can't live on $500k?

allen salkin wrote this piece in the times today about how difficult it would be for a banker to live on $500k, particularly in new york city. i'm going to take it as satire because otherwise i will soon be engulfed by the fumes, vapors, smoke, and flames that are currently gushing from my eyes, ears and nose.

are we supposed to feel bad for people that can't live on $500k a year, regardless of their home town? do $1000 suits really make you a better person or allow you to conduct better business? do you have to take 2 major family vacations a year? are full-time nannies really an acceptable substitute for full-time parents? and who are you really trying to impress? the rest of the people that won't live east of 3rd and south of 60th? the ones who are also mortgaged to the hilt?

tightening the belt means that some of the fat is not going to fit. and it's not about buying a bigger suit either. it's about humility, simplicity, and contentment. and knowing that you will inevitably be remembered (and should want to be) by what you did and not by the brand of your suit or your address.