For one, the unemployment rate is far worse than what is reported because it does not factor in people who are now in part-time jobs because they lost their full-time jobs. Well, if they are working, then how can they be unemployed? Oh, it's not their dream job. That's different.
Also, American's have started saving. There has been none of this for years. And years. And years. Whenever it seemed that we didn't have money to spend, we found it in the equity of our homes or in tax cuts that made no sense. Fuel the economy is the government's solution, and man, I wish they'd stop it, because I am sick to death of sitting in construction.
I have a hard time seeing how a handful of construction companies getting MEGA-rich is fueling our economy, but I suppose their employees are thankful. But there are no caps. Like, say, this paving company shouldn't get ALL of the work for every strip of highway that shall be re-paved.
No, no, I have no desire to run the government. I am not even being critical of Obama -- this was not his mess and his shovel is small. But still, does common sense really EVER factor in? It just doesn't seem to.
Right now the last thing American's should be doing is going out and buying stuff. But somehow we've become a country that measures their prosperity by how many trips to Wal-Mart you can fit into a week. And if you have to ::::::gasp::::::: cut back and not buy more blow up snowmen for your yard, then you are poor. The American dream has escaped you, no point in going on.
So the way I see it, unless we can reclaim this crazy consumer spending, we will forever be in a recession. THEN AMEN!
I just watched the movie Wall Street the other night -- and one thing to really consider is that it's not always about greed. Like Charlie Sheen says, "everyone is doing it. It's what is being done now." What he is referring to is illegal trading activity. But that is the truth. Somewhere along the line we threw out ethics and replaced it with "he did it, why can't I?" Because you won't make the mega-bucks if you do it the right way.
And what will be done with those mega-bucks? If you haven't seen the movie lately, you should. The way his apartment is decorated by his "interior decorator-slash lover" Daryyl Hannah is priceless. And hideous. And of course, expensive and therefore chic.
Money and power, power and money. If you can manage to live this life without any interest in either, then you are doubly blessed. Peter often says that I am lying when I say I don't care about money. Why? Why am I lying? I think the problem is that I have everything I want and so that means I don't care about money because I have it. But I don't have it. I just get what I want. They are two exclusively different things and he has NEVER understood that. Part of the magic of that is not caring.
If I was told that tomorrow I had to live in a tent for the rest of my life, well. First off, I wouldn't live in a tent for the rest of my life. I have a long history of building forts, so I'd figure out a mansion in the woods (one reason why I adored the movie Swiss Family Robinson.) Now this type of discussion throws Peter into a tizzy: because I can say that because I know it won't happen. So therefore it doesn't mean anything.
But that's not really true. What it really means is that I ultimately DO NOT CARE where I live. Oh, hell yes, if I can live in a really nice house and drive nice cars and eat at fancy restaurants and buy crazy expensive organic food, am I going to? Sure, why not. (Gotta fuel that economy dontchyaknow!) But I don't NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED it. I like it, yes. But need, no.
And power. Do I need power? I get the feeling of importance, of being a certain thing. Of commandeering respect because of "who" you are, related to that title. But here's the thing, you are born who you are, and I believe, without a shadow of a doubt, that I come from greatness. Yes, yes, that sounds so awful, snobbish, completely and totally out there. But even that statement alone would not come from someone who didn't believe it.
Greatness, how? (I am sitting here laughing, because there is no way to write this without sounding like a total crazy-ass. But I don't care. And it is part of that non-caring that is essential to who I am. I don't care what anyone thinks of me. I never have.)
So why is that? Because somewhere in the secret of my genetic code lies the answer -- and my intuition tells me so! And that doesn't mean that it's about being the Queen of England in a past life, it means that no matter what happens in which life, it will be a great life.
Because that is what I intend.
Ahhhh, mid-day musings. And no, I haven't been drinking. But Jeeves should be around soon with the cocktail tray.
And snacks.
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