What Could be More Fun?
....than being paid to talk about myself?

I had been a little stressed over money for Christmas. We don’t spend a lot, way less than the ludicrous national averages I hear mentioned on the news. But things have been especially tight and my prayers for extra hours at work have been answered - though I’m still praying for more. (This makes me uncomfortable, because I’m always praying for extra work that needs to be done and not wishing that anyone would fall ill or anything that I would be needed to fill in. I want to do my best to serve my parish and help support my family.....I’m not some ecclesiastical Eve Harrington biding my time as an understudy..........)

And then today I received a call from a local market research agency asking if I would be available to participate in a focus group. Talk about good timing. I was in a group about a year ago. It was somewhat absurd to be paid to talk about my choices in clothing. I was probably the ‘wringer’ in the group, since I was always answering that my criteria for clothes were “cotton” and “cheap.” Ninety minutes of talking about my fashion philosophy was surreal, but fun. There are so few places (except, maybe.....one’s own blog!) where it is socially acceptable to blather on about things inconsequential. The facilitator hung on each word as if I were some strange hybrid of Margaret Mead and Diana Vreeland. And they paid me in cash. (plus some coupons for $2 off on some cotton underthings.)

Now that I can write about myself all I want, I don’t feel so driven to talk, but the money is an answer to my prayers!