Life of luxury

Today, I read a book, A Quaker Book of Wisdom: Life Lessons in Simplicity, Service, and Common Sense, by Robert Lawrence Smith. It spoke to one's living a life of service and commitment to others, to a greater good and to one's conscience. Then tonight I flipped on the TV and was assailed by a show that reminded me of "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous."

I observed that the program was a shopping list of high priced bling and a roll call of the celebrities who bought it. There was the engagement ring, 10-carat diamond solitaire, that ran Mike Douglas about $3 million. I learned that membership in one of The Donald's country clubs ran $300,000 per year. A pain management specialist and his male lover spent over $26,000 to fly their dog to Florida for a dog birthday party. I learned that the highest paid sitcom star makes $1.8 million an episode. (Now, I know why everybody loves Raymond!)

I was informed that Britney won the title Shopping Queen against rival Christina. Britney and her mom are known to enter a boutique on trendy Robertson Blvd and if they see a style of shoe they like, buy it in every color the store has. They can drop $60,000 in an hour. Wow!

Needless to say, this show and that book proved quite a jarring juxtaposition. I had hoped the show might comment on how some of these phenoms made their loot. To me it is the making of the loot that is the interesting story. Anyone can spend money; well, I know I could.