Yay! I got a pay raise.... so why in the sad thread? I'm earning a whole 35 bucks now (minus like 5 dollars in taxes)...
... per month... in a place where most things cost as much (if not more) than your regular American or European city. So I can't buy new quality shoes, or clothes or much really, that's it, beside local grown food. I wouldn't mind that much because honestly I'm not a demanding person regarding material things and let just say there are a lot of people having a worst time than me. However things that are also out of my pocket's reach include medicine, proper medical care in case of serious illness(thank God my wife and I are relatively healthy) and a house of my own.
That's not taking into account the living conditions under rampant crime and impunity of about 90% on all crimes, which encourage further crime and the decaying services, country wide. At least gas is cheap and I got enough luck to buy a car before all went to hell.
Sometimes I just feel like simply sending all to hell and go into the wild to live off the land with my wife. Our living standards wouldn't be that much affected and probably would even improve in some areas. It's chronicish depressing and is starting to get to me too.
On the bright side I patched things with the wife. I love her dearly to the point I have skipped meals so she could eat without her knowing, I know she wouldn't eat if she knew. In all honestly I would be lost, to say a least, if it weren't for her. She's all been cranky and moody recently but I think is because she's either pregnant or something weird is happening to her period. Nevertheless everybody has been cranky lately, as the scarcity gets more acute.
There's has been a change in the politics recently as we gained a notable foothold on our version of congress, but the executive and legal powers remain within firm grasp of the idiots that actively try to destroy the country if only to be kings of the ashes.
Sometimes I have a laugh at the reminiscence of my life as someone living in the Imperium from Warhamer 40K. It's like living in a more or less (more less than more) civilized world where you can live happily as long you don't need/want anything from off-world. Food and very basic clothing is at your reach, but all those expensive mechanicum tech and medicines? Nay, they are for the planetary government and nobility, health or safety is a luxury not meant for simple civilians after all.
Crime is tolerated as long doesn't affect the lords directly and basically you are at your own wits while the ruling class doesn't care a bit for you, unless you are in their way, which will not end up good for you.
Anyway, a lot of people are getting the hell out in what has been already described as a diaspora. I have lost people both to violent crime and emigration, at least the ones that got away still have the chance to fight for a better future for their own and their children.
I haven't expressed any of this before, at least not to the extent I'm doing it right now. The worries for me derive mostly from an unexpected pregnancy and the future of my family, specially an infant, because things like paediatric medicine and baby food is amongst those luxuries people can't easily afford, if at all. We have government officials travelling to the darn neighbour countries to do fucking groceries shopping simply to avoid the massive lines we are forced to do to have a shot at buying cheap food.
I worry that if my wife is pregnant she then won't be able to do the lines while I'm working, so I'll have to start doing them, which then would endanger my job, which I need to make money to buy food. It's quite a puzzle. Oh and then not only food lines but diaper and baby food ones would be needed.
With a little luck the baby wouldn't need especial food besides breast milk so baby food wouldn't be needed. But disposable diapers are a must. Because even when we could use reusable diapers there's not detergent to do the laundry for it. I just asked a few hours and a small bag of detergent (less than 1 kg or around 2 lb) cost the equivalent of 1.6 bucks, which may sound suppa cheap for you, sure, but then again consider that I earn the equivalent to 30 bucks, so I have to work little less than two day's to buy that small bag.
My insurance which covers medical care for up to a total whopping of 70 bucks wouldn't cover the birth expenses that are around 500 bucks on a private clinic. Sure, it's cheap for you, but for me that's more than one whole year of work for me...
More than sad all this is a frustrating mixture of despair and rage. Hopefully some day things will improve.