Like crime and being stupid, getting a new job doesn't pay - yet.

So, I got a new job. My old job was great. I loved what I did. I loved the people I worked with. I even loved the hospital. I just wasn't heading anywhere there.

For some crazy reason, I figure that mortgaging my soul to earn a master's degree should result in some career advancement. I would like to use my shiny new degree at some point. So, I will be moving into management.

Nursing management is for the truly inept at math. Nurses can work extra money into their lives. Nurses regularly work overtime - extra pay for that. Plus, if you work nights, you get extra pay for that. If a nurse works weekends - extra pay. Nurses also get asked to work extra shifts - you got it, extra pay. So, a nurse has the ability to get a lot of extra pay. If you are willing to work all the time, you can really change your financial demographic.

Nurse managers, on the other hand, are on salary. No extra pay. And the extra that they pay you to move into management is pretty small. Sometimes nonexistent. Plus, as a nurse manager, you end up working more anyway.

Yeah, truly, those nurses who can do math, do agency nursing. Extra pay and a better starting rate. Agency nurses aren't doing as well right now with the economy, but c'est la vie.

So, I have hung up my ability to do math and have taken a management position. As a result, I had to change my look. Remember, I'm a nurse. I wear scrubs to work. As a manager, it isn't really possible for me to wear the equivalent of my pajamas to work everyday. I had to buy clothing, shoes, a belt, a scarf.

This is a whole new world for me. I will have to learn to walk all over again. Those shoes with heels are so far different from my comfy nursing shoes, I may not make it.

Then, there's the whole professional "look." I had to go to the mall and get a two-hour class on make-up. I have newly purchased little containers of things I don't really understand. Strangely, I spent almost $200 on make-up that makes me look like I'm not really wearing make-up. Who comes up with this? The expensive stuff is the stuff that really doesn't show, but the cheap stuff really announces itself?

No, wait, I get that. Its like women at a bar. Nevermind.

But, I also had to get a lesson on how to style my hair. This, I may never learn. I'm not even sure I understand why I would do some of this. My understanding of the "diffuser" is that it is intended to make my hair look more messy. Couldn't I just forgo styling it altogether and get the same look? You should have seen the look on my stylist's face when I told her I had heard of a diffuser, but didn't actually know what one looked like. I think everyone at the shopping mall is convinced that they made-over an alien that just landed.

Honestly though, I really look great. I didn't realize how much difference all of this could make. I didn't realize I looked so old and blah. That's what a make-over will do for you. Suddenly convince you that you need these things.

I have to say, however, that the two things I now really like are the two things I almost didn't buy. All of this stuff was expensive. I am hurting for the cash, but I see it as a long-term investment. To do this transition, though, there were a lot of things that I looked at and didn't buy. So many cute blouses, nice pants, stylish shoes, etc. Anything above the bare minimum needed didn't make the cut. Except for two things. I bought a red blouse at the Eddie Bauer outlet store. I was in the process of putting it back when my husband stopped me. He liked it. I wore it for the first time Wednesday and wow. I love it. I'm glad he talked me into it.

Then, there are the boots.

Boots are everywhere right now and I think I have tried on every pair of boots in the state. They are uncomfortable. They are strange looking. They are expensive. I don't understand why so many of them look like they are made for women with really fat calves. I was ready to give up. As I was leaving the store I tried on one more pair. They weren't even with the other boots.

Oh my.

Okay, I finally, finally understand the whole shoe thing. I have never before in my life understood the woman-shoe-love thing. I just didn't get it. Shoes were either uncomfortable or too expensive. I am the person who bought a pair of Danskos 6 years ago and I keep wearing them everyday because they don't hurt.

But, these boots. I think I am going to wear them to bed tonight. I love them with a passion. They are comfortable. They look amazing. They fit my legs. I can wear them with a nice skirt. I can wear them with jeans. They have a heel, but I could walk forever in them. I really love them. I didn't want to take them off. Then, the guy in the store told me the price. I carefully took them off and put them back in the box. I picked up my purse and turned to leave.

Then, I grabbed that box and my credit card. In that moment, I was a real woman in some sense that the people who stood in line for the Sex in the City movie understand. I wasn't the old me anymore.

The good news is that I like the new me. The bad news is that my credit card is grounded. But, with this shirt and these boots, who cares?