How are you feeling during this recession?

[Barry]

We are in quite the confluence of energies at the moment, with the "Great Recession" playing out during these cold dark and wet days on one side and the impending holidays, solstice, a New Year and Obama's inauguration on the other.

So how are you doing? Has the recession touched you directly? What are you doing about that? Is it affecting your mood? If so, what are you doing counter balance that?

I notice that the economic meltdown has me a bit freaked out, even if I consider it a good thing, on balance. I think some creative destruction is warranted and it sets the stage for Obama to act boldly.

Personally, I'm noticing a higher rate of commercial member cancellations and it bit lower website use, but its hard to say what that's about.

I comfort myself by remembering that it's all going to be OK, one way or another, seeing friends and loved ones, and dancing (https://www.waccobb.net/forums/showthread.php?t=46456). I hope that we will all pull together as community and even learn new ways of doing that and I hope WaccoBB.net can help facilitate that.

How about you?

[NudeTea]

It's my philosophy to live my whole life out in some kind of personal recession. A backwards way to move forwards, perhaps. But minimalism is the lifestyle that works best for me. In periods of abundance, I've tended to gift well to others and thus put myself back to a ... personal recession. So if there is any impact on me, any touch on my life, it is directly that I have less to give, and indirectly that I see an underlying mood of fear looming over the otherwise glorious spirits of my friends and associates. I agree with you, Barry, that it will all be okay ~ and I am grateful to you for posting this.


We are in quite the confluence of energies at the moment, with the "Great Recession" playing out during these cold dark and wet days on one side and the impending holidays, solstice, a New Year and Obama's inauguration on the other.

So how are you doing? Has the recession touched you directly? What are you doing about that? Is it effecting your mood? If so, what are you doing counter balance that?

I notice that the economic meltdown has me a bit freaked out, even if I consider it a good thing, on balance. I think some creative destruction is warranted and it sets the stage for Obama to act boldly.

Personally, I'm noticing a higher rate of commercial member cancellations and it bit lower website use, but its hard to say what that's about.

I comfort myself by remembering that it's all going to be OK, one way or another, seeing friends and loved ones, and dancing (https://www.waccobb.net/forums/showthread.php?t=46456). I hope that we will all pull together as community and even learn new ways of doing that and I hope WaccoBB.net can help facilitate that.

How about you?

[elienos]

On one hand i am sort of happy, as the economy has been a smoking house of cards for quite a while and consumerism has really changed Northern California for the worse. On the other hand I am really concerned for people who were already having trouble keeping food on the table. The truth is that Americans will be faring much better in general than a huge percentage of the planet. The world economic system has been fashioned around US consumerism, and without it people will suffer until they/we can reorient ourselves and build sustainable economies. I hope that we do build sustainable economies, because the truth is that right now we could be on the brink of the change we are all hoping for or on the brink of something truly heartbreaking. I for one welcome this recession in hopes that things will have a chance to truly change and that my daughter has a chance to live in a decent place, rather that one torn apart by war, mass migration and starvation caused by global warming and the struggle for resources, such as water, food and electricity. If McCain had been elected I would be freaked out about the recession as I think he would make things worse and would ignore things like climate change and education and healthcare.

I have always lived a simple life, so the recession hasn't changed mine much. A little less work... and I have to support my mother a bit more. Right now I am in debt, but know I will catch up in February. But what do you really need but a home and some food and some loved ones and a hobby or passion?





It's my philosophy to live my whole life out in some kind of personal recession. A backwards way to move forwards, perhaps. But minimalism is the lifestyle that works best for me. In periods of abundance, I've tended to gift well to others and thus put myself back to a ... personal recession. So if there is any impact on me, any touch on my some life, it is directly that I have less to give, and indirectly that I see an underlying mood of fear looming over the otherwise glorious spirits of my friends and associates. I agree with you, Barry, that it will all be okay ~ and I am grateful to you for posting this.

[Tars]

I'm noticing a higher rate of commercial member cancellations and it bit lower website use, but its hard to say what that's about.

I'm guessing that lower website use may be a result of general holiday busy-ness by many people. In the middle of Monday afternoon, I drove up 19th Ave., past the big shopping mall in SF. The lot was packed with cars, as was the left turn lane into the lot.

https://www.rpriddle.com/webpix/crossedfingers30.gifCommercial memberships - The bad news: I bet many business operators are doing as I am, and trying to be very conservative; sitting on their fiscal hands, and watching their cashflow very closely. The good news: at least so far into this recession, our business and cashflow seem to be stable.

[babaruss]

It's my philosophy to live my whole life out in some kind of personal recession. A backwards way to move forwards, perhaps. But minimalism is the lifestyle that works best for me...............

I can't say that I planned to live my life out with recession in mind, but that seems to be how it has worked out so far.
Nothing has changed for me since this recession began.
Loss of my partner some years back led me to gear my needs way down, so as to be able to live within my means.
It's easy enough (in my way of living) to weather changes which can damage other people who have difficult financial obligations, or costly life styles, to maintain.
My rent is paid, there's food in the house..there's a warm fire, gas is cheap again.....all things considered, I feel pretty good about my lot today.
No matter what happens I remind myself that since I am entitled to nothing in this world, I am surely blessed to have so much good in my life..
Russ

[Braggi]

... No matter what happens I remind myself that since I am entitled to nothing in this world, I am surely blessed to have so much good in my life..
Russ

Thanks Russ and to all who have posted here. In times of crisis it becomes even more important than usual to count our blessings.

Perhaps I've just not let it soak in (denial is one of my favorite coping methods) but I really am looking for the multiple silver linings to this particular dark cloud. An economy based on raping the Earth and ever increasing consumerism while simultaneously impoverishing a majority of the peoples on the planet had to come to a halt. Hopefully the way out of the dark tunnel will be building a new energy economy, as Buckminster Fuller predicted so many decades ago, instead of wars, pestilence and famine. Obama will certainly make a better world leader than McCain would have so that gives me some hope. World cooperation is not the same as a "One World Government" so just calm down d-cat.

A return to home gardening and small farming is one possible benefit. Hopefully food prices will remain stable enough that small farmers can survive. It's more important than ever to support farmer's markets and local grocery stores.

Hopefully we'll all look after each other as we await the rebirth of the Sun. I'm going to stay upbeat. Good will come of this.

Love to all,

-Jeff

[pjpete]

I am counting my blessings, and hoping things don't get any worse. We seem to be hanging in here. We have cut way back on 3.00 coffee at Starbucks, and other coffee shops, and I am walking more, trying to stave off spending excessive dollars on gasoline.

[Hot Compost]

So how are you doing? Has the recession touched you directly? What are you doing about that? Is it affecting your mood? If so, what are you doing counter balance that?

I comfort myself by remembering that it's all going to be OK, one way or another, seeing friends and loved ones, and dancing (https://www.waccobb.net/forums/showthread.php?t=46456).

speaking of dancing ... there's dancing at Monroe Hall on College in Santa Rosa
https://www.monroe-hall.com/

very old-fashioned, all sorts of dance styles & sessions.

i was hoping that the economic contraction would lead to a retraction of the US war machine. however, it looks like a contraction big enough to affect the war machine will affect almost everybody.

there's also a community garden at the Lutheran church at College & Fulton in Santa Rosa. i've been a member for about a year & nobody has said anything that would qualify as religious evangelizing.

https://www.thanksgivinglutheran.org/garden.html

but to answer the question directly, i am fascinated. i've never seen anything like this. i had a feeling in 2002-2004 that an economy built on ever-rising real estate prices & people using their homes as ATM's was un-sustainable, so the general situation is not a surprise. as i slowly learn about credit derivatives & the economic machinations that have led to the current situation, i am just amazed.

i know that a lot of people are really hurting. my grandfather lost a major part of his life savings in a commodities mistake that may have involved a crooked broker. i used to stand outside his room & listen to him cry. i know that a lot of people are undergoing similarly trying experiences now.

[metimeesthetics]

I am scared, honestly. As a ten-year old, in the 70's, I watched my mom cry over the checkbook and try and make ends meet. So I am not stranger to pinching pennies. But my job is a luxury item (facials, waxing and nail care feed no-one but me), and my attempts to get other, part-time employment has been fruitless and depressing.

Eighteen months ago, I bought a home for a reasonable amount of money and had zero credit card debt, and a nest egg of just under $20K to tide me over til got on my feet in my new town. Literally, the day my home funding was submitted is the day Countrywide announced to the world that they were in trouble. And then tha avalanche hit. The company I had gotten a job with had their funding pulled, and with the loss of that funding, my position evaporated.

I have worked sporatically over the last 14 months and have managed to anihilate my "cushion". My main focus now is to hang onto my house. My moms health is deteriorating, my 401K has decreased by 25%, and I still don't have steady work, though I am very good at what I do.

I travel between here, Northern Cali, and Los Angeles and this situation is all over the state, and nation. Clients who had "secure" well-paying jobs have lost them, and people just don't know what to do. The current generation of 40-somethings and younger have never had to deal with true financial catastrophe. This has been building since the 80's, as people worshipped the God of money and gain for greed, with the current administrations covert and open policy of anything-for-a-buck, and we are now truly in a pickle.

Academically, it will be interesting to see what happens. On a personal note, though, I am truly scared. What do I do if I lose my house? If it was me alone, I wouldn't be half as worried. But I am responsible for my mom now, and I have three cats who are getting up there in years. My cousin has said she would take us in, but I can't bring the cats. I know they aren't "human" kids, but I would no more abandon them, than I would my mom, for goodness sake.

So I guess in the end, I might end up with that pop-up tent trailer I always wanted... living life the "Grapes of Wrath" way.:yinyang:

[Hot Compost]

I have a feeling this is more a "checking in" thread, than a "methods for coping with an economic recession/ deep recession" thread.

I think "methods for coping" relates to one's perception of what is occurring in the world before our eyes. Which also relates to how much our hope affects our perception of the world.

We could talk about methods for coping, but I think in order to talk about that we need to talk first about our individual perceptions of What is Going On. If we expect the economy to bounce back in a year, "prudent behavior" is different than if we suspect that process will take longer.

[photolite]

When I first saw this thread I was grateful to Barry for initiating the dialogue.

On Wed. I met a carpenter who just moved into a tent because his work had run out and he could no longer swing the rent. On Thur. I spoke with a professional woman I know who just learned her position with a major health care provider is likely to disappear. She's concerned about losing the home she has owned for some time. Her and her young daughter's home. Not to mention her health care benefits and retirement plan. I could go on and on with these stories as I've been hearing them every day here in affluent west county. These folks are all in their 50s.

As this thread developed it sometimes appeared to sound a self congratulatory note on how with a bit of self imposed thrift, this too will pass. Some folks are fortunate to find themselves insulated from the worst case scenarios and good for them. But it's the others that capture my attention. As a self described "consciousness community" we need to proactively insure those of us experiencing the harsher ramifications of this crisis have real, material support from those of us more able to count our blessings.

Enabling miscreants who steal from local businesses doesn't count.

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[babaruss]

When I first saw this thread I was grateful to Barry for initiating the dialogue.

On Wed. I met a carpenter who just moved into a tent because his work had run out and he could no longer swing the rent. On Thur. I spoke with a professional woman I know who just learned her position with a major health care provider is likely to disappear. She's concerned about losing the home she has owned for some time. Her and her young daughter's home. Not to mention her health care benefits and retirement plan. I could go on and on with these stories as I've been hearing them every day here in affluent west county. These folks are all in their 50s.

As this thread developed it sometimes appeared to sound a self congratulatory note on how with a bit of self imposed thrift, this too will pass. Some folks are fortunate to find themselves insulated from the worst case scenarios and good for them. But it's the others that capture my attention. As a self described "consciousness community" we need to proactively insure those of us experiencing the harsher ramifications of this crisis have real, material support from those of us more able to count our blessings.

Enabling miscreants who steal from local businesses doesn't count.

Photo

I don't know whether you are denigrating those of us who are able to weather this recession, are suggesting we aren't proactive, aren't caring, or aren't whatever you feel we should be.
I sense a huge amount of 'sour grapes' from this particular post.
And emmediately ..like the fool I can be.....I bit on this sour bait, and am now justifying my existance to you.
My carpenter friend who is on the edge financially doesn't have a computer so I posted a help wanted ad for him on WaccoBB.
He tells me he has gotten a couple jobs from that ad which are keeping him going.
I stood freezing for 3 hours this morning in a food pantry line in order to pick up food for a working woman with kids (using my name as the needy recipient). Why... because..one; she had to work, two; you have to be there in person to collect food, and three; this place among other things was giving away a huge box of mixed fresh fruit, winter squash, and fresh veggies, instead of the usual stale bread, and canned goods.
When I am at a place where clothing is given away I remember who lives near by that cannot make it there, and who wears what size, and needs what ever in the way of clothing, shoes etc.
I drive people to appointments, share my my computer for job and resource searches. Share my food, my little cabin, and even my meds when necessary.
I know a whole lot of people who do the same sort of thing for their neighbors (community ?).
I can't be all things to all people, but I can do something.
A homeless person currently staying with me gathered persimons, baked dozens of cookies and asked me to take them to a homeless shelter last night.
I have scoured my house for slightly used, and a few new items which my well meaning children have sent me over the years... and am helping a friend who has less than I wrap and send them to her grandchildren for Christmas.
I detest Christmas..she loves it, so I've put aside my 'stuff' re; Christmas... and do a tiny trying to make her Christmas better.
Is this being proactive, or am I just blowing smoke about how content I am to muddle along on zip ?
Your call there.
Hell Maybe I really trying to say what a great guy I am ? ...probably that would be a huge waste of time since most people tell I'm a grouchy old bastard.
My social security check is going to go up to a grand $907.00 starting next month. Bless Uncle Sammy for his cost of living raise, pitiful though it is, it helps !!
My rent is $900.00 a month...toss in utilities, firewood, etc. and you get the idea that I had damned well better be thrifty, wily, creative etc...or I'm f###ked !
How do I 'feel' ? I feel like I'm doing my part.
How about you ?
Russ

[Hot Compost]

When I first saw this thread I was grateful to Barry for initiating the dialogue.

On Wed. I met a carpenter who just moved into a tent because his work had run out and he could no longer swing the rent. On Thur. I spoke with a professional woman I know who just learned her position with a major health care provider is likely to disappear. She's concerned about losing the home she has owned for some time. Her and her young daughter's home. Not to mention her health care benefits and retirement plan. I could go on and on with these stories as I've been hearing them every day here in affluent west county. These folks are all in their 50s.
...
Enabling miscreants who steal from local businesses doesn't count.

Photo

how did we get from recession to the Whole Foods shoplifting incident ?

Whole Foods is not a local business - there are just some groovy local people working there, just as there are some sympatico people working at Valero gas stations. the regular checker at Valero always calls me 'honey', and i sometimes call her 'Sugar-plum'. :):

nobody here has enabled any shoplifting, via threads posted at Wacco.

anyway, as far as the recession goes, i think there is an example provided in some other cultures - the 4 (or 10) people to a home or apartment example.

i think it's wise to prepare for a longer recession, whether or not it materializes that way.

[elienos]

I was grateful for this thread as it seemed that it was finally a place for people to just check in and post their thoughts and feeling about something that effects us all very much without criticism of their thoughts and ideas. Now, it seems to be transforming into what every other thread turns into: The critical back and forth.

I hope that people continue to check in. I find peoples ideas and thoughts interesting and worthwhile and hope that we can listen.



When I first saw this thread I was grateful to Barry for initiating the dialogue.

On Wed. I met a carpenter who just moved into a tent because his work had run out and he could no longer swing the rent. On Thur. I spoke with a professional woman I know who just learned her position with a major health care provider is likely to disappear. She's concerned about losing the home she has owned for some time. Her and her young daughter's home. Not to mention her health care benefits and retirement plan. I could go on and on with these stories as I've been hearing them every day here in affluent west county. These folks are all in their 50s.

As this thread developed it sometimes appeared to sound a self congratulatory note on how with a bit of self imposed thrift, this too will pass. Some folks are fortunate to find themselves insulated from the worst case scenarios and good for them. But it's the others that capture my attention. As a self described "consciousness community" we need to proactively insure those of us experiencing the harsher ramifications of this crisis have real, material support from those of us more able to count our blessings.

Enabling miscreants who steal from local businesses doesn't count.

Photo

[photolite]

Russ,
You sound like a good guy with a big heart.
I believe our better selves at times gets lost in our quest to remain pc on this site. I don't mean to initiate another critical back and forth around this thread, just provoke a bit of thought. I did find myself disappointed in how the Whole Foods theft thread seemed to devolve into justifications for what seemed to me to be unacceptable anti-social behavior. I perceived some of the same feel good rhetoric that occurred there beginning to take root here and chose to comment accordingly. But I appreciate all the replies made here to my comments as honest and ringing true and thank you all for them.
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