Four Ohhh Juan K

Driving home a couple days ago I tuned into one of the only sources of unbiased news – National Public Radio. Two recently graduated 20 something females were being interviewed about their plans for retirement. It’s importance, how to save, should you save, etc…

One girl, a snappy little princess who was fresh outta’ Indiana University’s B-school was talking about her grand plans, and how garnering an MBA taught her the importance of retirement and she was anxious to move to DC for a consulting job in August and to start piling funds into her 401K. I couldn’t tell her how DC is one of the top 5 most expensive cities to live in, and that husbands, kids, job failings, and health issues might – just might – change her outlook and ability to stuff massive amounts of money into a retirement fund. I was captivated because she reminded me of me coming out of undergrad and thinking I’d walk right into opportunity and big money. Then, after a 4 year stint at the Grand Hotel, where every year you work you lose two on the back end of your life due to ridiculous hours, stress, bad food, rapid weight gain/loss, alcoholism – those issues just scratch the surface of working there. I found out that there are prices I don’t want to pay for the big bux.

The other girl, a less egocentric Masters grad in Social Services pretty much knew that there is a glass ceiling in her profession and that she would look at other avenues to save for the long term. I think she had a pretty realistic outlook on what life will bring her, having a background in….real people’s issues. Man, I wish I had her vision when I was 27.

So, I turned that sh*t off, put on some Beastie Boys and picked up Squirty B at her summer camp – feelin’ good because my plan of kickin’ it when I’m 71 is still in tact. I wonder how stupid that sounds to my parents in their 60’s? Probably about as stupid as the consultant princess sounded to me on the radio.