Who ARE these people?!?!?

You see them on TV - they surprise their spouse with a brand new car for Christmas, wrapped with a red ribbon and already sitting in the driveway. They buy expensive jewelry, "It's what I've always wanted!" she squeals. She takes him out for an impromptu lunch...in ROME...using her frequent flyer miles she earned on her gold card. If I'm expecting overnight holiday guests, I clean up the spare room and put out fresh towels. But if I am to believe the TV ads there are people who remodel their kitchen in preparation for all their holiday cooking before their first guest shows up on their doorstep.

Sheesh!

Any ad man will tell you these advertisements are not selling a product but rather the image, the lifestyle, and their devious plan is to create a desire in you to live up to that ideal, as unattainable as it may be. Every year these images get more outrageous and more lavish. The "ideal" the advertising world has created is so completely ridiculous it's just laughable.

I'm a simple girl - all I really want is a car that works, a little pocket money, an occasional night out (the local burger joint will do just fine) and a clean house.