Economics and Sociology

I do believe we are in a recession. It is unreal to me how much things cost these days. We are at the end of our pay period and out of food, so I took my last $50 to Walmart today to see how far I could make my dollar stretch. When did a head of iceberg lettuce start costing 94 cents? That is about double what I expected to spend. I went with the generic cream cheese because Philidelphia was $1.79! I remember I used to buy a block of it for $1.00. These little things don't really seem like that much...what is 79 cents more? Just 3 quarters or so. Not a big deal right? Well it is a big deal when every item in your cart is double the price.

Then as I was driving home, my gas light came on. I drove by a gas station, saw the sign advertising $3.95/gallon...and just kept on driving. No effing way. When I got home, I unloaded the groceries (btw...$44 got me 5 bags of groceries. I swear it would be cheaper to eat Taco Bell every day). As I was carrying the bags inside, I saw Jeffs lawnmower gas can...I looked inside and it is full! 5 gallons of gas just sitting there...waiting to fulfull its destiny of powering my family around suburbia. I'm not quite that desperate yet. I am going to fill up tomorrow when we get paid, but I feel a little better that I can dip into Jeff's supply if I am in a pinch.

With all of this being said...life isn't that bad. It's all about choices. And I chose to spend $40 on bows this morning. I know, I have no gas in my truck and I buy a bunch of bows for Kimberly? Bad Stella. However, it wasn't an impulse buy. I think they really are necessary. Kimmy-girl will be in first grade next year. It isn't going to be as simple as Kindergarten. Cliques are going to be formed. The kids are going to become more aware of how their classmates are dressed...and they are going to being to sort themselves accordingly. Trust me, I know.
When I was little, my yard sale clothes and stringy hair certainly didn't get me far. Sure I had friends. Other grubby looking kids that saw me for what I truly was...sweet, funny, and imaginative. But I was also cornered on the playground by a bunch of bitchy and beautiful second graders that made fun of my thrift store look. In my little mind, they were 'right' and I never stuck up for myself.

Now I have rationalized that by spending money to bedazzle my daughter, I am helping my daughter make friends and to be invited to slumber parties. Parents of children that throw slumber parties are involved parents. They are the types of parents that over schedule their teenagers to keep them out of trouble. Kim will be friends with over achievers...not potheads (like her mother). Then she will go to college, go to grad school, get a fabulous job before marrying an educated man and and living a comfortable life.

So see? Me deciding to buy bows instead of half a tank of overpriced gas was a very wise choice.