I signed on for Blog Action Day today, because the subject, poverty, is near (if not dear) to my heart, and because I needed the inspiration. It’s been ages since I posted anything here, and poverty, or my struggle to escape it, is a large part of the reason why.

Poverty means to me struggling to find avenues through which I can make some money, enough to pay the rent and groceries. I’m not feeling very inspired, though, because I’m still struggling.

There is something about chronic, bottom-line insecurity about where next month’s rent is going to come from the sucks the life out of my muse. Yes, it’s a drag. Some have told me to just ‘get a job’, but with the sort of jobs I am qualified to perform, I’d be taking away from some young person just getting started. I have skills, I have a business, I have valuable services to offer, and I’d much prefer to work in my own area.

Do I sound whiny? I admit, it’s hard to avoid feeling pathetic sometimes. I’m trying to find a way through the self-pity to that magical platform of self-empowerment, you know, the place where I Make Things Happen, pull myself up by my bootstraps (hm, I’d like to have a pair of boots with straps) and turn my life around.

I’ve done it, too. Lots of times. But I keep falling back down onto my bottom line, which is a lot lower than I’d like it to be. (more…)

A new song, not a moment too soon. It’s actually political for a change, which is so not my usual thing. I must really care about this stoopid election. Though truthfully I don’t feel much hope for anything changing just because of which one of the talking heads we vote for… myself, I’m voting strategically (www.voteforenvironment.ca) which means, for Jean Crowder, in this riding. It helps that I’ve met her, chatted with her socially about her personal philosophy and approach to politics and find her likable, personable and admirable. The best I can hope for seems to be keeping Strafin’ Harpoon out of the PM’s office. We’ll see how it goes.

Privatize Yourself

They can’t take your identity if you keep it to yourself
They can’t steal you away
Are you waiting for a signal, a message from an elf
The time is right today

Just say no to corporations
No to global control
All those crazy complications
Pollution of the soul
You’ve got boundaries, you can say no if you please
Now get up off your knees, it’s destiny
Privatize yourself

Draw a line in the stone or they’ll chew upon your bones
Move away from home
Bring your friends, hang up the phone, don’t tell them where you’re goin’
It ain’t nobody’s business but your own

Don’t ask them where we’re going,
Just refuse to go
Don’t buy what they’re showing
Don’t attend their show
It’s called boundaries, you can have them if you please
Now get up off your knees, it’s destiny
Privatize yourself

Who told them to tell me who and how to be
On whose authority
I did not give permission, you know, I was born free
And so were every one of we

We say no to corporations, no to global control
All those crazy complications
It’s just pollution of the soul
We’ve got boundaries, we will say no, if you please
We’re standing straight as trees, it’s destiny
Yeah privatize yourselves