elegentry

Inspired by quatrefoil. I just had a lightbulb moment. I went to the link below and looked at a listing of characteristics of working and lower middle class vs upper/middle class. I have some characteristics from each. One of the main sources of tension for me at work is the constant expectation to better myself. I don't see life like that, think I am pretty fine just as I am thanks. Not perfect (god forbid) but I can pay my bills, am not seriously ill, have friends...it's all good. Why would I want to become a senior manager or something? I just can't see it. Now in that, I am working class apparently. In a few I sit in the upper class but most of that is learnt behaviour, not what I grew up with.

So how do you post with some text only visible on first viewing? I like that, it takes up less room.

"That Privilege meme"
From an exercise set from these blokes: What Privileges Do You Have?, by Will Barratt, Meagan Cahill, Angie Carlen, Minnette Huck, Drew Lurker, Stacy Ploskonka at Illinois State University. If you participate in this blog game, they ask that you PLEASE acknowledge their copyright.

Bold the true statements.

1. Father went to college
father didn't even finish high school-kept getting taken out of school by his father to work. He did however run his own business
2. Father finished college
3. Mother went to college 
4. Mother finished college
College means teachers' college, she taught primary for two years only
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor 
Um, yes but only my brother, younger than me. We have more privilege than our parents had.
6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers
Lets say same or lower as majority of my family were tradesmen of some kind.
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home
Oh yes. Both my parents are big readers but mostly novels. Friday night was library night for us and we all enjoyed it.
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home 
9. Were read children's books by a parent
10. Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18 
ballet, ballroom, recorder
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18
not if you count different kinds of dance sequentially as one kind
12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively.
Suppose so. True when I am dressed for work. Not so much when at a folk festival
13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18
14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs
15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs.
16. Went to a private high school
No but count myself very lucky to have attended a new, somewhat progressive and experimental government high school
17. Went to summer camp 
Not really but went to two science based camps for clever clogs from various schools, including one in a different state
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels 
a bit, caravans were more common
20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18 
Like quatrefoil, much of it was handmade by Mum.  I  am the but I also wore some old clothes of the family, often by choice Mum’s, Nan’s, even Dad’s (well it was the 80s)
21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them
No, but I did get an interest free loan from my parents, only a few months to repay
22. There was original art in your house when you were a child 
Absolutely but they were all painted by my parents.
23. You and your family lived in a single family house
This did include my mother’s parents for most of my time there.
24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home 
I think so, they didn’t discuss finances with us much.
25. You had your own room as a child
26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18
27. Participated in an SAT/ACT prep course
?
28. Had your own TV in your room in High School
No way. Never wanted one either.
29. Owned a mutual fund or IRA in High School or College
30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16
One trip only but that was a doozy. Went to Europe to visit family when I was 10. Both parents are migrants.
31. Went on a cruise with your family
32. Went on more than one cruise with your family
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up
Almost compulsively. I think this list should also mention concerts and restaurants.
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family
No, but the folks were very big on economy in all things.