Finally!

We are in our annual review cycle at work. After several years of pittance wage increases, I finally got a decent raise. Considering how many workers are facing job loss, benefits cut offs, etc., it's hard to believe a worker has a chance at any decency these days. The sad truth is, my department lost a couple of highly-trained and valuable workers because my supervisor was unwilling to bump them into the next pay grade even though it was obvious that they were deserving of the reward. As soon as they left, I realized my chances of being rewarded this year had increased exponentially. My supervisor couldn't afford to lose another reliable worker.

Well, I deserved the raise and I'm glad I got it. But it's a damn shame to realize the reasons, have to do with my fellow workers willingness to make a significant change in their lives. They aren't unhappy in their new jobs, so I don't feel bad for them. But I also know how much their choosing to act benefitted me. Under capitlism, this is supposed to be A Good Thing. Unfortunately, I'm not blind enough to revel in that bullshit answer.

In other news, I went to see a number of high school spoken word artists yesterday. They were amazing. They were coming into their voice and learning their own power. What an awesome thing to experience. Could anyone have predicted 20 or 30 years ago that poetry would be a source of strength for young people today?

Awesome.