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Landlord’s Game

Monopoly wasn’t invented by the Parker Brothers, nor the man they gave it credit for. In 1904, Monopoly was originally called The Landlord’s Game, and was invented by a radical woman. Elizabeth Magie’s original game had not one,

but Two sets of rules to choose from.

One was called “Prosperity”, where Every player Won money anytime Another gained a property. And the Game was Won by Everyone playing Only when the person with the Least doubled their Resources. A game of Collaboration and Social good.

The second set of rules was called “Monopoly”, where players succeeded by taking properties and rent from those with less luck rolling the dice. The winner was the person who used their power to eliminate everyone else.

Magie’s Mission was to Teach Us how Different We Feel when playing Prosperity vs Monopoly, Hoping that it would one day change national policies.

When the Parker Bros adopted the game, they erased Magie, they erased the “Prosperity” rules and celebrated “Monopoly”. This is why very few games of Monopoly end in better friendships! Some even end friendships!

What they couldn’t erase was Magie’s Lesson.

~Darlis Mayes

For 702 days I have had this sign on my door – Motel Living

I know this makes someone very happy , that I’ve shown the world,

our sons, and my community that I’m incapable of caring for myself

financially. Negating that as a former lawyer of mine , stated ” if we

could only let him talk ” ..talking all kinds of distortions, I’ve seen things

I cannot discuss , yet ..

So I must have a sign on my door , and have not , for the most part been

disturbed , which allows me to eat, sleep, research , cook( limited ) and

I allow my mind to roam as it were ..

My groceries arrived, late but they made it and my appetite disappears .

Intermittent rain, some light wind ..I didn’t see Ms Moon on high ..sleeping

through the highest energies , trying to hold faith , and space for dream

weaving 🙌🎁🫶🏼❤️

The Way it is – Eviction Job Loss Homelessness

Something to think about….

What if you were a single parent with a child . You work full time for $14.00 hr. You bring home roughly $800 .00 per paycheck (bi-weekly).

Your bills:

$1, 000 . 00 / rent

$150 .00 / electrical

$250 .00 / car payment

$150 .00 / car insurance

So let’s do the math :

You bring home about

$1,600 .00 a month & your bills average about $1,550.00 (give or take).

You’re making it, but barely.

This doesn’t even include groceries, internet, cable, cell phone, etc .

(nor does it include child tax credit, or child support)

Now, it’s a really cold December and you get a power bill for $600 .00

How do you pay that?

To put it simply , you don’t.

Because you can’t.

So your power gets shut off.

But you know what your lease says?

It says you get evicted if your utilities are terminated.

So now you’re in court crying to a judge who doesn’t care, & you have 10 days to get out.

Well you’re in luck, because you found somewhere with 3 days to spare & it’s only $650.00 a month!

But to get in, you must pass a background & credit check. Which you can’t because you just got evicted.

You’ve never been a criminal, but even if you could pass it, you’re looking at $1300 to move in, after paying the deposit & first month’s rent.

Time’s up ….

Landlord shows up at 7am with the police & changed your locks.

So, now you’re living in your car with your 7 year old son & everything you need to get by.

You tried to get a storage unit, but you don’t have a billing address so they won’t sell one to you. So you could only take what would fit in your backseat.

You pay to shower at local truck stops & eat whatever can be cooked in a gas station microwave.Someone sees you & your son living like this & calls C.P.S; guess what happens next ? ? ?

They remove your child from your care.

As if this isn’t devastating enough, you lose your job too. (Because “an employee losing their child reflects poorly on this company .”)

So now, you apply for an apartment with the region where the waiting list is 3-7 years.

Then you go into Wal-Mart to put in an application.

When you get back to your car you see that your back window has been smashed & someone helped themselves to your belongings. Remember that it is December & really cold. Now you have damage to your only shelter.

You call your car insurance, who says your deductible is $1,000.00

~ AND ~ they’re going to increase your monthly rate since you’re now

“ high risk .”

You call the homeless shelter as a last resort & all their beds are full.

I’ll stop here …..

Because I think you get the point .

The people we work with everyday are these people .

WE ARE THESE PEOPLE .

We are all so close to homelessness & don’t even realize it .

All it takes is :

* one unexpected bill📃~

* one fender bender🚙💥🚗~

* one lay-off 📊~

* one house fire 🏠🔥 , etc.

Instead of talking trash about people who are poor , homeless , or need assistance , why don’t you try being grateful that you’re not in their shoes …… YET !

This is about staying humble & being kind .

BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE ❤

We Are All Struggling In Different Ways.. 😭😩

Shrinking – Downsizing

Cookie Shares:

When my mom was cleaning out her house over 23 years ago to sell it, I wasn’t very sympathetic over her attachments to things. I would go over on weekends to help her and we would go through things, things for a yard sale, things to donate, things to throw away. I would usually get upset over how long it was taking her to decide. For instance, we were going through kitchen cabinets and she spent 20 minutes looking at an iron kettle with a lid. Finally I said,

“Mom, at this rate it is going to take us another 2 years.”

She told me that her mother used to make meals in that kettle and leave them at doorsteps of neighbors during the depression, mom would deliver them, and then they would reappear back to her with an apron, or a wood carving, something in return for the meal. I realized that everything that my mom was going through was really a reliving of her life.

If you are reading this and are under the age of 60, you wont get it. You haven’t lived long enough. Most of you have not had to move your parents into a nursing home, or emptied their home. You haven’t lived long enough to realize that the hours you spend picking out the right cabinets, or the perfect tile will not be what matters in the later years. It will be the handmade toothbrush holder, or a picture that you got on vacation.

So, if your parents are downsizing, and moving to smaller places, or selling a home, give your mom and even your dad a break. Those things that you don’t understand why they can’t just pitch, and why you think you know what needs to be tossed or saved, give them a little time to make their decisions. They are saying goodbye to their past, and realizing that they are getting ready for their end of life, while you are beginning your life.

As I have been going through things, its amazing just how hard it is to get rid of objects. But, life goes on, and you realize they are just things, but sometimes things comfort us. So give your parents or grandmparents a break. Listen to their stories, because in 40 years, when you are going through those boxes and the memories come back, it will be hard to get rid of those plastic champagne flutes that you and your late husband used at a New Years party 40 years ago. You will think nothing of the tile or the light fixtures that were so important then.

As happy as they are for you, and as much as they love you, you just don’t have a clue until it happens to you and then you will remember how you rushed them, and it will make you sad, especially if they are already gone and you cant say I’m sorry, I didn’t get it.

~ Original Post Melissa Vaughan