Dear C,
With the economy having apparently run off a cliff, and now beginning to look down, I'm wondering if you are facing the same dilemma as I am: namely, to spend or not to spend? The answer, at first, seems obvious, and indeed I have noticed a certain relief among my Washington neighbors at not having to keep up all the time. The economic crisis has become a wonderful excuse for not going to that trendy new eatery, where for $100 a head one can eat almost as well as one can at home, and suggesting the (delicious) ethnic dive up the road instead. Suddenly, being caught bargain hunting at TJ Maxx is seen as a source of virtue, not shame. And for those of us already accustomed to a hand to mouth existence, thanks to the precarious nature of the oldballandchain's business (can a start-up still be called that 8 years on?) there is, I admit, some measure of schadenfreude to be had at seeing the fruits of our more conventionally employed neighbors come to naught, as the value of their hedge funds and other investment portfolios evaporate. Who knew that NOT having a 401k could ever feel like a wise decision?
But tempting as it may be to turn down the heating and bask in the warm glow of self-denial, I wonder if by doing so I am merely delaying the day of reckoning, not avoiding it? Perhaps it would be better for the oldballandchain and I to go down in flames now, rather than seeing our meager earnings being chipped away by bills to get one's teeth cleaned or fix the dishwasher.
All of which is a long-winded way of saying, I've seen the most fabulous little black dress in Saks, but need your seal of approval before I buy it. I figure if I can save another couple of hundred dollars on groceries this month, I can just about swing it. The twins never really liked playing the piano anyway, and I'm pretty sure they actually prefer their food to come from the freezer.
P.
