Thursday, June 19, 2008

Just as Happy as When I had $48 Million

What will they think of next? File this under strange new products: a Marina del Rey, Calif.-based company is debuting a product called TushieWipes for dogs and cats.
According to a press release, these wipes are "extra thick and strong so they won't tear during use, a key concern for many pet owners."
Admittedly, I don't have a dog or a cat. But if I did, keeping their stinking, smelly surprises out of my house would be a key concern -- not flimsy wipes.
I can get behind ridiculously priced doggy spa days, couture and jewelry, but I think owners who will pay $9.95 for a box of 100 wipes are taking this man's-best-friend thing waaaaay too literally.
Words of wisdom: How I love Arnold Schwarzenegger, the body-builder-turned-movie-star-turned-governor who is always good for an inspirational quote.
He's said a number of zingers in his illustrious career, but the one I'd like to have cross-stitched on a pillow is this: "Money doesn't make you happy. I now have $50 million, but I was just as happy when I had $48 million."
I'm sure I, too, could be happy -- no Prozac necessary -- if I had $50 million, $48 million or perhaps even $46 million. But get too far below that, and there are no guarantees.
At the very least, happiness seems to correlate with an income level where you can pay someone else to wipe your dog's behind. That's all I'm sayin'.
-- Elyssa Andrus
This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page B1 on May 18, 2005.

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