kat’s eye view

”La Porte de l’Enfer” (Gates of Hell) - A. Rodin

Give me a reason…

At the grocery store, stopped at a red light, washing the dishes, walking my dog, brushing my teeth, but mostly when my eyes open and right before I go to sleep. 

In the most unlikeliest of places do I wonder where you are, what you’re doing, how you’re feeling, if you’ve eaten and wishing you a smile from miles away. 

You are the first and last thought I have each day. You win, (……….)

i am missing you

While we were deliriously painting the last pieces of our group project, one of my ‘family’ members asked me a very important question regarding relationships and money. She was telling me that she felt a little bothered because she found herself paying for most of the outings her and her bf were going on. She thought at the very least, the guy should pay more because… he is the man. 

Q: When in a long term relationship, should expenses be split between both parties?

A: Depends, read below.

Before I decided to go back to school and had a full-time job, I paid for dates that I had suggested. For example, if I invited him out for dinner at a specific restaurant, wanted to watch a movie, suggested going bowling, or wanted to randomly go to Disneyland (the happiest place on Earth), then I would foot the bill. It’s only fair. But anything after that was pretty much split, because “your money is my money and my money is my money” (jk) 

This is the first time since I turned 18 that I’m working less than 40 hours a week, (actually I’m working about 1/5 of those hours), and I have the most bills than I’ve ever had in my life. Those 2 factors alone means I should probably make it a CBS night and twiddle my thumbs for fun until I graduate. Fortunately, my counterpart has no problem feeding me when I’m hungry, because otherwise I’m grumpy. (smart man) I pull out my wallet when I can, and I’m more than happy to do so.  

Money is always a touchy subject. Especially when there’s not a lot to go around and these days. I feel that the most ‘fair’ way to go about the question, who should pay and how much, is dependent on the income of both people and how many expenses they have. It should be proportionate. 

Let’s just say a couple lives together, and the rent is $1000/month. Their combined income is 100K a year. Partner A makes 60K, and Partner B makes 40K, than, proportionately, A should pay $600, and B should pay $400. 

So basically, I told my “family” member that if her and her bf are equally broke, then splitting the bill is completely acceptable, and there shouldn’t be any gendered notions of what a man ’should’ do.

I got my first tattoo!!!

Now that I got that out of my system…

I’ve wanted a tattoo since I was 15 and when all my friends were getting roses, hearts, chinese symbols on their shoulder blades, pelvic area, and ankles, I chose not to participate. It’s not that I didn’t want to join in on their fun, it’s that I felt something so permanent should be meaningful, special, cool, well thought out, etc. Being the commitment phobe that I am, I could never just commit to one design for too long. Once I thought I wanted something, I couldn’t figure out where I wanted it, and then when I figured out where I wanted it, I didn’t like the design anymore. So on and so forth. 

But alas, I found it. The timing, the design, the placement, artist, everything just felt right. 

I don’t want to sound all sappy or anything, but it’s kind of like starting a relationship and falling in love. Being nervous, sweaty palms, fear of getting hurt and the pain that is inevitable. All the pieces have to fit for it to work, and you have a beautiful picture. When love ends, it’s like trying to remove it. It hurts much more than it ever did and scars will always remain to remind you of the once perfect piece you had.

Btw, did you notice it’s April Fools Day today?