Debbie Downer Does Double Cheeseburger

In my post Labor Day glow, I was totally moved to blog about the joys and antics of family gatherings that I imagined everyone would be able to relate to and laugh about. But then the phone rang and then I had to attend a hot dog eating contest at school (I know, priorities). And then day turned to night turned to day and I spent the morning paying bills and growing more and more surly and mopey. Which is how I ended up at McDonald's ordering a 10 piece Mcnuggets and a McDouble. I marched straight past the crepe stand, the pizza joint, the peanut butter sandwich place, and countless other better options. It's like I felt bad and wanted to ultimately feel worse. I think there is a chemical in their food that sedates me. It's like for a few minutes after the pig out I feel a little numb and blissed out and then I crash back to reality. I also think it is a measuring stick for how I feel about life at the moment. Before we moved to New York and were living with friends, I had no job and basically felt like I was waiting for the next stage of life to happen, all the while sponging off friends. I ate at McDonald's at least 3 times a week. I am still not sure how I didn't suffer cardiac arrest or develop diabetes. Since we moved here, I've eaten at McDonald's exactly twice. Once I needed a McMuffin to soak up the previous evenings festivities and then there was today's post bill paying episode. As I sent more and more of our money off into cyber bill space, I realized that our plans for Thanksgiving at a Dominican resort were looking more like we would be eating at a Dominican restaurant in Washington Heights. (Taking a huge bite of double cheeseburger). This city is like a money pit. A glorious, exciting, wonderful money pit. Then add friends visiting to the mix and you can double your usual expenses because you want to put your best foot forward and show them what Manhattan is all about. And it is all about lighting your cash on fire any time of day or night. I think now is a good time to wrap up this entry before I bring you down anymore. I will leave you with the one thing that I know will cheer me up. A photo taken this weekend of two of my favorite people in the world, my nephew, Dylan and my niece, Gianna. I really need to remember to use this as an upper instead of 7,000 calories from McDonald's. UGH. I'll be back shortly with a better attitude and quite possibly a little fatter.