The picture says it all.

This weekend I got to shop for the first time in months. Really shop. For things I like and want and don't just need.

I bought:

The Wall-E comforter i've wanted for months.

A talking Homer Simpson Bosses Day card instead of a more generic one.

A pretty card for my parent's anniversary instead of the cheap ones that aren't as nice.

Those Light potato chips made with Olestra that are more expensive than the ones made with fat that your body absorbs.

A smoke alarm for our bedroom.

A new purse from Nine West (bought at Ross so it was only $24.)

A Nine West tote bag also from Ross that I intend on using when I return to school (also only $24 instead of the MSRP $130).

That Neutrogena Wave thing to exfoliate my chin.

A 20 oz Pepsi at the Wal-Mart checkout for a whopping $1.40.

A ghost cake pan for my yearly Halloween cake.

Finally some socks that have packs in them that you microwave since my toes turn to ice once in awhile and regular socks don't help.

Of course most of this was from Wal-mart and Ross and Ebay so it wasn't too expensive, but it sure felt nice to be able to look all around Wal-mart instead of having to leave before I spent too much money. It was nice not to have to debate how thirsty I was and if I could wait to get home and have a drink rather than buying that overpriced soda. I hadn't been to Ross in months because I knew I would be tempted to spend money we didn't have on deeply discounted Nine West pocketbooks and it was again nice to go and look around and leave with something new. And since deciding that returning to school would be a good idea i've been dying to go and find a stylish new bookbag with a pocket for a laptop but i've stopped myself because we've been so broke.

I can see how money is the root of all evil. It inspires misdeeds throughout all levels of society. Street crime generally goes down when the economy is good. I've seen countless American Justice episodes where murder was committed by your average middle class joe for an insurance policy or because one couldn't fathom losing half of everything in a divorce. And of course the words Enron, WorldCom and Tyco speak for themselves.

So I don't love money. But I do like it. I like having it. I like spending it. I like giving it away. I like paying bills with it. As Tupac once rapped "Even though you sell rocks, it feels good puttin' money in the mailbox". Amen to that.

So i'm a consumer whore. And how.