Friday 8 July 2011

Money Money Money. Must be funny. (For Hugh.)

The following is an endorsement of Hugh Jackman's live show in Toronto (in the meagre hopes that someone wealthy will bestow a couple of tickets upon me.)


Money is a funny thing. Everyone's relationship with it is different. And in the greedy, corrupt, capitalist world we live in, it drives much of what goes on around the globe (watch Dealers in Death).

For a person who has never really made a lot of money, I think we've had a good, casual time of it so far. Like a chick flick on a rainy day. It's there when I need it and I've got low expectations, so I'm usually pretty satisfied.

  • it paid for my undergrad (where I spent the last two years brainstorming for my book)
  • it got me to europe for 3 weeks (to research for my book)
  • it enabled me to quit my job and move to Toronto without one. For 3 glorious (stressful) months (to write my book.)
  • it enabled me to quit my job again, less than a year later, so that I could revise my book for a month. (And take that math course, so whatever.)

I don't own a car. I'm nowhere close to making a down payment on a house. And given the fact that I'm paying for policy school come September, I won't be going on any lavish vacations or even ramping up my savings for the next two years.

But if I died tomorrow, I'd be 90 -100% satisfied with how my money's been spent so far.

Why am I thinking about all of this?

Because today concludes week one of pure joy. I get to write. I get to work on my book all day long, as if it was my real job, and it feels AWESOME. And I'm not making a red cent. (minus one day a week when I go into work to train my replacement. but I've pretty much already spent it on shoes and nectarines.)

Don't get me wrong - I enjoy working in the typical 9-5 set-up. It's social. There are rewards. There are challenges. There's much to be learned. And you can say things like "let's do lunch" or "up for grabbing a drink after work?" or, to gain immediate respect and sympathy from your peers, "oh, man, sorry, I've got a deadline this week so I'm workin' late preetttyyy much every night." 

But as much as I've enjoyed my jobs, I'm one of those people whose never been able to work in my 'calling' or my 'profession.' (Partly because I don't know what that is yet). So while there are comforts to paycheques, stability, and resume building, I couldn't ever shake the feeling that I was faking it. And I don't think I'm alone here.

This was never as apparent as when I, with my political science degree, suddenly found myself the graphic designer for a marketing department in one of the largest business schools in the world. (It's a long story.) 

Musician boyfriend happens to be a web/graphic designer by day. (I know, he's brilliant.) Musician boyfriend got a lot of texts and phone calls between 8:45 am (okay, 9:15) and 5 pm for my first 2 (okay 4) weeks.  Then he got a new job (bummer) and henceforth, became way too busy 'climbing the ladder' (pffft). So I cozied up to Google, instead.

To the right  is a screen shot of some files on my (former) desktop. I think it sums up my day-to-day work experience pretty well.

Yes, I enjoyed the challenge (eh, eh boss?) And the insight into musician boyfriend's day world (am still slowly and strategically clawing my way into MB's night...musically speaking). And the general task of 'making things pretty.' But at the heart of the matter, I have little to no interest in ever being a graphic designer. Or in marketing. Soo..

In day 5 of pure joy, I'm a (penniless) writer. And it's hands down the best thing I've ever bought for myself*. 

Although, tickets to Hugh Jackman at the Princess of Wales Theatre would be nice. (If I were in my mother's demographic and had $300 to blow on a totally different kind of pure joy. Did you know Hugh Jackman is an amazing Dad? Hugh, if you're reading this when you're still in town, let's do brunch. Or whatever works with your schedule. I'm flexible. And poor, but that shouldn't be a problem. Oh and if you need me to write a song for you I'm free for that too, Hugh. It's how I snagged musician boyfriend...but that's another story. Maybe you could turn it into a movie? You'd totally fit the role of MB. I could play me. If you want. Whatever.)


*Sidenote: just worked out how much this 'gift' to myself costs, and am having a great deal of trouble breathing.

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