How did I spend my Sundays in August and September? Reviewing the Miami-Dade County Budget. I wasn’t alone, and that was a good thing. I’d certainly spoken up in the past for things I’d wanted to see funded, but hadn’t ever really poured through the budget to understand what was funded and what was missing. I have lots of people to thank for helping me dig deeper to understand what’s there and what’s not. Especially David McDougal & Maggie Fernandez.
“How can anyone have so much happiness and unhappiness wrapped up at once?”
I thought we were supposed to pursue happiness here in America. The American Dream should make us happy, shouldn’t it? Isn’t that what the Founders wanted for us? 1776 was a long time ago. I get that. Things change. They morph, and so has the dream. Who needs happiness when we can have power and money? Could Daisy have loved Jay Gatsby before he became rich? Or were riches a prerequisite to pursuing his dream of Daisy? He saw the green light and crossed that bay, never noticing that he was drowning.
Imbolo Mbue’s Behold the Dreamers beautifully confirms that each of us must find our own path to happiness. She makes a compelling case. Following today’s American Dream can lead us down a very narrow path.
#ReadThisBook #OneNightstand
Go Home
Governor McAuliffe told the neo-Nazis and white supremacists to “Go Home.” They are not wanted in Charlottesville. What are their homes like? What do they talk about over Sunday dinner when they are home?
What costs $24.60? An apartment.
I’m trying to make sure I understand just how hard it is for so many families to make ends meet in Florida, especially in Miami. To help me remember it better, let’s call it a straight $25. That’s how much a person would need to earn per hour to afford a two bedroom apartment, spending the recommended 30% of their income on rent. Guess what minimum wage is? $8.05 an hour. Guess what the average renter earns per hour? $15.46