million = million

[rinue]

I work in media, whether it's as a writer, as a filmmaker, or as a captioner who covers sports, the stock market, and congress. These are all areas where big money numbers get thrown around, and people say things like "a million dollars isn't all that much anymore." Or "$5 million is nothing. What could you do with $5 million?"

And on the one hand, there are things I could not make for a million dollars; I couldn't afford to buy all the materials I would need, and pay all the crew members, and rent all the equipment, and launch a marketing campaign. And if I were a sports player getting offered a $5 million contract when somebody who does the same thing, but worse than me, is getting paid $50 million, I would have some grounds to renegotiate. Money is, after all, relative.

But I try to remind myself every once in a while that if somebody handed me a million dollars, free and clear, I could pay myself my current annual salary for 25 years. I make the median U.S. family income.

So no, actually, a million dollars is still a lot of money.

Comments

[bevjunior]

I really f*cking want $1,000,000 dollars.

P.S. I think I am coming to Boston! Or anyway I am supposed to March 5 - 10 ish. For the AWP conference. Got room for an indigent? Talk this weekend?

[rinue]

That would be more than welcome! I'll put it on the calendar. I'm working the 5th through 7th (although I could take a half day off or something) and off the 8th through 11th (but doing a screening of "We need to talk about Kevin" the night of the 8th).