"The remedy is the experience. It is a dangerous liaison."

The stress levels are ever increasing at work and at home. Budget and politics. I would say it's two different things, but when you break it down, it's mostly politics. It's ugly. This election season has great potential to be one of the ugliest ones I've seen in terms of the Legislature and how they react and handle the 2004 Budget proposal(s). I could be surprised, and that would be a nice change. In the meantime, I'm planning on dealing with it by doing something that many women turn to when the stress levels increase. I'm going shopping. More specifically, I'm going shopping with Matt to Erie, PA. I feel like a traitor since I know for a fact that retail shops are suffering in this county due to the elimination of our tax-free status on clothes and the quarter-increase in sales tax put on us by the state. However, I have my own budget to consider. And I need selection. Three things I need. New shoes, a new purse, and some work clothes. I searched all summer long for a purse and I haven't seen the type of shoe selection in stores that I like. So to Erie we go. We will be hitting Target, DSW Shoe Warehouse, the Men's Wearhouse, and perhaps Steinmart and/or Marshall's. Selection and the fact that clothing is tax-free is the draw here, plus getting out of the county for a day. We all need our releases. Time to check my credit card accounts to see where I stand and how much I can really afford to spend.