300 More

I recently read that Americans work on average 300 more hours a year than Germans do.

I am sure there are many, many reasons Americans work so much. The fabled work ethic, out of necessity for lower-income brackets, the huge amount taken out of your check for health and/or child care, the consumer-driven society that says when we have more we will finally be at peace.

I have a good friend who decided a year ago to take her yearly raise in time and she dropped down to a four day work week.

I find this idea soooo desirable. What I would do with that extra day! Would I have that much more time and energy to put into all my many artistic projects? Additional hours with my amazing child? Or would I just watch more TV?

I think I could reasonably request it this year, maybe without having to take a pay cut. No guarantees they would go for it of course, but I think I would not be out of line to suggest it.

However, we want to move to CA in a couple of years and need to save as much money as possible for that. (not that we're saving any now, har har har)

what to do. what to do.