Warning - my unstated goal with 90+% of posts is to leave you chuckling and sending the blog post to all of your friends, family, neighbors, and even those people you don't know who are your "friends" on Facebook. Granted, I typically fail at my goal, but a guy can dream. This is not one of those funny posts.
Is it just me, or is everyone, and I mean everyone, a little more down and/or on edge? Seriously, I get this sense that all the really-nasty economic stuff going on, coupled with an increasingly-annoying election is starting to drag us all down at least a bit. Seems like folks are thinking a lot more cup-half-empty about the future, and who can blame 'em? There's not much eminating from the news channels to life our spirits (but isn't that almost always the case). It really does feel like the end of life as we know it, for now at least. These guys running for president are doing nothing to make me feel better, in fact, I was gonna vote for JohnyMac, who I've never really been a fan of, and as of today I'm squarely on the fence. (I know that'll shock a lot of you since I've never voted for a donkey-party candidate - this may be the first time) The solutions to the financial problems coming from politicians involves throwing ungodly piles of money at things. We're over a TRILLION DOLLARS if you're keeping score at home. Imagine if we could've used that money to fundamentally reform education and/or make ourselves energy independent (or we could've built a road from Seattle to Hawaii so I'd have another place to visit on weekends).
I'm a bright-side guy usually. Big problems are typically somebody else's problems - if you know what I mean. And I have almost nothing to complain about. Yet here I sit in an apartment in Kirkland, WA - alone. My family, who I miss so badly that it hurts is 3,000 miles away and the only thing that's keeping us apart is that we need to sell our house - at the worse possible time in my lifetime to be selling a house. Our realtor let us know, in a kind way, that like nobody is crazy enough to buy houses right now unless they're gonna steal 'em from people. So yeah, I guess this financial crisis is suddenly feeling real, at least more real than the "on-paper" loses that I cringe at in the 401K and IRAs. We'll deal though and things will work out one way or another. We are incredibly blessed and have so much to be thankful for. Still I ask you, is my little view of how people are thinking/feeling just shaped by my family's own little trials or is it more pervasive than that? Let me know.
As for me, well, I need to laugh. It's just a lot harder to do that alone.
HTF (aka "Deputy Downer" .... sorry about that)
6 comments:
No, I don't think it's just you. I dread going into the office because everyone there is so on edge. I try to keep my door shut as much as possible while I'm there. Even at the Happiest Place on Earth last month people were testy & Rudy Two Shoes.
I know it's got to be hard, but hang in there! I'll keep my fingers crossed that your house is sold ASAP. Although it may not hurt to bury a St. Joseph statue upside down in your yard to move things along a little faster. ;-)
Laugh of the day: I am fast. To give you a reference point, I'm somewhere between a snake and a mongoose. And a panther.
--Dwight Schrute
It's definitely not just you. I have gone through some extreme feelings of fear, uncertainty, and an overall dread of my children's future. That is why I was so uplifted by General Conference this year. I needed it badly and the Lord provided.
I guess we all just have to keep the faith and realize that the trials make us stronger. Hang in there. You have a great wife, good kids, your health, a job...I wish you all the best.
Take a look at Elder Uchtdorf's talk. It's very good.
http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-947-7,00.html
Dear Henry or Dear Frog,
I feel to address you on a more personal level yet can not decide - which is often the case. I will refrain from addressing you by your middle name however, simply out of respect to the greatness of it.
It is unfortunate that you can not be the benefactor of the witty political satire & hilarious, ornery commentary which is traditionally penned on this blog.
True, there is much value in "getting out of one's head" by writing but, even the comedian sometimes needs a lift.
I agree there is a dark shroud over all... Serious people, serious topics, big, serious stuff.
Interestingly enough what I am hearing among the Moms at the playground and the diaper changing stations is all the same... preparedness. I think it is a feeling that is passing with great intensity, over all who will listen. Be prepared.
So listen! Henry, and then get back on the horse and write us some freakin' hilarious political prose or whatever else floats your lily pad!
In regards to St. Joseph - it works for my Mother in Law every time - she even sent us one once but we sorta looked on it with a different perspective. She did a Novena (I have meant to look it up to see what that is) and landed her husband 5 job offers! So who knows about that sorta thing?!?!?!?!
Keep on keepin' on!
-Becca the Ruminator
Don't give in to the Dark Side!
Hang in there.
You are all in our prayers!
We love you!
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