The Way Things Are
Written on April 30th, 2005


The economy and cost of living in San Diego sucks major ass.

I swear to God this is one of the toughest places to make a successful living. If I'm not willing to work a job for a certain wage, the illegal Mexicans will gladly work it and lower the pay scale for an entire industry of legal workers.

I'm one of the many kids that didn't get a head start. I didn't have a daddy to give me a car, a brother to hook me up with a job, parents to support my endeavours, I had NOTHING. Right now, the way I look at it, I barely have ANYTHING. If I fuck up, I lose everything I've spent the last three years attaining. That means if I get my girlfriend pregnant, I get arrested, I crash my car, I get fired, I get evicted, or whatever else the rest of your idiots do, I'm completely fucked. I don't have family security to fall back on. I don't have a trust fund or investments set up in my name. I don't have wealthy parents or family.

Hell, come to think of it, I don't even have any family! My roommate, best friend, and girlfriend are the only family I can truly rely on.

But not everything is so gloomy and somber in my life:

  • -Atleast I have a job
  • -I have a nice 3bedroom apartment
  • -I'm a small business owner
  • -I have business plans and future goals

    • Those are all great (but still average) requirements to attaining a successful financial life. Let's look into each of those factors a bit deeper:

    Yeah, I have a job. I get paid $11/hr. That's shit compared to the $20/hr I made two years ago. Thanks to the economy and corporate mis-management, I've lost $8/hr and a lot of my time. Now I'm paid just enough so I don't quit. I work hard enough to not get fired because I have no motivation. So what, a $.50 cent raise? $4 a day? $20 dollars a week? You know what that is? That is bullshit. I should go back to selling drugs, atleast that is more lucrative and potentially profitable.

    Sure, I have a nice three bedroom apartment. But the rent is damn near $1,500/month so the majority of my paycheck goes to paying my fair share. If I want to move out of the ghetto I'll have to dish out atleast $1,200 for a nice ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT, not counting security deposits/application fees.


    Often times people ask me silly questions like these:


    "Why don't you go to college"?
    Even the community college costs $33 a unit for a general ed course. Not to mention books, supplies, and whatever extra costs (like parking permits, application fees, etc.) I might incur. The college I want to go to costs over $60,000 for three years plus supplies.

    "Why don't you get financial aid"?
    This requires a full class schedule and often times has other requirements. I can't afford a full class schedule, plus, working 48 hours a week at various hours doesn't afford me the time to attend classes and complete homework. I only want to take a simple BUSINESS class. If I want to take one or two classes I have to pay for it out of my own pocket. 33 x 3 units (average class), plus books and fee's and it's well over $200.

    "Why don't you move out of state"?
    Unless my move guarantees me a job and a place to live, imagine the amount of gas and time I would spend solidifying residence and a job? I had an old friend who recently relocated to Arizona and he spent three months just finding a job! Plus, moving costs money. I'm trying to make extra money, not risk losing it.

    "Why don't you start your own business then"?
    I thought this was the best idea until I realized how much money it costs to start a legitimate business. Patents, trademarks, SBA fee's, web site design, promotion/marketing, and legwork are all factors that hinder small business growth. I got all of those covered through viral marketing and solid connections. But the money part is killing me. My business is a two person venture/proprietorship, but I have to rely on my second partner to pick up the financing and that sucks because I barely have enough money to get through the month!

    It takes money to make money, and if I'm completely fucking broke, how can I make money? Therefore I'm caught in a revolving door cycle that keeps beating me down.

    "Oh, but what about a small business loan?"
    Great idea except for one little minor detail I haven't told you guys -- I'm going through identity theft. I have ZERO credit. I don't even have a credit card. How the fuck can I get a loan, or why would an investor take a chance on me? It just plain sucks. I have to work with cash only.


    All the locals are being forced out of Southern California because the cost of living is steadily increasing but wages and prices aren't. Gas is so expensive most people have to quit their jobs and work closer to home. And if you're anything like me, you just have to deal with it and hope things get better.

    I made more money being a thief and drug dealer then I do being honest, so I'm sick of "hoping things will get better". What all this boils down to is that I have to play my life like a chess game. I can't sacrifice my pieces or make any mistakes. I have to protect my Queen, use my power pieces to destroy the opposition and play the game flawlessly.

    Luckily for me, I'm a good chess player.


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