The Shame Squad

2017 will affectionately be remembered as The Year We Attended Weddings.  But before we get to all those... let's take a diversion to Mexico. The year started in Cancun with my best friend Debbie and her husband Greg.  We went on a vacation we affectionately nicknamed "Mexit."  Specifically, we visited our Southern neighbors during the presidential inauguration, and stayed at a resort chosen specifically for its lack of televisions .  (Therefore, we could not comment on crowd size.  Or even know that crowd size was A Thing.  It was nice.)  Instead, we went swimming in a cenote (a type of cave) that was also home to some bats, snorkeled in a combination freshwater/saltwater lagoon, and toured around the pyramids at Tulum.  And of course, we sat on the beach and drank margaritas made by Jesus.  Thank you, Jesus!  Literally. Then we went on a free trip to the Bahamas .  For all of my hard work last year, I won a trip, and the reward(?) was getting to be the HR

First thing's first: will I be as, um, "devoted" to Meghan as Kate?  Nope.  That would be like having two favorite football teams--it's just crazy.  But!  That won't stop me from a little bit of fun speculation today.  So, what tiara is Meghan likely to wear when she marries Harry?  We have a few clues to help steer us in the right direction: First, in terms of tiaras, it is important to understand that royal houses "counts the centuries, not the carats" in terms of tiara importance.  For comparison's sake: Kate's tiara dates from 1936 and was first worn by the Queen Mother--a relative commoner who became a Duchess who became a Queen Consort.  Expertly chosen, as this is the same path Kate will take, if all goes to plan. Halo Scroll as worn by the Queen Mum, Princess Anne, and K-Middy. The Queen wore it too early on. Fun fact: we haven't seen her wear it again because it's currently traveling in a Cartier exhibit. Princ

Today we're going to talk about holiday gifts.  Now listen, I am not one of those people that starts counting down the weeks 'til Christmas while it's still flip-flop weather.  I don't want anyone to hand me a Pumpkin Spice Anything for another month.  In fact, coming from a retail background where Christmas started in October, I now firmly believe in celebrating Christmas starting in December.  I do believe, though, in planning for holiday gift giving starting now. If you start thinking about holiday gift giving early on, you can save between 50-75% of what the typical American spends.  Yes, for real. Again, just like last time , I want you to think about holiday expenses on an annual basis , and not on a per-gift basis . And how much does the average American spend on holiday gifts?  That would be slightly over $900.  Does that sound excessive?  Add up: Who you're buying for and what you plan on spending.   Now add those things you buy for yoursel