Well, folks, I'd hoped to be writing up an account of a trip to New York City and the Republican National Convention. Author and readership (if any!) can relax; no such piece will appear, because I wasn't invited and ultimately couldn't afford it anyway. (I was invited to serve as an alternate four years ago but passed on that opportunity.) Then, as if to rub it in, came this mailing, of which my journal reads:

A GOP outfit invited me to a private St. Paul reception & dinner with the First Lady. Dinner alone costs $10K. Wish I had that kind of money.

My financial picture has turned rather bleak of late--ironic, considering how my family has long known me as a frugal spender. Unfortunately I've never been so great on the earning side and am still working on Plan B. (Plan A is the common standby involving a lottery win! :-))