Here is what I bought myself for my birthday. I have been working, lately, on feeling more comfortable with spending money on myself. It isn't easy. And I have no idea where the neurosis comes from. Money isn't really an issue at my house. We have enough, we've never paid a bill late, never had an argument in 15 years over money, life is good that way. But I can spend, spend, spend on others, yet I cringe when I buy myself a new tube of mascara for $5. It's weird. So here is my therapeutic birthday purchase and I cannot wait to hold it in my quivering hands. And thanks to the genius of Fed Ex, I can watch its progression as it makes its way around the world to my home in the hot, steamy little beach hamlet in which I dwell. It left Shanghai on Monday, arrived in Alaska, went to Indianapolis, then on to Memphis where it now sits awaiting its connection to Tampa. I picture Tom Hanks' "Chuck" character from Cast Away (pre-plane crash and tropical island marooning) carefully sorting it into the proper pile in Memphis and patting it on its little cardboard ass as it prepares to wing its way to its new mommy. A Mac!! Ooooooooooo, ahhhhhhhhhhh.....