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On WWYD: The Envelope Full of Cash
Twice, at my favorite used clothing store, I have found money in the pockets-- once 20 bucks, once 35. I told the store owners both times, who were like, oh man lucky you! And then I used the money to buy the clothes that contained the pockets containing the money, as seems only fair. Free clothes! I would take $1200 to the police station though.
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On How to Get to the Airport, If You're an Idiot
Wow, very anti-rideshare around here! So, I have used craigslist rideshare a few times,and it's always been fine. Probably I should have worried about this more? People I have gotten rides with: a middle-aged white-collar guy who told me all about the book he was writing, a car full of Chinese exchange students with a GPS with outdated maps, a Korean frat boy who believed that women shouldn't work outside the home, other people. Also I once took a ride from a guy I did not know at all in an airport, who spent the hour's drive (through rural Indiana) dropping hints about how rich he was. I might have given him the impression I would go to dinner with him after, I did not do that thing. All free or cheap! Apparently I'm the kind of person who, when told by a olden-times highwayman "YOUR MONEY OR YOUR LIFE!" would sit there for a few minutes and think about it.
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On Betting on Love, Leveling Up and Leaving Atlanta
My last trip to Europe (an academic conference) I decided I was officially too old for hostels. The particular hostel I had researched and was staying in was clean, well-run, had working showers and free wi-fi, all good stuff. The average age of my dormmates was probably 19. I tried to be the cool, well-traveled adult, but instead I became the embarrassed, crotchety Old. Thing is, I probably will stay in hostels again, too old or not, because my income thinks I'm 22.
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On Let's Discuss the Merits of Anthropologie (The Clothing Store, Not the Discipline)
I bought a Really Pretty Apron from Anthropologie, which I rarely wear because it seems awfully silly to use a 35 dollar apron to prevent staining a 6 dollar thrift store dress. But I still really like that apron.
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On Recent Vanity Purchases, Considered
Ross. I live and die by Ross. But only if you don't want a specific particular thing that day-- basically you just have to periodically check the shoe area and buy everything that fits and costs between 10-25 dollars. I wear almost exclusively flats, and I've gotten some pretty cute mid-priced brands (Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Bandolino) there.
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On What I Gained After I Accidentally Lost My Taste for Liquor
Accidental teetotaller here--I barely ever drink, not because I have anything against drinking but because I was a huge nerd who didn't party much in college and never really learned to like alcohol? By the time I realized I could drink booze smuggled into sweet things or blended into calorie-bomb-milkshakes, I just wasn't used to the idea of paying a bunch of money for something that wasn't good for me. I can't feel sanctimonious about the money I'm saving by being lame though, because (a) where does it stop? I also don't smoke or do cocaine or own a horse or have a gambling problem, should I congratulate myself on all that stuff too? and (b) I counterbalance my sober habits by throwing whatever cash I have at frozen yogurt vendors. Pinkberry, she is a jealous mistress.
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On Young, Privileged, and Applying for Food Stamps
@mishaps I've seen that :) One of the hazards of being friends with mostly grad students is that someone facebooks every depressing, hopeless article about our collective lack of prospects. I think we, the young people of America, need to commit to a concentrated effort of false confidence. Everyone needs to start posting only wildly exaggerated numbers about how much better it's getting! I feel like the only thing worse than a crummy economy is talking constantly about the crummy economy.
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On Young, Privileged, and Applying for Food Stamps
@P-Bomb I've been wondering about this a lot lately-- at what point you should chuck it and apply for something that isn't what you want to do. My particular problem is that grad school in the humanities gives you a really specific skill set, which is to say I am qualified to do exactly two things, and it is to write academic articles, which you don't get paid for, and teach college, for a pittance. I'd happily work retail, but I have no retail experience and there are a million people who do. I'd go back to babysitting, but every "nanny" job offering I see wants someone bilingual with a degree in child development (I am not kidding, I live in LA and rich parents want what they want). Fortunately I do have supportive parents, but being beholden to someone, even people that love you, eats away at you. I'm kind of in the same boat as the article author-- I probably could take advantage of government programs, but it feels sort of ridiculous, like an admission that you've squandered your privilege.
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On The Pre-Departure Costs of Travelling By Cargo Ship (A Note to Self)
Ok, I'm obviously not whimsical or adventurous enough, but I thought the point of travel by cargo ship was cost effectiveness? And that it stopped places to load up or something and you could get out and see the docks of various places? Because 3,000 euros is a crazy amount of money to sit in a box for a month.