Left to my own devices

The most recent in a series of increasingly frequent government shutdowns lasted for over a month. Many government workers still showed up for their jobs, but did not receive paychecks. Other employees were furloughed. It was, to put it mildly, a mess. Some folks out there (who apparently lack even a smidgen of empathy within their soul) chided the workers who were vocal about the strain the lack of pay was having on their life, smugly invoking the virtues of saving for a rainy day. The gridlock in our nation's capitol seemed to reach everyone, even if it was just to offer an opinion. Something else that the government shutdown brought to the fore was a reality often not spoken of about why we have jobs in the first place. Obviously, many jobs exist because of necessity. We need people to fly our planes, to treat us when we're ill, to stock our grocery shelves, to manage our air traffic control, and a host of other things. But, for better or worse, we live in a monet...

"Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work, driving through traffic in a car that you are still paying for, in order to get a job that you need so you can pay for the clothes, car and the house that you leave empty all day in order to afford to live in it."           - Ellen Goodman I've seen the above quote shared several times on social media. It's supposed to be one of those deep, meaningful, stop-and-make-you-think observations. Granted, it made me stop and think, though I'm not sure it generated the sort of reaction that was intended. We've all daydreamed of hitting it rich and no longer having to work. A jobless life of wealth and relaxation is sought after by many. Of course, for most, it's not possible. So, it's off to work we go. A lot of folks look upon this as some sort of drudgery or punishment. We judge our lives (and the lives of others) by what sort of employment is to be endured, and how much we have to s...

Perhaps a year or so ago, I was standing in line at a local Subway restaurant, and the lady ahead of me was chatting with the guy behind the counter. It seemed to be one of those customer/server relationships that had developed over time -- not too close, yet friendly enough. The employee excitedly told the woman about a new job he was starting in the near future, to which the woman cheerily responded, "It'll be nice for you to have a real job!" It's not an exaggeration to say that there was a palpable pause after the woman made her remark. The guy behind the counter blinked a couple times, his face went slack, and then he responded with a meek, "Yeah, it will." I, myself, had done a sharp intake of breath. The customer seemed oblivious to any of this, and went on about the business of completing her order, even going on to wish the employee "Good luck!" in his new venture. The Subway Incident, as I've jokingly dubbed it, was not...