Monday, June 16, 2008

Prologue to Monday Money Matters

It's Monday again and we have a full week ahead to work.

Unfortunately for this week, there are no holidays, no breaks, full blast till Friday.

I don't know about you, but there are some Kaye-specific moments that make me privately say that "I don't want to work anymore. I want to live doing what I want, period. I want to travel. I want to be in rural areas, researching. I want to write. I want to blog. I want to eat and sleep and criticize food and movies. I want to be an honorable member of an archaeological team. I want to manage my own time and own a bookstore." Yeah right! Then suddenly, reality takes its form with loud ruckus of cars belting the noise of heavy traffic, the sight of towering buildings that could be anyone's modern day prisons; and the view of people rushing to work. My dear friend Tracy at one point, when we were having dinner, just blurted out that she too doesn't want to work anymore. Just like that. Mitch resulted to laughing with disbelief and I just smiled along. Are we complete nutcases for thinking that? I'm sure we're not the only ones who'd entertain these kinds of thoughts, because I sincerely believe what I felt and what Tracy said were genuine. There's nothing complicated or complex with that statement. We just do not want to fully acknowledge it because it's a modern day fantasy, and fantasy is not something that could help or save us in reality.

We all know that in order to survive this world and maintain a desired type of lifestyle, we need resources, and monetary support from parents and/or relatives are limited at a specific point in time. Once you hit early 20's, right after college, you are expected to test independence at some extent and fend for yourself. No one could just sit pretty, wait for the money to land on your lap, and enjoy life to the fullest unless you have billions to back up your whole life's existence. That's why we need to work. Or is it?

Just like my friend Tracy and I saying, "that we do not want to go to work anymore" has a certain truth to it. It's as raw as saying that if only I have no lifestyle to support, I wouldn't work. If only I had the billions now, I wouldn't submit to work. I would only do things that I'd want for self-fulfillment. For Tracy, that's anything to do with fashion and events, whereas I have something to do with documentaries and blogging. Even some struggling photographers (hmm...haha) or artists out there who live for the intense passion to shoot, would immediately devote 24 hours of their time each day, if not for their specific day jobs that is the main pumping source of their income.

Actually, these could be done gradually and achieved at some point in time. I admit that it's a lot harder at first when you're struggling and swallowing the pressures of work imposed on your time and body from the things that you really want to do. There must be a balance somewhere, and tons of money of course. So, are you the type who would swallow work first to get filthy rich and managing interests to the full will come later, or are you a person who will strike a balance anywhere between interests and work; and lastly are you the bold type to totally forgo work, be bohemian find whatever career that gives you pleasure, no matter how "unprofitable" it is.

The truth is, everything is a possibility, but there's no point being hypocritical about the subject of money. We need money to pursue what we'd really want. In this world, to pursue our respective interests, create businesses and be our own boss, we have to work extra hard to raise capital. That's the basic lesson in the nutshell, unless of course you are already filthy rich to begin with.


PS Which reminds me, this book might hold some answers. Tracy, dear, I think we might need to look at this one.




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