I went to a Halloween party with a bunch of grown ups. Since there weren't any kids to entertain, I just made all my conversations about capitalism.
I'm great at parties.
I also heard my favorite new icebreaker question. "What would you do if you had a billion dollars?" All your needs are met. You are now a person who can live off the residuals. What looks different in your life? What looks the same? How would your priorities shift if money was no object?
This gift economics and anti-capitalist experiment has forced me to rethink how I want to spend my fortune. Not my billion dollar fortune. I don't have that. But I do have skills and space and time and an able body. And ideas. So many ideas.
So what would I do if I cashed a billion dollar check today?
• I would continue to be a reliable caregiver; both for my kids and for as many additional families I could support in the space I'm in. (And I'd definitely put in an offer on that giant, empty bank and turn it into a free store, community center, and pea patch. I bet we could roller skate in there...)
• I would register as a foster parent and specialize in teens. Especially LGBTQIA teens. Even more especially teens with young children.
• I would host "pay what you can" meals and offer prepped and ready meal kits that support my neighbors but don't break the bank. Even better if the meals could be shared around a long table, that always had extra space.
• I would host morning movement sessions; yoga, strength training, dance, whatever felt right for the day. Roll out the mats. Let the kids stay or go play. Coffee and tea and breakfast afterwards.
• I would host families migrating to Chicago. A place to sleep. Support with childcare. Resources as they resettle and find their place in their new communities.
• I would continue to make art and zines with less concern about if I'm wasting my time on something people may not want. I'd write about more topics that intersect with family life, and capitalism, and urbanism. I'd be able to collect and share my thoughts on divorce and single parenting and polyamory as I've experienced it.
I want to do all these things and more. But since my billion dollar check seems to be lost in the mail... I'm going to keep doing these things... just with a whole lot less financial cushion.
In order to make room for all these things, I have to shut down the Airbnb.
Airbnb comes with its own ethical concerns, for sure. But when I needed to go from earning $0/month as a stay-at-home parent to a divorced mom paying $6000 a month in bills, subletting my home came in clutch. Giving up the $2000/month average payout that I've come to depend on from short term rentals is fucking scary. On the other hand, Airbnb was not just easy money. It meant giving up access to our kitchen. It meant late nights nannying were combined with later nights doing laundry and early mornings making beds. It also meant a few noisy parties and a handful of just... the kind of rudeness that feels personal when it's in your own house, honestly. I'm looking forward to closing the Airbnb. I do feel worried if these plans don't pan out, I will be pressured back into short-term rentals to make ends meet.
BUT I'M GONNA DO IT ANYWAY.
I've got all the things I need to start the daycare full-time on November 20th, but if you're interested an able to offer help, I also need:
• One more full-time kiddo. (40 hrs per week, $15-30/hr, sliding scale)
• A handful of folks who would like to pay me to build them weekly meal kits. I chop and prep, and leave the cooking to you, or I just make the whole dang thing. Player's choice!
• Gifts of financial support.
• Gifts of furniture, toys, and time to help me finish out the daycare space and make a comfortable landing spot for future teens and families. There is a wishlist on buy me a coffee, and I also made a spreadsheet, because of course I did.
In the meantime, I'm patching drywall, moving furniture, and getting ready to throw a Pivot Party. I'll be testing recipes with close friends, celebrating this new leap into the unknown, and holding a "Get Rich Quick Scheme" contest. Just to keep things light.
It is really easy for my brain to jump to anxiousness around money. Paycheck to paycheck is not a new experience. I wish I could just do the work I want to do without the crowdfunding and mental gymnastics. I'm hopeful that growing Bonus Room slowly and with community support will mean I can launch a business without taking out bank loans. Aiming for a low-debt startup means things start smaller a little wonky, but it also means I don't have to build a business around profit.
I can continue to build a life doing the the work I love.