The "Less-Fortunate" (On Being Poor)

A while ago I came across an article on cracked.com (hilarious humor website. if you like sarcasm, check it.) titled:

5 Things Nobody Tells You About Being Poor

Despite me laughing out loud at the sarcastic humor in said article, ALL FIVE THINGS WERE TRUE. And it got me to thinking: we're always talking about how rich people should help those who are "less fortunate" by donating time to shelters and soup kitchens, items to food banks and churches, and money to charities and foundations.

But what about the people (and I count myself among them) who are too "rich" for food banks but live paycheck to paycheck? Who helps them?

This is what the cracked article was mainly about in many ways. The concept of "the poor" has long been conflated with the image of "the homeless". And while we should help those who are homeless, the majority of the poor are not. They eat (perhaps not 3 square meals a day) and wear clean clothes and work steady jobs. They are not slackers or beggars. They are not homeless and destitute. They are POOR. Sometimes because of bad decisions. Always because of circumstance. And often "poor" is not an adjective that describes a single family or a neighboorhood. It more often qualifies GENERATIONS. In this country, you can honestly (statistically) say that if you were born poor, there's a good chance that you will stay poor... and so will your children.

Now I'm not saying that upward mobility doesn't happen (I'm sure hoping that I will be proof of that one day soon--- and in some ways I already am), but I think it's about time that we stop what I like to call adjectivizing people (when those who are less fortunate become THE "less-fortunate" or like when those who come into the country illegally become "illegals") as a way to distance ourselves. We need to realize that WE are "the poor" and then do something about it.

We can't all be upper-middle class, rich or billionaires, but I believe it is possible for every single person, family, and neighborhood to live above the poverty line, which for 2011 was a $22,350 for a family of four.

Politicians? Let's start with that, k?

Job Hunting in Chicago or “Maybe I’m Getting Somewhere”

This morning, I got up earlier than I had in a long time in order to be on a 7:24 AM train to downtown Chicago. Why? To register with a temp agency that finally seemed excited to have someone on board with my skill set. YAY!

I knew going in that they wouldn’t immediately recommend me for a job (but I could hope!), yet I went there excited to finally be doing something—because sitting at home, staring at my computer and applying for jobs online sometimes makes me want to kick and scream in frustration.

So when I responded to a call from Kelley Services, I did think, that maybe, just maybe, this job search would finally produce fruit. In other words, I hoped that perhaps the temp-to-hire option would lead to something both equally permanent and interesting.

When I got there, Susan, my representative showed me the ropes. I took some tests (which basically told me that I was kick-ass at Word and PowerPoint and less so at Excel and typing), signed some forms and voilà!—technically I am an employed person. (I will not feel that way, however, until I am the recipient of steady paychecks.) But the experience was positive, beneficial and hope-giving (why yes, I did just make up an adjective). At the end of the day, I am just really excited to feel like I’m: A) valuable as an employee and B) making progress on my job search.

And while I will still be searching LinkedIn® and Monster® every day for job opportunities, I’m hoping that I can one day refer someone to Kelley Services and say, “Oh, yeah, you should go there! That’s where I got that wonderful job at [insert name of awesome company here]."

Small Child

It's early here. So early that the sun's not quite a sun, only light.
And it's cold. Cold enough that the edges of my window have registered the frost.

But it's quiet. So quiet without the noise of little one, the pitter-patter of
little feet on the hardwood floor. And suddenly I'm sad, bereft.

It doesn't last long. The sun is out. And the little one is here.
It's not so quiet now. And suddenly I miss the quiet of early morning,

and the frost on my windows. I close my eyes and
I imagine what my life would be like without him.

And I smile when I open my eyes and he is there.

Kenny

I saw him once. Well, to say it was once
would neither be accurate nor true.

I saw him many times, across from me
but only for that season. I wondered
about him; who he was and where he was
from. I made up stories in my head to
pass the time, lonely time, when I was sad.

I wonder: did I sit there on purpose?
Did I know "he" was what I needed then?
When I was sad and he was there and I
could dream? Create a fiction in my mind?
Perfection imagined and therefore safe.

He helped me. I know, because I made it.
I passed. And I did not cry. Not even once.

On my way to bed but had to post this! (Inside-joke alert!)

Saw this on a comment board about nerdy, hott actors:

Nathan Fillion is like maple syrup: excellent with pancakes.

SUCH AN AWESOME QUOTE!

And guess who posted it?
Somebody named JOY.

Am I missing something here, Ary?
J/K!

Toodles!

"Write 400 words (or less) on your ideal place [to live]."

So, a friend of mine prompted the readers of her blog to write about their ideal place to live after the subject came up in her life--twice in one week. So here goes. It's probably very different than what she intended, but one must go where the words takes them.

_____

There are no sad and quiet people here.

The air is clear and clean, the water calm and warm. The temperature always matches the light of the sun. Trees find themselves green without trying. Flowers bloom without challenge; bees don't sting.

Seasons are so crisp here. The changing of the colors is a vibrant affair. The snow melts on the tongues of children and falls in flakes the size of closed eyelids. Summer comes often. Heat and breeze are in consummate harmony. Spring brings back birds of every color that algor took away.

It's soft. Light is temperate. All noise, dulcet. Movement, unpretentious and rhythmical. No sense is ever harmed, no practice overwhelms. But the people are loud and happy, full of life and purpose.

Night is conclusive to day. Darkness holds no sinister plans; no egregious dealings go on in dusk. Darkness is not the absence of light, but the rest of it. The balance of dark and light for rests’ sake.

No true measure of time exists here, only the sensation of moments both here and then, now and always. This does not bother the loud and happy people. They rejoice. For they knew it once when it was different, when it was worse and they were sad and quiet.

And there are no sad and quiet people here.

_____

1000 points if you let me know what you think.

Yesterday, I Bought Four Pairs of Shoes

I blame Ary (lol). No seriously, I blame no one, because all of them are fabulous and wonderful. Gosh, I love shoes :)

As I have been telling everyone lately, the last week has been absolutely fabulous. Why? The love of God. There is no other explanation for it. Oh, sure the weather helps, and the time spent around you-know-who definitely adds to the mix, but honestly and most importantly, it's just been amazing to see God in my life. Nothing dramatic has happened and the root of some of my stress is still there, but I've given it to God, plain and simple. It's wonderful. Thank You, Lord!

Quick Updates (in 100 words!):

Can I finish the quarter, please? Schoolwork should be done by now. I still have two classes next week. BLAH! I just want to go sit on the beach.

Dillo Day: AWESOME OUTFIT PLANNED! Don't know why I'm being girly all of a sudden. The onset of summer maybe? You-know-who might have something to do with it too :)

Still need a home for buttons! Know anyone who wants a cat?

Graduating in 3 weeks. Starting real life. Very scary. Very exciting. Loving going home for the summer. Wanna move back to Chicago in the fall... HELP ME FIND A JOB :)


----- OKAY, it's 102 words, but still, pretty impressive. I'll update again after Dillo Day festivities :)


* Oh and an update for those who read this and know what I'm talking about (i.e. this part of the blog is vague on purpose)... Still don't know the official word, on either front. But I sure do act like a girl sometimes and he sure acts like a gentleman. (But I don't want to be a S!)

Ahhh! This will be short.

So right now, my life is going slightly insane. And to be honest, I'm more than a little stressed.
Thoughts of rent, apartment and future moving plans, finishing classes, future plans, budgets, and laundry are all jumbled in my head. I don't know how God is going to work all of this out, but he will. And I'm kind of excited to see how he's gonna do just that.

I've already put my faith in Him, and now I'm just waiting for the blessings. And more importantly, the PEACE.

Pray for me, ya'll.