The Question

Today I had a job interview with Response Magazine. This magazine was possibly the first place I have ever had an incredibly enjoyable job interview, and I am hoping to get a callback.

Why do I bring this up? Because this interview had the most interesting and intriguing interview question I have ever had. It came from the publisher, and he asked this: “Say we hire you in three weeks. In the meantime, we give you the corporate credit card to spend on whatever you want. There is no limit. What would you do?”

Not your typical interview question. It wasn’t a question of ethics, because he said it was specifically a personality question. But it still intrigues me even as I sit in Panera. Imagine that we could live our lives with no financial limitation. We wouldn’t have to worry about where our next dime came from. We could live our lives freely. How would our decisions change? How would our lives change?

It’s particularly strange for me to think about, because I have been living almost my entire married life in complete and total financial limitations (there were two months where that wasn’t the case, but over the course of two and a half years, but still). I couldn’t be able to dream what we would do first, how our lives would so dramatically change if there was no limitation to what we can do.

I try to think about whether it would be a positive or negative. Being a person who has lived their life many a time without money, I think of the wonders and joy that would come if we didn’t have to worry about that. No need to be concerned where the next paycheck comes from! We’d be able to buy a house, go on vacations, have a dog! (I really want a dog) I would have my wonderful kitchen and serving area, complete with all the dishes and servingware that I would need to host a crowd. We might even be able to have a baby, as we would be able to afford the high price for a surrogate.

And yet, I know that the problems that already exist don’t go away just because there happens to be some money thrown around. Just because you can afford everything your heart desires doesn’t mean there won’t be problems – after all, some of the richest people in the world happen to be the saddest ones.

Plus, I realize the things that we will get later in life, when we can afford them, will be that much sweeter when we receive them. After all, who really can appreciate a house when they can just plunk down some money for one with no problem, or haven’t worked to get one? My trip back to Israel will be so much sweeter than if I was able to do it ten years ago with no problem. And if we were able to afford to get a surrogate in the future, however unlikely it may be, wouldn’t it be a truer blessing if we thought it was an impossibility at one point?

In a world that runs almost exclusively on money, hope is the greatest way to stay afloat during poverty. When we have money, I realize it will only solve one problem we have. Money can solve financial issues, but it can’t take care of love or give you peace of mind about everything (it only gives you peace of mind that all the bills are paid).

I’m not going to say that money doesn’t matter – trust me, I know it does, from personal experience. But the truth of the matter is that it shouldn’t be all that there is.

Oh, and the answer I gave? First I would pay off the website, then take Ari to a nice dinner. This would be followed by me buying myself a plane ticket to Israel, visiting all my buddies out there, then hopping through Europe. Upon my homecoming, I would cook a gourmet dinner for everyone -- friends, family and even the guys who interviewed me. How insanely Jewish could you get with the last part?

So, as a cheapo, here is my cheapo recipe for a chick’n parmesan. It’s soy, and if you want, you can make it vegan.

CHICK’N PARMESAN

3 soy chick’n patties or 12 soy chick’n nuggets

½ cup grated mozzarella cheese or soy alternative

¼ cup parmesan cheese or soy alternative

1 cup spaghetti sauce

Preheat the oven to broil. Microwave or cook the soy patties/nuggets according to package directions and place them on a baking sheet.

Cover the patties/nuggets with spaghetti sauce and parmesan cheese. Put mozzarella on top. Put the pan into the oven for 3-5 minutes, until the sauce is hot and the cheese is melted. Serve over spaghetti.