What would Johnny Depp do?

The other night, I asked Jason the following question:
What job would you want, if you could do anything you wanted?

He contemplated this briefly - very briefly, replying:
"Johnny Depp. I would want to be Johnny Depp."

While not exactly the reply I had anticipated, fair enough. It would be great to be both paid AND respected to dress like a pirate, while living in Paris, surrounded by good cheese and beautiful people.

But maybe it would all get to be a bit boring.

Maybe there's something to be said for the little struggles that we all endure to get where we finally end up. Maybe not having makes us appreciate what we do have. Or have had.

Living in the current situation that I do, in which I never seem to have enough money, and cannot afford to buy new underpants - nor the trip to the laundromat for the old ones, so choose to go without - has made me appreciate the things that I have regularly taken for granted.

And not just because of the complete lack of decent wine in this country for under six quid.

It's not just the little things, like being able to open a bank account at ANY BANK I WANT. Or being able to get a job based soley on the fact that I have a university degree. It's not about having the option to purchase a massive, 64 oz. jar of peanut butter, even if it does take me three years to get through it.

I admit that I am extremely fortunate. I have had access to good education, good food, clean water, and have been able to travel fairly extensively. I grew up in a happy household, and have parents and friends who have respected and supported all of my lame decisions (including the time that I was determined to run away to California with ten cents...didn't make it, in case you were wondering).

While it would be nice to have enough money to purchase an iPod for me and everyone else who wants one so that we can stop talking and communicate solely through the language of music, there's definitely a hidden, beautiful simplicity in not having.

And I'm sure even Johnny could agree with that.