...are two of my favorite stand up comedians. When you're a single mom with little time or money to go anywhere or do anything, and you're not dating at the moment, you spend a lot of nights watching Netflix.
Last year, my online obsession was George Carlin comedy specials. Who can resist them? His perspective on the ridiculousness of life gets me every time. I also remember encountering a book at Barnes and Noble containing love letters (some raunchy yet also irresistibly endearing), pictures, and copies of Post It notes that Carlin's wife collected and published. He's an ideal guy to have around if you like someone who can blur the line between insanity and clarity.
But I've recently discovered Louis C.K. Yesterday, I tuned in to his show "Louie" on Netflix, and couldn't stop watching. While my kids hung out upstairs, I went to my favorite laptop spot in the basement and binge watched "Louie" for about six episodes. Then I looked him up on Wikipedia and read about him because I'm such a geek. Then when I read that he received an Emmy for the episode entitled "Pregnant", I skipped all the way to the second season in order to watch it. And I loved it.
C.K., if I can call him C.K. fascinates me for a lot of reasons, but mostly because, like Carlin, he is so completely honest about topics considered to be taboo, like not liking your kids sometimes or post divorce dating pains. And being broke. It hurts that I haven't heard about him until now. All that time, unaware that there was a guy that could show me a newer version of what raw, pissed, and honest look and sound like. So refreshing. So funny, because it's true. Everyone loves someone who can say out loud what everyone else is thinking (or at least subconsciously thinking).
One of Mr. C.K.'s bits is entitled, if I remember correctly, "Being Broke". Click. Watch. Listen. Relate. C.K. relayed the insanity of having less than no money. A bank will charge you for not having enough money, that is, if you don't have a "minimum balance". Bastards. They suck. I hate banks because they make a profit off of less fortunate people, or at least people that don't manage their money well, like myself. Notice how I didn't use the term "earn a profit". They make it. They create it. And it's wrong, plain and simple.
Question: Who inspires you to be the most honest version of yourself?
In any field or profession, you've got your front line infantry and your back line cavalry. The infantry are usually the peons that have to charge into the battle first, work hard, and get paid less. They, or I should say "we", are the ones with credit card debt and money problems. The well dressed and manicured cavalry stand back and watch it all comfortably from their corner offices. The cavalry make more and more money doing very little while the lower paid infantry work long hours with fewer coffee or bathroom breaks. I'll bet that the bank cavalry, the CEOs, presidents, or whatever they're called, don't ever watch Louis C.K. or George Carlin. Even if they did, they probably wouldn't understand the humor or the anger. I'd bet that the infantry bank tellers, even though they work at a bank, would understand the insane truthfulness of the "Being Broke" episode. They'd get it.
As far as my own financial situation goes, I've got the same balance in my checking account as I did yesterday. No change, no big ideas, either. But at least I'm still in the black.
I just got off the phone with Mom. We had an easy, comfortable talk about the amusement park thing. It felt good to tell her that if she and Dad took only my niece and nephew from Michigan to the park (where my kids already went this summer), I still love them and my kids' feelings are in tact. I uninvited me and my kids. There, I saved myself a boat load of money and guilt for spending what I don't have. I feel free.
It's a beautiful, sunny, crisp Sunday afternoon. I am still broke, but I've invited my kids to go play tennis at an outdoor court near their school, and they're feeling up to it. I'm feeling satisfied today, and that's good.
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