First, I would like to rant about not having a working scanner. RANT RANT RANT RANNNNNT. "Scanning" via carefully-held digital camera just isn't the same.

Today was my splurge day - a most excellent $10 lunch consisting of an excellent raspberry seltzer, a cheddary, toothy, and gargantuan green onion scone, the best, moistest apple cake I've ever tried, and a cold mint-nutmeggy rootbeer with lovely citrus notes. In the course of our wanderings through Boston, Chris, Joe, David (an IMSA friend) and myself went from Fenway to the South End past the Commons to the North End and back (I copped out and caught the train from Government Center because I had a 6pm meeting). Along the way we met revolutionary war reenactors, scored some free basil seeds (+ dirt + time = PESTO!), drooled over gelato we did not purchase, and ogled a wine shop.

I'm starting to think of money as a convenience rather than a need. A luxury, at times - like today's lunch - but usually just an occasionally handy thing to fall back on, like when Matt and I rode to Broadway Bicycle yesterday... three times in as many hours to fix two flats, then one flat, then a stuck chain (it was the day of the Bike Curse). Could we have found a way to fix the bikes without money? Maybe. Probably. Eventually. In that short a time? Probably not. And having tools and new parts on hand definitely added a little to the fun with their shininess.

Money, like chocolate, is best when used sparingly and well. Aside from food, my other expenditures in June were rent, a T pass, 2
used books for my research that cost at total of $4, and a few dollars
in bike parts to replace the blown tire. Having dinner at DJ & Kelcy's, dining at Pika with Matt &
Ryan, and sipping tea at OLPC costs me no money at all - and in all cases, the food is even better because of the excellent company. And when people come visit us, we'll cook them extra hamburgers or lend them a spare mattress. Sharing is fun. I almost enjoy being "poor*" because you get to share so much.

*ok, I have a computer, food to eat, and a home with running water; I'm filthy rich in the grand scheme of things.

At its core, cash is really just something to barter with. Time may be money, but I prefer to say that "money is time" and spend my money so that I can do what I want with my time. Usually, doing what I want requires no money at all.