What's changed for you these days?

[Boomer]

I am typing really, really fast right now, for this part, because it is a disclaimer. Here goes:

I am not trying to make this into a political discussion. I am just looking for the human interest angle. I have wanted to ask this question for a couple of days. I did not want to relegate it to political. I hope it will not become political. We could all state the obvious right now where economic issues are having an impact. But what I am looking for are the little stories in all this. Is there a small way in which the economic downturn came sneaking up and took you by surprise. The little things.

What's changed for you these days, in your everyday life, as a result of the economy.

Here's an example:

When I buy our meat, I always buy it at a local butcher shop. In the freezer case there, for years, there have boxes of frozen fish. I have been buying it forever. I bring it home. Stick it in the freezer. Thaw it out a piece at a time. We bake it or grill it. And we consider ourselves to have had a virtuous dinner.

Well, the other day I could not find the frozen fish. I asked the butcher. He said, "Iceland has raised the prices to us so much that we just can't justify getting the fish anymore."

I had been buying the stuff for 20 some bucks a box. It had recently crept to $32 a box. But the butcher told me that he would now have to charge $60 a box. He can no longer sell it.

So I bought a couple of pieces of fish from the case. But I had always liked the convenience of that frozen fish. Always in the freezer waiting for us.

Now, Iceland has decided that my money is so no good that I am not worthy of getting their frozen fish unless I am willing to pay through the nose. And not even then really. Because the butcher is not willing to pay through the nose. The decision is gone from my hands, my nose, whatever.

Et tu, Iceland.

How long will it be until we can buy only Velveeta and Oreos? I guess that would solve the impending Medicare problems for the country. We pesky problem boomers can be headed off at the pass before we get too close to 65.

So anyway, that's the boring little story of what happened to me at the butcher shop. I would gladly buy American fish if I could find any here in Ohio. And I am breaking up with Iceland for sure.

I had first recognized that I was being affected in small ways by this economic mess when I found myself buying more cereal, soap, toothpaste, whatever would not spoil, than I usually buy. I have been buying however much I think I can cram in the closet. It will all only get more expensive I figure.

Oh, and yesterday, I finally bought some of those "Forever" stamps.

That's my new approach to getting a return on my investments. Cereal and Forever Stamps. Guaranteed ROI. That's about as good as it gets lately.

So what's happening to you? What small changes have you made? Or been forced to make, like when Iceland cut me off.

Boomer

[Muncle]

Absolutely nothing. Every day I look around and just cannot believe I'm living the life I have. No way back when I was in KC in the '50s could I imagine being able to live the life I lead or having the material things I have today. We weren't that poor but even the rich folks up on the hill didn't have what I later gained and experienced.

Re the economy, I was looking forward this year on taking a drive-about. This is a driving trip with no preplanned route or schedule, maybe an end date in pencil and a quasi-promise or two to visit friends or relatives. God, it's refreshing and fun! I hadn't done one in a few years -- no time since moving to TV but I was going to force myself. Unfortunately, other things have put it on hold, but gas prices et al would not bother me. If I did 5000 miles, that'd be maybe 200 gallons, say $1.50 more per gallon. That's $300 bucks and on a 10 - 15 day or so trip, that's not a critical issue.

Like you Boomer, I don't want to get into politics. I don't have a tremendous amount of faith in our immediate future, politically, economically, socially, or any other way. But when I compare it to the supposed halcyon days of the '50's and '60's, it's not such a bad world after all. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKKjqzkGo3o

[islandgal]

Muncie - Thank you for making my day ----

Absolutely wonderful uplifting video :clap2:

[Boomer]

Munc,

You sweet ol' philosopher, you. If we did not live a thousand miles away, I would invite you right over for a Pitch In.

"Happiness Is. . ." That is one of my favorites. I had forgotten all about it. Thanks.

You're a Good Man, Muncle.

Boomer (sometimes known as Lucy)

[efrahin]

I wonder what is going on. Gas is $4.50 but the traffic is worst than ever, go to a shopping center and there is no place to park, I guess they just dont go there to look. I pass by those pretentious called "restaurants": TJFriday, Appleby, Red Lobster and the Mickey Mouse ones: McDonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell, etc and they parking lots are full all the time, Do they go there to smell or to eat?? I think in a Recession or Depresion the first think people will do is to cut down on eating out.
I watch Euronews and other chanels from Europe and you will be surprise of the cost of food overthere. At lest 150% more.
Munde is right, look back to the 60's and 70's and you will be surprise how much better you are now than then.

[Muncle]

Boom, the last thing one should do before going to sleep at night, regardless of what has happened that day, is to think about about everything going on in your world and remember Charlie Brown's great words of wisdom.
"It hasn't been such a bad day after all."

[Blondie]

Muncle, Thank you for that video, it made my heart happy.
md blondie

[nONIE]

Muncle! You really are human!!!!! (just joshin)

Thanks for helping us realize that our cup is always half full! Heartwarming video ;D

[Boomer]

Oh Munc and all,

I know. I count my blessings all the time.

I really was not intending it to come off as :edit: ing. I was just looking for some little "sign of the times" stories. Just little stuff. Mea culpa. Mea culpa. Mea maxima culpa.

Munc, did you see my first post back to you? I really do know about "Happiness Is. . ." And Charlie Brown is one of my favorite philosophers. And I really do act like Lucy sometimes. And I know it. And if I could figure out how to do it, I would get that Lucy Advice 5 cents picture and use it as an avatar? avitar? Little picture thingy by my name. But I don't know how to find the picture. Or where. Or how to put it here. Or if I am allowed under copyright law. Even though I really am Lucy. Yes, I admit it. I am Lucy.

Oh dear. Oh dear. Oh dear.

Anyway, I have to leave my house right now. Really I do. I am not in a snit. Not at all. Thanks for making me behave a little better. But I am leaving now. Chicago Style pizza calls. And it is "Supper, supper, supper, supper, supper, supper, supper, supper, supper, supper time." C'mon, sing it with me. I don't think I put in enough suppers. But you all know the tune. It's from "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown" too. I think. Snoopy sings it. I think.

Oh, well. I digress.

Seeya later.

Boomer Lucy

[chelsea24]

You're a good man Uncle Muncle. Beautiful video. Thanks for sharing it and making all of our days a little brighter. chels

[Mikitv]

Boomer to get your thread back on track here goes. Due to a disability that has kept me from working for over a year I started cutting back on things due to the lack of my income. I now make my own granola, don't buy as many prepared foods and do a lot of my own cooking. I do now have the time for those things and it is surprising how much I save on groceries. You are right the sizes are smaller even though the price is the same or higher. Some things are just too expensive so I look for something else to replace it. Since we are in a small area we don't have a lot of shopping choices and I use to purchase some things on line but unless they offer free shipping I don't buy. Some things I have purchased for years like my Tyson chickens that are precooked are no longer available. The company just discontinued them. Life is changes so I guess I will just go with the flow.

[graciegirl]

Because of the rising gas prices and summer jobs for teenagers remaining close to seven bucks an hour, I find that we are getting many more drop in visits from our two grandchildren. (OH they don't ask, but............)

Heck, It is worth it. We certainly wouldn't want to worry about them running out of gas somewhere all alone. :) :) :)

[Boomer]

Because of the rising gas prices and summer jobs for teenagers remaining close to seven bucks an hour, I find that we are getting many more drop in visits from our two grandchildren. (OH they don't ask, but............)

Heck, It is worth it. We certainly wouldn't want to worry about them running out of gas somewhere all alone. :) :) :)


gg,

That is a hoot. We grandmas sure know how to pick up on those subliminal messages.

I have teenage grandchildren, too.

Uh, whoops.

Well, uh, yeah, they are teenagers. In fact, one is in college.

But you see, I was married pretty young, first time around.

Uh, yeah, that's it. I was very young when their mom was born. Yeah, uh huh, Yeah, that's it. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

How in the heck did I get teenage grandchildren? I am going to start making them call me Mom when we are in public. My friends all have little grandchildren. Sometimes I am jealous. Where did all that time go? But I have the pictures and the videos. And now we have these big, tall creatures who can't work us in quite as often. But that's OK. It's fun when they do.

Boomer

[njgranny]

When we were visiting my daughter, her 21 year old was home from Culinary School. It was like, "gee, mom - my girlfriend asked me out for dinner, but I don't have any money."
And, then, "gee, mom - all my high school friends are going out to celebrate a 21st birthday for one of them. All I need is $10." Since we are sending her spending money every month to use while she's at school, we didn't bite this time. :) :) :) :)

Of course, her mom did, though.

We have "old" grandkids and "little" ones. Now, we have a great-grandson, who satisfies the "baby" category. All the stages are great!

[sschuler1]

Back to the topic: I lost my job due to downsizing a year and a half ago. I looked for another job for nine months and was unsuccessful finding anything. My husband's company was also downsizing and offered him an early retirement package. We looked at our finances and decided that we should just retire. Doesn't seem like the work place wants us anymore anyway! So I stopped looking for a job and started fixing up the house to get it ready to sell. Painted every wall in the house and changed out all of the flooring. The house looks great! Now I'm bored because I don't have a job and the house is done and on the market. Can't wait to sell so we can be down in TV and have something to do!

[ConeyIsBabe]

My fixed income is adequate to satisfy my needs so on a daily basis, not much has changed for me.

However, on a larger scale..... I'm unable to sell my home with a very small profit, due to the drastic downturn of the real estate market. Shucks, I might forgo the small profit and sell for cost ...... but I don't think that will be possible due to the huge amount of cheaper homes in my area. So, my dream to return to Florida will have to wait another year or ???

[renielarson]

I got here late so I regress back to the Charlie Brown video...

Happiness is what we make...no one can make us happy but ourselves...

Life is good! Yes, it is! No matter what the circumstance, there is always good to be found.

and

Munc...you ARE a good man with a warm heart!

[uujudy]

Boomer, I thought of you when I received this email today:

THE CANADIAN GUITAR FESTIVAL POSTPONED UNTIL 2009
Greetings all:

The 5th edition of the Canadian Guitar Festival was set to be the 'pivotal hinge' in terms of economic sustainability. If the festival broke even by this time (or better!) , then we would be on our way to seeing this event through the years to come.

We started in Odessa Ontario in 2004 at the local fairgrounds, where we pursued our first three seasons. In June of last year, my partner Pam and I purchased a campground business here on Loughborough Lake. In just thirty days we we able to prepare the property for the guitar festival and it went pretty darn well. ( I am reminded of that Holy Grail scene with the father explaining to his son about history of 'swamp castle' ;-) - anyway..here we are - or were perhaps, with the advent of the fifth edition and a campground to improve on in simultaneous fashion. All good, all fine..except for one thing - advance ticket sales were looking too thin. The culprit? The price of gas and the effects therof on our daily realities....

... Take care people...we are in a changing world. May we create our very own, if but for just a weekend next year..

Del Vezeau
Founder - CGF

Now I've never been to the Canadian Guitar Festival, and I don't know how I got on their mailing list, but it seems a shame that they had to cancel it because of gas prices. We are in a changing world indeed.

[Boomer]

Boomer, I thought of you when I received this email today:


uuj,

This is just the kind of thing I was talking about. Those little stories. Not the headlines. Those we all know and think about. But it's those little stories.

Thanks.

Boomer