Convenience vs necessity

Heather bought more invitations today. We have the whole design planned; we've done some test-runs, and we're pretty excited with how they look. In fact, along with our flatmate Emma, who's been helping us with the aesthetic decisions, we've been bandying the word 'classy' around quite a bit.

Heather's been increasingly involved with the preparations as time goes on. Now, since I am really close to submitting my thesis (read: going half mad and turning into a bitch), Heather is actually more interested than I am in the preparations. She had the scissors, card, and ribbons out this afternoon and was anxiously discussing the likelihood of finding a guillotine, which we need to cut the various papers and cards we'll be using. I think we'll be able to con some people at uni into letting us borrow the School's guillotine. But Heather is talking about buying one.

This is one of those issues to which we have .. erm ... differing approaches. I think it might have something to do with my dad. I remember being fourteen and wanting to buy a sleek and stylish racing bike from my friend Lisa. Dad, being Dad, refused this request.

"I'm not buying you a bloody bike," he said. "If you want a bike, we'll go down to the cop shop and tell them you lost one. Pick one up for free."

I'm ashamed to say it, but I think Dad's approach has shaped my attitude to money more than I had realised. (Although, I must point out that I harassed Dad for so long that I did get the bike, eventually.)

In short, I don't tend to buy anything unless I have to (unless it's fun, or edible, or both). On the other hand, Heather's middle name is convenience. If it makes things simpler, she'll buy it. Now, a guillotine is not, in my opinion, fun, and it's certainly not edible. But it would be convenient to have one at home during this process. The debate will continue.