The 99¢ Menu

When on the subway recently I saw an ad that read: "Take your date somewhere that doesn't have a 99¢ menu." EB Games. My intitial thought when I read this was..."YES! of COURSE you don't take a date to a place that has a 99¢ menu! Isn't that a common known fact? You take them somewhere a bit nicer...even if (in suburbia) it is a TGI Friday's." However, when further reading this ad, I realized exactly what kind of company this was---EB Games is: an Electronics Boutique that offers a large selection of new, used & hard to find titles at great prices with fast processing & shipping. (info blurb taken from google.com) With this I came to my own conclusion that the ad was saying "take your date to a video game store instead of the place with the 99¢ menu." Then I thought...uh NO! you do NOT take your date to a video game store either!!! Gentleman, gentleman...I sure do hope that with the influence of the media ads like this that you do not think that it is OK to take your date to a place with a 99¢ menu or even a video game store. Even if you're broke...be creative! Pack a picnic, go somewhere to people watch & make stories up of the people you're seeing, go for a walk...there are many alternatives to spending money on a date. (shoot, I'm even a gal who will help pay for the bill...the man does not always have to get it). I will say yes...it is nice to be taken somewhere amazing & romantic & lovely...but it is not always necessary to spend lots of major bucks on a date. Along with this goes the simple gesture of chivalry .... it goes a LONG way...you can try to woo & wow with the lobster dinner on the sea, but if you don't have even a bit of chivalry, you don't have much. (I am fortunate to have gentlemen in my life exemplify this & it is a nice gesture). All of this said...be gentleman & put in a little thought to what you are offering your woman, otherwise you could be eating your 99¢ burger alone while playing Frogger.

For One LOW Price!!!

I was browsing through a FAO catalog that came through the mail at work & wanted to let you know about an AMAZING deal!!! For one low price of $25,000 your kid can have a slumber party with 15 of their closest friends at the FAO store! With this you get "Ice Cream, Piano Lessons/dancing (on the giant Dance-On piano), rides on a 3-D motion simulator, & hours of games & activities throughout the store!" And, while at lunch yesterday, I also read an article in U.S. News about the amazing deal parents are getting on bar/bat mitzvah's, Quinceanera's, & other 'coming of age' parties. Some parents are spending as much as the low price of $65,000!!! (please note sarcasm)OK, OK you have GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!! this is freaking RIDICULOUS!!! When I was a kid we NEVER spent that much money on my bday parties & we STILL had "ice cream, piano lessons & dancing, a 3-D similator, hours of games & activities" aka... LOTS of FUN!!! We bought ice cream from the store, played the piano in the living room, if we wanted to dance...we'd just turn on the radio, our '3-D simulator' was watching movies too close to the TV (or when we were young enough for him to carry us...by playing 'Superman' with Dad). & 'hours of games & activities' were accomplished with our imaginations & the occasional pin the tail on the donkey, truth or dare, chubby bunny, & prank calls.Why are parents spending SO much money on a stinking birthday party? Does part of it have to do with the guilt of not spending enough time with their kids cus they are working a MILLION hours a week to spend money on the aforementioned party & then they are making up for the lost time with the elaborate gifts & parties that they worked SO SO hard to pay for that will last all of 3- 6 hours? Do parents think that they can buy the affection & love of their kids? (uh...anyone heard of 'quality time'?)

For One LOW Price!!! (con't)

OK, yes I do realize that I am not yet a parent. & perhaps I will spoil my kids. But I'm pretty sure I'll spoil them with love, affection, adoration, praise, discipline, manners, respect, direction..."raise them up in the way they should go." My sister & I never had these elaborate parties, yet I know that my parents really loved me as I was growing up (& still do today!). I know this because they've told me with their actions & words. I never needed parties like that to know I was cared about growing up. Also...my sister & I were capable of using our imaginations to entertain ourselves. Give us a tape recorder & a few blank tapes & we were set for hours! I think that kids today are pretty darn spoiled & have so much stimulation with video games, TV, movies, iPods, gadget upon gadget upon gadget that they don't know how to entertain themselves & appreciate the small things. I am grateful for all I had (& didn't have) growing up. I am a stronger person & harder worker because of that. Parents please...if you can spend that kind of money...good for you! But remember it's the quality time that counts. You kids will remember the "I'm proud of you" & "I love you" comments along with the quality time MUCH more. I know I do...I can barely remember what I was given for my 18th birthday, but I DO know I was surrounded by love.