I was fortunate to attend business school at a private university. I grew up middle class and had to take out student loans, apply for scholarships/grants and work part-time while going to school. I drove a ten year old Honda, but it got me from point A to point B and I was happy. This was in stark comparison to the wealthy students who attended as well. I don’t think I ever felt overly inferior because there was a diverse mix of socioeconomic students at school and everyone I interacted with was fine. However, I did envy the ease in which some were able to navigate student life – expensive restaurants, open bar tabs, luxury vacations without an afterthought. And yes, I’ll admit, I envied their BMWs. As a young twenty something sitting in a ten year old Honda, you can’t really blame me. It seemed the life I wanted to live.
Funny how perspective changes as you get older. Now that I’ve reached my 50s, I’m finding the lifestyle that I’d rather have is one of good health, surrounded by loving family and friends with a comfortable work/life balance. Maybe too simplistic for some, to each their own. I suppose I should at least attempt to relate this back to the daily prompt somehow. Yes, I do enjoy a nice restaurant on occasion, but hey, I’m also just fine eating delicious food at a taco truck, authentic dim sum in Chinatown or corn beef stacked high down at the local deli. Sometimes the best meals come from unassuming places.
Today’s prompt made me think about Oingo Boingo’s Ain’t This the Life. It’s a satirical song about the lifestyle of the uber wealthy. Sounds a little like that “ideal life” on steroids that I saw during my college days. This early Oingo Boingo song came out on their first EP (remember those?) in 1980 while I was in junior high school. I really had to reach back into the archives for this one. A little quirky, but hope you enjoy.
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Livin' way up now in a penthouse high Our steaks are rare and our martini's dry Folks below they say it ain't fair Hell with them, I really don't care Joie de vivre, mon amie Ain't this the life Having a party on a big jet plane I got so drunk that I could feel no pain Hangin' out in Acapulco Drinkin' rum and sniffin' coco Pretty señorita, look this way Dancing through the night Everything's all right Girlfriend and a wife Ain't this the life, ain't this the life Ain't this the life, baby, baby, baby... Tropical island in the deep blue sea The natives are friendly and the lobster's free Sipping Cognac like a French king Plenty of room, I own the whole thing Joie de vivre, mon amie Ain't this the life Think I'll go out now on a shopping spree Breakfast in New York, dinner in Paris Hangin' out with Lynn and Suzie Have a massage and a Jacuzzi Climb into bed and see what's on TV Dancing through the night Everything's all right Girlfriend and a wife... Ain't this the life, ain't this the life Ain't this the life, tell me, tell me, tell me...
MyGenXerLife 