Everything we see or seem...

Currently Listening Illinois By Sufjan Stevens Chicago see related

"Oprah" was interesting today.  It was all about classes in society and what makes them separate, etc.  It concerns me that the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.  I remember learning in my high school history class that this often occurs when we have a Republican president, so hopefully it will soon even out. 

Nevertheless, class is an issue that is constantly on my mind.  Since most of my roommates are wealthy, sometimes I feel misunderstood, like when they accuse me of being anal about money.  Since we're coming from different backgrounds, it's nearly impossible for them to put themselves in my shoes, and visa versa.  I first remember this being as issue when I was pretty young and I asked my mom what class we were.  She answered that according to income we were lower class, but "we have upper-middle class taste."  I was puzzled what she meant by this, but she explained that class is just about what you decide to do with the money you have.  For instance my mom's cousin's family used to go to Las Vegas all the time and spent the little money they had there.  She would say "well, they're not rich, but if that's how they choose to spend their money..." 
I've never been sure exactly how much my family made when I was growing up.  My mom worked at home and my father drifted from one job to another (from video-taping weddings at the posh Rancho Bernardo Inn to selling payphones to selling signs). 
We were far from "poor."  In fact, I've always felt extremely privilaged, and I don't remember ever thinking money was an issue.  Somehow my family of five managed to get by for years on less than 20k a year.  I think to some that might be considered lower class, I'm really not sure where the division lines are drawn now-a-days. 

I saw a commercial a while ago for some type of children's charity where the voice-over mourned, "thousands of children must suffer without proper health insurance."  I thought it was funny they would use that as an indication of how badly-off the kids were.  It wasn't until my dad started working for an insurance company that we got insurance.  My mom would always say "be careful, because if you break a bone we don't have health insurance."  Miraculously, all three of us kids managed to get through childhood without a scratch. 

It wasn't until I left for college that I started noticing changes in my family's wealth.  It began with my parents buying new furniture for the living room and spread into them buying a jacuzzi and my sister a new car.  I thought maybe they were involved in some sort of heist or con scheme.  The truth is more boring (isn't it always?)  It just turns out that my family inherited some money when my grandma died.  Personally, I don't want to be rich - ever.  I'm really comfortable being lower-middle class.  As long as I have enough money to get by, I'll be fine.  And if I do have any extra I'll keep it in the bank or donate to charities.  There's just something about having more than someone else that makes me feel guilty.  It's like getting an A on a test when your friends didn't do as well.

Class is something that I often ponder.  Is class based on money or is it something more?  If so, what makes someone fit into a certain class?  We aren't stuck with the caste we're born into, like in India.  So why is it so difficult for many to sever those ties that hold us in our place? 

Currently Reading The Best American Short Stories 2005 (The Best American Series (TM)) see related

"...I know not whence they come..."

Hello, my friends.

If anyone reads this anymore...
I'm not making any promises to myself to actually keep this up, but I just felt like posting.  It's been awhile!  I love going on here and looking at what I was doing other years at this time (I've been on here for two past years at this time).  Apparently last year I was having one of the best weekends ever.  I thought reading about that would make me sad and nostolgic, but the funny thing is, it doesn't.  It actually makes me incredibly happy, and enables me to see things in a broader perspective.  I will be that happy again.  That's a promise to myself.  Nothing is permanent - neither good times nor bad times.

And that's the truth. 

Currently Reading You've Got to Read This : Contemporary American Writers Introduce Stories that Held Them in Awe see related

Episode 43: in which my little brother gets beat up

No.  I didn't do it.  Although yes, we did physically fight over the break and I DID win (no matter what he may claim).

However on the evening of December 27th a crime more black than mere sibling competitiveness occurred.  Aubrey and his friend Jake were riding their scooters down to their friend's house when they ran into two older boys.  They had a grudge with Jake because after being beat up by one of them in the past, Jake had told his mother who had gotten the boy in trouble when she told his mother.

The boys started to taunt Jake and he held back, but Aubrey (confident they wouldn't attack him since they didn't have any grudge against him) proceeded on past the boys.  I didn't hear all the details, but apparently they started harrassing my baby and he began to run.  One of them ran up behind him and tackled Aubrey to the pavement then began to punch and kick him violently.  Jake called our house on his cell phone just as a neighbor witnessed the entire thing and called the police.  My parents rushed out of the house (I had no idea any of this was happening) as the police arrived at the scene.  The older boys had taken off and one of the policemen was able to chase and catch them on foot.  After a lot of rigamaroll, the boy who beat Aubrey up is now in juvenile detention and I'm not really sure what's going to happen.

The thing I'd forgotten about home is that it's so loud here when everyone's in the same room.  We kids have just gotten more unruly and boisterous with age.  Everyone tries to make their voice heard over everyone else while Aubrey tries to throw food across the table at me and Emily screams "I'm going to wet my pants" after an especially funny joke.  Seriously, you can't take us anywhere. 

It's the same as when I used to live here, but things are different.  They are bound to be when there are two teenagers in the house.  Aubrey's hair is now growing in a wild mane that hangs around his face and reaches to the shoulders of his black ZERO t-shirt.  He tries so hard to be cool, just like every other guy in the eighth grade.  Behind the braces, there's a distinct crack in his laugh.  And Emily - Emily is confident and quirky and funny and I love her to death. 

It should be an interesting break.  

Currently Reading Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West By Gregory Maguire see related