I still have writer's cramp from yesterday.
Or carpal tunnel. Whatever.
So I thought today we could try something different.
Ready?
Here's the scenario:
You have one hour and twenty dollars (or euros).
You can't drive more than five miles from home.
You can't take anyone with you.
And you have to spend the money or lose it.
What would you do?
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
the $20 question
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43 comments:
Buy a half a gallon of gas and a packet of chips.
hmmmm there is nothing but trees and slough within 5 miles of me...so I'd have to go to the internet, and probably buy some children's books or Cd's....yes I know....I am hopeless.
Three options.
a) go get a pedi
b) go paint some pottery
c) go hang out at the coffee shop and read, people watch and unwind
And I would walk to all three. Unless it was raining.
I'd take my $20 and go to a little thrift store that is about four or five miles away. There is always something cool to buy there. My last visit, I got a plant stand, a French dictionary, an oriental style blouse, and a pretty dish for less than $20.
considering we only have a market (more like convenience store) here where i live)and i was in real need of tp, half might be spent on that...then i can use the rest for a healthy lunch of a $4 dollar burrito $1 fountain coke, throw in a slim jim for $1.19, a grab bag of funyuns for $1.19, and for dessert i can buy a ridiculously priced $3(or close to that) for some nestle crunch dibs lol
Hmmm...within five miles...the quick-e-mart equivalent and the day spa/pool. I think I'd take my family swimming. Yes.
One hour, twenty dollars, not more than an hour? You have just described my daily life!
I suppose I could go to the pub on the corner, buy a double vodka and wait to see if George Clooney turned up...
The only thing within 5 miles of my house is the village. I can't take anyone with me, so that reduces my interest in going to the pub.
That leaves the two shops, which stock basic grocery goods, and the post office.
Got it - I'd go to the post office and buy one of those All4One gift certificates, then I could go anywhere and buy anything.
Alternatively, I would be boring and get about 17 litres of diesel for my little car.
I'd get on line and order Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman Trilogy by Pamela Aidan from Bas Bleu Booksellers-by-Post. Wish I didn't know about this catalog...
8kms (about 5 miles) would probably get me over to Value Village, where I could spent it on clothes for Punkin or vintage barware for my collection.
I would be off to the beach (after I appropriately bundled up, of course--I am a Californian and a wimp to boot!) to eat at this really great fish stand. Ahhh, I can smell it now! Yum!
I would still be able to get a taxi home & then tell hubbie to go get the car :-)
Although I live within walking distance of two malls, I'd probably order something online too. Unless it's a rule that I must actually GO somewhere. Then I would walk to the closest mall and buy a couple of books, and if there were change left over, a Starbucks latte to drink walking home.
I would ride my bike to the drugstore, that is only one kilometer away from here, and spend it on new nail polish and lipstick in very bright colors to liven up my day, because it is a cheerless day here and the sun is not shining, so I will have to do it myself. Shine, I mean.
This would not work for me. My daughter's school is 10 point 2 miles (she's big on the trip odometer right now), Walmart is seven miles. Five miles in each direction we have a few subdivisions or pine trees. I may have to rip off Corey's idea, and do some internet shopping. Um, maybe a really nice lipstick from Sephora. Damn, a twenty doesn't go as far as it used to.
I would go to our local supermarket when it was quiet and wander around, buying books, stationery (I need and love it) and treats for the animals. Treat for Himslf. Adn come home. Ten quid goes far in Asda!
As it is 7.13am as I write, I would have to call a friend and invite them for a quick breakfast, jump in the shower, get dressed and get out pronto. Not sure I have the energy for that so early.
five miles? twenty bucks?
i'd ride my bike up to St. Anthony Park, head over to Micawber's Bookstore, browse the tables, and buy a book. it'd have to be a paperback, so as to leave enough money for me to cross the street and go to the Finn Bakery and get some delicious raspberry-filled cookie and a coffee.
Either buy a book or yarn. And a cup of tea. Cool question!
I would choose to spend that hour and the twenty on wooly fibers. I'd drive to my local yarn store and hit the sales rack.
With your lead in (complaint of writer's cramp... and a question like that $20 to spend in an hour) why would I risk sore hands and wrists to even write about it?
If you're going to write of the absurd, certainly this is a good beginning!
Please read this in the spirit intended, kind and critical commentary (smiley here)
AK
P.S. I do have some practical suggestions for your writer's cramp.
well I could either go to Walmart or the mall, or any number of places i suppose, it just depends on if there are any other rules. is it 'free' money or is someone making me spend my own money? if it comes out of my pocket, i probably WOULD put gas in the vehicle. at least i know i'd have that for later..
I'd trot to our local bakery and buy one of their to die for light as a cloud, topped with buttercream frosting chocolate cakes, the biggest one the $20 would buy. And a plastic fork.
Ok, really I wouldn't, but as this is a dream, I can dream big, and that's what I'd want to do.
I would go to "The Cracker Barrell" right before a major holiday when everything is 50%-75% off and shop for holiday decorations. They have the cutest stuff for decorating.
I'd be a bit stuck actually. There's nowhere within 5 miles around here that i could spend 20 euros on.
Crystal xx
Coffee, chocolate and a good book. And would the $20 stretch to one of those really really nice almond biscotti? Yes, I think it would.
I get to be alone? Well, in that case I would go buy a book at Waterstones (£6 approx), find a coffee shop (Hot choc £2, cinammon swirl £2), and spend the rest on paying a babysitter for an hour to watch the kids whilst I relaxed, and read the book in relative comfort and peace & quiet...
totally a pedi.
and maybe an espresso to go with it.
I'd walk 5 minutes to buy a trashy celeb magazine, another 3 minutes to the local chocolate shop and order a extra large hot chocolate and spend the next 52 minutes feeling totally decadent watching the world go by, through the mag and walking past the shop
I would stick it in the gas tank. Nothing interesting, just intelligent.
As I just paid $3.39 for a gallon (US) of gas yesterday, I'd have to be boring and put my $20 there.
I'm tempted by the yarn and the books - all within walking distance for me - but needs must.
Easy peasy I drive to my nearest TK MAXX (5 miles return) and buy something to wear!
Ooo, ooo. Crema Cafe has absolutely fabulous artichoke sandwiches very nicely washed down with a girly coffee. The remaining money goes to Ben Franklin just a few stores down sidewalk for Sculpey and Charleston Chews.
There's nowhere fixed within five miles to spend money. But there are mobile opportunities...I would lie in the middle of the road until the boulangerie van passed. Twenty euros would buy a lot of croissant, pain aux chocolat,tarte citron, and Tarte Fraise...Oh yes!
Mya x
There are some flowers for you at my blog...
I would spend it all on a few phone calls to family back in England
Ooooh, I just did this today!!!
I live less than 2 miles from a very trendy shopping mall. I went to Bath and Body Works and got some lotion soap for hubby (he's addicted to it), then I ended up at Barnes and Nobel, where I bought a magazine and a book to read in the hospital. :)
How's that for a quinky-dink? :)
Oh, then I took myself over to feed the geese with some stale bread.
It made for a very nice afternoon!
BTW - I chose to shop using Euros, so I got to spend ~ $30.00 vs. the measly $ 20 you offered us USA types. :)
I'm all about getting more!
In our small little town, there is a woman who has a little shop, for massages. She gives chair massages, for $1.00 a min., so I guess I could get a really good massage. Sounds relaxing.
XOXOX
This is hard because there are so many places I'd like to spend $20 and an hour around here. If Altaglow is up for it we could meet at the gelato place nearby, then there is Patticakes (chocolate heart cake with white mousse filling and a rose on top for $20!), See's, Baskin Robbins. Salmoln at Cafe Bizou for lunch sounds divine, or Twin Palms or tea anywhere in town. Maybe a museum for an hour, by myself? Oh the possibilities are endless! Great question!!
WOW, I have $20! That's new. Ummm...probably take my 3 kids to 7-11 and get some snacks and then head to our park. Sitting, eating doritos, watching my kids swing around like feral monkeys...heaven!
Hmm...buy a buttload of toilet paper for our new house, which has four toilets. In the first week, I am amazed at the toilet paper I have replaced!
I was gonna say go see a movie, but that takes more than an hour. Hmmm. I guess I'd go get my nails done. :-)
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