Be an adult.

Wtf is that even? Be responsible. Am I responsible, first of all? Yes. 

Let’s list it out so that we’re clear and can feel better about ourselves.

1. I have a job.
2. I have a job I like.
3. I can pay all my bills in cash.
4. I live in my own apartment that I rent using money that I earn from my job, and I can pay that in cash, too.
5. I live in a good, safe neighborhood.
6. I can put food on the table for my kids.
7. I have access to clean drinking water.

Let’s stop there for now.

Item #7 was a turning point for me. It was what made me feel like I’ve become an adult. 

Explain girl.

Okay, lemme explain. Yes, I do live in a safe neighborhood with good schools. It took moving 2 times before I could achieve this milestone, but I have achieved it. However, the tap water in my neighborhood isn’t all that clean. Even after boiling it, there’s still that weird taste. I have lived in countries where their tap water is good and clean enough to drink. But we don’t have that here. 

For a great many years, 13 years to be exact, from the time my family moved back to Malaysia (we lived overseas before that), we’ve bought bottled water to drink. Boiled tap water was good enough for cooking but for drinking we used bottled mineral water. Or bottled distilled water. And only 6 years ago was I able to afford leasing a water purifier for my home so that I can stop buying bottled water. 

Do you know how cumbersome it is to keep buying bottled water? They sell those 5 liter bottles at the supermarket for like $3.50 each or something, and each month I’d have to buy 4 bottles and carry it from the car to my apartment. And it’d still run out before the month was over, and I’d have to buy more. And then back when we were really poor, I’d get so mad when the kids wasted drinking water. Like pouring a cup and not finishing it. Leaving it on the table overnight until ants are swimming in it the next day. Argh. It was like kaching-kaching (cash register sound)… money being spent and wasted. At that time, my income could pay rent and bills and not much else. I couldn’t afford the monthly fee for something like a water purifier. We were so poor.

The company that I worked for was going thru a lawsuit at the time time, and to help pay for the damages, they implemented a company-wide pay freeze. No salary increments for 2 years. It was harsh but I stayed. 

Then it was over and they lifted the pay freeze. That was 6 years ago. When I finally had a pay raise, one of the first things I did was sign up for a Coway water purifier. Do you know what a relief it was just to have access to clean drinking water everyday? It was a godsend! My kids were so happy. The water tasted good and you could drink it cold! 

That one thing improved our lives so much. I saw that moment as a milestone in adulthood. 

I still see some people at the office (younger ones) fill up a 3 liter bottle with water from the office water dispenser to bring home everyday. Like I’m just glad I never had to do that. Three liters is not enough anyway for a family of 3, but I can see how a single person can make do with 3 liters. But anyway, that’s not the point. The point is:

1. Coway water purifier rental achieved. Classified as a bill.
2. Able to pay for it monthly in cash.
3. Achievement unlocked. Level up.

Then when the haze came, I signed up for a Coway air purifier, too. Level up up.