THE ANESTHESIOLOGIST SHOOK MY HAND

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THERE IS NO RECESSION

All day long on CBNC and CNN you hear these words "recession" "This economy" blah blah blah. Sorry. I get that there are some tough times ahead for a large portion of our population but I am not sure what exactly is receding-- other than arctic ice, arable land, clean water, and a temperate climate.

I tell you what- there is no recession of housing. Homes stand empty, for rent signs stay up for months. Good-by landlord's market here in Los Angeles, and welcome back affordable rent prices. And there is no shortage of food or water, or clothing, or cars. Or even gas, not yet anyhow.

That we are gobbling up the natural resources that sustain us might be part of this so called "recession" but not nearly what we will be looking at a few years down the line. No amount of money can buy back an endangered species, or clean up a toxic landfill, or create a bigger water supply. The earth is all we have. That is true, but that is not where the "recession" is coming from.

I tell you something that is definitely NOT receding, and that is credit card debt. People are holding on to their money but the numbers don't support that the hoarders are doing anything to solve their problems in the long run.

Whenever someone says "recession" or "looming depression" I think of the movie Grapes of Wrath. No country has ever lived more comfortably through an economic crisis. I can assure that production companies are in full swing out here in LaLa land. All of the jobless people have alot more time to watch movies.

I don't mean to make light of the people who are losing their only home, and/or got cut from their stable, long term jobs that were their careers, or people who are being financially crippled by medical bills or unfair lending and credit practices.

But let's face it, the technology boom and the housing boom of the late 90's and early 00's respectively were doomed to create this crash. It's like the crash that comes after a sugar rush. Junk food-- and junk economic booms are just that-- junk.

Thank the god/desses for this so called recession. Maybe we will begin to make things that last, instead of gadgets that need updating every five minutes. Maybe we will learn to value what is really important. Maybe we will be able to create an economy and culture that is sustainable.

During the housing boom there were people buying two and three houses, single houses that they couldn't afford. And technological advances are draining resources that ten years ago we barely used-- and hence were alocated for running things like the super servers for electric grids and water treatment plants. (Elements like lathanides.)

I love the iPhone as much as the next person, and watching movies on those huge tv's is great, but I think we all need to slow down a little bit. And maybe the only way we will do it is if we feel the crunch. That seems sad. Especially for people like me who have always lived in "this economy."

iPods and cell phones and televisions and all that- they are nice, but I can assure you that it is possible to be happy, to live a rich and fulfilling life, to contribute to society in a meaningful way, and to have many wonderful friendships without any of those things. I can say that with certainty because I have done it.

I've just decided that I am not listening anymore about this so-called recession. Sorry. I guess I only hear what I want to hear. So I am just going to start hearing how finally we are on the road to creating a brilliant new future, and perhaps go through a little bit of muck to get there.

TOODLE ON!!!