How?! in Book Four: Ichi-no-Tani 2017

I keep wondering how in the hell people can exist in this world and not see what some others see.

For example, the current scandal surrounding the Trump Administration’s ties to Russia. In the most recent turn, Donald Junior. First, he said there were no meetings. Then he said, he forgot about the meetings. Then he said he didn’t know those meetings counted. Now? He’s saying the following:
(1) He had no idea who he was meeting with. Except… he was meeting with this person at Trump Tower. With Paul Manafort and Jared Kushner. So someone within the organization knew who the meeting was with (you don’t get access to people like this without at least a name) AND knew the meeting was important enough to have three of the most important people of the campaign present.
(2) He claims that the damaging information about Hillary Clinton was never turned over, so it isn’t like it is a big deal.

Except… that last admission? Doesn’t that amount to “Honestly, I tried to collude with the Russian Government, but they didn’t give me what I wanted!” Seriously. Isn’t that pretty much what was just said!

Meanwhile, Putin has been supporting the Death Camps for Gay Men in Chechnya; but President Trump patted him on the back and said, “It’s time we got along with Russia.” Another one of those… mind exploding things. You seriously insulted (1) Canada, (2) Japan, (3) Australia, (4) France, (5) Britain, and (6) Germany… some of our most important allies… but an Enemy of the West whom multiple countries have proven has been invasively interfering with Democratic Elections throughout Europe and the United States? THAT guy you want to make friends with?

It is almost like Trump is just a giant Troll. He knows how this looks. He knows how batshit crazy it is. And he does it to say “Nah, nah… I can do anything I want.” Because… remember… this is the same man that said, “I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose voters.”

My first bonus check came today. This is the check where the partners say, “We know $30k is shit to live on, especially as an attorney who is required to drive all around the state. Based on your work, we’ll give you bonuses.” This is where things are supposed to balance a bit. Except they didn’t. Not that I’m surprised. My ‘bonus’ pay for April/May/June is less than $500. So… yeah. 30K… plus… 500 x 4… is still what a Custodian at Casey’s General Convenience Store makes. Mop up spills for 40 hours a week with health insurance… or be a lawyer for 60 hours a week without insurance. Fucking bollocks. BUT I told my wife that the expected “uptick of the season” is supposed to hit around the beginning of the school year. So, as August and September happen, we’ll see if there are any financial leaps forward. And ultimately… truly… if after December, I’m still looking at bonuses under $2000? Then I won’t even be able to justify staying to myself. Because honestly? This firm hired me because they had work. But then… no work? No hours? So I have to go out and try to get my own hours. Which is what I would have to do as a Private Attorney in any location. So… if this firm can’t help me get the clients/hours/finances I need… then I feel I am perfectly within my rights to move on. But honestly? Deep down? I hope I don’t have to. I am sick and tired of moving from job to job to job to job. That is a big reason why Wife and I have never taken a vacation! When we met, I was in College and working Shoe Stores and Cafeterias. Then I went to Best Buy which did not give me Vacation Time. Then Law School and Internships and Douglas County Jail (which did not give vacation time). Then Tiny Town. Then here. I want to stay somewhere long enough to actually earn a reputation, earn some vacation time… I want a bloody career! But on the other hand… I need to get paid, as well.

And this is something I’ve seen Millennials get absolutely SLAMMED about. So if I can, let me put it into perspective. My parents made enough in their first few years out of college to afford to get married, buy a house, have health insurance, go on vacation, and even start raising a family. So they stayed in their jobs and earned more. Until they were transferred. But even then, my dad transferred with his job to a bigger house and bigger paycheck and my mom was able to get a job within a few months. No interruption to their finances, no inconveniences in money. Hell, my Dad was fired for petty bullshit reasons almost a decade ago and before the ink dried on his pink slip he’d been hired by another company. That is what I grew up seeing.
The first few years out of college… I didn’t have enough money to buy dog house let alone a complete home. Thank God I had insurance but no vacation time and no money to get married. I worked to afford our wedding. And we still got married fairly cheaply for today’s world. Food, Lodging, Reception, Services, everything all cost only around $10,000. Then law school! Doing that “Get more education if you aren’t happy with what you are making” schtick. So I did. I went to law school. And did a pretty good job, I dare say. Not #1 BEST STUDENT good; but I excelled in my practicals and did a fantastic job in my writing (once I figured out how to do it). Now? After Law School? No pay. No insurance. No vacation. And this is happening to Millennials because the world went from Henry Ford’s ideas on Labor to The Walton’s ideas. So while the older generations (and people not “in the shit” as it were) are saying “Millennials are making so many mistakes! They go from job to job and bitch about money and stability. If they STAYED at one job long enough, they’d GET money and stability. Poor stupid short-attention-span Millennials.” Except… uhm… wait a minute. A lot of Millennials (myself included) started working when we were 15. We’ve been involved in the modern economy. And this whole “Stay somewhere long enough that they start to pay you what you’re worth” is absolute horseshit. I used to work 9 hour days at a grocery store when I was in school. 9 hours a day on Weekends and Summers and 5 hours a day during the weekday. Guess what my raise was when they happened rarely? fifteen cents. I got fifteen cents an hour more. And this isn’t me bitching because I did my job. I was consistently singled out by management as extraordinary. Which amounted to 15 cents. Fast Forward. College Educated Bachelor’s Degree Having… Retail Associate. I would work my ass off for my department, try to get recognized, try to get higher pay… and as soon as I’d be just about there… they would transfer me to another department. Where I would work my ass off, try to get recognized, try to get higher pay… and the company “restructured” to remove the entire department.

So there’s THAT story. I happen to have an entire backstory proving you aren’t paid what you’re worth; you’re paid what you’re willing to accept. Which brings me inexorably back here. Working at a law firm where I’m paid $30k base. Where my quarterly bonus was less than $500. And I accept it. Because I hope for more. Because I hope for better. But I have to be honest… call me a Millennial if you wish… if this year ends and Base Plus Bonus isn’t even close to 40? I’ll have no choice. The median salary for a lawyer in the state of Iowa is $80,000. (Meanwhile the average salary for a lawyer in the state of Iowa is $130,000.) So I can’t simply sit around accepting 38% in hopes that “loyalty pays off.” I’ve too many examples of the opposite.

My private case? The one with the kid who had NO record until a few months ago? Keeps getting absolutely fucking crackers. He picked up 10 charges over the weekend. Including violent felony charges. All because of a psychotic break that nobody in the state is equipped to deal with. Because the Iowa GOP (too much like the National GOP) keeps saying, “We’re not going to lower taxes on the impoverished or the middle class. Just the wealthy. But we’re damned sure not going to spend any more government money! Unless a bond measure needs to pass to let a wealthy donor build something with government funds. But we’re not going to support programs. If people need programs they can join a church or just not be a mess. Have they even tried not having problems?!”

http://www.newsweek.com/iowa-republican-walks-out-interview-questions-health-law-605626