I ate my Cheerios, milk, banana and tea before I went. I remember to take my medicine with water, not juice. Already doing better today.
At the brit milah, I have a cup of decaf coffee, but avoid eating anything else. I'll take that as a victory. Fortunately, I have a lot of work - every time I think about leaving to go home for lunch, I end up responding to one more e-mail. Soon it is 3:30 and I still haven't left for lunch. I go home and make a quick peanut butter and jelly sandwich, drink a glass of water, and head back to work before religious school starts. On the way back, I realize that after eating the sandwich, I feel more hungry than I did before. I manage to stay pretty busy and get my mind off of it, and then head home around 6:40.
When I get home, my children and in-laws are enjoying a pizza. I heat up the leftover kasha. No comment.
So far, the night is going pretty well, although I am feeling a little light headed. I go to clean up from dinner and there is a quarter of a cucumber sitting out, already peeled. Looks so good, but is it really worth a $.25? Probably not. On another night, I might have just tossed it. I wrap it up and put it in the fridge.
I think about the fact that I have not once gone to bed truly hungry. I have never known what it is like to wonder about where the next day's meal is coming from. Even now, I am doing this by choice - if at any time I want to stop, I can. I have opportunities to "cheat" at any moment. I know that this is just for a week and I am motivated to try and "win."
What must it feel like for those for whom this is their reality, not just their challenge? I still don't know and am unsure that I'm really going to understand it at the end of this week.
But I am thinking about those questions a lot. Maybe that is something.
I think that this is a great thing to do, and so social worky. You might want to read Nickel and Dimed, about a woman who tries to live for a year off of minimum wage, which is the same principle - the government's minimums just aren't enough. Keep going, you can make it!
ReplyDeleteLauren Kipfer (Miller)
Hi Marc,
ReplyDeleteI have been contemplating what you are doing because I am in the midst of considering doing the same in my own life out of a financial reality. The good news is that I do not have to go to quite the same reality, but I am thinking about it. I am also considering the long term realities.
In any case, here are some of my considerations or questions:
1. Giant vs. Shoppers or a Dollar Store. - Giant is expensive to shop.
2. Long term - People can plant a garden
3. Extreme Coupons can help or extreme coupon groups
4. Free cycle - In my area, people offer food.
The point is that in the short term, it is more of a challenge to find methods for moving through this. Long term, one can develop strategies.
Either way, I am reasonably certain that living on $31.50 a week is a tremendous and maybe impossible challenge. Having the ability to do this in a healthy way can probably be done by someone, but not most folks.
Finally, managing all of these possibilities is time consuming and challenging even under the best of circumstances.
Thanks for taking this challenge on and for making me think.
With blessings and light,
Chava Gal-Or
Thanks, Lauren and Chava - I appreciate your support and your suggestions.
ReplyDelete