Day Five, With a Side of Rant

This is a soapbox...this is my brain on a soapbox...

Let's say, hypothetically, that one was working with a family to help preserve their parental rights. Let's say that the parents were in hypothetical danger of losing their three kids because they could not consistently provide the necessities required by the family. Let's say then, that one was assisting the family in creating a budget and had learned that the family received housing assistance that enabled them to pay $50 a month in rent for a five bedroom house (Yes, $50.00. FIFTY. 5-0) as well as recieving $798 in food stamps, $598 in cash assistance, and $325 in survivor's benefits.

Let's then say, hypothetically, that this family was three months behind in rent payments and was requesting funding from the program that one worked for; funding in the amount of $100 to fix a tire on the family's vehicle.

Let's add, hypothetically, that, during the budgeting process, it was disclosed that the family currently spends $220 per month on soda and candy (Dad has a sweet tooth, hypothetically), $175 per month on cigarettes, $286 per month on cell phone service, and $77.50 on dog food, in addition to the other expenses that a family of five routinely encounters.

Let us go on to learn, hypothetically, that neither parent is currently willing to work because doing so will force a reduction in the amount of public assistance that they are eligible to receive. Nor are they willing to reduce the amount of money that they spend on the above-mentioned items because "there is only so much in life from which they can derive pleasure and they deserve some happiness".

Now, hypothetically speaking, would it be wrong for one to mentally envision reaching across a table and bitch-slapping a hypothetical client's face?

No?

Good, that brings me to the things for which I am grateful, today.

I am grateful for having parents who raised me to understand that I am morally required to EARN my living.

I am grateful for having had the opportunity to attend an institution of higher learning to better enable myself to earn that living and I am eternally grateful to my parents for instilling in me the value of education.

I am grateful to have the job that I have, despite feeling the occasional need to bang my head against a wall, and, I am grateful for the people I work with for allowing me to vent my frustration with a system that is pretty clearly broken; you know, hypothetically speaking.

I am also quite grateful that I never took up smoking, because $175 a month for cigarettes? Jebus H. Cripes! Do you have any idea how much OPI that would buy?

Day-um!