Under-employed and loving it

Maybe we're not doing so badly.

The other night, I heard one friend chortle with envy when he heard that another owed about $10,000 in credit-card debt. And boy, did he chortle -- like a fucking chortle monster leashed to a fire hydrant during a rainstorm. (Chortle monsters fear water...)

Seems he would LOVE to have $10,000 in credit-card debt, as his current debt apparently exceeds that amount many times over. His minimum payments are enormous, he explained.

The remark didn't sink in immediately, however, during the past 24 hours, it has: What he was saying in not so many words is that he has tens of thousands of dollars in credit card debt.

For what?

Children's braces? Plastic surgery? New car on the credit card?

Tens of thousands of dollars in spur-of-the-moment purchases?
Tens of thousands of dollars in happy-hour drinks?
Tens of thousands of dollars in home electronics?
Matching furniture sets?
Christmas gifts?
Snow tires?
Clean sheets?
Airplane tickets?
Online porn?
Groceries?
Rent?
Ammunition?

Fuck me.

I had almost forgotten that I cut my cards into pieces years ago. Now I remember why I did it. My schizophrenic alter ego -- the one with all the common sense and discipline -- took charge, kept me from hurting myself.

Jesus, I love that guy...