I will be using this space to, well, rant I suppose. I am a non-traditional college sophomore starting over after years as a D.J. in so called gentlemen's clubs. I'm very glad to be out of the business, and hope that I can find some measure of success in my new line, journalism.
Right now the biggest obstacle I face is financial. I have to say that I am rather thoroughly disgusted with the government bail-out of various automakers and such. While I am forced to decide whether to buy a required text book or pay the electric bill because additional educational loans are not available to me, companies like GM that have been mis-managed for years are getting billions from our government? How many students would that put through school?
How many of you reading this are familiar with the current prices of college textbooks? $95 for a SOFTCOVER book that will be used for a bit over 3 months. The bookstore will then graciously buy it back for perhaps $15 dollars or so. Gee, thanks. With prices like that, how does anyone wonder why so many Americans are functionally illiterate?
Being a collge student means having to work an irregular schedule, with limited hours, usually at minimum wage or only slightly better. The current minimum wage is a joke. For a 40 hour week at minimum wage you earn $290 before taxes. After taxes are taken out, you bring home a little over $200. A whole $200 seems like a pretty good amount, in 1986.
I live in a small apartment, one of the cheaper ones available in the area.Rent is $550 a month. At minimum wage, it takes most of 3 weeks pay just to cover rent. Add in the cost of electricity and a phone and you are lucky to have $150 a month to buy groceries and cover any other expense that comes up.
I am holding on, waiting and hoping that President Obama's inauguration will truly begin a new era of hope and prosperity to our country. If nothing else, I thank God he is not another Bush.