New-Age Consumerism and The Fire Drill
My thanks to bluemeanie for giving me the title and the prompt (without his even knowing it) for this post.
Today at work, while I was working through lunch because it's year-end in Accounting Land and I work in a very busy Accounting Department, I was thoughtfully munching on a very delicious salad (with Ranch dressing) and reviewing expense reports. My luck, I bite into a delicious bit of carrot and celery, and the fire alarm goes off. I had just enough time to close the lid of my plastic salad container, grab my coat, and exit the building.
While waiting outside with a bunch of strangers I chanced upon one of my company's SVP's and it so happened I'd just personally entered his (and his family's) yearly dividend checks into our company's new payables system recently (along with last year's 1099-DIV information) and I asked him how his young son and daughter had enjoyed getting their $30 dividend checks.
He said, "My son? He doesn't care. He put it into his savings account. He really doesn't spend much, other than on video games. He'd really rather hold onto it." I then queried, "And your daughter?". And the SVP laughed and said, "Oh, she's spending it on clothing....her new thing, now that she's a teenager."
Not having kids of my own, I wasn't sure where to take this conversation so I joked about my wilting salad leaves swimming in Ranch dressing at my desk while we waited for the fire engines to arrive.
Later, after we were let back inside the now-safe building, I sat at my desk and finished my salad and contemplated my own Social Security statement and how much comfort it gives me, seeing the annual income numbers rising through the years since I was 17 when I held my first job. Said job was as a cashier at a supermarket, and I saved most of my income. I loved watching my little savings account booklet's activity, and the growing number in the left hand column. I totally understand my SVP's son and how he doesn't like to spend much.
He's not the only one, either. Most teens and youngsters in my family take an almost perverse pride in simply letting their piggy banks fatten. Sure, they splurge on Mom on Mother's Day, and they spend quite at bit over the holidays, but most kids I know today are intent on saving.
It's my hope that our economy will, once it recovers (and it damn well better), welcome these wise children and give their savings a safe and happy haven.
I'd hate to see piggy banks fly, just to prove me wrong.
Today at work, while I was working through lunch because it's year-end in Accounting Land and I work in a very busy Accounting Department, I was thoughtfully munching on a very delicious salad (with Ranch dressing) and reviewing expense reports. My luck, I bite into a delicious bit of carrot and celery, and the fire alarm goes off. I had just enough time to close the lid of my plastic salad container, grab my coat, and exit the building.
While waiting outside with a bunch of strangers I chanced upon one of my company's SVP's and it so happened I'd just personally entered his (and his family's) yearly dividend checks into our company's new payables system recently (along with last year's 1099-DIV information) and I asked him how his young son and daughter had enjoyed getting their $30 dividend checks.
He said, "My son? He doesn't care. He put it into his savings account. He really doesn't spend much, other than on video games. He'd really rather hold onto it." I then queried, "And your daughter?". And the SVP laughed and said, "Oh, she's spending it on clothing....her new thing, now that she's a teenager."
Not having kids of my own, I wasn't sure where to take this conversation so I joked about my wilting salad leaves swimming in Ranch dressing at my desk while we waited for the fire engines to arrive.
Later, after we were let back inside the now-safe building, I sat at my desk and finished my salad and contemplated my own Social Security statement and how much comfort it gives me, seeing the annual income numbers rising through the years since I was 17 when I held my first job. Said job was as a cashier at a supermarket, and I saved most of my income. I loved watching my little savings account booklet's activity, and the growing number in the left hand column. I totally understand my SVP's son and how he doesn't like to spend much.
He's not the only one, either. Most teens and youngsters in my family take an almost perverse pride in simply letting their piggy banks fatten. Sure, they splurge on Mom on Mother's Day, and they spend quite at bit over the holidays, but most kids I know today are intent on saving.
It's my hope that our economy will, once it recovers (and it damn well better), welcome these wise children and give their savings a safe and happy haven.
I'd hate to see piggy banks fly, just to prove me wrong.
