[las vegas drunk]

Originally Posted by lyra33

Somewhere there is someone in the world who is grateful and happy for a warm blanket or something to eat that day.

That would be me. Since I am a minimum wage worker who has a much lower standard of living than all of you I have a valid reason to be unhappy. I highly doubt any of you "happy" people on here could live one day in my life without committing suicide. I am grateful that I have a place to live and a running car. However, I fail when I compare myself to most others my age.

[quixotic59]

Originally Posted by lyra33

Wow, sounds like a musical family! Do you play any other instruments? My Dad was in a band and one of his fellow band mates knew how to play the accordion. I'm sure it has a lot to do with when I was born...it was the early 80's when I played. I don't remember what I played exactly but I do remember the motions and all the coordination involved...playing the keyboard, opening and closing and the red buttons.

My father actually played "by ear". He could listen to a song and in most cases recreate it pretty well. We mostly self taught ourselves to read music so we kind of hit a wall after a certain point. One sister went on to study music in college, focusing on piano. She now teaches piano to autistic children.

[lyra33]

Originally Posted by pommysmommy

Lyra, I love your empathy for others. Most of us have walked a mile in others shoes. Wise people use those experiences to relate to others.

Thank you!

"Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world..."

[pommysmommy]

Originally Posted by las vegas drunk

That would be me. Since I am a minimum wage worker who has a much lower standard of living than all of you I have a valid reason to be unhappy. I highly doubt any of you "happy" people on here could live one day in my life without committing suicide. I am grateful that I have a place to live and a running car. However, I fail when I compare myself to most others my age.

I think you are wrong. Many people don't worry about comparing themselves to others. They put one foot in front of the other and move forward. Those people are proud to be able to support themselves and don't dwell in negativity.

[quixotic59]

Originally Posted by las vegas drunk

That would be me. Since I am a minimum wage worker who has a much lower standard of living than all of you I have a valid reason to be unhappy. I highly doubt any of you "happy" people on here could live one day in my life without committing suicide. I am grateful that I have a place to live and a running car. However, I fail when I compare myself to most others my age.

Sounds like you have a rather uncomplicated life. Do you live that way by choice? When you say "standard of living" that usually implies having more stuff which usually brings more headaches. Maybe you are happier than you realize?

[lyra33]

Originally Posted by quixotic59

My father actually played "by ear". He could listen to a song and in most cases recreate it pretty well. We mostly self taught ourselves to read music so we kind of hit a wall after a certain point. One sister went on to study music in college, focusing on piano. She now teaches piano to autistic children.

Awesome ...my Dad plays by ear as well. His first instrument is the guitar (he is amazing) but he can also play the piano, via chords, without one day of piano lessons. (He did have a few years of guitar lessons.)

I also learned to play the piano by ear at first with the Suzuki method and then switched to a traditional teacher later. To this day I still remember all my Suzuki songs as I listened to them on tapes every night before bed. Although I can sight read; playing by ear is like breathing to me.

[lyra33]

Originally Posted by las vegas drunk

That would be me. Since I am a minimum wage worker who has a much lower standard of living than all of you I have a valid reason to be unhappy. I highly doubt any of you "happy" people on here could live one day in my life without committing suicide. I am grateful that I have a place to live and a running car. However, I fail when I compare myself to most others my age.

I spent many years making minimum wage. During my husbands last year in college he was unable to work because of his class schedule. We were too poor to turn on our heat. We lived on beans and rice and didn't have health insurance. We only had one car so my husband had to ride to school in the snow and ice on his bike while I used the car to work my minimum wage job so we could get by.

People can be happy. I often think of the people who survived the Holocaust. You in no way can even compare your life to what they experienced.

My Dad told me something at a young age that has always stuck with me..."People can and are able to adapt to any situation." (This was when I was in a woe is me situation because I just had braces put on.) He went on to share situations that were much more extreme...like people who have lost their sight, hearing, or limbs. Suddenly my braces were not so terrible. He was right. And Pink is right. Happiness is a state of mind.

I'm not always happy. I have times when I struggle just like anyone else. We are human, but at the same time...why waste what little precious time we have being miserable?

[las vegas drunk]

Originally Posted by pommysmommy

I think you are wrong. Many people don't worry about comparing themselves to others. They put one foot in front of the other and move forward. Those people are proud to be able to support themselves and don't dwell in negativity.

Originally Posted by quixotic59

Sounds like you have a rather uncomplicated life. Do you live that way by choice? When you say "standard of living" that usually implies having more stuff which usually brings more headaches. Maybe you are happier than you realize?

As most of you know, I work security for a very prestigious IT company. I have had my job now for over 4 years there. In that time, I have managed to make friends with some of the employees there that I talk with day to day. I will admit I am jealous of them since they can all live normal lives. They are very well off, and I wish I could even have half the lifestyle that they do. One lady who I now consider a close friend is my age literally owns three houses and a $70,000 vehicle. My life is quite different. I drive a 20 year old piece of crap with no AC. The apartments I live in have very thin walls in which I am constantly woken up with noise from my neighbors. I can not even sleep anymore without over drugging myself with sleeping pills. I guess I am at the breaking point to where I can not take it anymore. I do not make enough money to afford a decent apartment, and I am tired of renting rooms with people as everyone turned out to be a disaster in the end. I do not need to be rich, but whoever said money is the root of all evil was an idiot.

[las vegas drunk]

Originally Posted by lyra33

I spent many years making minimum wage. During my husbands last year in college he was unable to work because of his class schedule. We were too poor to turn on our heat. We lived on beans and rice and didn't have health insurance. We only had one car so my husband had to ride to school in the snow and ice on his bike while I used the car to work my minimum wage job so we could get by.

People can be happy. I often think of the people who survived the Holocaust. You in no way can even compare your life to what they experienced.

My Dad told me something at a young age that has always stuck with me..."People can and are able to adapt to any situation." (This was when I was in a woe is me situation because I just had braces put on.) He went on to share situations that were much more extreme...like people who have lost their sight, hearing, or limbs. Suddenly my braces were not so terrible. He was right. And Pink is right. Happiness is a state of mind.

I'm not always happy. I have times when I struggle just like anyone else. We are human, but at the same time...why waste what little precious time we have being miserable?

That is just it. When you and your husband were out toughening it out in school, I was out partying. It is my fault and now I am suffering the consequences. I cannot believe I am turning 36 this year and what I have become. I hope Davie reads this and does not make the same mistakes I have because it is not pretty.

[lyra33]

Originally Posted by quixotic59

Sounds like you have a rather uncomplicated life. Do you live that way by choice? When you say "standard of living" that usually implies having more stuff which usually brings more headaches. Maybe you are happier than you realize?

I dream of when I can get rid off all my stuff. It's driving me crazy. I actually look back to my poor years with fondness. When we could up and move where we wanted, and could almost fit all of our stuff in a pickup truck!

A good standard of living is a roof over your head, food to eat, without having to go around naked.