That is the new philosophy of our household. We came up with it when we realized that we were not just living from paycheck to paycheck, but losing ground each month. The only way to get ahead was to beat back at our debt with a constant stream of cash. I once heard someone who grew up in New York in the 1970’s talking about the birth of hip-hop culture and life in his neighborhood. The people he knew were in a constant struggle to get ahead or to get away. They called themselves hustlers and devoted themselves entirely to making money however they could. The things they did for money involved drugs and extortion which I have no interest in, but the idea they had of relentlessly working to get ahead stuck with me. Which brings me here, to Mechanical Turk. I have a job during the day which pays well all things considered, but not quite well enough for us to keep our heads above water. Any other money we can bring into the house helps, even if it is only 25 cents or a dollar at a time. Whenever I get the feeling that I need to do something to help myself, to get to a better place, I come here. I have never been more proud of money that I have earned than the money I have made here. It is money that we have because we refuse to give up and sink below the waterline. We will keep at it until we are ahead, because we are digital hustlers.