Such a disgusting topic but I’m getting it out of my system before the new year begins.
Money is at the center of most daily anxieties for me. It’s not that I make too little or too much (is there such a thing?). I just don’t want to squeeze the rest of my life into 2 hours per evening and laundry on the weekend.
I think I got myself into a mess buying this condo. Real estate is shit now and my work is not guaranteed beyond the coming few months. This means that I may have to move in search of more work.
But then what? Another job? I’m not opposed to working, I love what I do, I just can’t fit the other things I love to do into my 60+ hour weeks. Paying off student loans was a major motivator and now that it is almost paid off, I simply can’t spend 10 hours in the office and 2 hours commuting while taking a bunch of files home every Friday. WTF?
Am I the only one who feels like day-to-day drudgery will just about wipe out any dreams and health you have? I don’t want to be suckererd into the retirement thinking that workers the world over have been programmed to do. Yes, savings are important but good health and some sanity will be nice too.
I have this sneaking feeling that if I don’t plan to go after my dreams now and take some concrete steps, the only thing I will know how to do is draw a biweekly check and wait for my boss to leave so I could leave too. Oh, the misery of it all!
Okay, that is out of my system. Whew! It was backing me up, dammit.
What are you people planning for the New Year?
December 28, 2007 at 1:00 pm
Aya, I feel you. Being in the American system ensures that you work and work and work (get me my drift). They attach fancy words to a job like it is my life, it my career, my independence and so on. What we have in America is a country that is brain washed not to detect workaholism. How can you work all your life and save just so that you may retire at 60? That is BS! I had to get that out of my system too
Well I know from previous years of planning that nothing ever workouts the way I intended and I end up frustrated and upset with myself. So for this year I am going to not make plans and let life happen to me. I want to contribute to humanity and make a difference. Happy New Year Aya! May Allah continue to guide us to the right path.
December 28, 2007 at 3:05 pm
As im reading this, i could only think of the situation that im in….i have ton of work on my desk and it seems like every time there is more work…stress and demands from work is killing me…im thinking to start my own business where at least ill have freedom and ill not have to report to some jack ass…just think about what is best for you…may be u might think of taking a different direction…may Allah make it better for all of us.
December 28, 2007 at 3:11 pm
Oh hun,
I can totally understand, not that I work as close to the hours you do (60+!!! WTF). You’re right, we all get caught up with making plans for the future and the big one – paying off student loans – that we forget that there is still life out there.
I am not one to talk here, my answer is to work just as many hours and squeeze in the fun as well – the result: my sleep suffers. Who cares anyways? I became an insomniac years ago.
Take a break and think of what you’d like to do.
And for now, enjoy your holidays. Have a wonderful new year, and make sure to usher in 2008 with style.
December 29, 2007 at 12:51 am
wow seems like your in a messy pickle aya…hopefully everything works out for u! my news year resolution is to find a job…go back to having no life and just gradaute and go onto college
December 29, 2007 at 2:25 am
I know what you mean Aya, chasing the American dream can get little tiring. specially when your whole life revolves around work yet not any closer to that elusive dream of ‘financial independence’. My top priority for 2008 is to have a life and get my fingers around the concept of work + life balance.
December 30, 2007 at 6:35 pm
More of the same…you can’t plan anything because sh!t happens. But having a goal and dream is not bad at all…it’s the plan-train that I don’t get on:)
December 31, 2007 at 4:44 pm
Nativedaughter, work to death, huh? The whole save money so you could spend it when over 65 just doesn’t sit well with me. One of the executives in my office is close to 70 and still doesn’t think he saved enough for retirement. Ugh! Shoot me now! Happy New Year, hon! Many blessings and duc’as for you and your family.
Arsenawiz, welcome! The long hours and stress get me every time too. Having my own business keeps me up at night too but I just don’t know if I have the buy and sell thing in me. Doing a service/consulting business requires the same sort of office slavery. Yuck! Amiin to your duc’a and Happy New Year, hon!
AMTAF! How are you, hon? *so excited and gleeful for your post under projects*. My biggest issue is that you are wired so much into the office that any time or effort that could go into other aspects of your life have to be squeezed into the evenings and weekends. Sigh.
I wish I were as active and engaged as you are. Every year takes a bit more of the person that you are but I am putting my flat foot down, dammit
Have a beautiful and wondrous New Year, sweetheart. Many blessings to you and your loved ones.
December 31, 2007 at 4:48 pm
idil, happy new year! Best of luck with your resolutions, hon. Let us know how things are going with the job search.
Nahja, I hear you! Happy New Year walaal and best of luck with your resolutions. Whatver works, let me know cause I need to put some life back into mine
Om, how have you been?! Happy New Year. So sick of 2007 but 2008 is gonna be a whole new game.
January 1, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Salam Aya,
I love reading these blogs but your one of the very few that bother to update it, may Allah bless you, bless your life, bless your health and your family. Hope you find a beautiful and fulfilling balance inshallah walaalo. As for me my new yrs resolution is to start practising my religion more ( too many stops and starts over the yrs0. Du’a for all…ameen
January 1, 2008 at 8:41 pm
This Girl, welcome! Thank you very much for the duc’a, hon, and may you and your loved ones be blessed with health and contentment. Ameen to your duc’a and best of luck with your resolution.
January 4, 2008 at 9:09 am
Aya
This is crazy u work too many hours .when do u have time to relax or spend time with your family and friend!!
I’m glad u like your job. But I think u should seriously consider to make some changes in the future walal. These ppl are working you to death…axxx
Ps:the American system is all based on the concept of work work and well.. work some more.ta3aly TO kw o bey9eer sleep work sleep N fun
January 4, 2008 at 12:29 pm
I can really relate to this post. I don’t work nearly as many hours but my student loan is constantly on my mind, and I feel like I can’t start enjoying life until it’s all paid off.
January 6, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Iman, kefik habibty. I don’t have much time to relax when projects are heavy. I got back today from visiting with family and friends and I really didn’t want to come back to work. Oh well. KW sounds real nice hon
fomer, welcome! Student loans really shade your life grey, don’t they? I find that it is impossible to think of the future as long as you have massive debt coming into adulthood. It just doesn’t make any sense.
January 7, 2008 at 11:42 am
happy new year aya, and may it be a blessing one…i totally relate to ur blog..although 60+ is a little to much hours for me..since am still studying, but i have found something really interesting about saveing time. it some how depends on were u live in away. i lived in london all my life and last year i decided to move to a small county town called leicester in the eastmidland..i have so much time on hand now i can work go uni and still find other things to do on that week, but if u live in a capital state or some what busy city its going to be hard, especially if u are dependent on puplic transport, and dont have a car.
one thing is bad thow..am so bored am eating my nails off sometimes, am used to the big city environment..am moving back next year. lol
January 7, 2008 at 8:14 pm
I just zoned out when I read 60+…I haven’t gotten tested but I’m pretty sure I’m allergic to that much work.
Sorry.
January 7, 2008 at 11:39 pm
Happy new year, Jamal, and welcome! I totally hear you about the location. I’ve always lived in fairly large cities but this one is the worst by far in traffic. The quality of life becomes complete shit but what can we do, this is where the jobs are. Lol @ eating your nails. Cities are a terrible addiction
LD, welcome back! How have you been, hon? The hours just add up and our lives just become a bunch of billable hours. Sigh. Something has to change.
BTW, nurses have the worst type of schedule, long hours and shift work
January 8, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Aya asalamu alaykum
quick question for you. If you inherited enough money to last you the rest of your life to live comfortably…….what would you do?
January 8, 2008 at 4:46 pm
^ that was me
January 10, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Wa’alaikum Muslimah, how are you?
Oh hun, if I had all that money, I would stop working right away and maybe regain the ability to think
Then, I would make sure that my loved ones are taken care and then just go nuts. I have about 5899 creative projects I want to do, 1800 spots around the world to visit, 1000 interesting people to meet, and about 10 PhD’s to prepare from Ancient Civilizations to Artificial Intelligence to Comparative Religions.
In my downtime, I would make walk, run, bike, glide, beg, borrow and steal to collect money for the physically and mentally challenged.
And that is in the first 10 years
January 17, 2008 at 1:48 am
Bismillah
Aya……I’m hanging in there. I’m doing the first 5 of my own 5899 projects.
I asked this question to bring to light your dreams. Once we lose sight of them, we are doomed to a mundane life working for someone else, living a life set out for us.
Get your creative juices flowing and see how you can use the skills acquired in your many jobs to be your own boss and working on your own schedule. It’s not impossible and it starts with the change of your mindset and perceptions. If you were happy in your way….I’d ignore it. But you’re clearly unhappy.
start remembering your dreams and true passions. Forget thinking realistically for a moment.
and then maybe take a look at ‘The four hour workweek’ by Timothy Ferris.
sorry…Once I get started it’s hard to stop.