I
haven’t quite reached the end of my first week, but since it’s Sunday and I’m
procrastinating before cooking yet more pinto beans and finishing up a work
project, I thought this would be a good time to do a first week retrospective. I have ten minutes to get this done, so
it will likely read like I just vomited some stream-of-consciousness thoughts onto the internet. Which is a shame since they remain part of the public record FOREVER!
I’ll
start with the bad (which is likely to be a longer list, mainly of physical
ailments) and then move on to the good (which may be a shorter list but is still winning the
day).
The bad
Blisters: My $6 thrift store Converse
shoes look pretty good, they don’t smell, and they coordinate effectively with
the rest of my thrift store wardrobe. These are their good qualities. Unfortunately, they have also
shredded, blistered and bloodied my feet.
And because I haven’t budgeted for a car or bus tickets and I’m walking
an average of five miles a day, these bad qualities are rapidly outweighing the
good. My feet need to toughen up
fast.
Hair: Cheap soap is very effective at cleaning hair. As we all
learned in school, its hydrocarbon tail is hydrophobic and attracts oil and
repels water, while the alkali metal at the other end attracts water. (You’re
welcome!) This allows the efficient relocation of oil from hair into bathwater. However, I now know why humankind
invented shampoo: my hair squeaks when I touch it and looks a lot less clean
than it really is. On the plus side, it stays wherever I put it without the use
of product.
Skin: Likewise, the skin on my face is getting really dry, and
slightly flaking around the hairline. I am considering liberally applying
margarine before bed. Seriously.
Battle wounds: Chopping vegetables is an extreme sport and I have twice
sliced my fingers. I don’t deal
with blood in a particularly calm way. There’s a lot of jumping and
gesticulating in the style of somebody having an epileptic fit, all accompanied
with repeating warnings of the imminence of my death.
Temperature control: Without an appropriate
winter coat, I am reliant on heat generated from exercise or Franzia.
Lack of sleep: My normal workload hasn’t
decreased, and is about to increase sharply. Preparing food, walking to work,
washing dishes, and doing laundry are all stealing from my sleep time.
Diet: It is no secret that I am a big fan of food, especially sweet
delicious food. In my weaker moments
I have found myself licking the windows of cupcake stores and failing miserably
to combine basic cooking ingredients into edible treats. My low-budget, rice- and bean-heavy
diet has some good digestive consequences and some less appealing ones (particularly
in a social context). It is at least reasonably nutritious, but is monotonous
and bland.
Entertainment: Pay attention because this
may be the first recorded incidence of Selena Gomez being quoted in the service
of trying to make a serious point…
In “Hit the lights”, Selena sings about regret and she laments a variety
of things including boys she never opened up to, flights to Vegas that she
never took, and lights she never “hit” (it’s very deep). She also sings “It’s
all the money that you’re saving while the good life passes by”. I’ve sometimes
worried about not doing enough – there are so many places to see, things to do,
pieces of knowledge to acquire, donuts to eat – but I haven’t had to worry
about saving money. Now I have to
say no to people and activities a lot more than I’m used to, all because of money. This isn’t
entirely negative – my days have been filled with an array of new interesting
experiences that are equally rewarding – but it has required some adjustment.
The good
Fundraising: To date we have raised
$7000 for Larkin Street and after I calculate how much I’ve saved this week it
should be considerably higher. It
would be incredible if we could raise a full minimum wage salary of $21k by the
end of January.
You guys: I have amazing friends
and family, and you guys have been wonderful. In fact, you’ve probably been way too nice. Between helping me shop, helping to prepare
food, sneaking me free drinks, providing information and moral support, you’ve
done more than I could ever have asked for. I have had to say no to a lot of offers of free food
otherwise I could be eating out with a different kind friend every night. I really appreciate all your support –
thank you.
New experiences: I’m learning a lot of new
things! I’ve learned things that
many of you think I should already know – like the cost of a pint of milk and
how to prepare vegetables. I’ve also done considerable research on who earns
minimum wage, their stories, and their experiences. This has opened my eyes
to a new world.
Inspiring others: I am incredibly happy –
delighted actually – that I have recruited a new participant to minimum wage
January. If anybody else also
wants to raise money in this way, please do!
So
that’s my quick summary of week one.
There’s a lot more I want to write about, but that’s going to have to
wait for another day.
Enjoy
what’s left of the weekend, and don’t forget Selena’s advice to “hit the
lights!” – whatever that means… Apparently you’ll regret it if you don’t.
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