I Was Just Thinking

I can't believe that this year is almost gone, only two and a half months more and we'll be in 2010. Now close your eyes and tell me that it doesn't feel as if it was yesterday people were worried about Y2K and the end of the world, people stocking their pantries with food and buying lots of gallons of water because the computers were going to crash and create havoc. Well, we all know how that went, hard to believe that was 10 years ago already. How time flies.

The year 2000 A.D. will be a crucial time in our modern world. As Pentecost divided the Post Diluvian Age from the Present Age of Grace, 2000 A.D. will divide the time when computers worked with relative ease to the time when their accuracy and reliability can not be guaranteed. Most of the first world, America, Japan, and Europe, has become totally dependent on computers to run our systems. After 2000 A.D., the mildest scenario may include random failures in all systems; the worst scenario may be a total collapse of computer systems throwing our economy back into the state of a third world.

We were so afraid about Y2K the time bomb that didn't happen. Fast forward ten years later and here we are, our economy is collapsing, people losing their jobs and subsequently their homes, long time corporations closing their doors, total kaos for those already deep into that situation and yet nobody warned us, nobody saw that coming, nobody knew until it was too late. Greed took the best of a bunch of money hungry executives in the real estate business and now millions are paying the price. It totally sucks, but that is the crude reality.

Don't think for one minute that I am not grateful to have a job. It is slow and nerve wrecking to constantly think that the economy will take a turn for the worst when we already are sailing through very slow times. No body's job is safe, nobody is safe, in times like this we are all open game and I know for a fact if that happens thousands of us are not prepared at all.

I was looking at the calendar and this all hit me so I thought I would put it in writing. From the signs of the time, this year's Thanksgiving Day will take on a whole new meaning for a lot of people. Moving forward I hope people stop complaining and fighting government and start standing behind our leaders and specially our president and do their part in making a change for the better. I know I am.

Perhaps in a not too distant future we can all enjoy a "Tea Party" together as brother and sisters.

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Just a Thought

As I drive to work these days I now realize that it's better to be pissed off because of the morning traffic and finishing your coffee too soon while driving, than getting to work in 30 minutes and your coffee mug is still half full because traffic is so light due to the thousands of people that have lost their jobs. Heck, sometimes it used to take me half an hour just to travel five out of the 20-mile commute, and yes people that overslept would be driving like maniacs flashing their lights and flipping you the bird because they had only so many minutes to get to work and they knew that they were going to be late.

Oh, how I used to complain about those days, but truth be told I kindda miss them. For a while there if I didn't get on the freeway by 6:00 am I would be late. Lucky for me I never have to worry about getting to work on time, but many places will fire you by the third occurrence.

As the days go by I see no increase in activity at work. May and June are our strongest months which makes me wonder that if things don't pick up we may have to start handing pink slips or worse yet I may be the recipient of one. No body is safe as no one is indispensable.

I know change is gonna come but unfortunately it won't happen overnight. I just hope that we remain strong as a company, as a society, and as a family.

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The Economy

Ah! Much, much, much better. This is what I'm talking about. What gas shortage? What supply and demand? We all knew that gas prices were being gouched for no reason at all other than to break our wallets and to get their pockets full.

I went into the gas station with a nearly empty gas tank and I came out with a full one and all for $23.37. Yep, almost half of what I was paying two months ago. By the same token mi chica and my daughter went shopping and they bought a ton of kids clothes which will make a bunch of nice Christmas presents for less than half the original price. They spent somewhere around $62.00 for what should have been possibly over $150.00.

See, we are all scared about the economy and we should, but if everybody flat out decides to not go out and spend we will really be in deep doodoo. Stores are willing to sell even if it means making a very small profit. It's obvious that a small profit is better than no profit. So, this is the time to go out and browse to see what the stores are offering. We don't need to drive businesses out of business. I for one prefer to support my local stores and keep the area that I live in alive.

So, within the limited spending means we may have this year, have a happy bargain Christmas shopping season. If you can't or don't have the money to spend, don't worry, Christmas is not about the presents but about love and goodwill.