Life's Economics

Oprah just had a program about people struggling through this time of belt tightening. Oprah, of all people--a tiny bit hard to relate to her circumstance when she has risen so high and had such great success--by her own merits. I'm afraid the only belt tightening going on there has to do with her creeping waistline. But, she is trying to tell the stories of families who are going through tough times. However, the interviewees today didn't ring any bells with me.

The one lady had been living well, but had lost her job, and really still wasn't doing too badly, considering her husband is still working. But when asked what she missed about having only half their income, hair highlights and manicures were pretty high up on the list. And she now has to shop in the dollar store.

Good grief! I had my hair frosted once and since a lot of it seemed to fall out afterwards, I didn't do it again. And dare I admit that I have never had a manicure? Or a massage, gym membership, cell phone contract, or charge account balance? For years I cut my own and my children's hair, made my own clothes (I have a designer one-of-a-kind wardrobe), and hung my own wallpaper. My mantra was that any dollars I could save doing something myself were dollars that did not have to be earned (and taxed).

Somewhere people got the idea that living well means not doing for yourself, and that hiring everything is the way to go. Well, I wonder when they will realize that their incomes are no where near the range of the very wealthy (or the plumber working under their sink), and that they are bankrupting themselves and their families through this faulty thought pattern. Wealth will always be a pyramid, and the largest number of us will always be at the lower end of that triangle. Quality of life has much more to do with richness of the mind than richness of the pocketbook. There is enormous satisfaction in being self sufficient, and it also allows for greater independence. I bet I could count on one hand the times that I have had to sit and wait for a repairman or a workman who may or may not show up--just not my problem.

As to the dollar store--they sell bottles of nail polish and emery boards for a buck. And I am proud to say that at the age of 60+ I can still paint my own toenails!

Work Clothes

When I was singing in a local opera company, I used to do my make-up and hair before leaving the house, and then drive to wherever the performance was. It was a little odd, since the opera chorus has only three characters types: villagers, peasants, or courtesans. The courtesan parts were the best, since the costumes were always extravagant ball gowns, and I had quite a collection of rhinestone finery and fans to accessorize. You know how it is when you see Santa driving his car. I confess, I loved dressing for work.

MyTreasure has always had a tuxedo to wear whenever he does an orchestra concert. Very early in our marriage I went to a rummage sale at a local church in a high end neighborhood, and came across a rack of clothes that had a very lovely tuxedo with silk lining and lapels that looked like it had been worn once--probably to the previous owner's wedding. I held it up for size, and a lady came over and asked me if I was interested. I tried on the jacket and she gave me a price of $5. I said that I didn't know if it would fit, and she dropped the price to $3. So, it went home with me. It really was beautifully made, except that the pants had buttons on the fly, instead of a zipper. MT tried the thing on, and lo and behold--a perfect fit! It looked like it was made for him. Sleeves and pants lengths were exactly right. He wore his $3 tux to all his concerts--I bet close to 30 years. He hated that button fly. Then he outgrew the button fly. It was time for a replacement.

As we approached the year 2000, retail decided that a lot of men would be purchasing tuxedos to party in. Yeah, right! Didn't your man rush right out and snatch one up? Isn't that part of everyman's wardrobe? Don't they all want one? MT took advantage of the postmillennium sales and got himself a new tux. We went on a cruise with family right after, the tux went along and was paraded out for "formal night". I thought my aunt's eyes would fall out. "You have your own tux?!!!" She can't get my uncle out of his velcro sneakers and baseball hat. Oh well....

So, yesterday MT has a concert. He's headed out the door looking beautiful, off to work. Quite the guy! Eat your heart out ladies!