Where's My Bailout Plan?

I'd really like a bailout plan to finance all the pets that keep getting dumped at my house. But I'm sure I'm not alone. Most non-profits are feeling a big pinch in donations this year. For me personally, I've given up my Starbucks habit and curbed my trips to Tybee to conserve gas. I've been very good all along of making sure not to leave lights on when they aren't needed, but that doesn't seem to have made a difference on my electric bill. I still haven't replaced a lot of things on my truck either, such as the antenna that broke off during a puppy transport or the wheel caps that were stolen one night while I was at a performance downtown.

But I guess we all learn what we can and cannot be without. When I was younger, we lived on our boat since we didn't have a house. To most people, that would be awesome. But my bedroom was one side of a V-birth. There was no heat, no a/c, and no hot water and most of all, no doors except to the bathroom. But my fondest memories are of sitting on top of the boat late at night, watching the stars and listening to the creek rush by. I often slept outside because it was more soothing. I would get up in the mornings and eat my pop tarts on the dock while watching the dolphins play before going to school. My dad had a 1972 Volkswagon Thing. We'd load up our two dogs and head down to St. Michael's, never going more than 25 MPH. I can remember clearly the smell of the salt air and how big I would smile with the wind wrapping my hair around me. We didn't have much back then, but my dad made the best of it for us all.

Looking around me now, it seems I'm doing just fine. I just have to keep reminding myself that once upon a time, things seemed incredibly tough and comfort hard to find. But it really wasn't that bad after all. One day, I hope to look back on my life now and say the same thing.