Cheapo Nuggets

Despite that it's "the most wonderful time of the year," I have very few nuggets of wisdom. Nugget #1 is don't ever be self-employed: it tends to freak you out around the holidays, when you seem to be spending what you're not earning, without a regular paycheck in sight. I'm in about week 4 of this ongoing freakout, but the end is in sight! Tomorrow I fly home to NC to try and get my life in order (haha) while my mother pumps me full of cookies and cheap wine (aka the "pink stuff"). Maybe by the time I come back I'll have some plan for the coming year and, with any luck, a pocket full of cash compliments of far-away relatives. At any rate, with the impending doom of the airport looming over my head, this is the best I can come up with.

Top 5 Things to Know Before You Go: North Carolina, & the Burbs in general (because my brain is too addled for a Top 10)

5. Do not buy airport food. This should be a no-brainer, as it's always expensive, luke-warm, and generally gross. However, if you need a fast-food fix, wait til you roll up in the south- land of the two best cheap chicken joints in the world: Bojangle's and Chick-Fil-A. And it's all half the price of NYC food! You can actually get an entire meal for under $5.

4. Do go see lots of movies- most cities outside of NY have second-run movie theatres where the ticket price drops from the already low $7 to $2 or $1.50.

3. Drink. Lots. Last time I was outside New York City, I literally bought an entire round of 4 beers for $11. What? That's less than I pay for one friggin glass of wine in certain neighborhoods! Yes, it's true- give up the joys of city living and you can drink on the cheap ALL THE TIME. Uh, ok, no thanks- I can't do the suburbs again. But I will make like a camel and have my fill before I come back up here!

2. Sleep. Unless A Christmas Story is on TV, there's nothing worth doing before dinner time anyways. Don't tell Mom I'm badmouthing my hometown, secretly I miss it, really!

1. And the number one thing to know before you go away from NYC is, enjoy driving! This may seem like stupid advice, perhaps a filler because your favorite blogger can't think of anything else to write? No way! I plan to enjoy driving so much that, in fact, I am not flying back to the frosty north- no, I am road-tripping with 2 or 3 other brave souls, and it will be AWESOME! This is not because I couldn't find an affordable flight. I just love being in the car that much. And a few years ago, this would have been said in jest- but since moving to NYC, where the average cost to ride in an actual car is about $10 per minute, I just can't get enough of those plush bucket seats. Damn, if that doesn't feel better than a mustard yellow subway bench! Not to mention that gunning it down I-95 is kind of cool.

My New Year's resolution? Come up with something more valuable to tell you. I've got about 10 days to come up with something delightful, so check back soon.