Yesterday, I took my computer to the Mac "Genius" counter. $600 + a new power cord ($85) was the genius solution offered to me. I gave the girl genius a quite thank-you and packed up my computer. I then drove to a computer store nearby where an Eastern European man took a tool that looks like a screwdriver, fiddled with my computer for a few seconds, and, suddenly, it powered up just fine. I did have to buy a new power cord, but he didn't charge me anything for his services. Is it me, or are monolithic companies going down the tube (Starbuck's, Apple, Border's...)?!

I'm in a salsa dance group that practices way out in East LA. Some might call it a ghetto-ish neighborhood. It's a long drive (long ass, I should say), and definitely proves my commitment to practicing the art of salsa. Anyway, last night I got there early and I decided to go to the market next to the studio. I walked out with a bag of oranges and six manilla mangoes for $2.50. In Santa Monica, $2.50 will get you maybe an apple (at Whole Foods it will buy you about a third of a peach).

Just for today, I can resist the capitalistic forces hell-bent on parting me from my money.

My friend, Harvard Towers, shared with me the other day that she tells herself the affirmation, "I love what I do. It doesn't even feel like work to me."

I told her that I thought it sounds like something someone would say on a talk show, and that it's probably a good idea to tell yourself the things you hear in celebrity interviews. "I'm just really lucky." "The next thing I knew I was on a plane to New York." "I have to keep pinching myself to make sure it's not a dream..." And so on...

Except maybe I should invent my own, like:

"The hardest part is figuring out how to invest all these millions." "I don't understand why things come so easily to me, but I've learned not to question it." "I can't wait to go to work everyday, it's too bad my body has to sleep." "I've lost track of my Armani coats." (I, actually, have a friend who said that once to me...I don't think I need more than two...).

Just for today, I can create new affirmations for financial abundance.

Sorry, I've been neglectful of my blog. I've been so busy fretting, that everything else has taken a back seat. It takes a lot of energy to sit on my couch, stare into space, and worry and stress-out about the future. I can't say it's a productive way to live, but it sure is tiring! I had a dream last night that I was seeking counsel from a semi-homeless hippy who took the bus as her/his main form of transport. Something tells me that it's time to get a job.

It's not that I'm abandoning my over-serious Opus, it's just that my faith muscles are getting a little worn out (although, they are much stronger than they were five years ago).

The good news is that I've also been out doing a lot of fun activities lately: going to happy hour with my friend and her new man (how do all my friends find boyfriends?), seeing a friend in a play, watching the IMAX documentary on the Rolling Stones, Shine The Light (talk about inspiring...I've never had MJ's energy in my life) that make me realize that there's more to life than financial insecurity, and that, despite the cluster-fuck parking situation that is an inevitable outcome of going anywhere in Los Angeles, there's a lot of fun things to do in this city.

I have also re-invented my porch as an outside room, painted the hallway, and developed a deeper relationship with everyone I know who is also unemployed.

Just for today, I can enjoy life during uncertain times.

Time to stop paying full price and start digging through the racks at Ross. In times of exhaustion from over-work, money can seem very overrated. What's wrong with washing my own car? Or, spending hours at Marshall's? Who needs to blow $40 on dinner and drinks? Who needs facials? My skin needs to learn to self-clean anyway. I don't need a pedicure every two weeks, I need time to clip my toe-nails.

Just for today, I can prepare for unemployment.

Lately, I've been feeling like a former porn star who had a spiritual awakening and is now slugging pancakes at 4:00 am at Denny's. Even though she misses that big fat steady paycheck, she knows she stands on a higher rung on the Ladder of Dignity and Self-Respect. Ok, so that's an extreme analogy. But not really. Even if I wasn't giving metaphorical blow jobs....I was being asked to...

No, you can't go home again, nor can you go back to a dignity-sucking, backstabbing profession at which you've been thrown under the bus so many times you've got skid marks on your back. But you can go back to Nordstrom rack.

The point is that now that I'm seeking work that reflects my feelings of self-worth, I'm not making the dinero. There's just a lot more money in the ass business.

Boy, there is some serious potty talk here.

Just for today, I can start a new career.

A few weeks ago, I was fixing some broken-ness on this site, when I noticed my text link ads below. I had signed up for ads a few centuries ago, and as a result every year I get a check for $50. It's not the amount so much, as the idea of a check of unexpected money showing up in my mailbox.

Anyway, as I was scrolling down my site, I noticed the following ads:

Russian Mail Order Brides
Philippino Mail Order Brides

My site advertises MAIL ORDER BRIDES?!

Yes, I deleted the code immediately. But not before I got a check in the mail for $50. Not only was I unwittingly promoting the traffic of sex on my blog...I mean, the traffic of women looking for true love in America...but somebody was using my blog to find their mail order bride of choice....THAT IS SO GROSS! Excuse me, I have to go take a shower.

Ironically, I dressed as a pimp for Halloween.

Just for today, I'm giving my blog a shower, too.