You Better Work

Whether it's Ru Paul or Britney, the message is the same: the only way to achieve your goals is by working towards them.

Today, I start another night class.  We are thankful for this, because the additional income can help get us back on track.  We can hopefully put some away for emergencies and pay down some debt.

Furthermore, I got a call last week from my former manager at the purse store, asking if I wanted to return for the holidays.  She might as well have said, "Would you like your fabulous discount back again?" because that's what I heard on the voicemail.  I immediately started dreaming about the Christmas present I could buy myself!  Not to mention my female family members, who also love that brand.

Bruce knows me too well and viewed this opportunity skeptically.  He remembered that last year I brought home my earnings in the form of handbags.  He wasn't really on board with me going back there again this year.

Even though my initial reaction was regarding my discount, I was also considering that the store pays fairly well for retail, and I had fun working there.  In the winter, between semesters, I go a month without pay.  Instead of scraping by, relying solely on Bruce's income during the holidays, I could be contributing something.  Something is better than nothing!  Last year when we were living with Bruce's parents, I might have sought comfort in a little retail therapy, even though we were saving to buy a house.  This year, we have the house and new meaningful goals.  My priorities are in order.  I swear.

Eventually, I convinced Bruce.  Practicality won out, and the extra money was an offer we couldn't refuse.  I contacted the store managers to let them know my availability.  They were fine with my schedule, so I applied.  I anticipate that I'll be employed there again in a couple months.  I'm excited, but I'm also dreading the unpredictable schedule of working retail.

Bruce and I both came from families where our parents worked opposite shifts.  I remember my father coming home late in the night from the machine shop.  I also remember the times when my father woke us up, bundled us into our coats and drove us sleepy kids to pick up my mom from her 2nd shift at the hospital.  For many years, Bruce's dad worked overnights. Bruce and his sister stayed with their grandparents while his mom worked evenings.  That's how life was.

Truthfully, I'm not looking forward to working weekends or holidays like Christmas Eve and New Year's Day. Thank goodness the mall is closed on Christmas.  It sucks to be on a different timetable than Bruce - even during the school year.  The days when the three of us are together as a family are precious.  But in the long run, it's a small sacrifice to make for a better life overall.  Now that we have the house, we need to get out of debt and build up our savings.  

I've said it before, and I'll keep saying it to myself, again and again.  The American dream takes work.