Economics vs. Happiness

Good morning world.

Before I begin today's blog, I think everyone should read Paul's segment on his World Famous Mokracy Blog called "Cancer of Hatred". It is a really really good argument and defines the reasons that I left a $40,000 a year job to go to school and follow my dream.

In retrospect, it seems foolish to make that kind of a gamble. After all, money is what pays the bills and keeps us from living off the street begging people for loose change. And society has evolved to us believing that the more money you have, the further away from that life you will be. But are people that make a lot of money really whole? I was living a decent life up in Monticello, Indiana a couple of years ago. They had provided me a house to live in along with and a $30,000/yr job at Indiana Beach as their Operations Manager. Not really a bad gig for a guy who dropped out of college. But then the paperwork came. Then the budget, in which I was told I had this much to spend and I had to ensure that every ride in the park was open. The numbers didn't make sense....in fact, the task at hand was impossible without either eliminating any sort of a training program or illegally taking employee pay rates down below minimum wage.

I think this is what we call 'no-win' scenarios.

Then came the vendor bills. According to our job descriptions, part of what we did was to ensure that our vendors got paid at the end of the year for the services they had already provided. So we ordered, took the services....then when bill time came: E-mails sent asking the money that went to Corporate Office to be released. No money released. E-mails sent the following week. No money released. In fact...no e-mails were even respond

ed to

. Well finally, they did respond and said that they need to axe a percentage of their full-time employment in order to pay the bills.....

My thoughts exactly....

So let's look at this in simpler terms. Johnny's parents tell him to go pick up the milk from the grocery store. Upon arrival, Johnny tells the clerks he needs some milk and will gladly pay them at the end of the month when his parents pay him his allowance. When Johnny returns - his parents are gone. He waits and waits, even past the end of the month and they are still gone. Then they finally return months later and tell Johnny that in order for the milk to be paid for they must put him up for adoption because they can no longer afford to pay for him to live.

At what point did that every become ok? Perhaps this is an unlikely scenario in the family world, but it happens all the time in corporate america.

Like Paul said. "F that." If it works out fine for some, then more power to them but I'm happy living the musicians life. There maybe only so many couch cushions I can overturn looking for change, but at least I'm going to be happy with my life and won't be stressing out over when the next time I'm on the chopping block of some major m

oney-making corporation.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Emilee Carver, who turned 21 yesterday. To celebrate we all went out to Carrabba's last night and had a great time downing shots and drinking beers. If you don't know Emilee, she is a really awesome person and a lot of fun to hang out with.

Yes....that's me drinking a Blue Moon. The pinky was STAGED and not my idea, but when you are under the influence sometimes its hard to fight for your dignity.

Has anyone been having a lot of problems with pop-ups lately? Like these stupid surveys that claim you could win an ipod or $500,000? They are really getting on my last nerve....and have been happening a lot recently. I mean...why not skip the survey BS and just give me an ipod or $500,000 outright?

I wish I had $500,000. That's half a million dollars. The first thing I'd do is pay off all of my debt. Then I'd buy a house and a car...no payments. Just use the money to buy those things. And not the most expensive house or car....keep in mind I'd have to pay the government a percentage of that. Shit...at this point I'd be happy with $100,000. Wouldn't really be able to afford a decent house unless that was all I was using it for.....but it'd still help me

get outta debt.

Still hilarious.

And Calvin and Hobbes on economics....

I guess the whole point of this blog is that Money is just paper that is gained as easily as it is lost. What you are truly passionate about is what will really make you happy because you will never lose it. Don't let the Benjamins dictate where you will be in life.

I have spoken. Now on to figuring out what the hell I'm going to do with the rest of my weekend. Thanks for reading, folks!