A week of long days

It's been one of those days for a lot of days now
I need a day where the world can take care of itself
This isn't what I wanted how I thought my life would turn out
And I wonder if it's like this from here on out
"Not Done Yet" - Superchick

No one said being a grown up was this hard, but now I understand when people say "if it's not one thing, it's something else". It really is. Being a recent grad in a recession has something to do with it as well, because we're really just trying to survive. Each gas tank fill up, each electric bill, each trip to the grocery store is full of one question - can I afford this?

And I don't want my graduating class to be accused of being spendthrifts, lazy, or anything like that. I've cut back bar nights, virtually eliminated shopping for non-necessities, and we (gasp!) don't have cable. (Internet is now a luxury item. Ridiculous.)

I subscribe to blogs about saving money, I write down tips about how to save everywhere I go. Yet, to me (and I'm obsessed with savings, obsessed with rainy day accounts), I'm barely staying afloat.

It's scary. Did I grow up too fast?

The economy and pick-up lines

Graduating during a economic decline, recession, rainy day (whatever you want to call it) is hard. Employers aren't hiring, gas prices are skyrocketing, food is expensive, and I've even had to cut back on my weekend bar-hopping (jeez!)

I recently invested in a Vespa to get to and from work and save me from spending a fortune on fueling my Ford Escape. Since I've gotten it, I've been the recipient of more than my fair share of pick-up lines, catcalls, and kissing noises from passing car windows. I'm wearing a helmet and sunglasses. It's not attractive.

Anyway! The majority of the pick-up lines haven't been at me. They've been at my cute purple Vespa, which averages around 65 MPG. Yesterday, while I was stopped at a red light, a guy walking by yelled out, "what an efficient little thing!" (Now, if he had said that directed at me, I probably would have decked him, but the Vespa can't fight back).

In the era of a declining economy, my scooter's fuel efficiency is more attractive than I am. Ouch.