My Last Hundred Bucks: Even the Whiskey Was Medicinal

by Sara Noel

$100! It is a lot of money, and yet, it is also not a lot of money at all. What happened to your last hundo, Sara Noel?

A couple of overpriced-but-delicious whiskeys with a single giant ice cube, plus a drink for the birthday boy. Also a local artisanal organic cheese and honey plate because it was the only food item under $10. This may not seem like a crazy amount to spend on a couple of drinks and some cheese, but I live in Pittsburgh — things are supposed to be cheap here.

$11: Movie Ticket for Zero Dark Thirty. We went to a matinee to get the cheap price but it turned out to be IMAX so we paid full price anyway.

$15: Flu Shot: I ignored everyone who kept telling me I should get one but then I heard that Meryl Streep got the flu and it was bad and she stayed home from the Golden Globes. If it is bad enough to take down Meryl, you should get a flu shot!

$15: Chinese Take-Out: Because I was getting paranoid about getting sick and felt like I needed soup, NOW! The soup was cheap but I had to order shrimp and veggies to meet the delivery minimum. I justified this because I could take the leftovers to work for lunch the next day.

$5: Turkey Sandwich from Subway: Because I forgot to bring the stupid leftover Chinese food for lunch.

$1: Banana: I bought a banana for a dollar from the cafe in the lobby of my office building. ONE DOLLAR. Bananas are 19 cents at Trader Joe’s.

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