SALE! SALE! SALE!

Stores open at Midnight! Stores open at 3AM!  Best prices of the year!

So do you believe it? Is there anything out there that you really need must have can't live without? Maybe I'm just at a stage in my life where I am content, happy that clothes that are 15 years old still fit. Some are dated, some are back in style. Maybe I've read the The Not So Big House and feel that I've simply got enough. Maybe I understand the lesson that Wall Street taught and decided not to forget. Greed really isn't good.

Less is more these days, Hummers are gauche, low key is a high note. And I for one am glad to see it. There is a change in design where we are looking at spaces for longevity - not trendiness, not just fads. There is a staying power in design today that says "This is who I am, and I'm not afraid of it showing. I want to be comfortable in my own space".  We've come a long way baby from Mediterranean dark wood cabinets to the lighter, cleaner maple and cherry woods.  Cork floors are earth friendly and friendly to our spines. Natural stone on countertops, floors and backsplashes are softer, able to stand the test of time. The flamboyant materials have given way to the sublime.

Ease of use, ease of operation and easy to care for have replaced high maintenance.  As my alarm clock stikes straight up twelve I eyeball it and curl up till morning. The BIG SALE doesn't phase me, I have all I need. And if Christmas is all about finding that perfect gift - think about giving of yourself a little more instead.