I have had kind of a down week. I have not been very busy at work and that drives me crazy. It feels like time moves so slowly.

Also, I have been watching CNN on TV and reading articles on the internet. From Minnesota, New Orleans seems so far away. So remote. But it really is not. The story is unfolding right here in our own country. People are dyeing because of lack of food and medical attention. It almost seems like a situation that would have occurred hundreds of years ago instead of a few days ago. My heart breaks every time I watch the news. People are scared and hungry and are doing desperate things and here I am sitting at my desk safe and sound and worrying about minimal things, such as what am I going to do for the weekend?

I think this whole situation is making Americans take a long hard look at themselves and at our country as a whole. We can ignore a few homeless people in the street as we drive by in our big expensive cars, but how do we ignore a whole city full of homeless people. People that once had beautiful homes and they were taken away in a blink of an eye. It could easily happen to anyone. We are all confident we will be able to get a hot meal whenever we want, but that could be taken away in a matter of minutes. Everyone looks to the government. Where is the food? The water? The medicine? That is the job of the government, right? I guess I just do not know what to think. I think the entire country is acting and speaking out with raw emotion right now. There are people who had everything and now have nothing. It shows us how fragile our lifestyles can be...

Change of weekend plans because of gas prices.

Adam and were planning on going away for labor day weekend, but now we are not going anywhere. Just staying in our own apartment right here in the city. I am not paying $3.39 for a gallon of gas just because I want to leave the city for the weekend. I can find something to do here.

Part of me feels horrible, complaining about the gas prices. Especially when there are people that live on the south coast that do not even have a car to fill with gas anymore. However, it seems my whole way of life has basically changed overnight. I cannot afford to keep driving when it costs almost $50 to fill up my small car. Thank the heavens that I do not drive an SUV. I was smart enough to stay out of that suburban trap.

So, I have been trying to figure out a way to make my money stretch a little farther. For one thing I need to stay out of Target. I can spend a lot of money there without blinking an eye. I also have to start buying more groceries and quit eating out so often. I am still saving for Europe. I am not willing to put that trip on hold yet.