“Wow, Rosetta Stone isn’t cheap,” I said in response to my friend informing me that he just bought the language series to polish up on his German.  I was thinking back to my discovery in December that learning Italian for my gelato trip would set me back no less than $300 bucks ($175 for a pirated copy on eBay).

“No, it most certainly is not,” he replied, as if to say “It’s not cheap, but it’s worth it to me.”

I had the audacity to call him out for a $300 purchase after I spent the price of a used car on a bauble for my finger.  Value is in the eye of the beholder, I guess, and my values must be f”ed up these days.  What criteria, exactly, do we use to place value things?  Why it is difficult for me to spend $300 to learn a new language and create a richer experience when, this Saturday, I unflinchingly plopped down $375 for this red-carpet ensemble that I will wear only once,  twice if I happen to get invited to a Royal polo match or Spring wedding.

Wouldn’t wearing one of my closet-weary LBDs and spending the cash on the Italian experience have served me better? Where do my priorities lie?