(Nope, this posting has nothing to do with the similarly-titled song by the Rolling Stones, although it does kinda work with the tune.)
I want to take a few minutes here to tell you about my sweetheart Ceci. She's just barely there- a little twig of a woman, seventy-four years of age (or so, she tells me), not much bigger than my cat Moosh, and every bit as feisty. I was friends with her life partner Paul, who took a shine to me when he found out I was something of a musician. Paul was a professional jazz guitarist, and in his day he performed with some of the great big bands. (Buddy Rich was the only name he ever dropped, but I saw photos of him with lots of others.) A few years ago, Paul went on to that great gig in the sky, and not long thereafter, Ceci had a series of strokes and had to give up her condo and her car. She's a pretty spry little bird, and regularly walks around the neighborhood where she now lives in an assisted-living tower, picking up her groceries and visiting her doctors. But there are still lots of errands and social commitments she needs help getting to, and I have become one of her regular rides. Thus, we came to be pals. I always look forward to seeing her, and I definitely get more out of our visits than she knows.
Ceci told me a few days ago that she needed to go out and buy an electric toothbrush. She informed me then of where she needed to go and that she was going to spend around eighty dollars on her purchase. I happen to know that she's on a fixed income, and I knew, too, that she could get by with a less expensive appliance. Just to make sure, I asked if there was any special type that her medical advisors had recommended, but she replied that no, just any old electric toothbrush would do. ("One that goes real fast", is how she described it.) I suggested that she let me investigate, and that I thought she could get by spending no more than ten bucks or so. My suspicion is that the doc may be getting some kind of perks by recommending a specific type, and Ceci just missed that part. All she heard was the bit about the price.
What's my point, other than to ramble on incessantly? Well, I can relate to the dilemma of the uninformed shopper. In my quest to prove myself a degree sharper than your average computer user, I frequently venture out unaided by Brad, my technology guru, to make hardware and/or software upgrades. Inevitably, when Brad finds out what I have done, he looks at me like a parent finding his toddler has discovered the paint stash and brushes, and proceeded to decorate his room. Maybe this is not the best metaphor. It is not so much the mess I have concocted as it is that I spent way too much in doing so. But I'm getting better about swallowing my pride and asking his advice before proceeding. And in these days of the "adjusted economy" every bit helps.
That's really the gist of my recommendation for today- do yourself a favor and spend some time and energy becoming informed about how you spend your hard-earned bucks. I have an on-line subscription to Consumer Reports, am a big fan of Clark Howard, and use all manner of online resources for comparison shopping.
The Master:
Comments