Just Make It Better

Years ago I shared an apartment with a young man who, although harmless himself, was raised in an environment the opposite of my own childhood. He shared stories of threatened walks home and an involvement in things the likes of me can’t understand. At one point his childhood friend became a somewhat permanent fixture on our living room couch. I was reassured by my boyfriend (also the roommate’s best friend) that this mysterious creature dozing with my chenille throw each morning was an innocent six foot bundle. I swallowed my discomfort and in the weeks that followed I found an ally and a friend in the most unusual of circumstances.

Almost anyone I know ever met, hates their corporate job.
By the looks of that sentence it’s rough out there.

But here’s a look at why:

1. Control me master, please. Company owners, management and bosses leash you up the best they can, more so then my mother ever did.

2. Cheap chairs. It’s hard to feel valuable when your back hurts and you watch your boss buy a $460 piece of glass for him to make more ‘company art’ with.

3. Hovering. Why are people so nosy? Just let me work.

I’ve encountered and befriended a many ‘freaks and geeks’ in my life. Who knows, maybe I attract them to me. Their outward appearance was typical for the terms affixed to them and they usually lamented the negative feedback, mastering claims of necessary tolerance and acceptance. Although, I’d have to acknowledge the hardships they were regularly exposed too, after some extended observations the isolation that many people feel appears to me as mostly self inflicted.

I was determined to find my friend.

I had lost her when our mutual form of employment was closed down and our lives headed onto different paths. We’d always had a relationship that strayed in different directions, but eventually we’d meet up again, certain to enrich our friendship with our travels.

When we met she was a middle-aged mother of five who was born and raised in Trinidad. Tall, with caramel colored skin, six pack abs, and behind her struggles she had vibrancy and an appreciation for life unlike any I’d ever seen. I was still an insecure teenager with fair skin, blue eyes, who was raised in a small American village without a locked front door. My marred heart and youthful optimism and her warm humor and sincerity gave us an instant magnetism.

Very recently a friend quit the reliable writing job he had with a national entertainment publication. He’d been quite successful given that he’s managed to make a wage interviewing movie stars and reviewing music. Now past his twenties he decided to take a chance and try to live his dream of becoming a screenwriter. Amongst the roar of our congratulations he pessimistically grumbled his thanks, appearing not to expect much from his endeavor. His talent is obvious, indicated by his writing success thus far and the commendable achievement of being one of twenty or so invited to attend USC Film School. Yet, despite these encouraging factors he was captious and cynical. He needed some inspiration, some fairy dust to brighten his step because without hope and faith his goals would forever be just a dream.

I’ve recently decided to start volunteering on a regular basis. I decided to offer my services to a senior citizen non-profit that paired you with a homebound elderly person that was looking for companionship and some small aid. I figured it would be perfect for me considering my explorations in life haven’t given me much access to the elderly and their great life experience, while I can offer them some of my best conversation and perhaps, baked goods.

In light of Victoria’s Secrets latest news I’d like to present to you a few points about the societal disaster that is their annual fashion show.[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=NZgt99q1_t8]

Since there has recently been news of a scientific link between materialism and self-esteem and it seems as though all of us are in some way affected by this overwhelming burden, I wanted to share some of my experience in obtaining freedom from things (it sure is a great place to be). My hope is that it will challenge you to look within yourself and see how materialism affects your own life, relationships and happiness.