Julie Barrett is a freelance writer and photographer based in Plano, TX.

Weekend Assignment: Spending Spree

Fresh when it gets here from Julie Barrett
Friday, October 10, 2008


I actually have time to do this again, so here goes:

A long-lost relative dies and leaves you $10,000. But there's a catch: the will states that it cannot be saved, invested, given to charity or used to pay bills. You've got a week to spend it all. (Anything left over will be used to buy tiny wheelchairs for injured pigeons.) What will you do with the dough?

Something very frivolous like a spa treatment comes to mind. Hey, if people who get government bailouts can do it, I can do it with an inheritance!

Like Karen, though, I'd probably spend it on travel. And not just to England, to part of Europe as well. There are three of us, so the money won't go as far as her trip with John would. Still, we would like return to England at some point. We visited in 2001 (pictures here, in a part of the site that desperately needs revamping) and had a wonderful time. Chris was just eleven or so at the time, which was a little young to appreciate a few things. This time we would like to get a car and drive around the countryside and stop in Scotland to see the Holy Grail castle among other things. Since this is a frivolous expenditure, we'd pay any extra fee to the rental companies so he could take a turn behind the wheel. I still don't know if they'd let him, since he's under 21, but we'd certainly try.

We'd also drive around in Europe for a week or so, taking in the sights.

Why drive when we could afford faster modes of transportation? Because it's more fun.

The only thing I would do (if the will allowed it) would be to charge a lot of the vacation and turn around and pay it as soon as I got home so we could get a better exchange rate. Besides, carrying all that cash around is frivolous, but not safe. And paying cash for airline tickets these days nets you some very funny looks. I suspect the deceased relative would agree that a cavity search is NOT the way to begin a week or two of unfettered fun.

Extra Credit: Excluding food and necessities, what is the most recent thing you've bought for yourself?

I bought a Real Musgrave print at FenCon over the weekend. The convention produces a limited edition print every year, the proceeds of which go to the designated charity. I have a number reserved (42, of course!) and pick up the next print every year. Today I plan to purchase the frame.

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Filed under: Weekend Assignment            

  10  Comments
 

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lisa said:
Last thing I bought for myself would be a pair of tennis shoes. To replace the pair I wore for 7 years. Yes folks, my life is so exciting I can't stand it.
Date: 10/10/2008 10:22:57 AM Date: 10/10/2008 10:22:57 AM

Gravatar
Karen Funk Blocher said:
Musgrave? As in Ritual? I think the next time I get to England, if ever, I'll pay more attention to Python and Who shooting locations. I wonder whether any of those gravel pits are open to the public. ;)
Date: 10/10/2008 5:57:42 PM Date: 10/10/2008 5:57:42 PM

Gravatar
kiva said:
I thought Real Musgrave retired. Hmmm. I love England too... that would have been my second choice, England by train.
Date: 10/17/2008 11:06:30 PM Date: 10/17/2008 11:06:30 PM

Gravatar
Julie said:
@Karen: No ritual, just a cool artist. I'll post a link to the print once it gets online.
Date: 10/18/2008 7:53:35 PM Date: 10/18/2008 7:53:35 PM

Gravatar
Julie said:
@Kiva: Yes, he's retired, but he and Muff came out of retirement for FenCon in Dallas this year.
Date: 10/18/2008 7:54:48 PM Date: 10/18/2008 7:54:48 PM

Gravatar
lisa said:
Last thing I bought for myself would be a pair of tennis shoes. To replace the pair I wore for 7 years. Yes folks, my life is so exciting I can't stand it.
Date: 10/10/2008 10:22:57 AM Date: 10/10/2008 10:22:57 AM

Gravatar
Karen Funk Blocher said:
Musgrave? As in Ritual? I think the next time I get to England, if ever, I'll pay more attention to Python and Who shooting locations. I wonder whether any of those gravel pits are open to the public. ;)
Date: 10/10/2008 5:57:42 PM Date: 10/10/2008 5:57:42 PM

Gravatar
kiva said:
I thought Real Musgrave retired. Hmmm. I love England too... that would have been my second choice, England by train.
Date: 10/17/2008 11:06:30 PM Date: 10/17/2008 11:06:30 PM

Gravatar
Julie said:
@Karen: No ritual, just a cool artist. I'll post a link to the print once it gets online.
Date: 10/18/2008 7:53:35 PM Date: 10/18/2008 7:53:35 PM

Gravatar
Julie said:
@Kiva: Yes, he's retired, but he and Muff came out of retirement for FenCon in Dallas this year.
Date: 10/18/2008 7:54:48 PM Date: 10/18/2008 7:54:48 PM





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