i’m addicted
Six months ago a magical thing happened: I discovered Groupon. And before I knew it I was throwing down my Amex for much-needed things like massages and hair cuts and half off at Mario Andretti’s racing school. And I was happy.
When Living Social jumped onto the scene I felt conflicted. Was I was cheating on Groupon? But I rationalized that competition is one of the building blocks of this country. And before I knew it my Amex was doing double time for keratin treatments and I was enjoying $10 off $20 worth of food at Bombay Palace. And I was happy.
I knew I was spreading myself thin but when I discovered Joss and Main I couldn’t help myself. Children’s Tabletop? Contemporary Luggage? Yes please. Keeping up with 3 sites full of attractive offers is time-consuming for sure, but I’m nothing if not a fighter. And I was happy.
And then I was invited to join Gilt and it quickly catapulted me into another world! A posh world of Badgley Mischka and suites at New York’s Carlton Hotel at a fraction of the cost. And I was in love.
Thank you Gilt for the ridiculously cute Fancy Nancy pajamas and slippers I bought for Maya. Nice touch with the feathers...
But today? Today I opened my inbox and I wasn’t happy. I wasn’t happy with the 7 offers staring me in the face – including one from Jetsetter taunting me with a Junior Suite at the Hotel del Crillon and an unsolicited email from Amazon Local offering me a good deal on Invisalign.
The truth is that my Amex and I are tired. We’re tired of the barrage of emails and we’re resentful we have to keep up with so many sites and deals. And because we’re both unhappy I’ve decided to unsubscribe from Groupon and all its copycat sites.
And I will. Right after I buy myself a designer Thanksgiving turkey and a pair of faux-crocodile Hunter Boots for $99. Wish me luck.
it takes a village
Ali is currently in Chicago.
You’d think that as a result of his departure I’d be rejoicing that I have sole custody of the remote and I don’t have to cook dinner. But I’m not because I’m still recovering from all that it takes to get Ali ready for a business trip.
Allow me to recap the night before Ali’s 6am flight:
- I spent 25 minutes strategizing, discussing and packing his carry-on.
- I engaged in the age-old debate regarding the price difference between taking a cab or parking a car at the airport (my car of course because he’d never park his own at the airport). I did this despite knowing Ali would ultimately take a cab. Because he always takes a cab.
- I made and cut a turkey sandwich into neat little triangles in the event his Platinum Status didn’t come through for him and he tragically ended up meal-less in Economy.
The bear and his wedding dress was Maya's helpful addition. Like I said...Ali's business trips are a collaborative effort.
- I assisted with a Search and Rescue Mission for a variety of chargers and then manned charging stations at outlets throughout the house.
- I had several useless conversations, including the following:
- Ali: “What do I do if my iPhone alarm doesn’t go off ?”
- Me: “Use my iPhone as a backup alarm.”
- Ali: “What if AT & T has a nationwide blackout, both our phones go dead, and I miss my flight?”
maya fights back (guest post)
I know it’s been a while since my last guest post but I’ve been really busy juggling all the extracurricular activities my mom has me in so that I’ll stay out of her hair. But I had to put everything aside so I could address my mom’s last post about my new Uggs.
Look, I usually take my mother’s crazy antics in stride but when she attacks my character and calls me spoiled? That’s just not acceptable, especially since I am not spoiled! I’m just a product of my environment and really, how can that be my fault?
Just the other day, for example, I went to my friend’s 1st birthday party and not only did she have Build-A-Bear set up a little bear-making factory at her house but she had a woman in a bubble in the middle of the pool!
Woman. In. A. Bubble.
Of course now I want the same thing at my next party, but when I asked my mom and she said, “We’ll see.”
I’m old enough to know this means there will be no bubble woman. Instead I’m sure we’ll just have the same faulty pinata that we’ve had the last 6 years – the one we have to beat to death to open up. My mom can be really cheap sometimes.
Build-a-Bear. Too cute.
Anyway back to the Uggs: they aren’t even that extraordinary, especially since this girl at my school wears Louis Vuitton sneakers every day! I freak out a little bit every time I see her wielding a paintbrush in art because I have a feeling that no amount of Oxi Clean can get red paint out of a pair of leather Louis.
In any case you’d better believe I’ll be scouring eBay listings to make sure that my Uggs aren’t for sale. I’m pretty sure that in the past my mom sold some of the other stuff that’s mysteriously disappeared from my closet. She denies it but I know better. Let’s just say my mom’s first pair of Tory Burch shoes coincided with my first pair disappearing.
Enough said.
While I'm not going to win Mother/Wife of the Year Award anytime soon, I haven't killed anyone yet or shot myself in the head. And that, my friends, is how I calculate success these days. 
FANCY THAT FANCY THIS 