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Location: Home.
Listening: "My Love Don't Cost A Thing" by Jennifer Lopez.

So I wasn't in the best mood when I left work this afternoon. Reasons for that aside, I had deposited my paycheck (with the new total reflecting the raises we miraculously were able to get after all) as well as my first annual merit-based bonus ever (after being in the workforce for almost five years) at lunch. I calculated my total, monthly expenses, the amount I was going to deposit straight into savings, and the amount we'd likely need for the weekend.

I then went to Good Guys.

I don't think the salesclerks at Good Guys are used to having a slightly acerbic woman with unfortunate hair walk through the door, straight to the counter, and say "Do you have the Fuji Finepix 2300? I'll take one of those and all relevant accessories.". They stared. Finally, a tall, blonde man with horn-rim glasses and a dazed expression pointed me toward the portable battery chargers and walked to the back to find my camera. When he (Jan) emerged, I had piled a Tamrac carrying case, the charger, an additional 32 Mb of memory stick and a brochure for the one-year replacement warranty on the counter and was eyeing him expectantly. As he was ringing my purchases up, I noticed the AIBO in the glass case next to the counter.

"How much for the robo dog?" said I.

"Um...uh...$1500.00?" He gulped, looking afraid that I might actually want to buy that as well.

I sighed. As much as I love AIBO, I love food and shelter more. It would have to wait. "That's fine. Carry on."

He gingerly handed me my receipt, as one might hand a steak to a caged lion. I signed. The transaction took approximately seven minutes from start to finish.

I don't fuck around when purchasing electronics.

On my way out of the store, it occurred me that I had just spent a very large amount of money all in one place--and that, for the first time since I left home, it was perfectly ok. I had gotten exactly what I wanted. I didn't skimp on anything. I still had more than enough money in the bank. Better still, I had timed the purchase to coincide with the Good Guys' "No Sales Tax President's Day Weekend".

It felt good. Real good.

I think I realized at that moment why some people (like my parents) are convinced that money is, if not the root of happiness, then a definite component, like oxygen or water. Love may not cost a thing, but digital cameras do, and if you're the sublimating type, you could get hooked on that feeling of absolute consumer freedom.

It's enough to give an ardent opponent of rampant capitalism pause.