Somebody stop me!!!

I have a little problem. It's money related. Unfortunately - my little problem is NOT that I have too much money - it's not even that I don't have enough money - it's that money runs through me like a sieve. I've been caught up in this rush of excitement with Christmas shopping and really have no explanation for all the money I've spent. Tsk Tsk Tsk!!! I'm like the US government - just spend spend spend!!!

I just love presents. Presents FOR me are okay - but I absolutely crave the excitement of finding the perfect gift for another person - and unfortunately for me, Asrai is SUPER easy to shop for - everywhere I turn around - woo hoo - there's another perfect gift!! She's going to think Santa was smoking heroin when he put together her presents this year because there are so effing many of them. Thank goodness we have a basement!

I do feel bad about it - because the economy is in the toilet, and when I can't afford to buy groceries at some point in March, I'm going to look at all those American Girl doll accessories and outfits and curse my loose purse strings. They're just so goddamn cute. Whose fault is that???? Hello - it's got to be Mattel.

Seriously though, I don't know why I'm worried about the future. If I were an uber-Christian, I'd probably think the end of days was coming - when people are trampling employees to death at Wal-Mart and shooting each other at Toys R' Us over deals - nevermind the pregnant woman injured in a mall shooting in Atlanta - something is very wrong with the world. And while I'm not a very religious person - I do see the irony in people killing each other over cheap toys for the holiday celebrating Jesus's birth.

I'm not one to dwell on the negative, so I'll move on.

Tonight begins the two weeks of my person hell. For the next 16 days I have one day off - and most of the rest of the days I'll be working both jobs. I have two days off from LLBean in the next 16 days. Yuck-O. But - It will help compensate for my dreadful purchasing practices of late. Tsk Tsk Tsk. Honestly, I enjoy the LLBean work - it doesn't require any brainpower from me - I can be pleasant and present on the phone with one hand tied behind my back - oh yes. Unfortunately my day job is not quite so lenient. Such is life. In 22 days it will be Christmas, and all will be well with the world!!!

At least I don't work at the stock exchange

Just in case you hadn't noticed - the country isn't doing very well economically. I hate to be the bearer of bad news - but I have a hunch you might have seen something on the news about this recently. I've been watching my retirement fund dwindling down (I've lost $305 in the last week alone) and thinking about the future. I wouldn't say it's bleak or anything depressing like that - let's just say it's a much thriftier picture than I had previously envisioned. I've always had this little pipe dream that eventually I would join that elite group known as the upper middle class. I've heard talk that the middle class is disappearing, and as I know that to be a richie rich is not anywhere in my future (no matter how cloudy your crystal ball) - I think I'll have to be happy where I am.

Asrai and I had a big talk about the big guy - no, not that one - SANTA!! She knows the reason I'm working two jobs is not so we can have "the most awesome Christmas EVER" - it's so that we can afford to be in our beautiful new house and I can (try) to put some money in savings. She said that she was just going to ask Santa for all the expensive stuff she wanted for Christmas. Now, I admit, I'm very lucky - my daughter is an intelligent little gal - and she's been following the news and everything lately - I made the point to her that with so many people having lost their jobs lately, probably Santa was going to need to pick up the slack for parents who had NO money for presents. She understood. Of course, I'm going to figure out some way to do amazing things for Christmas, and will doubtlessly spend more than I should on her presents - as I always have done, and to be honest, I think I enjoy it more than she does. But, I was very toned down with her birthday - so we'll see if I can keep that up for Christmas.

Speaking of which, I'm very excited - Kathryn and I are going to be going down to the LLBean Employee store on 12/5 - I am THRILLED at the prospect of 5 for a dollar shirts and new leather boots for $6 - I will be sure to take loads of pictures.

Okay - I've got to get ready to head to job number two - I guess with things the way they are, and unemployment rates soaring - I should feel extremely lucky to have not just one, but TWO jobs!! Go me!!