Comment Replies

It seems strange that I get a comment on a post I wrote in 2007 complaining about being poor. 

“37k, and you have a kid?!? Jesus christ 37k is almost poverty. Did you flunk school or something? I hope you can at least feed and clothe your kid properly!”

Of course this random person was not a regular reader and had no idea that I’ve lived off far less.  One year when I was on welfare receiving food stamps, I made less than $5000 a year.  My first teaching job I only earned $13000 a year.  Before I went back to teaching in 2006, I only made $26,000 a year.  At the time of this post in 2007, I was making 37K, but that was the most I had ever made in my life.  I had enough to pay the bills.  My house payment was only around 650 a month.  Before leaving Hereford, I was making around 42,000 a year.  When I moved to San Antonio, I got a raise of over $10,000.  Of course I also had to start paying back my student loans from school.  I don’t think that making 37k is really poverty.  I know poverty.  It may not have allowed me to do a lot of extra things, but the key is that I survived and pulled myself out the financial ruin brought from my divorce.  Rest assured, even in 2007, Josh was well fed and had plenty of clothes.  And no, I didn’t flunk school – I graduated with my bachelor’s degree with a 3.82 GPA in 1995.  I was making 37k in a professional job as a teacher. 

Now that Matt is going to move it, I’m going to have more financial freedom.  I hope I don’t go completely crazy.  We’ll have to watch ourselves when we go to home depot.  We talk about stuff we want to buy for the house whenever we go.  By moving in, he will save about $300 a month and I’ll gain about that much as well when he starts paying some of the house expenses.  That’s why I was able to go ahead and get a car for Josh.  I think we’ll do more traveling when we can on probably play in more Scrabble tournaments from time to time.  We are trying to plan a trip to St. Louis for Thanksgiving to visit his mom.  I don’t know if she will allow that or not.  He’s going to send her a not with his monthly obligation that he sends her.  If not, we’ll go to Albuquerque and see my aunt and uncle.  They’re buying a new house that I’d like to see. 

Today was exhausting.  I went to bed late and didn’t sleep well so I was tired this morning.  I’m definitely going to bed early tonight.  I need to get to school early to make sure everything is ready for our meeting in the library tomorrow.