Ain't Nothin' Like the Real Thing, Baby...

Oh, how I wish I could say this was another giveaway, girls, but, no. Tiffany & Co. has not yet contacted me & I'm not planning to hold my breath until they do. I've just been thinking lately about situations where it's okay to go faux and when you simply must go with the real deal.

Diamonds may be at the top on the list of things to debate about & if you ask any girl on the street, she probably has an opinion on this. I have a friend who lost her wedding ring set several years ago, and decided that, rather than spend the money on another one & take the chance of losing it again, she'd rather buy a CZ in sterling silver. She's had some humongous rocks that get her lots of compliments, and if she loses one, she just picks another one she likes! It doesn't bother her a bit to go faux in the diamond department.

My "fave faux" may be my elastic pearl necklaces. Quite possibly the best $7.99 I ever spent at Target. And I do love my faux fur throw when I'm snuggling up with a good book.

On the other hand, I have a list of a few things that I never compromise. Things you can't fool me with. I can spot faux from a mile away when it comes to these things.

There's chocolate. I never waste time or calories on generic chocolate. Hershey's Special Dark is my kryptonite. If it's true what they say about it being an anti-oxidant, I'll live to be 105.

There's also peanut butter. (Why are my first two items edible?) My peanut butter has to be Jif. Great Value Peanut Butter will never see the inside of my pantry.

And then there's my biggest "Say No to Faux" rule. It's the big one, girls: The Faux Friend. You know her, don't you? Maybe it's nothing you've done. She's just not the real thing. It's just like the chocolate and the peanut butter. Don't waste your time on the generic. Find your authentic friends and stick with them. You'll know them by the way they treat you. The real ones care whether or not things are going well for you. They laugh when you laugh & cry when you cry. They never mock you & never try to pit other friends against you. I've had more than my share of true friends in my life. (It more than makes up for those who just pretend.) They have encouraged me greatly just by being there. I've had many emails from people I don't even know who read this blog that have also encouraged me.

Think of one of your authentic friends & tell her today what she means to you. You never know what it may mean to her. You could even send her some chocolate. Just make sure it's the real thing!