I'm scared right now. I am neither a fisherman nor someone whose income is related to the Gulf of Mexico. Yet as a resident of the Gulf region (New Orleans) I am in fear of the unknown. I don't know how this disaster will effect my city, my community and me.
I think back to 2001. At that time I earned my living as an independent corporate recruiter. Then came September 11th and everything changed instantly. My business never recovered. The impact was devastating.
Fast forward to 2010. On April 20Th (My wedding anniversary..thanks BP) an oil rig exploded and caused an underwater oil gusher. British Petroleum (BP) has been trying to cap the gusher and is being held responsible for the resulting clean up.
My fear is the long term effects on the economy in the Gulf region. Listen just because you don't fish or work on an oil rig that doesn't mean you won't feel this disaster. If the Gulf Coast loses billions in revenue we will feel it.
Of course some will benefit. Right now some guy is walking along a gulf coast beach making money cleaning up and will probably have this income for at least a few months. But at the same time many more will lose out and suffer because of something someone somewhere else did. It just brings back all those memories of 2001.
I didn't crash the planes into the WTC and I didn't live in New York at the time but those airplanes might as well have hit my house.
I didn't blow up the oil well but I do live in New Orleans and that is my Gulf (and all the rest of us Gulf region residents).
The attacks on September 11 2001 killed my recruiting business.
Will the Gulf oil disaster of 2010 ruin my real estate business? I don't think so. But I'm still a little nervous.
