I AM THE 99%

I saw this picture today on a friend's facebook wall. It kinda inspired me and pissed me off both at the same time.

Ya know. despite my best efforts I still graduated with school debt.

In undergrad I financed a double major in 2.5 years with study abroad. I did this at Christopher Newport University. I still graduated with 17K USD in school debt. I was taking 21-27 hours every semestre to finish faster and maximise flat fee tuition that was charged my university. I worked part time, lived at home 1 year, and lived on campus for "free" as an RA the second year. I paid $500 USD for my car and drove it for 4.5 years. I didn't spend a lot of money. I was FRUGAL to say the least. I didn't have a mobile phone at all until I graduated. It was rather austere. I chose a grad school where tuition was cheaper than my undergrad (if that is even possible), and I created value in exchange for every subsidy I got from "The Church" (I went to law school at Brigham Young University).

@ grad school The cost of living was about 20K / year. The university under reported it at 11K USD per year. That was lie. I could have done it about 5K per year cheaper but I refused to share a bedroom with another student and I had to rent a flat that was away from campus, and gay friendly. Moreover I had to do unpaid externships for credits because I needed the credits to graduate early so as not to rack up more school debt, nor be kicked out of school for being gay. That was a constant fear that I lived under at BYU. I did law school in 2.5 years to mitigate those issues.

I worked in the summers to pay my living expenses in the school year. The summer before starting grad school, I was a stripper. The first summer, I did an unpaid externship for school credit, and worked for the church saving them about 100Xs the value of my tuition and mission subsidies. I also did summer sales that year and earned enough to pay my entire second year's living expenses, but the company I worked for folded and stuck me for nearly 25K USD. I got 2K out of them. In all honestly I should have gone back to stripping. It paid well, paid cash every night, and paid better than any other job I had had prior.

The second summer I did another unpaid externship, and worked for BYU. a LOW paying job, it barely covered gas money, and I really needed a 3rd job. I just didn't have the time for it as my externships were paramount to graduating early.

I busted ass, And through it all was dealing with the emotional baggage of "coming out." That is A LOT to place on someone. But I managed it. And I'm NOT complaining about it. It was a great experience and a GREAT education.

Despite my best efforts however, I still walked with 86K in combined undergrad and graduate debt. That's A LOT OF MONEY! And its not cause I was sitting on my laurels. I had scholarships, pell grants, work, etc. AND I was living below my means, and I was making it. I had a great time, and it was a good experience so I'm not complaining. I even saved back money in an emergency fund.

I totally can sympathise with this kid. . Had I not been screwed by the summer sales company, and one other employer who fired me from a 6 figure job for being gay, Id have had all my school debts paid off in the first year after college. I busted ASS and did everything right, and I STILL GOT SCREWED. .

AND THAT IS WHAT MAKES ME PART OF THE 99%!

Staying. . .

The North wind blew. I begged HIM not to, but it was time to go, and HE told me as much. I frantically began to gather the pieces of my life strewn about both haphazardly, and yet with painstaking care in the unfounded hope that leaving my bits here and there would somehow serve as a tether. No use in such foolishness. The ferocity with which HE forced my dislodging also severed the ties of love and life, the connexions to friend and even foe. . .

I ache as the chill of the North fills me and drives me onward. . .Gone are the warmth of the man I held, the gemütlichkeit felt amoungst friends and wine. Replacing them is the cold that drives and drives and licks at my heals forcing me onward to something new.

Funny how we remember things. I used to embrace the change, run towards it faster than the wind HIMSELF. I used to welcome HIS coming like an old friend. I was always ready to go when HE called, my life neatly packaged and ready to be shipped, nothing left behind, no roots planted in tera-firma, everything portable. I would rush to the next experience and set up shop, greeting all of the newness and richness that surrounded me.

Not any more - I drag my heels, my arms are outstretched, my finger tips being pried away angrily gripping for dear life to the man who shared my bed. The wind hits my tears and they sting my face at their instant frost. Dear life is what I want. . . a dear, sweet, simple life with the man I love - uncomplicated, unadorned, and untouched by HIS cold and frosty whip.

Alas, it is too much to ask. . .my last finger is pried away, I beg the man who shared my bed to follow and go with. He stares back at me with the eyes of a boy. The love I thought I had from him was fleeting and I realise that my fate is drawn. I bow my head, the aching sobs pouring from my chest are muffled in the cold blow of the North. HE will masque my pain, HE always does. . .