Walgreens Does Their Job

There is a reason Walgreens is open on Christmas… greed. I just came from there and I am hopping mad because I have known for years that the generic brand of a medicine is the same damn thing as a name brand only you pay double or more for the name that makes you feel good like Johnson and Johnson, Bayer, Tylenol or whatever makes you yearn for your mommy. Some of my favorite classes in college were health classes where we took apart the health industry. I have always known to buy the store brand of something at the grocery store instead of the name brand because it is the same thing if not super close. You can save over $3 or $4 buy just looking right next to the name brand and getting the imitation. On some things it makes NO DIFFERENCE WHATSOEVER. On things like Oreos, Nutter Butter, ice cream, and certain other products where the taste and texture could not be copied then you MUST buy the name brand but on most things it is better to save money because who is going to be impressed by the name on the box?

So my husband is at Walgreens and has to see the pharmacist because his nose is SO runny. (He refuses to acknowledge that his smoking plays a part in his messed up respiratory system.) The little pharmacist intern immediately reached for the expensive box of brand name decongestents. I said, “No, get the generic ones to the left about 5 boxes to your left.” So he gets the generic brand but a huge box for $15.99. I said, “No, there is one just like that with less in it for $5.99. See it right there to the left, right in front of you?” and the manager piped in and said, “Let him handle it, M’am.” I looked at him questioningly. He said, “Let him handle it.” I got so infuriated I just put my merchandise down and walked off because I didn’t want to cause a scene by asking for what I wanted. NOTE TO HUSBANDS: When your wife walks off because she has been insulted, this is your cue to follow her.

What did my husband do? Stay in there. Get railroaded and walked out with a $13.99 box of brand name junk. Didn’t even take the cue to follow the furious wife out of the store. There isn’t even medicine in medicine any more because of the meth heads in America and you may be saying, “Damn, it was only $9.00 difference. Why is she making such a big deal out of it?” The answer is because of the way I shop. I could turn $9.00 into 2 shopping bags full of groceries. I feed my family like royalty on a matter of a few bucks a day if not less because shopping is a skill. I went with a friend to the store and said, “What are you doing?” I saved her $75.00 just by showing her how to shop smart by comparison shopping and buying what was on sale.

None of this gets my husband out of the doghouse with me by the way. I hate the idiotic waste of money. Everybody is now looking at how to save money and cut corners here and there when I have been doing it all my life. I wrote an excellent article on the psychology behind grocery shopping and how the stores are designed to get you to spend your money. You may not believe it but it is their job. Walgreens did it well tonight and for talking to me like the pharmacist did, I am not going back.

That’s MRS. Betty Crocker to you.

I said that this next year was going to be my best year. I said that I  resolve to try new things and this is what happens when you actually do go for it.

I entered a cookoff today. I had only made this cake once before and had even modified the recipe so I gambled.

It was a pumpkin-caramel cake with pecans on top and pumpkin/Cool Whip filling in between the layers.

There were other desserts as contenders.

There were lots of different types of entries.

but people seemed to like mine.

 

“You like me, you really, really like me,” was Sally Field’s most stupid line uttered so I didn’t say it.

Betty Crocker called. She is not happy. She wants her cut.

I hope everybody reading this blog takes the challenge to live the next year with more gusto and willingness to take that extra step and really involve yourself in living life. I refuse to passively watch others living life actively and enjoying it. I plan to go for it and relish every moment I can. It feels great to try and win, instead of not try and let life pass you by. May we all enjoy this next year as best we can.

Truly Shocking Christmas Photos

I was hit by nothing but bad news today from many different issues going on so I had feelings of anger, frustration, disappointment and sadness taking turns at #1 in my head. This upset was so bad that no chocolate or candy could console me. My husband asked, “Is there anything else you want?” when we were at the grocery store and I snapped back, “Do they sell happiness in a bottle? Oh yeah, its at the bar,” and he glared at me because alcohol has ruined so many lives as these following pictures I took today in Port Isabel, Texas will attest. Please, remember that alcohol is a drug too and it should be used in moderation. These images are graphic so please, if there are small children around or if you have a weak stomach, please, go no further. These shocking images are called, “Christmas, The Day After.”

The first step is admitting you have a problem.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This havoc was created by some very strong winds and none of these decorations were injured in this filming. Seriously, I have some friends who DO need your help. My friend, Bill Plouffe, fell 30 feet in a horrific accident a few days ago, broke his back and is paralyzed. He is in critical condition and his distraught family needs your help. Please donate whatever you can to help defray expenses as their income is now zero. They don’t know what they are going to do, but for now, let’s help them get through this horrible tragedy. Please contribute to the “William A. Plouffe Fund” at Lone Star National Bank Acct No. 2905004843. The bank can be contacted at 956-982-8530.