Thursday’s Money Menu 10 12 23

Money spent: $56.47 (Soda, Utilities, dinner at my favorite neighborhood restaurant)

Technology is helping with the grading. So that’s a good thing. First week of my regular classes seem okay. Getting back on a regular schedule, because having “make up” work on the weekends sort of throws me off. But tomorrow is Friday and I’m covering everything I want to cover.

I also saw that my favorite neighborhood restaurant is open again. It’s the place with the really good broth. They usually bring me a large bowl of it because I like it so much. But tonight, it wasn’t as good somehow, and my beef and peppers over rice wasn’t as beefy as it normally is.

It was still nice to go there though.

Wednesday’s Money Menu 10 11 23 or “It Can’t Be True, Mary Lou!”

Money spent: $48.85 (food, transportation, roasting pans, protein bars, chips Subway sandwich)

Days until payday: Three or four

Went a bit bonkers today financially speaking. The transportation costs did me in, as I was sort of in a hurry and didn’t want to take the bus, the subway, or walk anywhere.

Leaky Compost Bin

Trying to clean up my balcony. My compost bin has drain holes and nothing under it to contain the moisture, so I bought roasting pans. It’s the cheapest solution.

However, it seems futile, as all of my tomato plants are dying. They start out okay, but I think there must be something going on with the soil. So I’m getting rid of it, and probably either throwing the containers out, or repurposing them. I’m afraid I won’t be able to wash whatever fungus is lurking in the containers. Then the next round of tomato plants will be ruined too.

Peppers this Season?

It’s sort of ironic—my plants are not really thriving here. Sort of a metaphor for my life. My pepper plants look great—but the blossoms are not getting pollenated or whatever the bees are supposed to do to them. So I’m not sure if I’ll even get peppers this season.

After my 13-hour day, I treated myself to sleeping late and it was awesome.

Mary Lou Retton is Fighting for her Life

However, I was a bit shocked to discover Mary Lou Retton is fighting for her life. I’m just a year older than she is. And yes, I remember the 1984 Olympics. Gymnastics was something I always wanted to do, but never did. I always wanted to ice skate too. Strangely, my mother allowed me to take riding lessons. Those were way more dangerous than skating.

Anyway, it’s always a bit unnerving to discover someone your age died, or is dying. From what I’ve read it’s a rare form of pneumonia. Some speculate it’s Covid. I’ve known Retton was a conservative for a long time, but discovering someone worth millions didn’t have life insurance is puzzling. Surely she could have afforded some great health care plans, right? Private ones too, none of that commie ObamaCare stuff, right?

Because I wonder.

Mary Lou and Larry Nassar

Mary Lou voted against legislation to protect gymnasts after the Larry Nassar scandal, and she’s got that, “by God, I did it, everyone else can do it too” mentality of taking care of one’s self and battling through pain and setbacks. Like a lot of people, they are heartless and don’t realize that there ARE some people in this world who genuinely CAN’T take care of themselves, or afford health insurance. Some work their asses off too—not as spokespersons, but fast-food workers, retail workers, restaurant workers. These so-called “Essential” workers who get bottom of the barrel pay, because hey, it’s nice to be wanted and needed, right?

Maybe there is another side to this story—how a beloved athlete worth millions doesn’t have health insurance. A part-time McDonald’s worker not having healthcare I can understand. Working at a job with sub-par health insurance I can understand. But Mary Lou Fucking Retton?

Go Fund Me to the Rescue?

It’s rather ironic that her daughters are asking for help on crowdsourcing sites like Go Fund Me.. Isn’t that for poor people who didn’t plan well?

Okay, I’m being snarky. But something just doesn’t seem right. Did she not buy an ObamaCare plan because of the cost? Because it’s ObamaCare and she’s a conservative? It just doesn’t make sense someone that wealthy wouldn’t have some sort of plan.

But… whatever. I won’t be sending a donation because I’m not in great financial shape either. And someone who owns a house valued in the millions refusing to pay for health insurance has fucked-up priorities. She can afford it.

There are millions who cannot.

Tuesday’s Money Menu 10 10 23

Money spent: $15.40 (transportation, junk food)

Days until payday: five or six.

Just a 13-hour-day today, plus a writing training session at midnight. Commiserated with a fellow teacher; he’s having a more difficult time than I am. Nice to chat with him. He and his wife and baby girl might move to Xiamen, and that would be great. I’ve been chatting with him for years; he’s wanted to come over here for a while now, but it hasn’t gotten off to a very good start.

Still, it’s nice to have someone here who knows how it IS.

Sunday’s Money Menu 10 8 23

Money spent: $8.74 (transportation and food)

Days until payday: 7 or 8.

It’s been almost 20 years now since you’ve been gone. The glue vanished when you did, brother and sister being driven further apart. Figuratively, as well as literally.

I knew it would happen. But I tried to make you well. Tried to postpone death and maybe if you’d been wealthier, it might have worked.

I miss you. Maybe I stayed a kid way longer than I should have, but shit, childhood was great. Growing up sucked. And I can’t adult well. Thanks for not shoving me out of the house on graduation night. I hear stories about that, and it makes me think my upbringing was say more European than American.

I wish Elizabeth had lived. I’d like to think she would have had a better life than I did.

I dream about you sometimes. What’s strange is that you’re alive, you’re just not there. Like if I dream I’m home, you are at the grocery store or something. There, but not there.

Sometimes I’ll dream about you and dad. You guys are renovating the house or something. I’m excited about a bigger house but wonder how you’ll be able to afford it. Not surprisingly, the house is in the process of renovation, I never see the end result.

The family doesn’t talk to me any more. You might be upset about that. You were so tough, so strong, but tenderhearted and generous You wouldn’t recognize your son anymore. It’s a shame. I don’t talk to him because I don’t like yelling. People don’t listen to me. They just don’t. I have to yell and scream at them sometimes. Then they don’t want to be my friend anymore. That’s okay. Why would I want to be friends with people who don’t listen to me?

The usual money problems have remained. I sometimes think I am carrying on you and dad’s legacy. I’m glad you finally paid off dad’s bills.

I’m really tired and tomorrow I have three classes, one of them starting at 8:20 a.m. I’m teaching, like you suggested, but it isn’t quite the way I envisioned it. Still, my new students are truly new—and yesterday and today, class was fun. I hope I can keep up the momentum.

I love you mom. There’s more to say, but I just can’t.

Friday’s Money Menu 10 6 23 or How to Budget Money (From an Absolute Financial Failure)

Money Spent today $16.73

Days until payday: 9 if I’m paid on a Sunday, 10 if it’s Monday

How to Budget Money

How to budget money? It’s something I’ve learned a whole hell of a lot more in the past couple months. I haven’t used cash in several months. I buy everything on WeChat, or Weixin Pay. I go into WeChat, click on the plus sign inside the circle, and the drop down menu offers me four choices, with money at the bottom.

I tap on “money” and my QR code is revealed. The retailer scans it, or I hold my phone over a scanner. Other times, I hit “scan” and scan the retailer’s QR code.

It Involves Basic Recordkeeping–Get an App or Write Everything Down to the Penny

Weixin Pay is one of the many accounts I have on my WeChat. So I tap on that and it has a running record of what I bought and from whom. So you can do it that way, or you can do it the old-fashioned way: literally write everything down to the penny that you’ve purchased. And you should be detailed with WHAT it is you buy, as well as the amount. It’s sooooo easy to forget, and that’s why the science of how to budget money can be difficult.

I know how I roll and what I’ve been rolling lately. Food. Today I walked to McDonald’s and bought my usual. Then, I checked my bank balance (rode the bus there and back) and then bought more junk food. I added the sums together, then, multiplied that amount by .14 to get the USD amount.

Currency Converter: Dollars to Yuan

There are around seven yuan in each dollar. Each yuan is around 14 cents. Sometimes I can do the math in my head, sometimes not. Three hundred yuan is $42. Two thousand yuan is $280. Converting dollars to yuan is harder for me for some reason. I’ve just memorized that 100 RMB is roughly $14 and go from there.

So in terms of budgeting, I have to think about what I absolutely NEED and what I don’t. I have way too many clothes, for example. Some I ordered and didn’t really wear. They’re just a bit too small, but I’m fitting into them better since I’ve lost weight. Even though I’ve had them a while, they are “new” to me. I see stuff in the stores all the time, but the last time I really bought a bunch of stuff at once was over a year ago. So clothes aren’t really important right now.

Just Pretend Your Place Looks Good

Neither is decorating my place. I keep reminding myself when I see stuff that I’m basically renting it. Décor is something I enjoy, but currently, I can’t afford to spend money on that. I’d frame my photographs, as I’ve got some pieces I’m insanely proud of, but the walls are weird here. Pushpins don’t work, and I’m not entirely sure what the walls are made of in the first place. They’re painted with flat paint, so using Fun Tac or similar is tricky. Sometimes I can peel it off no problem, but there are several spots on my bedroom wall that have become problems. I used the Fun Tac to attach battery powered string lights to the wall. I then used mini clothespins to hang the mostly 5×7 inch photos. It was a nice effect, but the Fun Tac gave way and the lights and photos came down.

How to Budget and Save Money? Prioritize

How to budget money requires diligent recordkeeping and a hard look at what’s important to you. It also requires a source of income as well. People say, “it’s not how much you earn, it’s how you spend it,” but that’s a bit of bullshit right now. People aren’t making what they should be making, and after looking at rental properties in my neighborhood at home, I’m gobsmacked. There’s no way a minimum wage job can cover that and the other things needed to survive.

But no one wants to talk about wage stagnation. That’s almost like saying, “I love sucking the penis of socialism.”

Thursday’s Money Menu 10 5 2023

Money spent $14

Days until payday: 10 if I get paid on the weekend, 11 if I get paid the next day.

Cut and Eat for American-style pizza!

I went out to Cut and Eat Pizza again. I’m not sure why I’m eating out so much. Boredom? Restlessness? Anxiety? Who knows? I know I’m down to one meal a day, plus snacks, but not very many.

An unpleasant anniversary is coming up. And there’s going to be a disruption in my daily routine, which will take some getting used to. Things like that always mess me up for a while.

Going for Broke: Potato chip factories and do it yourself abortions

I’m supposed to get copies of Going for Broke. I got an email today saying the books should arrive tomorrow. I visited three book stores here in Xiamen, but didn’t see it. I did order an ebook from Haymarket Books. From what I’ve seen, this anthology is well worth the read, particularly if you’re doing well. Not everyone is doing well. And if you’re sweating because you had to let the gardener go, at least you probably don’t have to perform your own abortions.

But if you do, don’t forget to wash your hands.

Wednesday’s Money Menu 10 4 23

Money Spent: $23.95 (Burger King, pasta sauce, tomatoes)

Days until payday: 12, unless I get paid on that Sunday.

Burger King, and Pasta Sauce and Granny Smith Apples

Stayed home for the most part today. Worked on some writing. Did some housework. Went out for Burger King, then went to get pasta sauce.

Is it pasta sauce, or isn’t it? Google Translate let me down.

It’s easy enough to find pasta, but not the sauce. Which is weird to me, but whatever. Glomy, which had the Granny Smith apples, had something that looked like pasta sauce, but I wasn’t sure. I walked over to Shimao Festival Mall to Sungiven Foods and found some.

Then I walked home.

Going for Broke: Living on the Edge in the World’s Richest Country

Less than two weeks until payday. Looks like I’ll be okay. But the stress and fear of the unknown continues to take its toll.

But trying to look on the bright side. I’m happy to be in Going for Broke: Living on the Edge in the World’s Richest Country. It’s my proudest writing achievement to date.

Tuesday’s Money Menu 10 3 23

Money spent: $18.20 (groceries, e-book)

Days until payday: 12 or 13, depending on if I get paid on the weekend

Today I stayed at home for the most part. I knew I wanted orange chicken tonight, so I went to get fresh green onion. I also ended up with some other stuff as well, which usually happens when I go to the grocery store. I should have picked up some wonton wrappers and fresh cream cheese too.

Moldy Wrappers, Dashed Food Dreams

But the problem is, sometimes the wonton wrappers just aren’t available. And the cream cheese is not exactly a Chinese grocery store staple. So when I was full of rice, but still wanted something else, I thought I’d fry up some cream cheese Rangoon.

Except the wrappers I had were moldy. I should have put everything back into the freezer the last time I had them. And I didn’t. It’s not the first time this has happened. I’ll be in the mood for something, and I’ll go out and buy it. I’ll have a serving or two of whatever, then I’ll be good. Then the food goes bad. That’s the problem when you are eating one meal a day. You THINK you need a lot of food, but you don’t. Buying food would be a bit easier here if you could get everything at one store. But you can’t. The cream cheese is a good 30 minute subway ride away. And to get to the subway quickly, you have to take a bus ride. And then, there’s the waiting for the bus.

Frozen French Fries to the Rescue

So I fried up some French fries since I was still hungry. But somehow, those turned into a sleeping pill because I was super tired after supper. So I napped. What the hell. I’m on vacation after all.

Going for Broke: Living on the Edge in the World’s Richest Country is here!

Earlier, I spent a bunch of time doing some writing and also spreading the word about Going for Broke. It’s out. I bought an e copy of it today. It’s good. There’s a lot of essays in there and a poem about work, health, poverty. Someone did her own abortion. Dark stuff, but important stuff to read. I’ve read three pieces so far, including my own.

And at nearly 400 pages or so, the ebook or paperback are bargains. If you buy from Haymarket Books, you can get a good discount. You can check it out here:  https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2097-going-for-broke

Monday’s Money Menu 10 2 23

Money spent: $3.50

Days until payday: 12 if I’m paid on the actual day, 13 if I’m paid a day later.

Found a really cute drinks place not far from my house. Did more socializing today, which was nice. Cooling down a bit, but still warm.

Really, really excited for the release of Going for Broke: Living on the Edge in the World’s Richest Country which comes out October 3, 2023. You can buy the book here: https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2097-going-for-broke

Or go to your nearest bookstore and complain bitterly if they don’t have it.

It’s probably my proudest writing achievement to date. Certainly better than the time I was in grad school, won an award for “Letters to Karla,” which tried to dig inside Karla Homolka‘s mind,, won $1,000, but only got to keep $10 of it.

So much for that celebratory trip to Cedar Point..