Ironically, some of the most memorable and exciting times in my life were predicated on 'out of money experiences'. Nothing keens the senses and heightens awareness than not having a dime and finding a way to survive. In looking back at my life those were the times that stood out among the hundreds of normal days spent kind of sleepwalking through life, the blessing and curse of a comfortable middle-class lifestyle.

Now I must differentiate between being broke in a first world capitalistic country where money is fairly fluid and attainable with a little ingenuity, as opposed to a hard scrabble feudal state like Haiti with little options no matter how clever you are. Our very poorest living on skid row in tents still have it way better than a good portion of the world's population. I know when I am blessed and lucky.