EASTERN STANDARD TIME

I don't know about you, but when I get really really poor, WAIT. That's actually been most all of my adult life. So I guess what I'm actually talking about here is when I get REALLY REALLY poor. Like so poor that you spend over 5 days with only 35 cents in your checking account and eat mac and cheese with hot dogs for dinner three nights in a row kind of poor. That's the sort of poor I'm talking about right now.

The last time I really felt like I was DYING of poor-dom was probably last summer. My six month battle with unemployment had ended, but the, "Once you have a job again it will feel like everyday is CHRISTMAS," thing just hadn't panned out like I'd hoped.

Damn. You. Economy.

So in the middle of this summer of, OMG I AM SO FUCKING POOR HOW AM I STILL FUNCTIONING I realized my way to deal was to simply shut down. Both Adam and I were sort of at a loss with how to cope with the reality that yes we could afford our house, and our bills, but that was about it. I hid from friends as best I could, we used our FREE boat (thank you Dad) on the local FREE lake, ate tuna sandwiches, drank the cheapest beer we could find, watched a fuck load of tv, and told each other over and over that we would make it. Somehow.


And you know what? I learned a lot from that summer. One thing being how to get by with nearly nothing, and refrain from pulling out all my hair. 

In the middle of the Summer of Poor I realized that there are certain experiences and moments that are worth fighting extra hard for, and that constantly saying I'd do it/get it/visit it 'next time' was indeed saving me money, but it was also making me a bitter evil bitch. I tried to remind myself that even through my poor-dom I needed to also try to LIVE A LIFE.

*****

And so, in the spirit of life, this morning I leave for a wonderful long weekend visiting my best friend. We'll spend a night in New York City(!!!!!!) and then enjoy the rest of the weekend relaxing and catching up in New Haven Connecticut. 

I missed out on visiting this very important person the year she lived in Jolly O'l England because of my sudden lack of funding (aka, unemployment), and I vowed not to let this year slip away without visiting her. So even though my mind was screaming, "MUST HIDE FROM THE WORLD AND SAVE ALL THE PENNIES," I reminded myself of my pledge, and promised her that I would find a way. With the help of a frequent flyer flight, and the fact that I diligently saved pennies from each paycheck for months, I actually have enough cash to eat, drink and be merry without having a panic attack thinking about my bank account.

Oh, and I'm also armed with this,



So you know I'm set.



Here's to living in the moment, and putting in the extra effort required for the things in life that matter. Things like visiting your best friend before she graduates from grad school, and free Taco Bell.

I'll see all you bitches on Eastern Standard Time.

Ashley, the Accidental Olympian

Comments

[Carmie of the Single Nester]

Have a great time in NYC! We are looking at 50 degrees by the weekend!

[Kelly @ The Startup Wife]

Woohoo! Lucky you! And you're totally right--money will come and go, but opportunities like this won't.

P.S. YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW JEALOUS I AM OF THAT TACO BELL COUPON. My mouth just watered looking at it. Yikes.

[Ashley]

Yay, welcome to my coast. The much-less-cooler coast. The coast where people are as uptight as buttholes. Where they don't have awesome nature as a free backyard. And where you'll only find cool Oregonians via blog. Hi!

[Jen A.]

Whoo hoo! :) Is the NYC trip this weekend?! You'll have good weather and you'll be about 4 hours to the north of me, so look southward one afternoon and shout me a hello! ;) My BF Sarah gave me a trip to NYC for Christmas -- we'll be taking the Greyhound bus up into the city for a day, and hopefully I'll get to see the Statue of Liberty and we'll get to see a show on Broadway! -- and we're trying to book it for May or June! (Again, our lives mirror one another in our crazy, cosmic connection!)

[Junket]

Have fun but for the love of God please don't tweet or write about American Idol while you're on EST. It ruins it for the rest of us.

xoxoxo
Junket

P.S. Get me a burrito with sour cream. :)

[Rachel]

Hey Ashley! Have a great time with your best friend! It's kind of disgusting here right now what with the half melted dirty snow, but it's supposed to be bright and sunny this weekend.

[Ashley, The Accidental Olympian]

RACHEL -- You are right, the weather has been so pretty. I'm actually melting in CT right now!