Corporate Pride is an indicator of societal change, not a driver of societal change.
And I think a lot of people get those two mixed up.
A song mashup no one needs
Alternate lines of “do not stand at my grave and weep” with lines from “This is Halloween,” preferably the cover by Marilyn Manson.
I am the thousand winds that blow
I am the diamond glints on snow
I am the who when you call “who’s there?”
I am the wind blowing through your hair
Short opinion : landlords
Being a landlord is not “passive income” and the people who treat it that way are bad people.
Being a landlord is a job. You have to maintain the property your tenants live in. That is your responsibility for your part time job that you took on when you bought or inherited this property.
You can pay a property management company to do the landlord job for you, if you want. That’s definitely your prerogative, and it’s a good solution, especially for the people who just want to rent inherited property out until they’re ready to retire into it, or whatever.
But landlord is a job.
Cost of living increases and housing
When I got my first job and moved into my own apartment, in 2006, I rented a “one bedroom with den” for $1000. It was about 1000 square feet.
At the time, I was making about $45,000 a year. By the 30% rule, my monthly max for housing costs should have been $1125, so I was doing okay there. (And it definitely helped that I had no student loan debt or car payment. I have a lot of class privilege.)
For grins, I went back and looked at that same apartment complex today. At first, I was impressed: the one-bedrooms are still being rented for $1000! But then I looked closer. The $1000 unit is 450 square feet. There is no “one bedroom with den” option.
Turns out, that’s now listed as the “two bedroom deluxe” unit, and it rents for $1750. (The “den” did have a window, so I don’t know why it wasn’t listed as a Bedroom in 2006. I don’t know what year the complex made this change.)
For comparison, someone at my same entry-level job today would be making $60,000. By the 30% rule, their maximum on rent should be $1500. So they probably shouldn’t live in the “deluxe 2 bedroom” apartment, but they’d still be okay in the 1-bedroom; and they’d be able to spend the “extra” $500 (girl math!) on, I don’t know, student loans or something.
I honestly think more places should be renting out efficiency apartments like that. It’s one part of a solution that’s going to have to be many-faceted (because one single solution can’t fix everything).
For reference, with the Maryland minimum wage of $15, the annual salary would be $31,200, so about half of what this Entry Level person today would be making. So to live in a 450 square foot one-bedroom efficiency, where I live, you’d need to have a roommate. Two people could swing it for the two-bedroom, if they were thrifty, but it would be tight. They could get a roommate for the second bedroom, which would make it a bit easier; 3 adults in 1000 square feet is not the most fun thing, but it’s workable.
In my ideal world, a single person earning minimum wage would be able to rent the aforementioned 450-foot efficiency apartment for 0.3 of their monthly gross wage, period. This should be our societal standard for “can someone afford to live on the baseline level, y/n?”
Anyway. Small soapbox over. Just ran those numbers today and thought it was interesting. (And if you’re local and you want to know the name of the complex, let me know. I’m not posting it here though because they’re not paying me and I didn’t love them THAT much.)
It’s okay to change your mind
TikTok video by Abraham Piper:
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8HCyJqo/
A past decision can be canceled by a present decision without either decision being the wrong one.
Or, like I tell people all the time: just because a relationship has ended doesn’t mean it has failed.
It ain’t just a piece of paper
Reading this Reddit thread a little while back got me annoyed.
Someone in the comments (yes, I know, I know) was saying something like “is this (financial protections) really why people get married? What gold diggers!” Or whatever.
And my reaction? Yes, that’s why people get married! The entire point of legal marriage is, in fact, that “piece of paper” that gives you all the rights and privileges and protections and ability to file taxes jointly and whatever. That’s the only reason people get married and file a certificate with the state clerk.
The squishy emotional side of marriage doesn’t require a courthouse at all. You can go up to your favorite house of worship and have a ceremony there, without the legal side of this at all, whenever you want (and if you can convince the celebrant to let you renounce all the legal benefits; some won’t do that). You can have a party with all your friends and family that doesn’t involve the paper at all. Tons of folks do this if they elope and hold a reception later on, or whatever. The important emotional thing isn’t the legal paper; it’s the public promise in front of your friends and family.
The legal side of marriage? Is VERY important. And yes. It’s why people get married.
Romantic Love is Conditional
Inspired by this Reddit post, I want to state a Short Opinion: Romantic Love is, and should be, conditional.
The only love that should be unconditional is that of a parent for their minor child.
In any other relationship – be it romantic, platonic, or otherwise – it is not only appropriate, but necessary, to place conditions on your love/your presence in that relationship.
Negative amortization should be illegal
That’s it, that’s the post. Negative amortization should be illegal.
If an account is in a position (like with student loan deferments or forbearance or what have you) where someone needs to make a lowered payment, and is approved for that lowered payment, then the interest accrual should be paused for that period.
I wonder if any bills are being proposed that do this?
Short opinions : ADA and charter schools
I don’t think I had realized this before: private schools and charter schools are not subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Now, I haven’t fact checked that yet. However, assuming it’s true: I think that that is wrong. I don’t have foolproof ideas on how to fix it; I just think that private and charter schools *should* be required to all submit to the ADA.
I’ve met at least one family that does private schooling *because* their child is disabled and the public school can’t accommodate her as well. And I’m glad schools like that exist too.
No lilies
I’ve never been a big person for flowers and things of that nature; I like house plants, but flowers just isn’t one of my love languages.
But one thing I learned when I adopted my cats and started googling “what’s safe?” is that lilies, as well as other bulbs like tulips and daffodils, are extremely toxic to cats!
Here’s a TikTok from a veterinary practice about lily exposure. Content notes: cute cat, IV, and the cat survived.
So, if I ever make one of those pat little “how to date me” guides, item #1 would be “if flowers: nothing toxic to cats.”
Emilybook 