Comment: It happened.

I went to Target yesterday and came out with three items. Two of them were products for an upset stomach and the other was Tinkerbell bandaids (not for me) (well, okay maybe to share).

I mean, I looked through clearance, I cruised the aisles and…nothing. I looked at the deeply discounted clothes, and thought “meh”. No impulse buys. No cute little tchotkes.

I got nothing.

Nothing except what I came in for.

Has it come to this? Because I am here to say I think it has come to this.

This is a product of my “get rid of clutter” book and the sagging economy.

The luster is off the red bullseye of my heart. Am I beginning to make the sacrificies President Obama is asking of all of us as we try to undo eight years of major damage?

Probably not, but at least spending a little less and taking care of my house better is something to start with. You know, the whole Goethe thing: “If everyone swept in front of his house, the whole world would be clean”? If everybody tightens their belts a little bit, a lot of good can emerge.

The inauguration speech yesterday was described on NPR as “somber” but I would say it was more realistic than anything else. My husband saw it as a call to action.

So what actions are we, as individual, finicky, mortal and over-eating Americans going to do to help heal this country’s (many) wounds?

Any ideas, people? Canadian friends, your two cents actually do count for about two cents, so please, pour forth.