An eating, shopping, and dancing kind of day…

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Punk Rock HR Advice: Don’t Ask for a Raise

Published March 19, 2009 HR , advice , human resources , punk rock
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I just read an article called How to Get a Raise in a Recession.

::le sigh::

This article makes me sad. You’re not getting a raise in this economy.

Instead of asking for more money — or trying to find another job that pays more money (and doesn’t exist) — let’s address some of the reasons why you need more money.

Here’s my advice.

  • Stop buying shit.
  • Go through your existing shit.
  • Make three piles: throw this shit out, donate this shit, sell this shit.
  • In some capacity, get rid of all three piles.

You will never get far when you are bound to the physical constraints of this life, and you don’t need a 3% raise — or a stupid job where you have to ask for a raise — when you opt out of mindless consumption.

We were up at around nine this morning and I fixed a waffle with an egg over easy on it (albeit Miss Thang at the Waffle House would have insisted they were over-medium, but I digress…) with a side order of a turkey sausage patty—all with coffee, of course.

Lunch consisted of Omaha Steaks hamburgers on the grill, which were pretty darn good, but too expensive to pay for myself—in the future that is. Robert goes this pack as a work thank-you, so being free, they were fantastic. 🙂

Robert accompanied me to run a few errands, with the first stop at the Cameron Village Library to pick up my James Baldwin Selected Essays book, then off to Crabtree Valley Mall to the Sears, where I bought a washer and dryer.

We took a stroll around the mall—more for exercise, a cup of coffee, and some people-watching than shopping—but we did make a stop in the Rack Room, where I bought a pair of black tennis shoes on sale, as my dancing ones have begun to tear along a seam.

With a cup of coffee, we took a seat by the escalators and I checked in with mom and dad by phone. Dad was able to talk on the phone, but stuttered a little bit trying to get his sentences out, but there was no problem following what he was saying. Mom caught me up on his progress and his schedule of doctor appointments over the next couple of weeks.

For dinner we had a couple of appetizers—shrimp cocktail and some crackers and cheese. Delish.

Dancing was fun enough tonight. We had a good number dancers, and the crowd grew steadily as our 10:30 stop time approached. Robert and I left there at about 11:30.

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