Time is money -- so spend $10 to get your flu shot and save your holiday season

I think of time and money the way Einstein thought of motion and mass; inseparable. Money buys me time to pursue the things that really make my life worthwhile; friends, creative pastimes, lounging on the couch watching the Browns piss away another game.

If you think the same way, I have a suggestion of how, for next to no money, you could buy yourself several days of freedom. Go get your damn flu shot!Here's a site that will help you find places near you that offer vaccinations.

The flu is serious business. Many people confuse it with more mundane maladies that cause vomiting and diarrhea, which are not symptoms of the flu. The flu causes fever, chills, terrible muscle aches and leaves you exhausted for days, costing you time. For $10 or less, how can a shot not be a good value for your money?

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the typical first peak of flu incidence comes in late December, just in time for family get-togethers. It peaks again in February, around Valentine's Day. (Coincidence? I don't think so.) Recent reports in the Japanese press show that this year's round of flu has started to show up in that country, and we won't be far behind.

Money and time: don't lose a few days out of your life to the misery of flu when you don't have to; spend a few bucks and enjoy the holidays. Get your shot.