Well it seems to be one of those reflective kind of nights for me. I read things in other peoples blogs and they make me think....so tonight it seems to be about priorities. I have been thinking about this one for a couple of days actually, because I got really pissed off when I read one and another I read dealt with something along the same lines. Is it a generational thing, this idea that we can have 'stuff' now..and forget about what we might need tomorrow? We aren't affluent BUT....buy a big screen TV even tho a smaller one would work just as well....buy a new car since the one we have is a couple of years old, and of course the regular old radio/cd player just won't do...get the satalite radio please. Have we somehow given our children the idea that they are 'entitled' to have expensive things when they could do just as well with lesser versions of the same thing and live within their means? Have we given up on the idea that the choices we make in this life have end results and that those results are OURS to deal with, it's not fate or anybody or life in general 'against us' because the results aren't what we hoped for? In my world of limited income, feeding the children and paying the bills takes priority over getting a new computer ( mine is 5 years old) and we don't get a new tv just because there is a bigger one we want...that car is paid for and I'm driving it til it rolls over and gasps its last breath! lol ok I admit to being a bit on the thrifty side...but I absolutely believe we want too much 'stuff'. I think having what you want is fine....IF you can afford it...and even if you have money you shouldn't be frivilous with it. Can't afford new shoes for the kids? Can't afford groceries for the comming week? Are they threatening to disconnect the electricity because you can't pay the bill? Can't pay for the braces the teen needs? Well tightassed old country me has a a couple of ideas...DROP THE CELL PHONE/DISCONNECT THE CABLE/BAKE YOUR OWN BIRTHDAY CAKE/EAT AT HOME/SELL THE $2000 TV AND GET ONE FOR $250 AT WALMART.....there are more...but you get the idea....how you spend whatever money you have at your disposal is up to you...PRIORITIES.....and if you choose to spend it on things that aren't necessities and there in not enough left for what you do need...TOUGH SHIT...SUCK IT UP AND DEAL WITH IT....as Dr. Phil likes to say, you own this one.