The B Word - Part I

“Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics; I can assure you that mine are still greater.” – Albert Einstein

Belts are being worn tighter this winter – you heard it here first. Yes, I am officially on a very tight, very meager budget. Wow – I just said the “b” word, that’s new. But necessary. I will openly and confidently admit that I’ve needed help in this area for some time, fabulous closets have their price, apparently. I’ll also admit that I’m a spender. I try really hard not to be, but it happens despite my best intentions. Listen well, my children: fashion doesn’t pay. Like most creative industries (advertising, music, art, design, writing, etc.,) you earn your stripes for many many years before you actually earn something you can live on. I suppose my stripes aren't dark enough yet. Like many people in my position, I often find myself looking in every nook and cranny for my missing trust fund. Sadly, waiting for extra funds to take care of my fashionista ways is a bit like waiting for Godot.

What to do? I’ve screamed, I’ve yelled, I’ve run miles, I’ve done yoga, I’ve cried, I’ve taken hot baths, I've read Suze Orman. And yet the problem remains. After too many adult years of nervousness and irresponsible thinking of “it will just go away,” I am taking control. I’ve always lived by the mantra of “do what you love, the money will come,” but I wish I could say that a life of fashion carries with it such a total insouciance. We all have such a fabulous air about us, that it’s hard to look around and realize you can’t really breathe it.

My good friend Lee has stepped into the breach with me as my financial planner/advisor/reverend mother with a ruler to slap my spending hands. She does this with a kindly smile, freshly sharpened pencil, and always without judgment. She also has told me that I’m not really in such bad shape after all, financially-speaking, and that we can clean up the whole mess by next March. Wow – I can do that! This is exactly what I need to know. Also, I will say it’s a relief to know exactly what’s going on in there – in my bank account, that is. It feels like I’ve just gone to confession, and I’ve been absolved with a course of strict discipline for six months – I’m sure any Hail Marys would help too.

“I’m not going to lie to you – it’s going to be hard.” Lee tells me, ...beat. “It’s going to be a bitch, actually. You’re going to have to get creative about things.” Well, if there’s one thing I know how to do, it’s get creative. (Luckily, I still have the better part of a bottle of Maker’s Mark to help me along as well.) Stay tuned for periodic installments of the budget plan. I’ll be coming with some old and new favorites for staying fashionable on a shoestring – no, really, it can be done. It helps to have someone in my corner to hold me accountable for everything. Yes, that's what it will take for a while, and I will happily bring you my progress reports from time to time, as well as the new ways I've devised for living the good life without any means. Hardship breeds innovation, creativity, inspiration and art. Not new shoes...

Update on Tuesday, October 3, 2006 at 12:02PM by Annie Wilson

My horoscope for today...:

Deferred results

This is an excellent time for carefully planning and executing projects that require great diligence and patience. You will not feel like going out and moving mountains, but you will be capable of sustained effort. You can work patiently now toward goals that will be fulfilled in the future, for this influence often means deferred results. You are working more for tomorrow than today. But your concerns are very practical, and if you know that your present activities will be of benefit in the future, you will be content with modest results now. This influence can be very useful in times of scarcity or need, because you are willing to get along with considerably less. Even in times of plenty you will have a sense of discipline and will avoid wasting valuable resources that may be only temporarily abundant.