Liberation

This year's Christmas is like none other for me. Three things factor into the change:
1. This is my first Christmas without Dad.
2. This is my first Christmas without my daughter.
3. This is the first Christmas I haven't bought any gifts. Not a single one.

I had major unexpected expenses this month - $797 to be exact - paying an insurance deductible and buying my daughter a last minute ticket to fly here for her grandfather's funeral. That money had been my Christmas budget plus some utility bills. No cash is left over for gifts. And after a year of listening to Dave Ramsey, there is no way I'm putting anything on the credit card. I would rather be perceived as a Scrooge before I charged a gift that someone will open, smile at, then never use.

Because the daughter is spending Christmas elsewhere, I have felt no compulsion to buy her anything. It would be too costly and difficult for her to receive the gift then ship it back to her home from her current locale.

Dad's death has put a damper on things, too. No decorations have been pulled out, no tree set up and no fruitcake baked. Without him here, those other things just don't seem to be as important anymore.

With that said, I have felt an unexpected liberation from consumerism this year and it is a nice feeling. I haven't felt the stress or pressure of trying to remember who I've forgotten, I haven't fought the cars and people at the malls, and I'm classifying this as a guilty pleasure.

The Home Depot

Find a big concrete warehouse, fill it up with sawdust and plumbing, stir in some orange dye, and you have The Home Depot. Normally one would not consider the inner workings and relations of the company staff, but our family has had the priviledge of enjoying the benefits of the wonderful staff of the Home Depot for 20 years.

Dad was fortunate to be hired as a sales associate back in 1989. The trucking industry had been restructured (thanks to the earlier Carter administration) and for years Dad had a difficult time maintaining employement. It was hard to justify paying a 50+ year old man over $40K a year when you could get a recent college grad to do the same work for $20K. A childhood friend of Dad's, Sister Jude Walsh, R.S.M., had a nephew who was the store manager of the new HD location in town, and she put in a good enough reference to get Dad on the payroll.

I can remember how happy Mom and Dad were when he landed the job. Even though their fiberglass business drew enough cash to live off of, the HD job enabled them to once again have health insurance! They also took advantage of the other perks - particulary the employee stock option purchase, buying the max every paycheck. The stock soared in the 1990's and with it, they were able to cash in enough to build their dream house on the marsh.

In 2002 Dad was diagnosed with interstitial pulmonary fibrosis. Best guess is that the disease was contracted after working with that fiberglass so many years. A terminal disease, best hope was 4 years worth of life on average after diagnosis. However, an experimental drug, Acctimune, was (and is) still in the trial phases, and Dad was a candidate for the trial. Good news was the HD's EAP program was also willing to pay the $5K per month this drug costs, since insurance wouldn't pay for a non FDA approved medication. So for 7 years, HD provided my father with an extended lease on life.

It has now been 6 days since Dad passed away. So many stories are now coming out from the HD about how much he loved every co-worker and how much they loved him. The past 3 years have been particularly difficult for him as he went to work each day, but having that job and having those co-workers gave him a reason to keep living and getting out of bed every morning. Any other retailer would have fired Dad years ago. He was a liability and cut into the bottom-line net profit. But the Home Depot not only kept Dad, every few months they went out of their way to find ways to accomodate him in better ways to keep him comfortable and extend his time there.

God bless the Home Depot.

Change of Seasons

I enjoy the gradual change of every season. In a dozen weeks, I will be hoping for snow (which is extremely rare) and 20 degrees so I can cozy up with a cup of cocoa. After a few weeks of that, I will be longing for the sunshine and flowers of spring, and the ability to drop the top of the convertible. I will soon tire of that and anticipate the hot temps of the summer, and the comfort of tank tops and flip flops. Then it won't take long before the heat and humidity take its toll and I look forward to Autumn.

My only regret is that I don't live in New England. I have always thought of fall as starting in late September, early October, yet after 47 years in southeast Georgia I should have figured out our leaves don't change colors until Thanksgiving - or after. Oh well. Thanks to Tropical Depression Ida and a low front, we have had a few crisp days.

I wore my oversized yellow fleece for the entire day yesterday, inside and out. Snuggly goodness!

Living out a dream

Sometimes our dreams are grandiose, sometimes they are a little simpler.

As a child, I always dreamed of experiencing the red carpet. Like many little girls, I wanted to be a movie star in the worst way. The lights, the camera, the handsome leading men, and the glamour of costume and jewelry was my fantasy career. Well, guess what, it didn't happen.

I have had a very good life and don't regret it, but I never discarded the hope that one day I could at least visit Hollywood and see where the action takes place. And if there was one, and only one place I could visit, it would be Grauman's Chinese Theatre.

Little did I know that my daughter would up and move to Los Angeles. I sometimes try to live vicariously through her and imagine what it would be like to live in the land of celebrities and paparazzi. Fortunately for me, her move has afforded me the ability to "dip my toe" and sample that life!

I made my first visit to see her two weekends ago. Four nights in LA wasn't enough time to do everything I wanted, but future trips are already booked. Of course, the top of the itinerary was seeing her, hugging her, and spending time with her. Second on the list - Grauman's.

It was what I always expected and then some - grandiose old Hollywood opulence. Because they only have one screen, you had to watch what they showed - too bad for me it was "Astroboy". Hey, its all about the ambiance there; who really cares about the movie? Everything was perfect - tall ceilings, oriental murals, even the exit sign was written in that Cantonese penmanship.
The theatre was almost vacant, only about 10 of us in there to watch the movie. Didn't matter to me. The previews came on, then the magnificent curtains closed (just like in the good old days) then reopened for the feature movie.

I was in heaven.

Exasperation

I live in a planned community. There are many individual homes, and there are a few condo complexes; I own a condo. Due to the community amenities (2 clubhouses, 2 pools, tennis courts, basketball courts, fire department subscription, human resources at community level, decorative signs at roads) everyone (homeowners and condo owners) pay monthly subscription for these and the cost is equal - about $25 a month. Each condo complex has additional amenities shared only by those condo owners (monthly terminex service for pests, bi-annual cleaning of exterior of building, landscaping, roofing, parking lot maintenance, and insurance on the exterior of the structure). There are only 8 units in my complex so the cost is high (about $125 a month), whereas the condo complex across the street from me has over 60 units, and their cost is lower (about $115 a month).

I just received a visit from a condo owner from another part of the community. She asked me to sign a petition - the monthly amenities at her complex are going up $8 a month. She is against the increase based on the argument that our economy is in a recession, people are struggling, and their complex is not getting any new or additional services for the increase.

I asked her how long she had lived there - she bought 7 years ago. Had the amenities gone up since her purchase - yes, about $8 increase a few years back. I asked why she is looking for petition signatures from me and the other owners in my complex (the increase only affects her complex) - she said because the more signatures the better, they listen to us all, and we have to be united against this. We discussed how in 7 years the cost of services has increased (lawn maintenance contracts, fire department services, etc.), and therefore, wouldn't an increase in amenities be expected every so often? Her answer - it doesn't matter - we are in a recession and they shouldn't be tacking on more costs. Her argument was that the homeowners only paid so little and condo owners paid so much. I told her when I bought my condo, I was aware of this. I stated "why shouldn't homeowners pay less? They have to maintain their own house structures and lawns and pest control, where we have that taken care of for us." She stated "It's not fair - they get to write theirs off on their taxes, and we don't". I explained they don't get to write theirs off - they only get to write off mortgage interest just like us. I couldn't convince her because she knew a homeowner that included his amenities as a deduction and "no one said nothing to him yet".

Good Lord. Anyone who reads this is probably as exasperated from the reading as I was talking to her. We had a pleasant conversation, but I wouldn't sign the petition. She was truly surprised and amazed that I could not see her viewpoint. I was truly surprised and amazed that she felt that everyone should get everything for no cost - because we're in a recession and people are struggling.

I never mentioned that I don't believe we are in a recession (I think people believe what the nightly news propagandizes), but I did ask her if she worked - yes, she has a great job and so does her husband. I told her I had two jobs and went to school. I don't know if she got my point - if there is a recession, its not hurting her or myself.

Gross but Fun!

Squishy balls hold the same appeal to me as bubble wrap. You get your hands on one of them, and you squeeze, and squish and imagine all kind of nasty things. The squeezing and squishing, though, never gets old.

And way is that funky smell that stays on your hands afterwards? Gross!

Sperry Top-Siders

There are certain things that (whether we want to admit it or not) stereotypically define demographic groups. It is hard to think of Ralph Lauren polo shirts, khaki pants, and Sperry Top-Siders without envisioning the quintessential preppy frat boy or girl.

I am as far from that mold as you could get, but Jack & Buffi have a point. I love the shoes - always have, always will. At 47 years, I am on only the third pair of Sperrys I have ever owned. Worn 28 out of 30 days each month, they are comfortable, water proof and durable. They are getting somewhat dirty, but that can be fixed.

I estimate that these shoes will last at least another two years before it is time to move on.

Trying to Curb my Enthusiasm

For the past 7, 8 years, everyone talked about the HBO series "Curb Your Enthusiasm" - "great show", "very funny", "smart writing", "addictive".

My lack of an HBO subscription hindered me from watching the show for many years so I was not very familiar with it, other than Larry David (head writer and co-creater of the funniest show ever: "Seinfeld") was the writer and star of "Curb".

For a couple of years my daughter was in an on-again/off-again relationship, and the ex was nuts about "Curb", so much that their agenda revolved around the show. She hated it - maybe because the ex was controlled more by the show than by her.

As I was flipping through Comcast OnDemand choices last night, I noticed that they are playing season one of "Curb" so I thought I would give it a try. Episode One, ok. Episode Two, smartly written. Episode Three, I am intrigued by the characters whose mental derangement overshadows Larry's - yet they see him as nuts. Episode Four, with the ending freeze shot of Larry David having just evicted Richard Lewis from a jewelry store, I am HOOKED.

I feel guilty because I am now loving a show that my daughter hates for personal reasons. I promise this does not mean I am on the ex's team - but I have to keep watching this show!

I might be savvy

or maybe I'm not. I just tried to link this blog to my twitter account. Maybe it will work?

The good, honest auto mechanic

These are a rare breed. When you find one, make sure you save the digits.

About two weeks ago, I took my pony to the local oil/lube franchise for the three month oil change. I wasn't surprised when they told me it was time for new brakes and rotors with an estimate of $399. I could do that; however, every penny scrimped and saved is a penny towards a visit to my daughter.

I called the mechanic who lives way out where God lost his shoe, and he said he could do the job for $200, $225 tops. Plenty enough savings to justify the ride out to the boondocks.

Well, guess what. My car is ready and the total cost is $149. Don't tell his wife, but I am guilty of secretly being in luv with my grease monkey.

Going once, going twice, gone!

About a year ago, my daughter asked me to sell her Wii on Ebay. Even though I had made a purchase or two in the past, selling was new to me. Needless to say, Wiis were still rare and the sale went smoothly for the right price.

I am now at a point in my life where I am trying to rid myself of the clutter I have accumulated over the years. What better way than to put my junk on the internet's best garage sale site?

Dipping my toe in, I listed five of my Shelia's. I had no idea what to expect, or what to charge for shipping, so I let the bids start at $.99 with shipping of $4.95 per house. Bidding ends tomorrow about 10am EST.

I have looked at my merchandise several times a day for the past 9 days, and even though a handful of people are "watching" the items, no bids were placed UNTIL TODAY. Hey, these things might not sell for more than a couple of dollars each, but I am taking great pleasure in fantasizing a bidding war in the last 15 minutes!

Triple A and cell phones

My new motto: A world without AAA and cell phones is a world I want no part of.
Yesterday was great fun for the most part, but ended with a ppphhhhhttttt. After a yummy dinner of jerk pork with black-eyed pea relish and sweet potato, I dropped my car off at the mechanics, then borrowed my parent's truck to use as a loaner. Half way home the temperature guage shoots to the max and I pull over. I keep that little plastic AAA card and their toll-free number with me at all times, and with cell phone in hand start dialing. In less than 40 minutes my knight in shinging armor arrives, courtesy of Bubba Diass towing, and takes me and the truck back to Mom & Dad's. By 9:30pm, I had reclaimed by car from the mechanic and was heading home.
You young whippersnappers have no idea how good you have it. I broke down on GA 204 - 1 mile over a bridge in one direction to the nearest phone. Up until 10 years ago, I would have been making that walk of shame. Nowadays, the inconvenience of sitting on the side of the road with the emergency flashers clicking is an opportunity to stop and smell the roses.

It's my Birthday, me, Me, ME!!!!

Actually, my birthday was two days ago. But today I am enjoying the guilty pleasure of dragging it out and sapping it for what it is worth!
Two of my coworkers are taking me to lunch today, and I chose a new Parisian Restaurant on Broughton Street and I can't wait. For dinner tonight, I am meeting my parents and I think I want them to take me to my favorite casual south-side eatery.
A few of my Facebook buddies even fussed at me because they were not aware of my birthday. Sorry 'bout that! It wasn't intentional, but it did feel very good knowing that they wished me their best.
So to everyone out there, Happy Un-Birthday to you!

The morning shower

Maybe its instinct, who knows. I drag and drag before I will step foot into the shower each morning, delaying the inevitable. But once in, I don't want to climb out.

The warm water, the cleansing soap, the fragrant shampoo, I don't know. Its just so weird that I know the shower is something I will enjoy, yet I prolong its inception as one would a root canal.

My Hysterectomy

Oh, yeah, you really want to know about it. Well, I'm not talking too much, except that the past 8 years have been WONDERFUL since it happened. Well, I did have the inevitable weight gain, but the freedom that has ensued since more than makes up for the pounds.

I stumbled upon this today and it pretty much explains everything I haven't had to endure.

The traffic jam (or lack thereof)

A lot of crappy things can be said about living in Savannah, but I take exception when people complain about being stuck in traffic for......15 minutes. We have no idea how good we have it. Many computers in the metro areas, (Atlanta, DC, LA, et al) endure commutes which sometimes stretch well over an hour each direction.

With that said, I do have a VERY LONG commute for this area. Both of my jobs are in the downtown area and I live in North Jacksonville, aka Georgetown. Yeah, I'm a born and bred Savannahian, and I was not happy at all with the circumstances that placed me here, but until major changes happen, I consider this a phase known as a "life lesson". Anyhoo, I digress. My long commute averages 18 minutes one way, via I-16, I-516 and the Southwest Bypass.

There was no hint to the hell that lyeth before me yesterday afternoon when I climbed onto I-16. Yet a mere 1/4 mile up the ramp, there was no turning back and no going forward. Inch by inch cars proceeded forward, and after what seemed forever, I reached the area where the incoming onramp from West 37thth meets up with I-16 and find Mr. Traffic Cop sending me and everyone else on a u-turn to return contraflow back to 37th street.

Once back in town, logistics were no better. Every street was backed up for blocks and blocks and blocks as everyone rerouted back to town from I-16 struggled to find a way west out of the city. After 75 minutes, I finally found my way back home.

Am I complaining? No. I count my blessings I didn't leave work early. Some poor guy bought the farm, which precipitated the whole mess. It could have been me.

The Best Easter Candy Ever

Marshmellow Peeps. When a candy comes along that is better than chocolate, it deserves the rank of guilty pleasure.

I am AMAZED at all the videos that come up when you type "marshmellow peeps" into the search for YouTube. What a hoot.

The Worship of False Idols

Yesterday's blog could actually fall into this catagory.

Today the traffic light gods smiled upon me and blessed my journey into the city. Starting at the traffic light at King George Boulevard, I scooted through all of the following green lights with no risk of a yellow or red:

Rio Road
Apache Avenue
Middleground Road
Armstrong College
Mercy Blvd.
Largo Dr.
Home Depot Plaza
Wilshire Blvd.
Tibet Ave.
Television Circle
Montgomery Cross Roads
Best Buy Plaza
White Bluff Rd.
Mall Blvd.
Eisenhower Dr.
Stephenson Ave.
Jackson Blvd.

I could have gone through Lee Blvd. but this is where I chose to take a left turn. As I waited for the red light to cede to green for the turn, I could tell that if I had continued my path, I would have cruised through the Twelve Oaks Plaza light, and with some acceleration, I could have made the green on DeRenne Ave.

What happened this morning happens with the same frequency as snow in Savannah.

$$$ The Love of Money $$$

I'm not so sure that I actually love $$$, but I sure have been making it a top priority the past couple of years.

I took one full week of vacation from my full time job last week and spent 65 hours working on my part-time job. I try to justify that I am doing the right thing - working hard to pay down debts. Initially that is what will happen, but somehow or other that credit card will get used again.

The bragging about the cash made last week was a little shameless this morning at the real job. I feel somewhat guilty that even after all last week's effort, there will still be more bills to pay.

An obsession with food

I truly am seeing a trend in this blog that I never meant to foster. Since I write about food, I must be preoccupied.

But you don't understand.......I have to write about this again today because my cousins and I had lunch at Mrs. Wilkes Boarding House. I had a spoonful of the following:
Spiced beets
candied yams
cheesy mashed potatoes
pole beans
black-eyed peas
dressing and gravy
cole slaw
turnip greens
cabbage
squash
beef stew
fried chicken
blueberry cobbler
cornbread

I didn't make room for
red rice
white rice
lima beans
okra succotash

Truth is, there were probably 3 or 4 more dishes on the table that I can't remember.

Everything seasoned to southern-soulful perfection. It's been 6 hours since I ate, and I am still stuffed.

Fridays during Lent

are meant to be days of abstinence, unless it is Good Friday, which also includes fasting.

If you are reading this and you aren't Catholic, I shall explain: abstinence = no meat. Seafood is ok, but no beef, chicken, pork, venison, elk, pheasant, etc.

I hate to tell ya, but abstaining from meat on Fridays does nothing to help me become spiritually closer to Our Lord's suffering and passion because I LOVE SEAFOOD!!!

Should I feel guilty about this? Maybe. I'll think about it after I eat my shrimp salad sandwich for lunch.

There's a first time for everything

and I'm about to buy this magazine. Never even read it before, probably won't read it when I buy it. But I'm buying it.

Guilty! Lock the door and throw away the key.

GUILTY.

What amazes me is that he admitted it. I wonder if any of the tens of thousands that he stole pensions and dreams and retirements from will see any restitution. If you ever wondered what evil looks like, well here it is.



May Bernie Madoff rot in jail.

F$#@(*G GNATS!

Gawd I hate these things. When the good Lord was handing out attributes to all of his worldly creatures, just where did he find teeth that were sharp enough to slice leather that would fit onto a grain of pepper?

It has now been an hour since I had to roll down my car window at the fast food drive thru. The air was swimming with the bastards.

I am safe in my office, but I still feel like my scalp is crawling and maybe they got in my nostrils or ears. I will be scrathing all day long at the imagined demons. I hate them more than I hate my ex-husband.

Back from Hiatus

I never meant to start this thing out with a boom of posts then let it just drop. Unfortunately, an impending audit at the job and conference travel diverted my time and usurped my guilty pleasure of blogging on someone else's clock.

So here's a quick one - I spent the majority of last week in my favorite large metropolis, CHICAGO! I was greeted at the airport not only by the Airport Express Shuttle, but with lake affect snows and howling winds. Silly me. All I brought was a pull-over fleece and a pashmena.

I stayed at the Westin Michigan Avenue, and was excited to hear that I had a room on the 15th floor. I couldn't wait to see the view! I opened the curtain, and VOILA! a full coat of ice not only covered the outside of my window, but was thick enough on the inside to scrape! When it melted 2 days later, I saw I was missing only a view of the building side across the alley.

On my second night a group of us walked 2 blocks to Pizanos and we enjoyed deep dish and Guinness. The temperature was a brutal 20% and once again my fleece and pashmena were all that protected me. A couple of us strolled the long way home, and I found pleasure in experiencing a climate so foreign to me. For all the ribbing I give yankee tourists, that snow and cold is not only invigorating, but serenely beautiful.

Now I feel guilty about enjoying the cold.

Kidd Kraddick in the Morning

It's been, I don't know, 7 or 8 years since one of our local radio stations began airing this syndicated show. I really was disappointed when it began, because the prior morning show had been such a favorite of mine and now I can't even remember what it was.

Listening to this show is so much fun. The personalities are comedic, dramatic, and aren't afraid to show their humanity. If you haven't ever listened, I challenge you to listen for one hour at least three days in a row and you will be hooked. If it isn't broadcast on your airwaves, you can listen online at www.kiddlive.com.

Laugh and cry along with them, they carry guilt but also redeem themselves daily.

Hatin' on Chris Brown

One of the sites I like to peruse for celebrity worship pretty much sums it up.

http://www.wwtdd.com/post.phtml?pk=19291

(I tried an html link but I'm no good at that stuff)

He's guilty as sin.

Accepting and not Giving

Truly selfish, I know. But sometimes I can't help myself!

One of my co-workers called and said she was bringing me a gift for Valentine's Day. Instead of a gracious reply, I respond with "Well just know this. I didn't get you a damn thing." Of course, I was received in the jest intended.

The gift was lovely and also included about 2 dozen lollipops tagged onto small valentine's day cards. I distributed the pops to everyone on my floor, taking full credit for the time and effort put into procurring them.

So here is to the pleasure which is sometimes accompanied by guilt, getting and not giving back.

Cheesecake

Our organization's monthly birthday party is being celebrated two offices down from me as I type.

I was there for the obligatory singing, candle blowing and congrats, then I fled like a rat from a sinking ship. This month, the party organizers chose Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake for the festivities.

I looked at the box.

Per serving, 510 calories, 165mg cholesterol, 33 mg fat, somewhere over 500mg sodium.

This is one guilty pleasure I am avoiding today.

The 15 (or so) minute break

The mid-morning break at my job is frequented by 7 or 8 regulars. Fifteen minutes often stretches past the mark, but so far we haven't been chastized for stealing company time.

At break, a number of my prior listed pleasures are often incorporated into on compact session: gossip, judging others, celebrity banter and best of all, coffee.

I feel slight guilt once the 20 minute mark is hit. Well, maybe not.

Enjoying Stupid Stuff

Drama, crime, vengence taken.



I suggest thou shalt not be guilty of culpable acts when the Trunk Monkey is around.

Those dang Weight Watchers MiniBars

I bought a box of these on Tuesday during a meeting. A dozen in a box. 1 point per bar.

Three days later and none left. I ate them all. I'm guilty as sin.

"LOST"

Because of my crazy work schedule I find it difficult to get wrapped up in ongoing television dramas. But several years ago something intrigued me about "Lost" and I have watched it faithfully since the first episode.

Oh yeah, the first season was magnifique! The second season good, the third season dumb, the fourth season showed improvement. But this final season, oh my gawd. Things are moving so fast, it is impossible to keep up with the web of characters, but every time you think you have it all straight in your head, you get hit with something like last night's closing line (Jump to the 1:20 mark on the video)


BAM! I wonder which characters in this series are truly guilty, and which are truly innocent. We may never know.

Hotels

Being a travel agent spoiled me rotten. One of the perks was being sent away to far-off destinations on "Fam" (familiarization) trips. Tour wholesales never put us up at the Econolodge or Days Inn; nay, top-of-the-line properties were always provided for lodging. How else would you expect the agent to sell said properties?

My tastes now run champagne on my beer salary. I find the Hampton Inn to be slumming it.

Many of my friends look for moderate accommodations when travelling. Their logic, "you are only going to be in the room to sleep". That makes perfect sense. For myself, I don't think I'm illogical, but I want upscale. My rational is that I live 365 days a year in modest conditions, and vacation is all about escaping the daily grind, ergo, splurge on accommodations!

My next trip isn't for fun, but for work. My lodging is booked and I will see you at the Westin Michigan Avenue Chicago Hotel. At least I will be able to indulge in my guilty pleasure after 5pm while there.

The Road Trip

This past summer gas jumped to over $4/gallon. For me, road trips will always be a pleasure, but now they aren't quite as guilty as they were six months ago.

As a teen, I loved reading Stephen King, particularly his short story collections. One story jumped out as appealling: "Mrs. Todd's Shortcut". I used the tale as an inspiration when I lived in Bulloch County; any dirt road veering from the main byways would be explored and I would work to shave a minute or two from my commute whenever possible.

As an adult I came to appreciate the road trip. I prefer taking the less travelled road - veering off the intersate and prefering the highway when time permits. Think about it - I may never pass that way again, and there could be many treasures to find!

Throw guilt to the wind and snap in the seatbelt, away we go!

Tax Refunds

Last year was the first time in over a decade I owed the fed. Nobody wants to be in that position. Over the course of 2008, I changed the deductions through my employeers, thereby more taxes deducted per pay check.

The internet makes filing so easy and you get your refund back so quickly! After 45 minutes of going through the steps, I can now look forward to that money hitting my bank in a couple of weeks.

I have obligations. I need to be responsible. The mechanic told me I would need new brakes before the end of the year. A chunk paid on the plastic would get rid of so many finance charges. My coworkers would appreciate seeing me in something other than the same slacks and loafers I wear 9 out of 10 days.

Get real. It's a tax refund. Time I got the 32" LCD HDTV I've had my eye on. That little twinge of guilt will irritate me when the new season of "Survivor" starts up.

The Phone Screen

Years ago I worked as a travel agent. No job before or after has equalled the non-stop stress produced by that career.

In my busy agency, we learned to arrive at least 45 minutes before the open of business just to get a head-start on the voice mails left overnight. Upon unlocking the doors, most of the day you had a client in front of you, two waiting in the lobby, and a phone ringing off the hook next to you. Even while dealing with a client, you had to call vendors to check prices. An incredible 80% of the day was spent with the phone to your ear.

My mother raised me to be polite and courteous. Until I was a travel agent, I would have never considered NOT answering a ringing phone, even if I knew Hitler was on the other end. But many nights after agency work, I had no desire to talk to anyone via telephone and would often let all calls go straight to the answering machine.

This brought a realization - I came to understand that just because someone wants to talk to me, that doesn't mean that I have to talk to them. And ignoring their call doesn't mean I am being rude.

Please don't misunderstand me, I still answer 99% of the calls coming in. But now, when I see the data flashing across the screen as the call rings, I can make that conscious decision to answer or not.

Remember those good old days when screening was impossible?
Somehow I don't feel quite as guilty about this pleasure as I may once have .

Surfing

Kids today have no idea how good they have it. When I was young, we never dreamed of this amazing thing called the internet.

The I.T. guy installed the "stumble" program on my browser and I can click away all day if I'm not careful. Who ever dreamed of a site as amazing as this?

So I am guiltily (is that a word?) spending 5 minutes of valuable time exploring places I never new existed. Mea Culpa.

Infatuations

Oh, come on, everyone experiences this from time to time. It is difficult, though, to nuture warm-fuzzy feelings about people I encounter on a daily basis. I am the type that wouldn't be able to mask the excitement when personal contact occurred. Therefore, I restrict my fantasy life to the unobtainable.

If only George Clooney knew how I felt. Like a fine wine, he ages so well. Luck for me, I am not in a committed relationship so I can enjoy this guilt.

Plastic

This is the guilty pleasure that will drive you to your grave.
Master Card, Visa, AMEX, Discover, Carte Blanche.
Marketing for these companies has become so successful that many of us cannot function without them. One must have one to rent a car, make a hotel reservation, establish good credit for a mortgage, etc.
When I was young, the only credit card around was Bank America (later VISA). No adult I knew had credit cards. Now everyone has a minimum of at least 4 or 5. Even my daughter got a credit card at 18 years old.

I have whittled my way down to two and that is 2 too many. If I can ever avoid temptation enough to get them paid in full, I swear they are hitting the shredder.

In the mean time, oh my gawd, Dillard's is having a sale on the Gianni Bini shoes I like! Cha-ching! Guilty again.

Eating Out

For almost 10 years my life has been so constrained that I eat out almost constantly and don't have time to prepare food at home. Ergo, I never considered dining out to be a guilty pleasure; it was simply a fact of life.

Four days ago Weight Watchers became an integral part of my day-to-day agenda. Preparing foods at home is now necessary. Even though I could dine out, I would have to starve for two meals to compensate for that one restaurant meal.

It is also somewhat strange: up until this week, I opened my wallet several times a day, swiping the debit or pulling out some bills, all for the purchase of food. Since going to the grocery Tuesday, I haven't bought an ounce of food since, and here it is Friday afternoon.

Now I recognize that restaurants, diners and fast food joints are wasteful due to the cash and calories consumed. But there is something of merit in having someone else take your order and deliver your food, plus wash the dishes later on. Therefore, effective today, eating out moves from a necessities column to a Today's Guilty Pleasure column. Bon Appetit!

My Convertible

About 5 years ago, I bought a 2002 Chrysler Sebring convertible. I had already passed the 40 year mark, and I always wanted a convertible car.

I did my research. Both Mustangs and the Toyota Solaras had convertibles in my price range, but the back seats were itty-bitty. Why have a convertible if you can't have a party in it?

Overall its been a decent car. 22mpg, few mechanical problems. I could have gotten something more affordable and practical, but I've always been forced to be practical. Practical is not fun and life is too short not to have fun.

So when the weather is a sunny 65 degrees, you will see me driving around, the hair blowing everywhere and not feeling the least bit guilty that I'm soaking up some Vitamin D.

Playing Hooky

guilty.

Going to the movies

It always amazes me the number of people who are willing to go bootleg on this. Not that I wouldn't have an opinion on criminal activity (would I do that?), my main questions is "how could you possibly enjoy the experience?".

Most movies were designed for the BIG SCREEN. The scenery, the dolby sound, the experience does not transcend to the computer screen or television. To this day, I still remember the surprise that enveloped the crowd in the opening scene of Star Wars. When that Imperial starship emerged and crossed the screen, everyone sucked in their breath - never before had an effect of that magnitude been presented in a movie and it was awesome.


See what I mean? For any of you who haven't ever seen this a a movie theatre, this youtube does it no justice.

The plot might be interesting, but without the cinematography and sound effects, ya got nothin.

Do I like paying $10 a pop for an hour and a half of entertainment? No, but that's why the movie theatre is a guilty pleasure, isn't it?

Hero Worship

Yesterday 154 people met their personal savior, Chesley Sullenberger.

That plane could have crashed in the city, claiming many more lives than the passengers onboard.

Don't feel guilty about adoring this man.

It's a small world, after all.

Escapism. Sure, that can be a guilty pleasure.

Forget the stress of adulthood and ignore your responsibilities for at least a week. Isn't that what a good vacation is for?

Well, for me, the ultimate escapism involves much more. Regression to childhood is necessary.

So even though I love to go places and see new things, my ultimate guilty pleasure (travel wise) involves Walt Disney World. I've not been a bazillion times, but I have lost count.

I don't care if everyone else on Peter Pan's Flight is 10 years old or less, I love the rides as much now as I did when I was a kid.

Guilty as charged!

Judgement of Others

This is the guilty pleasure that will come back and bite me in the ass one day.

I live in a (relatively) small city - Savannah. When you have lived in one place most of your life, and your family has roots at this place going back several generations, chances are you either personally know or know by association a large percentage of the residents in the area.

Every day our county posts the arrests from the prior 24 hours, listing names, offenses, bails, birthdates, and mugshots. Oh, don't get all irritated about this. If you break the law and are arrested, it is a matter of public record. My inquisitiveness is justified.

Problem is, once every month or so, I will see someone who I either personally know, or I know they are the child/parent/cousin/co-worker/boy-girlfriend/anyrelation of someone else I know. Lord, the gossip potential!

I also like looking at the mugshots of people I don't even know, especially prostitutes, and think "who would pay for THAT?!?".

But you know what will happen, one day the table will be turned. Karma is a female dog.

In case you are as nosy as me, I want to share my guilty pleasure with you. Just go to this site:
http://www.chathamcounty.org/jims/jail/

Java

I dragged this morning. 20 minutes late getting to work. A heavy drizzle, 40 degree temps and gray skies don't help.

Coming down my dark, almost empty corridor, a proverbial ray of light offered the promise of a better day. Someone else had already made the coffee.

Gimme my guilty pleasure!
Ahhh, that's better.

Celebrity Worship

Guys are going to think "nope, chick thing" but this applies to you, too. Just substitue the name "Kate Winslet" with "Tim Tebow" and there is no difference.

Anyhoo, I can't pass up my favorite websites:
perezhilton.com
eonline.com
tmz.com
wwtdd.com
Nor can I ignore People, US weekly, Entertainment Weekly, et al.

Every few days seeing a new picture and hearing a disgusting tale regarding the living corpse that is Amy Winehouse fuels me more than the random reinforcements offered to rats in mazes. I have been cheering for Jennifer Aniston the past few weeks - only because I feel emotionally invested in the personal drama and lives of people I have never met.

Last night was the first night in my favorite season of the year: Awards! The fashions at the Golden Globes, Emmys and Oscars are amazing. The one thing I miss terribly (and you might not agree, but I luvs them) - Joan and Melissa Rivers' Red Carpet coverage. Oh well, we can't have everything.

So here we go with today's guilty pleasure. I invite you to stand in awe at the vision of Drew Barrymore. (que music - Fergie singing G-L-A-M....O-R-OUS)

Hot Krispy Kreme Doughnuts

Let's say you live in New England where you can find 14 Dunkin' Donuts within a 1/2 mile radius. You think those stupid people in the South have no idea what they are missing out on, because they say "well, Krispy Kreme this" and "Krispy Kreme that".

Don't knock it until you've tried it. I've tried both, and while Dunkin' Donuts is fine and yummy, it is no comparison to the plain, glazed Krispy Kreme that has just rolled off the conveyor belt.

If you buy Krispy Kreme at the grocery store, take it home and zap it in the microwave 10 seconds, you are just kidding yourself. Nothing, nothing compares to the warm, freshly baked goodness that literally melts in your mouth when the flashing "HOT NOW" sign is activated.

For those who haven't left home today, drive 3 miles off of your normal route and enjoy Today's Guilty Pleasure:

Pottymouth

My siblings and I enjoyed the finest private education my parents could buy during grade and high school. One benefit derived from such a studious youth was an expanded vocabulary.
At the time, I did not value the tedius memorization of thousands of lists. Now I appreciate the communicative diversity which flows from my lips. This talent, though, pales in comparison to the longshoreman's diatribe which can quickly spew from my sweet mouth (if the moment demands it).

Surprisingly, the same schools which prided themselves on college preperatory academics fostered a sub-culture of students who pleasured in rebellion. Where better to practice profanity than an all-girl's school? Those plaid kilts, white socks, pony-tails and pearl necklaces prove that looks can be decieving. Upon entering college, I was courted to be a little sister for one of the frats based on my "party-appeal"; this freshman girl could make senior boys blush in conversation.

I am not trying to keep this blog "family-friendly", but I'm also not here to brag by producing a canon of words you already know. Therefore, simply imagine a reaction to this: lying on a tropical beach, drifting in and out of a nap, enjoying a steel-drum band, then suddenly experiencing an ice-bath when the drunk idiot from 2 rooms down trips while passing you carrying 3 bahama-mamas.

Today's Guilty Pleasure - well, George Carlin said it best.

Laziness

Yesterday I mentioned to a co-worker that I was starting this blog. Her response was that almost all of her guilty pleasures revolved around one thing: never getting out of bed, relaxing on the sofa all day, etc.

Well, duh. That's the point of this blog. I think we can all relate.

Who in their right mind would leave the comfort of a cushy bed on a cool morning? There is nothing as nice as sinking into a worn-out mattress, snuggling under multiple blankets and comforters, burrowning into at least five fluffy pillows.

So, with apologies to the anonymous photo poster (I found the image on the net) here is your guilty pleasure for today.

Barenaked Ladies

I have decided to create a mature blog. Well, I've never been very mature. But at least I want to move away from the years I spent on livejournal, myspace and facebook.

The theme of this blog will be simple.....each day, one of my guilty pleasures will be listed. And I have lots of them.

If you decide to follow this blog, you possibly may share the same tastes, and if you do, enjoy this peek into my life.


I have decided to start with the Barenaked Ladies.

Who doesn't love them? They have so many redeeming qualities: harmony, happy-go-lucky lyrics, sing-along appeal, nerdy but successful, and exotically Canadian.

So, enjoy this guilty pleasure: