How does anyone have time to work?

[resonant]

I have a full-time, open-ended temp job, and I'd love to share the absurdities of it with you, but I just don't have the energy right now.

I seem to be living my life like shopping online. Freelance writing opportunity? -- great, Add To Cart. Chance to do some volunteer work on the newsletter of an organization I'm crazy about? Add To Cart. Monthly meeting of an organization that might introduce me to people who work where I'd like to work? Add To Cart. All-day conference with a segment on negotiation? Add To Cart.

Only eventually you have to pay for all that stuff ...

The kidlet, meanwhile, has a student ID that doubles as a bus pass, and is reveling in their first time ever of being transportationally independent. They like to stop by the university library and do their homework there instead of coming home -- no doubt envisioning the College Student Kidlet they'll be, someday frighteningly soon. The spouse says New Town is perfect for this because it's smaller than Corntown and has less crime. "It's a perfect starter town," he says.

edited 2020 to retroactively correct the kidlet's gender pronouns

Comments

[monanotlisa]

She likes to stop by the university library and do her homework there instead of coming home -- no doubt envisioning the College Student Kidlet she'll be

Heh. Yeah.

[resonant]

I'm strongly tempted to force her to wear a vest like construction workers have that says, "BTW, I'm 14."

[metaphortunate]

*gigglesnort* *but I see why*

[jesse_the_k]

Perhaps you need to move some items from Cart to Wishlist?

That analogy is fabulous.

[resonant]

Hee! So very many things are on my wishlist!

[myalexandria]

oh, doing homework at a college library is *so* exciting. If somewhat more nervewracking for parents than I allowed for at the time :)

[resonant]

I remember it from high school, but I was much older. (And my city was much bigger.)

[giglet]

Transportational independence is the best thing ever, for both the kids and their parents -- at least, when paired with a cellphone. I grew up in a place with no sidewalks, where I couldn't walk to the nearest store of any sort in less than an hour walk. Getting a bike was a liberation for me. One of the reasons I love our current town is that my kid can walk everywhere (he walked home from school starting in nursery school), and with the bus, he can go to the city. In high school, he learned to navigate intercity busses and trains. We still drive him places, but he has never been stuck at home without us.

[resonant]

I wish that had been possible for us! The new town seems generally more walkable, and definitely more bus-able.

[metaphortunate]

This is one of the big reasons we live where we do. Looking ahead.