Can Today Be The Day?

This is the first day of the rest of your life.

Yeah.

Heard that. Over and again over. Heard it lots. Heard it at the beginning of lots of days, and at the ends of many days.

Of course, such pap is the stuff that keeps bumper sticker printers in magnetic sticker sheets and printers ink. It keeps those artsy slogan writers alive too, as they also slap those letter under thinly screened scenes of sunrises (never sunsets, for that would defeat the purpose of the line), and teachers, coaches, social workers, drugs counselors and others in the 'helping professions' hang those posters on walls, paste them on bulletin boards, and make visual hay with the image over the words.

But, what does it mean? Can today be all that different from yesterday? From a hundred yesterdays? A thousand yesterdays?

Is there anything more daunting that trying to [insert sound effect of car making screeching turn here], actually change the way ones life is progressing?

Well, is there?

Well, lets look at what might have to change in order to begin anew what was previously not so hot in the "boy, would I like to tell my high school class at the 30th Reunion about this."

Probably the list would contain income, job change, a few friend transplants, status amendments, new wardrobe, plastic surgery (think that 30th Reunion), new home, better car, better education, new opportunity, and the beat goes on...

Personally, I'd throw in a trip to the greengrocer, but then again, I've not seen fresh veg in too long to recount. It's the economy, stupid. [Blast, another bumper sticker strikes.]

In this economy, pretty much that entire list is off the charts in terms of feasibility. With the possible exception of education, which one can get, without diploma, if only the library card is exercised--and the library is open at any hours at all-- the whole thing is off the charts difficult. Of course, the whole point is the certificate, but that's another story, as they say. We are changing life, not piling up paper.

But, put the economy aside. Perhaps it is time to apply The Secret. Think your way to riches and new stuff. Like new digs, new friends (and more time for the old ones), new riches, new ... new...new...

AAARRRRGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! Sorry about that.

Of course, you also might have to silence those voices that say we already have too much 'stuff'. You might not want the new car. You might be perfectly happy with your house, apartment or refrigerator box in the park. [Yeah, I know -- it's the economy, stupid.]

Me? I just want to be paid for my work. I just want to make more than $0.50 an hour. That alone would go a long way to making my life better. Newer. A life that would make me want to think of the future.

But when no one pays for work, then there is no incentive to work. That happens because I know from experience that I am working to be able to afford the ability to practice my profession. I am working full-time to support what is a part time practice of my profession. And that isn't going so well, because I still can't afford that trip to the grocery store I've been promising myself for the past 7 months. Thank God for dried beans, lentils, rice and spaghetti, though spaghetti without sauce is getting sort of old.

Someone, please send in the pap-masters and bumper stickers. I'm too knackered by it all to even read a book, to say nothing of writing one.