So, with my new job, I feel as if I'm a character in a role playing game and I just went up a level :P I'm becoming a much more specialized worker now and my job is definitely not "entry level" anymore. It's a good feeling, but also brings in the reality of how stark a contrast this all is from previous jobs and projects I've worked on.
The more I get into accounting, the more I realize how truly challenging and trying it is on a day to day basis. This week, I worked 54 hours. I'll also teach about 8 hours tomorrow. I'm starting to work too much... but it's the learning curve and growing pains of a new job; that's all. I'll get faster and eventually, this will be a 40 hour job again :P
As for school, I got a 95% on my Econ test and have the 2nd highest grade in the class for accounting :) I'm kinda falling behind in my computer class though :( I can't wait to take my vacation! :)
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Emotional Economics
All we hear is that we should spend our money on things that will help make our limited resources go further: buy an education versus a vacation to Cabo because an education (although grueling) will ultimately help you make more money by extending your resources than say the immediate happiness granted by your dream vacation.
But what effect does that Cabo vacation or any other "consumer good" have on the limited resource of your happiness? In essence, is the Cabo vacation a capital good when it concerns your emotional well-being? Really, what are the effects of spending money on consumer goods if consumer goods actually makes your emotional resources go further?
We are our best and most valued business: we are the sole beneficiaries of all the profits we reap, we are the ones who will benefit from any growth our business makes, and most importantly, we are the proverbial CEO's of our company, able to make and guide the future of our enterprise.
Now, let's say we use time as one of our limited resources. Wouldn't we be more productive if that time was spent doing something that invigorates and inspires us, thereby increasing our energy levels and our emotional resources, than something which is defeating and makes us less and less likely to want to achieve anything?
Maybe doing without a consumer good like an iPod isn't such a good idea if it means drudging through your workday with no music to make it pass by more quickly and be more enjoyable. Maybe doing without that new car isn't the greatest thing to do if your junker stresses you out by breaking down all the time.
The way I see it is that you can always choose to buy the "capital goods" that economists tout as the holy grail of financial well-being, but what about the capital goods for your soul? By buying into the hype of Roth IRAs and 401k's, you don't leave much room for the economic growth of your emotional resources. And if we're talking business, not taking care of your parent company by allocating resources to your satellite company is like only feeding the children in a starving African family. Who is going to take care of those kids when their parents have already died of dysentary?
But what effect does that Cabo vacation or any other "consumer good" have on the limited resource of your happiness? In essence, is the Cabo vacation a capital good when it concerns your emotional well-being? Really, what are the effects of spending money on consumer goods if consumer goods actually makes your emotional resources go further?
We are our best and most valued business: we are the sole beneficiaries of all the profits we reap, we are the ones who will benefit from any growth our business makes, and most importantly, we are the proverbial CEO's of our company, able to make and guide the future of our enterprise.
Now, let's say we use time as one of our limited resources. Wouldn't we be more productive if that time was spent doing something that invigorates and inspires us, thereby increasing our energy levels and our emotional resources, than something which is defeating and makes us less and less likely to want to achieve anything?
Maybe doing without a consumer good like an iPod isn't such a good idea if it means drudging through your workday with no music to make it pass by more quickly and be more enjoyable. Maybe doing without that new car isn't the greatest thing to do if your junker stresses you out by breaking down all the time.
The way I see it is that you can always choose to buy the "capital goods" that economists tout as the holy grail of financial well-being, but what about the capital goods for your soul? By buying into the hype of Roth IRAs and 401k's, you don't leave much room for the economic growth of your emotional resources. And if we're talking business, not taking care of your parent company by allocating resources to your satellite company is like only feeding the children in a starving African family. Who is going to take care of those kids when their parents have already died of dysentary?
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Therapy
I go to therapy for a variety of reasons. Something I'm working on now is releasing my inner child more often instead of bottling it up inside (I know it sounds corny). Basically, I'm so strong all the time, for my friends as a shoulder to cry on, or for myself (so I can push ahead with my goals and aspirations) that I never cry or feel much mercy for others. I'm also incredibly hard on myself and don't give myself a lot of slack - I always have to know the answer and do things the right way otherwise I feel useless.
You might say to yourself, "Those things are required for your survival as a responsible and successful adult" and I agree, but even so-called adults give themselves a pat on the back sometimes, and that's something I have trouble doing - being happy with where I'm at in life.
I've done lots of amazing things in my life - won the national championship on viola and competed internationally as the US representative, played viola on National Public Radio, solo'd and composed for various orchestras around the country, I've tutored the SAT, writing at the college level, been director of piano in LA, played film scores in the most elite studios in the industry... and even now, I'm 24 y/o working 2 jobs and making roughly $55K a year, own and run my own business, play with the La Jolla Symphony, manage a band which I compose and play for, am going back to school for my CPA, getting promoted at work, and to add to my financial and personal success, I've been engaged before and am still best friends with my some of my ex'es.
However, for me, nothing is good enough. I want to make 6 figures by the time I'm 35, I hope to find my partner for life one day, and so on and so on and so on. You see, it's hard for me to be satisfied with myself because I don't usually respect others. And because I don't respect others, I don't want to live mundane lives like they do where they stagnate and just die off. But because I detest living a lackluster life, I tend to suck all the fun out of just living and being happy. So yeah... it's all weird and cyclical as you can see.
In therapy, I do affirmations like "I accept myself as who I truly am" to try to embrace my inner child and let myself just be innocent. Whereas most people tend to not take enough responsibility for their lives, I tend to do so so much that I beat myself up over it.
Therapy for me is an hour where I don't have to have all the answers and "be all that I can be".
Talk about issues, huh? :P
You might say to yourself, "Those things are required for your survival as a responsible and successful adult" and I agree, but even so-called adults give themselves a pat on the back sometimes, and that's something I have trouble doing - being happy with where I'm at in life.
I've done lots of amazing things in my life - won the national championship on viola and competed internationally as the US representative, played viola on National Public Radio, solo'd and composed for various orchestras around the country, I've tutored the SAT, writing at the college level, been director of piano in LA, played film scores in the most elite studios in the industry... and even now, I'm 24 y/o working 2 jobs and making roughly $55K a year, own and run my own business, play with the La Jolla Symphony, manage a band which I compose and play for, am going back to school for my CPA, getting promoted at work, and to add to my financial and personal success, I've been engaged before and am still best friends with my some of my ex'es.
However, for me, nothing is good enough. I want to make 6 figures by the time I'm 35, I hope to find my partner for life one day, and so on and so on and so on. You see, it's hard for me to be satisfied with myself because I don't usually respect others. And because I don't respect others, I don't want to live mundane lives like they do where they stagnate and just die off. But because I detest living a lackluster life, I tend to suck all the fun out of just living and being happy. So yeah... it's all weird and cyclical as you can see.
In therapy, I do affirmations like "I accept myself as who I truly am" to try to embrace my inner child and let myself just be innocent. Whereas most people tend to not take enough responsibility for their lives, I tend to do so so much that I beat myself up over it.
Therapy for me is an hour where I don't have to have all the answers and "be all that I can be".
Talk about issues, huh? :P
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Perspective
Sometimes, you feel like you're never getting anywhere and that you have to do and be more than you are, and you get so caught up in it that you start to feel this never-ending malaise of inadequacy.
"I wish I were this successful, two years ago" "In 5 more years, I'll have such and such to show for it" "By the time I'm his age, I want to be that" It's not bad to think these things. In fact, it's called having initiative and goals for your existence, but sometimes, I think people who do this can be so driven that it compromises the quality of life they are trying to assume for themselves.
Then you talk to an old friend and hear about what they've been doing with their lives, and it's then that you really see the direction in which your life has been taken. All I want to say right now is that I'm really proud of where I am today. I got through a lot to get here and went through things alot of people could not have handled, in my opinion. And through it all, I still desire growth and inspiration from my life.
I'm 24 y/o and really have my shit together these days. It wasn't always this way, but I'm glad to say my life is on its way to a better tomorrow :)
"I wish I were this successful, two years ago" "In 5 more years, I'll have such and such to show for it" "By the time I'm his age, I want to be that" It's not bad to think these things. In fact, it's called having initiative and goals for your existence, but sometimes, I think people who do this can be so driven that it compromises the quality of life they are trying to assume for themselves.
Then you talk to an old friend and hear about what they've been doing with their lives, and it's then that you really see the direction in which your life has been taken. All I want to say right now is that I'm really proud of where I am today. I got through a lot to get here and went through things alot of people could not have handled, in my opinion. And through it all, I still desire growth and inspiration from my life.
I'm 24 y/o and really have my shit together these days. It wasn't always this way, but I'm glad to say my life is on its way to a better tomorrow :)
Friday, February 15, 2008
Finances & Vacation
So, I just did my budget and I will be hitting the $10K mark at the very end of March. So, that will cross NYR #6 off of the list! Yay!
NYR #5 is pretty much null and void since I'll be switching positions on Tuesday and will leave the backlog to my successor.
As for my vacation in March, I've decided on San Francisco! I booked 5 nights at a 4 star hotel in Union Square and will be doing all the touristy things like Alcatraz, Asian Art Museum, MOMA, De Young, Legion of Honor, Aquarium of the Bay, Exploratorium, shopping, SF Symphony, SF Conservatory, day spa, Chinatown, Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39, Gary Danko, see a musical or a play, and exploring the nightlife!
The trip is jam packed and will cost almost the entire amount of my tax return! But since this will be my first real vacation in a few years (the Grand Canyon trip was a total waste of good vacation time due to Mitch's stomach ache) I decided it was time to really splurge! :) I'm also flying Virgin America airlines which is a totally high tech flight! Yay! :D
NYR #5 is pretty much null and void since I'll be switching positions on Tuesday and will leave the backlog to my successor.
As for my vacation in March, I've decided on San Francisco! I booked 5 nights at a 4 star hotel in Union Square and will be doing all the touristy things like Alcatraz, Asian Art Museum, MOMA, De Young, Legion of Honor, Aquarium of the Bay, Exploratorium, shopping, SF Symphony, SF Conservatory, day spa, Chinatown, Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39, Gary Danko, see a musical or a play, and exploring the nightlife!
The trip is jam packed and will cost almost the entire amount of my tax return! But since this will be my first real vacation in a few years (the Grand Canyon trip was a total waste of good vacation time due to Mitch's stomach ache) I decided it was time to really splurge! :) I'm also flying Virgin America airlines which is a totally high tech flight! Yay! :D
Thursday, February 7, 2008
STDs, Tax Returns, and Spring Break! Oh my! :P
So, I'm super psyched! I went and got all my STD/HIV tests done and I came through negative on all of them! Even herpes! Yay! :D I thought for sure that I already had gotten herpes from Mitch...
Anyway, in other news, I'm planning my Spring Break :D (Sunday, March 16th through Friday, March 21st) I'm deciding between NYC and San Francisco. I think I'll try to make some online friends during the next month who I can meet while I'm there, but this time, I'll take the vacation alone (first time!)
Lastly, my tax refund is going to be $1,900.00! I'm almost to $10K now! (which is New Year's Resolution # 6) :)
Anyway, in other news, I'm planning my Spring Break :D (Sunday, March 16th through Friday, March 21st) I'm deciding between NYC and San Francisco. I think I'll try to make some online friends during the next month who I can meet while I'm there, but this time, I'll take the vacation alone (first time!)
Lastly, my tax refund is going to be $1,900.00! I'm almost to $10K now! (which is New Year's Resolution # 6) :)
Monday, February 4, 2008
w00t!
So, I've already accomplished #2 on my New Year's Resolutions list! Yay!
I had 7 students, and wanted 12; I now have 13! I teach a full 8 hours now on Saturdays (10AM-6PM). I'm planning a masterclass in May with a colleague of mine on "The Economics of Time Management: How to practice smarter, not harder". I'm very excited to be working on this project.
I've also decided to make small steps with technology in my music studio as an investment. Things like recording the lessons and sending them (via email) to students. Also, I'd like to purchase CDs, books, and software to lend to my students in order to inspire them. Additionally, I'd also like to invest in some new teaching materials to help make me a better teacher.
I also learned why I am such a good teacher from an epiphany I had during some recent energy release work - I want my kids to be able to express their inner child - something I didn't have the opportunity to do when I was a child. That's why I encourage making mistakes. Because the essence of childhood is innocence, and innocence means letting yourself just "be" - you don't have to know all the answers, or be smart, strong, wise or right. That's how you learn - you have to allow yourself to make mistakes! :D
I had 7 students, and wanted 12; I now have 13! I teach a full 8 hours now on Saturdays (10AM-6PM). I'm planning a masterclass in May with a colleague of mine on "The Economics of Time Management: How to practice smarter, not harder". I'm very excited to be working on this project.
I've also decided to make small steps with technology in my music studio as an investment. Things like recording the lessons and sending them (via email) to students. Also, I'd like to purchase CDs, books, and software to lend to my students in order to inspire them. Additionally, I'd also like to invest in some new teaching materials to help make me a better teacher.
I also learned why I am such a good teacher from an epiphany I had during some recent energy release work - I want my kids to be able to express their inner child - something I didn't have the opportunity to do when I was a child. That's why I encourage making mistakes. Because the essence of childhood is innocence, and innocence means letting yourself just "be" - you don't have to know all the answers, or be smart, strong, wise or right. That's how you learn - you have to allow yourself to make mistakes! :D
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
