I thought it was time for readers to get a taste of the reality of scraping by in a new city from a viewpoint other than Max’s.  I have two more articles in the working – one about job searching and another on eating healthily when you’re poor.  If you’re interested and if Max will surrender his site’s good name twice more, look for them in the next month.

Because of this move, I’ve been temporarily transformed from the bad-ass teacher with excellent family insurance who got hired on the first interview straight out of college to the 8 dollar an hour, no raises for a year, no insurance for 6 months, retail robot.  I mean, seriously – did you know Target times every transaction their “team members” ring up?  After each customer moves through your station, the register/computer posts your grade (pass or fail, nothing in between) based SOLELY on your speed!  This grade is large enough for literally anyone walking past you to see – can you imagine if I did that to my students?!  I don’t think we have to debate the issue of whether great service represents more than the velocity of scanner beeps.

However, I will agree with Max that the good outweighs the bad in this hot new home of ours.  As he has pointed out (see Aug 13^th post) we did our research and everywhere is hiring at every level.  There are tons of job openings within 15 minutes of our apartment.  I already have two management interviews scheduled and one second round interview which should lead to a job that will let me respect myself in the morning.  It has been quite easy to transfer my public school teaching credentials over to Texas and I’m already registered to sub at the rate of 75 dollars for each 6.5-7 hours of work.  That leaves me open for some weekend free-lance editing.

While we’re not going to starve but still semi-poor, it is a battle for me to reconcile wants with needs.  The idea that we’re going to scrimp until we can buy ALL nice, new things is coming into question.  Its not like I’m miserable, but my ass starts aching about 30 minutes after beginning to type while seated on this stolen metal folding chair – the only seating we have in the entire apartment.  I think we need an office chair.  Max disagrees.  “After our first couple paychecks”, he says.  Sit on the air mattress.  Have YOU ever tried typing with no back support while sitting on a continually deflating air mattress?

Me:  “What about that couch on Craigslist?”

Max: “I don’t want to hear the words furniture or couch until we get a couple paychecks”

Me:  “The pool chlorine is turning my hair strange colors.  I need this $8 color glaze”

Max:  “Can you wait for two more weeks?  Swim without getting your hair wet.”

In the world of coupledom, there is always a person more likely to scrimp. You could both be scrimpers, but one will seem like a spender compared to the other.  I am relatively unfazed by no television for 6 months, I like the idea of making meals at home, I love the idea of walking or biking to work as long as I can arrive in a relatively sweat free state.  However, I want products that help my hair stay the same color, I want at least one semi-comfortable piece of furniture right now (even if it does have to be from a – gasp! – yard sale).  Maybe we could select a indoor/outdoor chair that will eventually make its home on the patio.  Or, we’ll choose something used that’s small in a neutral color so it could move to the bedroom or go to goodwill when we get the furniture we really want.  For me to be happy scrimping, there has to be at least something I “treat” myself to, no matter how minor.  Last Friday we went out to eat – we split an entrée so we could avoid guilt for ordering mai tais.  It’s too bad that as I finish this article I’m cursing myself for not spending that 25 dollars on a used office chair.