On a recent morning, I was so stressed out that I found myself lost in the cleaning aisle of Target. Overwhelmed by the options of disposable dusting cloths, I called my husband. His advice? Go running. Forget cleaning, get some exercise.

Good idea.

I headed home, eager to get into my running togs and take off. Then it occured to me, I don’t really have any running togs. The closest thing I have to running shoes are a sneakers I bought at a discount store three (four?) years ago. My stop watch stopped working at least six months ago. It was clear – I needed running stuff. Socks, shorts, an armband for my I-pod. I resisted for awhile. I dug out an old pair of shorts and borrowed the six year old’s pink head phones. But then I realized this strategy just isn’t good for the economy. How are things going to improve if I don’t spend money? Everyone from the shoe salesman to the seamstress in China are counting on me to do that consumer thing and buy, buy, buy! Tops, hats, headphones, windbreakers, shorts…to quote High School Musical 2 “I want it all…” I can’t promise that I will single handidly save the economy with my sudden fitness urge, but I promise I’ll try!