Friday, April 30, 2010

Ruminations on community

[blog post to be entered here will be some thoughts about how corporations built loyalty among their employees, and how that interacts with community groups that build loyalty]

A budget is a moral document

When I worked at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta, they advertised their annual budgeting process with posters that said "A budget is a moral document" and had the time and date of the next budget meeting. I started budgeting when I was 18 and heading off to college. When I started looking at full-time jobs for after graduation, I called my mom one night and asked her to go through her budget with me line by line. We did, and I made estimates of how much money I should put where. I included everything -- haircuts, dentist, AAA membership, spending money, personal growth (like buying books). Everything. I also included donations that I make regularly, birthday presents, and christmas presents. I know what amount and percentage I pay in income tax, how much is taken out for my retirement account, and what I pay in health insurance for my partner that his mother reimburses for me.

My budget is something of a moral document -- it always has things like donations on it -- but if it's supposed to be a reflection of my morals, I'm not comfortable with the percentage that I spend on myself. When I got promoted two years ago and got a 60% raise, I thought I'd be able to put all of the extra money towards student loans. Then I decided I needed to live without a roommate for a while, so I spent a lot of money for a little while. Every time I got more money, I spent it -- I flew my mom to visit once, I travelled more than I could legitimately afford. I live in a much more affordable area now, paying less than half the rent I was paying a year ago. I commute more, but not that much more. Where did the other 60% go? What is my budget saying about me and how I live my life, if spare cash goes towards not having to cook at home rather than on my own financial stability or on donations or gifts or even travel to visit people? It's short-sighted.

Monday, April 26, 2010

This is what it's like to be in love

Every few days or weeks, I look at my relationship with E and think "I've never been at this point in a relationship." I've been in relationships for the same amount of time, but never with this level of togetherness, of individual growth, and of contentment and satisfaction. It isn't rare for me to start giggling out of nowhere because I'm so lucky to be with him. The best part is he feels exactly the same way.

He's been working on his blog recently, so I mentioned that he should link it to my blog. He knew I had created a blogger account way back when, but he didn't know that it had a theme and I actually used it. His face lit up, he started giggling, and he was so excited that we are, in fact, the same kind of nerd.