Musings of a Drunken Monk: Individual Entry Archive

Today I was dealt yet another swift blow to the wallet thanks to my wonderful girlfri-er...car Noriko. I had my tires changed from winter tires to "summer rubber." As Ryan says, it's a wonderful thing, this New England seasonal stuff, that forces you to have two sets of good tires or one set (all season) that is crappy in all weather. Regardless, I came to realize that it costs nearly as much just in labor to replace tires as it does to buy 4 new tires. Here comes my country bumpkin background, rearing its ugly head. You see, this is the first time I've actually had tires changed. Before that, I would do it out in Plainfield, MA which is even more in the middle of nowhere than Ashfield. And I swore it was like $10 per tire. The "upgrade" of moving from Ashfield to Boston has increased my per-tire spending from an estimated $10 to about $30. In addressing this issue, I note that just about everything under the sun in this city contains a roughly similar markup. Take an apartment in Ashfield. Justin (another one) pays I believe $500/month for the entire first floor of a house. Granted it's in ... funky ... shape, but it's still $500/month. Including utilities. Now skip to Boston. One would probably pay $500/month (not including utilities) for a ROOM in the same quality first floor of a house. Don't get me wrong. I love living in the city. Everything is accessible and there's a lot more to do. But then comes the crux: so much to do, NO MONEY. A "pint" of beer costs $4+ at the average bar. And then there's the pimpin clothes you've gotta wear, the ride, the prostitutes...I'm getting ahead of myself. But the whole point I'm making is one that everyone already knows: the city is f'n expensive. But what are you gonna do about it, anyway. I'm gonna eat my $10 lunch and shut up.