I'm almost afraid to post on-topic, but here goes. I've stopped feeling awkward about my wealth, for a few reasons:
First, I was talking with my mom about a year ago, and she mentioned how she's stopped herself from feeling awkward about her poverty when talking with her sisters (who both married high-earners). I figure, if Mom doesn't have to feel awkward about her poverty, why should I feel awkward about my wealth? I certainly don't feel "better" than her because I have more money!
Second, my beloved 19-year-old cat died this summer, and my bank balance did not help my grief one bit (not that I expected it to). My money also doesn't magically cure my depression just by diving into it Scrooge McDuck-style, nor have I been able to buy my way out of many of the other trials and tribulations of just being human.
Third, I've known too many awesome people of all income levels, and plenty of jerks at all income levels too. Having more money sure hasn't made me more moral, or a better spouse, sister, or daughter. It hasn't made me kinder or more honest. And those are the important things.
So, for the most part, I don't feel awkward about what I have or don't have, because I know it doesn't reflect any of my value as a human being.
And to continue the tangents, I live in a neighborhood that's become quite tony. We have a neighbor a few houses down with a vintage Model A (quite lovely) and a Tesla Roadster. They just spent $100K on a daughter's wedding, and still live nicely within their means. Other neighbors living similarly extravagantly have had their houses foreclosed on, so I've stopped guessing about who's rich and who's posing. And caring about other people's private matters takes too much energy.
And here's my favorite bread recipe, from Mark Bittman:
[FONT="]
[/FONT]
No-Knead Bread
Adapted from Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery
Time: About 1 1/2 hours plus 14 to 20 hours' rising
3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed.
1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.
2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.
3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.
Yield: One 1 1/2-pound loaf.