Fear Leaves You Uninspired

I've been talking to a number of people lately experiencing the recession... I suppose that's a euphemism for saying that a lot of the people I'm close with are finding themselves hard up in this economy.  

In these conversations, my peers want to share their stories, their feelings, but something stops them.  There's this sense that others don't want to hear about battered finances and unemployment checks--that others would look at them differently, like they somehow deserved to be laid off or it's their fault for not saving.  Blame the victim.

Mostly, we're expecting our parents' generation to collectively hop out from behind a bookshelf and yell we told you so.  

So we keep quiet instead--saying nothing about our fears in public. Because money and fear are taboo.

And none of this is helping.  People are terrified that they won't be able to make rent and are too afraid to talk about it.  

I think it's time to break this silence.  

Say something people! :-)

For Valentine's Day

Working on a few serious posts, but this froo froo, greeting card holiday is an opportunity for something a little more lighthearted. :-)

Yes, it's Valentine's Day. And I've read a few comical, interesting or otherwise entertaining pieces on the holiday.

First, Steve Smith's lead into his most recent installment of Mobile Insider had me laughing out loud (while driving and reading it on my iPhone). In "Love -- And Cheating -- Are In the Air" he writes about text messaging stats and their romantic, well, cheating ways... But just read the lead:

'What are we doing this weekend, Hunnneee?'

The tone of the question already ensures I am doomed. I don't know who the hell is
responsible for letting Valentine's Day fall on a Saturday this year. Whoever you are, there are a few million of us guys ready to meet you in a dark alley, you dumbass. Dinner and chocolates just got upgraded to an entire day of romantic expectations. Way to raise the bar!

Ouch! Well, Steve, I challenge you to a phonesaber duel. You on behalf of men, me on behalf of women--long, romantic V-Day getaway weekend FTW!!! Ok. Enough.

In other news, science has found a way to make Valentine's Day relevant, or at least the AP and UPI have dug up some science that allows them to report about kissing coincidentally on February 14th. UPI's piece announces that "first kisses tell a lot" about a person and the type of relationship you'll have. AP reporter Richard Schmid tells us that "Kisses unleash chemicals that ease stress levels"--now, there's a reason to make out under the stars if I ever heard one.

I wonder if the AP story cancels out the BBC News report from yesterday, "Is sexual desire entering a recession?" For the sake of the holiday, I hope not. But the article shows two sides of this--1) sex is inexpensive fun and 2) relationships are taxing (those already tapped with recession related financial and emotional issues).

Oh, I'm back to serious again. So it's probably time to call it quits.

As a parting thought--even if it is a consumerism generated holiday, why not consume a little love and happiness?

Happy Valentine's Day!