Apparently I have been living in poverty all my life.
Oh, the reason I state this is that I stumbled upon what a living wage should be, $23 an hour. Yeah right. That’s what we were making when I was working.
Now don’t get me wrong, being in poverty is really a blessing. There really aint nothing that I don’t enjoy. It is just all these advertisements showing that there is a better life out there that really get me down.
I did all of the typical American things, went to college and then went to work. This is what was expected for me to do.
I was the first in 100 years in my family who went to college. I’m not stupid actually I would be considered a genius. I just went thru college with a some what average grades. There really wasn’t very many art majors (only 2) in college.
I loved going to BMC is was home, just my family and I could not afford it. So with work study and summers of real jobs, I made some.
Having cashier training when I was 16 help a little it just did not get me prepared for what life has.
The first summer I worked as a pizza delivery. The second as a biscuit cook. The third summer was weird; I tried being a cashier got fired on my second day for inappropriate attire (fat arms.) That when we began chopping cotton.
Chopping cotton was a term that I heard all my life as well as picking cotton. Here is what you have to do in chopping cotton, get the weeds out. You start real early in the morning working in this big field, using a hoe and watching out for poison snakes.
At least I got a great tan that summer.
After graduation I started to work. Biscuit cook was the easiest since I had experience. I worked all together 8 years as a fast food worker. When I quit that field I was a manager.
OH, I’m sorry I’m just rambling.
I got all kinds of loans and credit to pay for my college days. Here it is 20 something years and I still can’t afford it. It has actual doubled with late fees and such since 1992.
I did pay some on it the first few years after graduation. Since I was making only minimum wage, living with disabled parents and younger siblings, my money was pulled into the family’s finance. This went on for years. I moved with my sis to a different place were things got stupid.
My sis and I bought a HUD home and we asked our brother to join. I got depressed about my career choice and wanted a change. So I quit my fast food manager job looking for that art career job.
Minimum wage is stupid, but it is a wage. My husband makes minimum wage and pretty much he is in the same kind a boat as I am.
There really aint nothing holding us back from the financial responsibilities than our wage. We have a home (we don’t have to pay $600 monthly for rent) and our cars are paid for. It is just our credit is shot and we don’t have a living wage.
My husband does have a disability which has not stopped him. He has had it all his life. He wants to be in the ministry and did some evangelic work years ago, just if you haven’t been around him you would not understand him. ( I have trouble sometimes.)
As for me, I’m just not a “people person” so that I have been told. That’s why when in public I want to hide. Don’t get me wrong I can do anything creative. You just have to give me time to warm up to you.
I’m quite by nature. I’m getting more like my dad. Once I warm up to you, I’ll give you anything.
People just don’t understand me.
“Oh, but you are an artist.” Yeah, I am but that don’t mean anything if you are working retail photography for a quite person.
Oh I can do the job, I did for 8 years. That is a lie about me not being a “people person.” I quit my retail photography career.
I guess I’m just making up excuses about things and listening to others than listening to myself.
I’m an artist. I need to be myself. This is why I open my studio out of my home.
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