I remember in the game of Life you start out, and you can either choose 'Career' or 'College', and what that ultimately means is, you either start out with less and work your way up, hoping to get enough promotions to support your family, or you go to college, and postpone social life for a little longer, paying off debt, and have a nicer shot a quick promotion or high-paying job.

But what about now, right here, in 21st century America? I mean 2011, people, in this national debt, national false security. How is living supposed to work here and now?

I have been thinking about this for a while, and have to say, I feel a bit stumped at how people can actually consider this current system effective. Maybe for a little while, or for a small group, but most of the people around me, I see stressed and confused. They just want a happy life. Not even a rich life, or an especially relaxing life. They just want to be content to where they can be around their families, and they can pay the water bill, and eat food every night.

Don't get me wrong, I know that it is much worse in other countries right now. I know people always tend to point to Africa for an example, or bring out citizens in China, about sweatshops and the like.

What I want to know is, how do I increase the quality of my living, and the people around me, in a way that we all can still comfortably survive?

I know I should continually pray, and read the Bible.
Right now I want to raise a child, and be around my husband on a constant basis.
I want to be an artist, and a writer, experiencing the wonderful life and colors around me, just breathing in and learning.
But I know sometimes it isn't quite that simple.
I wish though, for a more simple life, with less worries.

As of late my husband and I have been downsizing our material things in that pursuit. We are getting rid of extra pots and pans, extra games, books, clothes. And it is helping thus far, especially now to help us not to feel so cramped in this tiny room we live in.

As for the young adult, what are we supposed to do?
I have grown up as an American citizen, in an Asian American lifestyle. I grew up eating rice every night, meditating, and hearing constantly about how family is supposed to be close, knit together, and honorable. I come to an American family, currently living in a house with my in laws, and they believe that..not so much. They want us out, as I can as reasonably as possible, understand. But they told me before, "Welcome to America," in quite a rude tone if I may say so, but I'm not even sure that's the point. They keep on telling me that there is only one way that things work around here, and it is not the way I do things. It is not associating myself with family, and cooking, cleaning, being a submissive wife the best I can, and tending to the garden. They want me to leave, with a job, and support my family alongside my husband, and they expect me to go in debt, maybe over college, or maybe over their assumption that all young girls indulge in a bimonthly mani/pedi. I don't know what it is. But I am looking around, seeing how many options there are on this, and I need to ask, need to learn more.

You see, I would confide in my parents on this matter more. I really wish I could. And maybe I will try in that aspect further. But you see, my mother just passed away. And my father, I have grown up afraid of, and hiding in corners from, remembering constantly his harsh punishments and beatings. I don't know. What advice is there to be had?

As far as I am concerned, this is how things are working out there in the big world...

*You need an education to get a job to get a place to live.
*High school education is no longer enough.
*You will probably have to start in the work force while in high school so you can work your way up a bit + get experience ... to be able to pay the bills while you are in college, or just trying to live period. You will probably also have to start building credit, as well as keeping up on your studies.
*Sometimes it is necessary to stay with a friend or family member while you are a young adult.
*Sometimes this is not possible and a cosign would be a better option.
*Sometimes this is also not possible.

... What are you supposed to do as a young adult if your friends and family don't allow you to stay with them, and you don't know anyone who would cosign? Do you have to go into debt over college, or end up homeless? What options does someone have in this case (not considering the military for conscientious reasons)?

Firstly, I'd like to give my condolences for your mother ):

Also, I'm not sure the details of your father, only you know that, but you could always try calling him up and asking for advice, just to see what happens. He can't do anything to you on the phone, you can always hang up if it gets too nerve-racking.

OH MAN! I know how you feel!

I'm college right now, and I'm Indian, first of both sides of my family to be born and raised in America, by spiritual parents, who while keeping out most of the bad parts of tradition (arranged marriages, all the crap with gender roles, so forth) I've also been raised with a strong responsibility to family, and to working for myself and not spending a lot of money, and to knowing my culture, even if I don't always practice my culture, as well as to practice my faith (I'm Christian meself actually~)

And it really annoys me when I see all these kids who have fancy cars, have their parents paying for their tuition and housing and everything, and are eating everyday at Chickfila and things like that, where I'm paying my own tuition, rent, food, everything, and I make my own meals and bring them, and I have an ten-yr old car that has tons of problems because my mom didn't take care of it properly >.<

Now, don't get me wrong, I don't feel my parents SHOULD do any of those things. I'm just annoyed that all these other kids are taking all these things for granted, as if they deserve them >.>

And ugh, don't even get me started on what I think of most of their clothings and behavior styles >.<
I can't tell one apart from the other! >.> Whereas I am easily distinguishable, even in casual clothes, because I've got maybe a tinge of Lolita, or something different, or just look different for no apparent reason.

But that's geting of topic...

Now back on topic, first we'll go with the schooling.
Now, I think a Highschool diploma is a necessity, however college is not always a necessity, especially in the case of artists and writers, or those who start their own businesses. College can help, and for some people they do need it, but not everyone needs it. You can make a living without a degree if you work hard.
It is tougher for artists nowadays who don't want to go into graphic design or video games or comics or that stuff; My boyfriend's sister is an artist, and while she gets disability pay, she's highly relying on my boyfriend to get a well-enough paying job that she can live with him when he has his own house and all, which is fine, as she is even more thrifty than I am and an effing epic painter. However, most artists don't have that option. My boyfriend's mother is also an artist/writer and a realtor-ish, and I really don't know how she does it. My boyfriend is self-reliant, as he's got nice scholarships that pay for everything and a job, but he has 5 siblings that are relying on his mother for place to stay as well as several little dogs. She's ridiculously good at making ends meet @.@ I really don't know how she does it.
If you're considering going artist/writer without a degree, I can ask her for some tips for you ^.^

School housing is nice for those who can't get a cosign; I was able to get my apartment with a deposit because I apparently have some amount of credit because I haven't defaulted on my federal student loans yet o_O, but my boyfriend was unable to get off campus housing at this same place because he has no credit, and his parents have terrible credit because they defaulted on a mortgage on their old house when the property value dropped way below their mortgage payment >.< so the boyfriend last minute got a place on campus.

Now, if living on campus isn't an option, what you can do is get a regular apartment, or rent a house, with a group of people. While my particular apartments are student lofts, so they have much stricter legality on everything, what I could do is next year get a normal apartment, sign up to pay for all of it, and have my boyfriend live there and pay me half the rent, or even set up a contract with him to wear he agrees to pay half the rent. This requires a lot of trust however, as if he bails, and doesn't pay his half, I'm still responsible for the whole rent each month.

Another option is to pay the rent amount up front. This is good for of campus living when going to college because you can get a 9 month lease or whatever and pay for it all up front and stay there.

As for credit...well, my boyfriend faced with the problem of having no credit and treated worse than I, who am in debt 30k for college fees (I think that's stupid...you'd trust someone in debt 30k more than someone with zero debt? ugh...stupid! ), is looking for ways to earn credit. What he's thinking of doing is his bank, Wells Fargo, has a student credit card that you can hook up to your Wells Fargo bank account and have it automatically draw from there every time you make a payment. I'm not sure on the logistics of this, but he's going to see if that will raise his credit. This might be a good idea for you to look into.

For me, as I already have (crappy) credit, the fact that I am paying my rent every month and my utilities on time is raising my credit score, which is nice, hooray! But I'm thinking of doing the same as my boyfriend with the credit card - hooked up to debit thing

Um, what else... oh! If you are in college, bother the heck out of your financial advisor! They can help!
Also, I know there are some free advice places, like Salvation Army work help centers and such, try those! If you find out anything particularly useful, let me know! I'm still learning everything. Thankfully, if I graduate, I'm studying Nuclear Engineering, so I have job security, and should be able to pay my loans, but I'm also a bit of an artist on the side, and it's actually the stuff I've done doing art that got me my on-campus job working in the library helping people with the multimedia programs.

Wow, longer reply than I expected. Good thing I like reading. xB

Hmmm... yeah I don't know. My mother was an amazing artist/writer, and she lived off of that for years. She wasn't rich or anything... but she got by and was able to still spend time with us. I would love that. But.... I know that she was the type of person who wasn't scared to be herself around strangers. She just.. got out there. Which I think is a big part of why she was so well known and publicized. I'm a bit of a...ah, well, stutterbug around strangers >///< Maybe I can shake that off, idk.

Oh, no, I know! Even if we don't practice every part of the culture, it is a big part of our life, and so is family, and hard work. I really appreciate having those values. But then I look around, and I'm like, "What...? You want me to suddenly have tons of experience, resources and money to get this simple necessity?" And wonder what they grew up like. My life, was it focused around working? No. It was focused on study and religion... and on family. If I didn't get an A in every class, my father looked down on me. I got "hired" for a job before, when I was 15, but was too busy going between divorced parents in different cities and studying to actually work any hours. My availability was shot. And now, well, it's not. And suddenly my in laws are expecting me to be able to support myself fully. I don't know how to do it (@-@)"

Next step = .....? >_<
I've tried to plan this out but there keep on being complications.
I wanted to get a bachelor's and move to be with my family in Japan. I can save and try to visit Japan again, but living there, well, that's something that will have to be postponed because of radiation and the like.
I don't feel a need to get a bachelor's any more... More like an associate's or a few interest/skill-relevant classes. And I was going to go and do that when...
The in laws started charging us more rent than we can afford at the moment, and then...
My mother died, and my family from across the US are all moving to Oregon to be closer to each other.
And I feel the need to do that too... But job wise? Living wise? I have no idea. .-.

Darling, there is NO NEED TO BE AFRAID OF RADIATION.

I'm studying to be a nuclear engineer, honestly if you're not working at the plant, you really have nothing to worry about.

Seriously, the US is freaking out over it more than Japan is it's getting effing annoying >.>

I mean I wouldn't move next to it either, but I doubt your family lives within 30 miles of the plant anyways, so no need to worry.

-sigh- stupid pump failure...

but anyways. Sorry if I come out a bit rude over that, but the ignorance of the US because of the media spreading lies about nuclear power has become an extreme pet peeve of mine as a nuclear engineer to be >.>

Really, because I talked to my family there and they said the government warned them not to go outside at all except to go from their house to their car and car to door of a hospital or supermarket....

If you don't mind me asking, where do they live in relation to the plant?

I have family in Tokyo, as well as Chiba, and in Utsunomiya. My family in Tokyo had to move, and well my family in Chiba did too because their house got destroyed from the earthquakes. My family in Utsunomiya, they still live on, albeit life is more complicated with what they can do...


Edit: and sorry if i seem scared of it >_<
My dad has a thyroid disorder. He was born in Sasebo, Japan near Nagasaki, 10 years after the bombing there. >_< It made his eyes all... funny looking.

ah, well nuclear bombs are a whooooole different story for sure! There's this little radioactivity number thing, for plants it's usually along the lines of 1.0001 where it's producing that much energy per 1 energy used, whereas bombs are in the whole numbers >.<

I can definitely understand your fear due to what's happened to your father.

Apologies, like i said before I get waaaay too many ignorant people asking me about silly stuff and it just bothers the heck out of me now >.<

I know o_o I get annoyed by it too. I feel I have reasonable ground in my life exp... but like, esp for me it's how much people in America freak out over earthquakes, as compared to radiation. Radiation, well, yeah, I don't have much experience with except through my dad.... Could you tell me more to help me understand? x3

The Yen's apparantly strong too O=

Well, xkcd's radiation chart is actually not badly put together at all, and gives a good overview.

I know, barring an accident, if/when I work around plants, I'm probably going to be receiving less radiation from them than I currently am recieving from living in Atlanta X3

I guess though, one of the main things to keep in mind about nuclear power is that people are afraid of it for the same reason people are afraid of flying; while flying is much much much safe than a car wreck, plane accidents tend to be more scarey and cause more damage deaths in one incident, even though soooo many more people die every year from car accidents.
Nuclear plants vs Coal power plants are the same way. People die mining, and get trapped in coal mines far more often than we like. Including Fukishima, there have only been 3 accidents in the history of nuclear engineering, and all three happened by a serious of very unlucky events, with the only really bad accident being chernobyl.

Not to mention, coal power plants release sooooo many toxins into the air, while nuclear power (not counting Fusion) releases extremly minute amounts of highly toxic stuff, which are kept together in safe containers and things like that, unlike the large amount of CO2 being released into the air.

If you'd like, i can explain what happened with each of those three events, it's pretty sad how much crap went wrong to trigger each of them @.@

Huh? How does Atlanta have more radiation exposure? o:
And I guess that makes sense. I guess thinking of it that way, I'm a bit of a health nut. I eat organic food if I have the choice, and have a tendency to stray away from processed food. I have never taken drugs and get freaked out thinking about it >_< even though I know it's all around me right now in the city I live in... I don't drink. Even when it's for health purposes, I have always strayed away from x-rays for well, basically as long as I can stand. I forgot to mention, my (Japanese) grandmother died of breast cancer and I saw her with the effects of chemotherapy that she ended up dying with. I'm not quite sure what part of it was from chemo, what was just from the cancer, but I remember my grandma yellow and purple, with no hair D: I guess it is something I have to get over at least partially, so I'm not biased against it.... I think for the most part it's just that i've not had much information about it. That chart you showed does give a good idea of how much it is though.

Question though, in the first one when it says sleeping next to someone, does that mean sleeping next to someone who has radiation exposure?