Inspirations

[meg_levins]

I stuck another couple dollars in my stashing-tip-money-away tin hidden in the basement and thought "Oh, I wonder if I have any more cash in that little side pocket of my purse that I regularly forget about."  Sure enough, I found nine one dollar bills.  I added that to my tin.  While I was in that side purse pocket, I looked through the few other

Comments

[babyhands144]

I think I still have a couple of books he lent me, books on world religions back when I was interested in that kind of thing. I am 50% sure that I eigther left them in the trunk of my car too long and they molded, or I gave them back. The memories that I created for myself have me giving them back, but I don't think I was terribly responsible ever.

Perhaps you did let Mr. Trumball down, but did you ever respond to that letter? He might have had some stellar advice explaining how his life turned out the way it did. I am pretty sure he did not want to be a public school teacher, but rather it just happened.

I am sure he would like to know that you hold him in such high regards. I have often thought about going back to see Mr. Whats-his-name, (Econ teacher) Damnit, right there too. Mr. Harmon.

He didn't really give me advice per-se, he was more of a live and let live person. I suppose the greatest gift he gave me was a job at Woodstocks. I think the year we saw him, that was probably the last happy year of his life.

Before he started his new life anyway, after his wife left him. I saw him recently in SLO. He was at a table with a bunch of people drinking wine in a fancy Italian resteraunt. I didn't talk to him, I just recognized him and decided to keep walking. I imagine that he found somebody eles, still takes care of his kids, and let go of all the hopes and dreams that were created a long time ago.

He is probably now, a different version of himself, someone he never intended on being. I suppose your character is what remains when everything else is burned off.

There are a lot of people who had high hopes, but where are they now? The only person you are accountable for is yourself.

And you should put your tip money in an interest bearing account, (at least a passbook account) it is doing you no good in the basement.

Still 4 days left to open an IRA...

[babyhands144]

How much do I have to have before I can open an interest bearing account? Can I withdraw funds from an IRA at any time? What's a passbook account?

No, I did not respond. I take that back. I think I did respond, quickly, to tell him that I was no longer at NYU, but I can't tell if I've made that memory up, like you returning the books. I do not know how I got that initial email out of him, and to expect more correspondence would be to live in a fantasy world.

You're right about character.

[babyhands144]

A passbook savings account is the savings account you would have with a bank, as opposed to a checking account. These accounts earn something like .5 % interest a year (which does not even cover the cost of inflation), and have something like a $100 min balance requirement. This is not a good investment vehicle, but it does pay a little better than a tin can (although if you include shoe leather costs, which is just the time and resource cost of going to the bank, it further erodes the competitive edge of the passbook. However, your tin can is not insured by the FDIC).

You can withdraw funds from your IRA, but the penalties involved in doing so are ridiculously large. If you have to spend every dollar you make, and then some, an IRA is not for you. I recently started one although I have been waiting to do it forever (retiring comfortably has been my lifelong goal and I am a habitual saver).

I never really liked Mr. Trumball, I suppose it was envy though since it seemed every teenage girl I encountered was in love with him. I remember Dynia talking about the imagined freckles on his penis, and then I think I was kind of turned off after that point.

freckles

[colibri29]

noooooooooooooooooooo!!! i think that would have ruined something for me too.

Re: freckles

[colibri29]

logging on... rebekah@spicuglia.us .... add me:)

IRA

[colibri29]

i don't agree that the money does NO GOOD in the basement, though it would obviously do something more in an IRA account (the IRA or savings account is good, solid advice:).

The initial point about stashing money away in a jar is to get USED to it -- especially for servers who end up with so much cash flowing in and out of their hands: (they need to learn to HIDE THE MONEY so they don't think about it and therefore do not spend it).

Some people have problems saving money -- a lot of people I think. (I'm one of those people that it seems almost impossible for.) Also, though i know this is a sneaky side-point, simply putting the money in the jar makes it YOURS... she doesn't have to worry about someone taking her money for illegal substances or video games or for take-out when she's a work MAKING THE MONEY.

There is also the issue of needing to use the money...for various emergencies. Very convenient to have it right there without penalities associated with the spending of it. I think at this stage, when there's not very much saved up yet, a savings account seems more reasonable...