[Jennifer Sears]

Follow the instructions on the To-Do List for Tuesday, May 4:
https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/sears-eng-1141-ol07-sp-2021/2021/05/03/to-do-list-session-25-tuesday-may-4/

[Mosqan Naseem]

Hello Money,

When I was small, I always wondered how you always bring happiness to everyone. When I got more of you from my parents, I always felt happy because you could buy everything that I wanted. But as I grew up, I realized how hard is to get you. You not only bring joy and happiness but you are difficult to catch. I realized how hard a person works to get you but in just a few seconds you go away. Now when I look at you, I need to make sure that all of you do not go away. I need to use it with having a budget otherwise I will leave with nothing. You are hard to catch but easy to lose. Now as an adult, I realized how people can go away only because of you. If I have less of you, nobody will be with me. The feelings and emotions have all gone because of you.
You bring everything that a person needs. Clothes, food, house, and even education should be free. You not only bring joy but you help in difficult times when I need you. To cheer me up, go out with my friends and eat my favorite food is all you bring. But do not go away easily and do not make work so hard to get you. I understand the importance of how everyone is behind you, trying to get you is making everyone go crazy. But the end result is that you bring happiness when you come, but when I have less of you, I get stressed.

[Pratima Roy]

Hello Money (Mahalakshmi),

How are you? You know everyone and I always pray to you because you run the world and you also give us happiness. I always appreciate you because you have taught me to respect you by being a self-independent woman and a breadwinner of the house. Mahalakshmi, you’re so amazing because you come and go to different places. You’re omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient! Because of you Money, I have a roof over my head, clothes, internet, and food. Thank you!!! You have so many beautiful identities from going to dollars to yen, and taka. There are more currency and beautiful work of art in those bills/notes. You can be a paper bill, but I will always respect you! Because of you, I have learned to work by myself rather than depend on my family. I love you Money because of hard work and karma I always see you giving me more than I expect. Thank you Money, for coming into my life and everyone’s life and making miracles during this time, and eventually more money comes to people who can get more income if they get jobs. Money, I will always respect you, but some people won’t respect you the way I do because when you give me money from my hard-earned income, I always treat you first and then buy something for me. I learned to give you first and then me. Also money I hope some people don’t put money on their shoes or anything that’s bad because it’s disrespectful to put it on the shoes where feet belong. I see people do that and I understand why you get upset. Therefore I will always respect you no matter what and keep you to the top!

[Lauriann Frederick]

Dear Money,
It is amazing to have this opportunity to write to you. I have always been interested in getting to know you better. I have tried on many occasions to get in touch with you before now, but my calls were never answered, nor was my messages responded to. This time I have decided to go the old-fashioned way and contact you by this letter. My dearest Money, I am hopeful that this time I can express my sincerest thoughts to you about what I would like our relationship to be like. There is an old cliché that says: “We cannot stay silent on things that actually matter.” You matter, and this is what I would like you to know about my desired relationship with you.

At a very early age I used to hear my great-grandma saying to my older relatives: “Never hang your hearts where your hands cannot reach.” Spend within your reach, and always remember to save five dollars here, and save ten dollars there for the rainy days. She said, “It may not make any sense to you now, but one day you will understand what I am saying to you.” She told them, “Money has wings and flies away very easily.” I used to laugh at her saying back then because as hard as I tried to find your wings, I could not find them, so I finally brushed it away as one of Grandma’s old fables. Now that I am older, I have a better understanding of what Grandma meant by you have wings. I believe you have wings, and it is because I have decided to revisit Grandma’s fables and apply them as much as is possible in my adult life, I can reach out to you by this letter, to let you know I am interested in knowing you better so we can be friends indeed. I would like us to have a balanced relationship if possible. I would like us to know and understand each other’s values. Yours as it relates to the power and controls you have over what I can and cannot achieve and, mines as it relates to how and when to use you acquire and use you wisely.

Money, I have tried Grandma’s anecdotes, I tried saving a little of you here and a little there and it actually helped me. Yet, I realized that although I have enough of you for my bare necessities, I do not possess enough of you for my more fundamental needs. Do not get me wrong, I am happy for all you have helped me achieve this far in my life, but I would like to have more of you. I would like to have a nice home where I do not have to hear most of my neighbor’s conversations. I would like to be able to take a couple of trips here and there to enjoy some of the very beautiful and interesting places the earth possesses. I would like to be able to afford good medical insurance, save enough of you for my older years when I do not have the ability or strength to acquire you as I do now, and I would definitely love to leave some of you for my son. Do you think you are opened to such a relationship with me? Are you willing to give me a few tips on how I can acquire and retain more of you? I was thinking about the stock market, but will this be reliable since I do not have many extras to invest in stocks? I do not think I have any special talent that bolsters my acquisition of you, but I am willing to learn and understand about you from any advice you may have for me.

I am looking forward to hearing from you soon, and until then, I will continue to save a little of you here and save a little there. P.S this is New York you know, for most of us our expenditures are much greater than our incomes. Meanwhile, I will continue to use you with great care and yes, with appreciation. Thank you for being there for me, even in a tiny quantity.

Respectfully yours,

Lauriann T. Frederick

[ifsa]

Dear, Money
You are extremely valuable to everyone; people beg for you, receive you through hard work, and some use you wisely, while others use you recklessly. You are really special to my family and me, like every other family in the world, because we have everything we need to eat, wear nice clothes, fly to nice places, eat at nice restaurants, and so on because of you. I spare you the majority of my time so that I can put you to good use and get something useful out of you. Every poor or needy person is helped by God to get to you so that they can eat well and have a nice place to give and wear. You’re a lifesaver when things get tough. Since we had you, our parents have given us the best and we will provide you in the best way to our children. You have bought us all since we were children. Thank you for everything.

[Genesis Hiciano]

Dear Money,

I don’t even know how to start this. How do I tell you how I feel about you in a way that you could feel it too? When I was younger I saw you as the ticket to my prize. It was easy obtaining you from my mom. I would simply ask her and she would tell me what day and time you would be there. As I grew up, I didn’t know you would be part of the reason why my parents split up. I don’t know if you know this, but every time in middle school a kid came with expensive clothing, I would always question why they deserved you more than me. Why could Edwin have a Gucci cologne and spray it through the locker room like it was air freshener? Why couldn’t I have that dress that I only dreamed of wearing from Saks Fifth Avenue? Why did I suddenly feel less than when I entered the store with the brown bag?

Money,
Because of the way you have made me feel, I have reserved myself from many stores, many social events and even with certain people – family even. Did you know that you are the one who controls who is considered important or even relevant in my family? Did you know that every time I visit Tia Lisa and her house in New Jersey, you only point out what I don’t have? How does that make you feel? I want to let you know that even though I may not have Gucci like Edwin, I may not have that dress that I only got to dream of, I may not have the guts to walk into stores that seem to only cater to people with a Rolex, and last but not least, I don’t have a house full of valuables. But I do have something. I have an apartment with two sisters and a mother who love me, support me, and will be with me through time. You can’t buy that. I have a dedication to pursuing my academic career. You can’t buy that. I have health. You can’t buy that. I have the ability to learn and grow from my hard times. This is priceless. You can’t buy that. And to finish off, I have Joy that can not be bought. So, I think that you may think you have everything because everyone desires you, but I write this to let you know that I don’t desire you. I may need you like a person needs to wash their hands before they eat to survive, but if I had the option to live a life without you, I wouldn’t think twice to let you go.

Yours Truly,
Genesis Hiciano

• This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by Genesis Hiciano.

[Kyle Holston]

Dear Money,

I like you but I don’t love you, you are what gets me new things like the new Xbox, halal food like lamb over rice, new clothes, spanish food like rice, beans, chicken and sweet plantains, iphone, laptop, school materials and much more. In order to live in this world I need you, you are here in my eyes because you help organize life. If you aren’t here then many people would behave and steal precious items at the stores like chairs, couches, meat, mattresses, computers, phones, T.V.’s, bags of chips, fruits, fight over spaces to live in if more than two people like where and how the building or home looks like, and constantly make life a living chaos because people would take what they want when they feel like it. And when they feel like could mean anytime of the day whether the morning or the night, so the people who supply the items to the places will be in a hectic situation and won’t know when to resupply those things.

I will need you at a certain level to be able to eat, to be able to live somewhere on my own, to be able to apparel myself. In order to do all those things in my life, I need to do a certain task in this world then once I do that task it is called a job and then receive you money. I could be picking up food at whole foods for someone else to pick up and deliver it to that person who ordered those type of items at whole foods, I could be putting dishes in the dishwasher machine to clean the dishes of someone’s plate that they were eating on or I could be at a recording studio mixing and mastering people’s vocals on a sound from instruments or a voice in the background so the sound sounds much better. Whatever it is I have to do something to receive you money so during the summer and after college I will be doing just that whatever it is to receive you money. But I will not obsess over you, I don’t need you to be what’s called a millionaire. I have other passions and hobbies I love and like to do that will not make me obsess over you. So money I hope you understand my relationship with you.

Sincerely,

Kyle Holston

[Jessica]

Dear Money,
You are very important in the world. Why is it so hard to get your attention? Working very hard to get you back. When I first bought my concert tickets with you and the first time I went on a cruise and Disney world with you, I remember when I first bought my concert tickets. I always seem to overuse you and realize that I am broke. You allow me to have food on the table and a roof over my head. You are sometimes stubborn and hard to get but that means I just need to work harder. Sometimes you spoil me with clothes, shoes, and games. After that, I get left empty. You are valuable and it takes a lot of work and time to have you. In high school, I remember when I had my first job working at a school. When I first received you and the paycheck in my hand, you put a smile on my face. Sometimes I have to watch over you and make sure you are not quickly going away. Trying to save you up so we can buy a house together and for my family. Please stay with my family because my family is going to buy a house soon.
Walking in a grocery store and buying my favorite snacks with you. Sometimes you can be very expensive and I can’t afford. Wish you would stay with me forever and help me through my struggles. Walking into the apple store and buying my first Mac laptop with you. Opening my first debit card so I can deposit and withdraw you. You brought a lot of good memories in my life with full of new things and fun adventures. Without you I would not be able to experience these things with my family.

[Asalah Alhababi]

Dear Money,
Thank you for buying and doing a lot of things to me and to many people. You are the one who are 7.9 billion people are looking for. You are the one who makes us a life. We can’t live without you. You allow me to buy a lot of things such as my favorite food (Falafel), clothes, transit card, jewelry, shoes…etc. But I have some questions for you, why is it hard for me to keep you in my bank account, pocket, or my handbag? Why in the last week of the month I can’t find you. You are the reason of someone’s argument or happiness. Some people’s behavior changed to good or bad just because of you. Unfortunately, you are the main reason of the war that occur around the world. I also want to remind you of two things in life you can’t buy happiness and health, so don’t be arrogant.

I remembered the first day I got you in my childhood, when my mother gave me some of you to buy a candy, I felt thrilled as if I owned the world. Today I am working every day to get you and I am studying to get you. I know that some people may have a lot of you, but without knowing your value. I can tell you that I’m grateful to have you in my life. Having you means a lot to me and to many as well. You are the future and goal to me and to many. Finally, please, be easy to get, don’t go far away, don’t be in evil hand, and be helpful to achieve many people’s dreams.

Sincerely,
Asalah Alhababi

[David]

Dear Money,
When I was younger, I never really thought of you. I used to see you in peoples hands all the time. And till this day I see you a lot. I never really questioned why people had so much of you. As a kid I didn’t really use you, even now I don’t use you. My parents use you all the time, to pay bills, to buy stuff, etc… I never really grasped the idea of you or why you’re so important to people until recently.
Now that I’m older, I can see why you’re needed. I now know the importance of you and your role in people’s lives. With you, people’s needs are fulfilled. Because of you people can buy clothes, food and even pay bills. You allow people to have fun and enjoy life. And because of that you have my respect.

[Michael Vanunu]

Dear money, I wish you were easier to get. You can be worth so much even if there is so little of you. You are what controls the world most of the time and are said to be someone who can make anyone the happiest with you by their side. Dear money, I will be working soon again, and I’ll be bringing you back home with me again. If I could have as much of you as I could, I would. Dear money, you can be really good at times, but you can also be bad, too much can make a person delusional, just like a drug.

Dear money, you’re hard to get but I still want you. Even though there are things better than you I still want you. You may control everything but it’s never always good. Dear money, the more you work the more you make, you’re playing hard to get. I want all of you, you’re what can make me happiest. Dear money, if you make me a delusional person I don’t mind, because you’re what I want.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by Michael Vanunu.

[Arianna Betancourt]

Dear Money,
I don’t quite remember our first interaction. There has been so many over the years. How could a girl even keep count? But there was one interaction that I will never forget about you.
I had to be around three to four years old when I learned my first lesson of being greedy and it involved you- money… I had received a large Expo board for Christmas. I was so happy to receive such a gift; especially from waiting so long for this dry erase board. Could you believe my face when the Expo markers inside were dried out? I was so disappointed- my grandparents promised to replace them and I could even pick them out. The next week my grandparents took me to Target to replace the markers. My grandma kept showing me the exact same set of four markers that came in the set. My eyes kept peaking over to the big colorful set of markers. My grandma was trying so hard to persuade me to pick out the pack of four markers. “Honey, see it has the same colors- you can use these.” Little did I know the four markers were the only markers in range of their budget. My grandfather then pulls out a hundred dollars to pay for the set of markers. I felt all the blood rush my head, I hadn’t seen a hundred unless we bought a load of groceries. Money, you had brought me a great deal of shame that day. I had been oblivious to how difficult it was for many to have you around.
Many people worked hard for you, worked too hard. My dad kept trying to find ways to see more of you. Whenever we did, we saw less of him. Two to three jobs just for an extra family vacation. Money, you hold value in our lives. Maybe, that’s why I’m conflicted with you. You are a necessity for life to go on. To maintain a roof over the head and clean water flowing through the pipes. I envy how you can the difference between poor and privilege. But I appreciate all the warm nights and extra days off you gave to my family. For many days we lost together, we always got to see another day with you someway in it.
See you around Money
Arianna M. Betancourt,

[Zeneida Hernandez]

Dear Money,

I finally have the opportunity to talk about my feelings about you. Having grown up in a family where you were not present all the time was not easy for me. I missed you so much. I still remember when I was around 10 years old and I wanted to buy a new pair of shoes because I had none, but I could not because my grandma had to buy food instead with the little money she had. Growing up without you was hard and it was for many years of my adulthood when I was dependable on someone else. All my life I have heard that the true treasure is having the love of your family, your children, friends, and your partner, however, over the years I have learned that having you is as important as having them too.
I am not saying you are everything I want to have in my life, but I want to say thank you for everything you have done for me. It has been a long journey to get where I am today. I have worked hard to bring you to my life. I understand I have to create a balance between us and be responsible in my relationship with you, otherwise, you will leave me. My precious friend, I want you to know how much confidence you have brought to my life. After I met you I felt more powerful, happier, and free. I am not worried anymore because I know you will be there to support me. You have not only brought joy to my life but also those I love too. I say thank you for that as well. There are so many things for which I want to thank you that I would lack space to write. I just want to promise you that I will continue working hard to develop a stronger relationship between us, so that you wont go away.

Regards,

Zeneida Hernandez

[jenni727]

Dear Money,

Growing up, I heard about you all the time. If it wasn’t my parents arguing over how you were being spent, it was my grandma complaining that we didn’t have enough of you. I heard that you were the devil, which conflicted with the power I was told you had to improve the lives of the needy. You intimidate yet fascinate me. I want to clutch onto you tightly, suffocating you so that you never leave my fingertips. At the same time, you know you’re the only way I’ll live the life I’ve always dreamed of. So, maybe I am willing to let loose with you. Now that I think about it– remember when I spent you recklessly because I was trying to fill the void in me? That didn’t help for too long and I found myself in a continuous cycle of using you to feel better about myself. I propose we set up a mutually beneficial relationship so that neither of us get hurt. I’ll reach out once in a while, but only when I need to and only if the circumstance allows it. Do me a favor, will you? Quit trying to tempt me to run back to you. Acknowledge that there is space needed between us. You don’t own me.

Respectfully,
Jennifer P.

[Anthony L]

When was I first aware of the existence and value of money? I think I became aware of it’s value when I was around five years old. I had always seen bills being exchanged between my parents and cashiers and at some point I wanted to pay for something myself. So I saved up my money, picking up loose change dropped in the streets and eventually I would trade the coins with my grandmother for dollars. She was always happy to get quarters since she took the bus wearily often, bad knees and all that, walking was a pain for her. Eventually I had enough saved that I was able to get myself something small like a candy bar, I waited for the next time that my parents took me outside and once we headed into a nearby corner store, I grabbed a cookies and creme bar and brought it to the with me to the front. My parents were paying for whatever it was they were buying and I waltz up and put the bar on the counter, barely reaching it because of severe lack of height. My parents told me to put it back, but I immediately gave my money to the cashier. It’s a little fuzzy beyond that, but I think I was punished that day for making a scene.
As of today, I’m a little more conservative with my money and I don’t tend to spend it unless it’s for something really necessary. That or in those times of weakness where my wants outweigh my reasoning. I’ve become a lot more accustom to the concept of taxes and such too, so I usually calculate that stuff before I go spending money, a big difference from when I was little. I will say that I am just as stubborn as I was back then, but at least now I have the freedom to spend my money without somebody questioning me or telling me that I can’t buy what I want. I can understand being to young to deal with money, but I was a smart kid and I liked to do things myself. The least my parents could have done was give me the chance to experience making a purchase for the first time.