, that's only $36 a week. Now subtract health insurance for a family, which is about $80 a month, and what are you left with? Half a tank of gas and that's about it. Not even enough to get you to your four whopping hours of work.
What has this country come to? How can so many people be so extravagantly rich, and so many more be so desperately poor? I don't understand it! We struggle to make ends meet, to buy our kids things like clothes and shoes when they need them.
Damn Morgan Spurlock for making me think so late in the evening. Now I'll be up all night obsessing over whether or not I need a soup can bank hidden in the house somewhere.
Night all.
1 comments.
2008-05-21-4:02 p.m.
Okay, I've officially sold my photo! How exciting!!! I never thought anyone really liked my photos except for me... not really, you know?
On top of that, my uncle wants to send me some money to help out my lens fund since I'm still shooting with the kit lens only. Does anyone have any suggestions? I have a Canon 300d Rebel. I know I want the fiddy, but I'd also like a zoom lens, and either a fisheye or a macro. Does anyone have a zoom lens preference? I could really use some advice from you pros. :) Please?
Oh! I went to my Weight Watchers meeting yesterday! I lost another 4.6 lbs for an 11 week total of 30.4 lbs! I've gone down about two pant sizes, and even my SHOES are too big! Can you believe it? Which, btw, shrinking feet would be a major bonus since I wear a size 11... Cute shoes, here I come!
A good friend of ours came over today after not hearing from her for about nine months. Her mom died on the 7th of this month, and I'm so, so sad for her. I didn't know her mom very well because she didn't speak English, but she was so sweet to us. Always. She brought me food when I had my youngest daughter. She would trek down the path, and up our stairs at 70 years old to bring me some soup or beans or anything. Such a neat lady. I know Stella is going to be lost without her. She's lived with her and taken care of her for as long as I've known her (about seven years now!) It's just so sad.
Well, I'm off, have a great week everybody!! and don't forget to leave me some lens advice!
2 comments.