Until the start of this year, I have never had a taste of champagne. This year though, I had been advised to take a better sip, or gulp, maybe even a bite of the “high life“.
When I mention high life, I’m not talking about the genre of music.

Instead, I’m referencing the lifestyle that gave birth to the genre of music.
Back in the days, when people went to bars and clubs, the richer patrons would be indoors eating “the life of their head”. (You should get a Yoruba speaker to interpret and contextualize that for you.)

The poorer patrons meanwhile will be outside, cheering on the rich patrons.
One of the terms they invented to describe the “enjoyment” and affluent lifestyle of their rich compadres was “high life”.

The genre “high life” was often the music of choice in such establishments.
Subsequently, the genre became synonymous and a synecdoche for the lifestyle.

As high life as a lifestyle became more common due to the growth of the middle class, the wealthy had their lifestyle rechristened as the champagne lifestyle.
Someone who has a desire, thirst and longing for quality and expensive is then referred to as having “champagne taste”.

Along with allegations of being elitist, I have also been categorized as having a champagne taste. Considering that wanting the best in terms of quality is not a crime, there is no need for me to refute this accusation.

There is one problem though. My account balance is not in a position to sustain a champagne taste, or lifestyle, or even the smell. At all.
I have already written repeatedly about my money problems.

Someone is tempted to correct me that it should be financial status or troubles, rather than money problems. But the truth is that one’s money needs to meet a particular threshold before being categorized as finance.
Right now, mine is miles away from it.

In truth, I always want the best. I’ll take a sony headphone ahead of a Beat by Dre. An Xperia ahead of an iPhone. A MacBook pro before most other laptops.
This is not being ostentatious or chasing labels.

I know the technical advantage of each of these choices. It is often worth the price difference.
And the quality of materials used is often one you’ll enjoy over the years.

I don’t know if that equates to a champagne lifestyle, but I know it does exude taste.
As for the outgoing part of the champagne lifestyle, going out, eating out, parties, hanging out, that’s not really my style.

It takes a lot to convince me to show up at a social gathering. Hanging out with my friends is better done in the comfort and safety of someone’s home.
The fact that I’m a good cook and very selective of what I eat doesn’t help matters.

But when we hang out in private, it is still meant to be a classy affair. How people sit in clubs with blaring speakers is still a marvel to me.

The only problem with having a sweet tooth, champagne taste, and desire for the good things of life, is that your pocket must be weighty.
Right now, my account status and my heart desires are not in the same tax bracket.

I am the classic case of champagne taste with beer money. It’s a pity though that I don’t drink beer.
And I still haven’t tasted said champagne this year. Is anyone interested in helping out?

Wilson Joshua is a Video Editor, Content Creator, and Creative Writer.
Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. @IJOSWIL