Money, it's a gas.

Can someone please tell me why little green pieces of paper practically run the lives of every single person on the face of the Earth? (Obviously not every Country's money comes in the form of green paper, but you get my point!)

With the U.S. economy facing it's worst crisis in over a half-century, how much money you have - or don't have - is becoming more and more of an issue. The cost of everything is going up. Food, gas, clothes, everything. The only thing NOT going up is housing costs and that's because a ton of people are losing theirs. The supply simply outweighs the demand.

And gas prices. What the hell? Charlotte, North Carolina has GOT to be the most selfish city in the South. There is a reason that our gas prices are still higher than everyone else in the U.S. - we panic. The unnecessary demand outweighs the supply.

My dental hygienist informed me during the recent gas scare - where people were waiting in lines for hours and pulling guns all to get a couple gallons of gas - that she stopped every other day to "top off, you know, just in case." She, my friends, is the problem. And if you did this too - shame on you! Stopping to finish off your tank is selfish and unnecessary. If you NEED gas, get it - but don't pull into the quarter-mile long line just so you can be sure you get your slice of the pie. Side note: I am seriously convinced that this scare was brought on to persuade people that, "expensive gas is better than no gas."

Another example of this selfishness: someone says the words "ice storm," and bread, milk and batteries are GONE from the stores. Doesn't matter that it's two states away and probably won't even effect us - "I've got mine, and to hell with everyone else!"

Money brings out the worst in all of us. Sure, it's great to have nice things, new cars, and beautiful homes. And it's super easy for me to sit here and say that you shouldn't be selfish, but the fact is it's human nature to be out for yourself. Can we do away with money? Absolutely not - it's what makes the world go 'round. Sometimes it's just a little depressing to think about the state of the world in which we live in.

I leave you with Pink Floyd, Money.
Money, get away. Get a good job with good pay and you're okay. Money, it’s a gas. Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash. New car, caviar, four star daydream, think Ill buy me a football team.

Money, get back. I'm all right jack keep your hands off of my stack. Money, it’s a hit. Don't give me that do goody good bullshit. I'm in the high-fidelity first class traveling set and I think I need a lear jet.

Money, it’s a crime. Share it fairly but don't take a slice of my pie. Money, so they say is the root of all evil today. But if you ask for a raise it’s no surprise that they're giving none away.

When it Rains, it Pours.

This week has been absolutely crazy! I haven't even been able to think about writing. Our brand new puppy became extremely sick in the wee hours of Sunday night/Monday morning, so Nate and I spent the majority of the night at the Emergency Vet. The word “parvo” was mentioned and I nearly had a heart attack. There was no "waiting to see if this one blew over.” Parvo kills puppies.

Thankfully, Bailey did not have parvo, but she did have various other stomach bugs including a disgusting bout of roundworms. She spent the next few days in and out of the vet, only coming home for about seven hours on Tuesday and then back in again until late Wednesday night. More than a few hundred dollars later, we have a healthy dog. Well, sort of - our nights now consist of waking at least every two hours to allow her to relieve her bladder and belly, and a 5 a.m. round of FOUR medicines.

It is amazing how quickly you can get attached to pets. The first night without her was really hard on us – having only had her for 7 days when she was admitted, you would have thought we had had her for 7 years. The house felt so quiet and empty. But, now we have her back full throttle. The biting, scratching, whining and barking are back, and life as we were beginning to know it can continue.

In other news, my car also has “more damage than originally thought” from my October 2nd accident. I’m driving around in a brand new Dodge Charger rental with terrible gas mileage and hellacious blind spots. So if you see me coming, watch out!

The main stress issue in all of this, is money. Money. Money. Money. Everything costs lots and lots of money, and I hate it. More on that to come…

Parenting 101.

My husband, Nate, and I got our first dog six days ago. It already feels like it has been years. She is a chocolate lab, named Bailey, and is seriously one of the cutest things I have ever seen.

Growing up, my family always had a dog or many dogs. But for the first time ever, I have something in my life that totally and completely needs me. I mean if I don’t feed her or let her out…well, she dies. This responsibility has hit me like a ton of bricks.

I by no means regret getting her. It’s just that I’m not sure I totally realized what all being a responsible dog owner involved. There is training her not to pee in the house, "no don’t chew that," "why are you eating my sock," the insane amount of scratches and teeth marks on my hands and feet, and losing the freedom (oh the freedom) that Nate and I had when it was just the two of us.

I can’t stand to hear her cry, and it upsets me the amount of time that she is in her crate, all alone. I’ve pathetically cried like every day out of pity for her. This revelation has led me to understand and respect parenting more than I ever have. I totally feel like a Mom, and now realize that me working full-time after children is probably out of the question.

Sure we have to go through nights of her crying, chewed up items, and a house that now smells like a dog. But hey, the relationship that we will have with this dog will be long and rewarding. (We hope) Plus, it’s good practice for a baby!

Ready to Launch, finally.

For the past few months I have spent time studying blogs. Yes, blogs. How you write them, which ones are worth reading, and what is actually worth writing. Some that I came across were completely addictive, while others…well let’s just say they didn’t leave me on the edge of my seat begging for more.

I realized how much I love to write my senior year in college. Most of the blogs I came across were people who had “always” loved to write, or just “knew” that was what they wanted to do. This passion for writing was news to me. So, after many months of nay-saying on my part – I’ve decided to give it a shot and launch my own blog.

I do not plan for this to be political or religious, but those issues will no doubt be incorporated in my writing as I care about both. I can, however, guarantee that it will be random, and that you won’t always agree with what I have to say. The things I love to read come from those who are passionate and personable, so here’s hoping I can live up to my own expectations. Happy Reading!