[Superman]

I have a 19 year-old daughter who is reminding me of the lean times we all experience at that age. No education to speak of, no experience to speak of, no connections, etc. So, she is currently tolerating a string of low-pay, high-inconvenience jobs. You know, the wonderful "service" jobs the republicans are so proud of creating. Retail, food service, etc.

And before some of you chime in and pretend those are good jobs, she might get called in to work three hours on a weekday afternoon. At minimum wage, that's somewhere near $20 of pre-tax earnings, in exchange for giving up an afternoon. Her weekend shifts are at night. So, a six-hour shift gets her forty bucks. That's the price of one of her weekend evenings. I'd like to see a show of hands, all those who would be willing to sell one of their weekend nights for forty dollars.

Well anyway, it gets better. You'll be okay. You'll have to decide on your own how much money you want. But I will give you this bit of personal advice:

1) Those high-poverty years in our early twenties usually remain as the most pleasant memories we have. We remember that time in our lives more fondly than any other.

2) Studies regularly show that rich people are not more happy than poor people. In fact, a slight negative correlation is usually the finding. That is, the richer you are, the less happy.