My workload has doubled for half the pay. Am I complaining? No--I am deeply gratefull for every phone call, kind word and person who walks through my door. While Housing prices in the Pacific NW are still holding up pretty well, its refeshing to speak with people now discussing their long term goals, not just today's wants. I am confident that my fellow businsses are committed to this community. We all know we can do with a lot less stuff. People here are building smaller homes. Closer to town. Renovating to age in place so they can stay where they have developed family ties. Getting reverse mortgages to help their kids handle college. All pretty sensible responses.
The fact is we are still at least 90% EMPLOYED. Perhaps some of us can help the rest of us! Our days as ultimate consumer society could be numbered. Is that such a bad thing? We always figure out ways to accomplish what needs to happen. Example: gas is cheaper now, but we've found we could do with less trips per day and spend less. The demand is down. Maybe driving less gives us more time in one place...doing something important like reading a book or doing our jobs and being more productive. Hey, we might even talk to our kids! I know one guy who lost 20 pounds riding his bike to work this summer. The sheer numbers of people and kids riding bikes past my office has created a lively street presence. We have a new freedom to wear our bike helmets into cafes and draw smiles, not stares.
You know, China is spending more on infrastucture with export money down: they are creating their own jobs building roads and systems. Sound like what my parents called the C.C. Camps where men were sent to work on community projects, building roads, bridges and electrifying the rural areas where I grew up. I can tell you where I live now (suburban/rural) I can't even get DSL or cable and cell coverage is spotty. We have this vision we can't live as Americans without our iPods, our iPhones and our iTV's...yet many of us do just fine canning our own vegetables. Consumerism is not what defines us. Our willingness to pull together and help our neighbors and find ways, and build Habitat for Humanity Houses may come in handy! Here's to the indomitable can-do American Spirit. Spread the word..we will THRIVE!
I'd love to hear how others are dispelling doom and gloom. Thank you for listening! And remember: whistle while you work! Loannetter
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