It's a raining day outside on April 3 and I'm sick of everyone complaining about this economy it's out of our hands and we can't do much so until then..."Don't Worry and Be Happy"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyYZUhSeRYc Watch BOB MARLEY DON"T WORRY BE HAPPY :)
-Look at the glass half full not half empty. We are directing so much to the world all of the negatives thing so every starts to bring on more and more negative. They should highlight positive things now.
Eve Tahmincioglu, MSNBCMARCH 02, 2009Lately I’ve noticed that people I meet at the supermarket or at dinner parties play down the fact that their careers are going well. To listen to the news, economists and politicians lately, you’d think we’ve already hit employment Armageddon, with everyone on the corner with a tin can singing, “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?.” Quite the contrary, a lot of employees out there still have their jobs, are still getting paid and actually even like their gigs. “I've been feeling guilty lately for saying this, but I do love my job, and that means so much more right now than ever before,” says Rebecca Silver, an account executive for New York-based Krupp Kommunications, a public relations firm that’s in hiring mode. With the national unemployment rate at 7.6 percent, a 17-year-high, it’s easy to forget that more than 90 percent of workers are employed today. Workplace and career writers are guilty of this, too. The hard-luck stories tend to get more play, and let’s be honest, good news is sometimes boring news.
window.google_render_ad();
But sometimes you have to see the employment cup as half full, no? “In relative terms, things are more difficult than they were two years ago, but it’s not the end of the world,” says John Stapleford, senior economist with Moody’s Economy.com. "I love my job" You don’t have to tell that to Melissa Rehberg, a project manager for the Aflac Cancer Center at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. She’s not afraid of being laid off or furloughed. She gets regular raises, has a dollar-for-dollar matching retirement plan and is offered a host of perks at work, everything from cooking classes to training in computer programs such as Excel. “I love my job and the people I work with,” says Rehberg, whose husband Jeff also works for the hospital system as a manager. “The economy has not impacted the quality of my work. We are both very happy and hope to be here for a long time.” Craig Spitzkoff, founder of JobVent.com, a site where people can vent about their employers or former employers, gets tons of negative feedback from readers who hate their jobs. But even his venting site has many happily employed individuals wanting to share their good fortune. “Positive reviews still come in on a daily basis,” he says, adding that the ratio of positive to negative, which is typically one to five, hasn’t changed even in this recession. “There are happy people out there.” With doom and gloom because of the tough economy everywhere, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the negativity, but workplace experts say we need to all sit back and truly look at our own job situations and resist getting mired down. “People are doing a lot of complaining, and they need to smell the roses more,” says, Karissa Thacker, a workplace psychologist. Some people have an “I’m-thankful-I-have-a-job approach” and others “are pessimistic by nature and are waiting for the other shoe to drop,” she says. Unfortunately, if you always focus on the negative you’ll end up missing opportunities right in front of you, especially in a weak economy when companies are looking for ways to stay viable, she explains. “If you’re still employed, there are tremendous opportunities for you to distinguish yourself right now, to add value.” "I feel lucky" Dexter Chapin, a 64-year-old high school teacher at an independent school in Seattle, has been cutting back on classroom supplies so the school can give more scholarship money to kids who may not be able to afford tuition anymore. Despite the recession, Chapin feels secure in his job right now, and he also loves teaching. “I wake up in the morning and play all day.” That’s not to say he’s not feeling the economic pinch. “I don’t get paid very much, and my house has lost about $90,000 in value,” he says, adding that his retirement plan is also in the dumps. “I’m a teacher. Best I can do is quit one day before I die in front of my students,” he jokes. He sometimes finds himself getting upset about the economy when he hears the dire news on TV or reads about it on blogs, but, he says, “I feel lucky.” “We’re all going to have to consume less. I talk to my students about that. The question is, am I happy? Yes.” For many, their career happiness right now is also dependent on the industries they work in, says Robert Hellman, adjunct professor at New York University’s Center for Career and Life Planning. “There are certain segments that are hit harder than others,” he says. “But lots of people are finding jobs. I don’t think it’s that bleak. People are hiring.” Morale, he adds, is definitely low, especially in hard-hit industries like finance, but “many people haven’t felt the recession when it comes to their jobs.” Fulfillment beyond a paycheck Job happiness also has a lot to do with the career or profession you choose and how fulfilling it is beyond a paycheck. Kelly Espy, a development manager for a nonprofit called CaringBridge, left her career as a chemist in an animal pharmaceutical lab and took a cut in pay to work for a nonprofit. Five years ago, she started volunteering for CaringBridge, a Minnesota-based Web service that helps connect family and friends going through healthcare crises, after she used the service when her sister was battling bone cancer. “I wanted to give back to an organization that meant so much to her,” Espy says. “After 15 years of working in the chemistry field, I ended up in the fundraising field, and I couldn’t be happier.” I know not everyone is as happy as Espy, and there are definitely a lot of people out there struggling to find work and pay the bills. But it’s important to maintain some perspective. If we always think the sky is falling, our careers will truly be in jeopardy. Many believe Franklin D. Roosevelt’s fireside chats helped calm a nation and bring us out of the Great Depression. So let’s do some internal fireside chatting. Today’s job market is difficult, but there are individuals out there who are doing well, and there are jobs and opportunities to be had. They just might not be exactly what you expected. In December, Venita Cooper left law school at the University of Chicago after turning down an internship with a major law firm to volunteer as development director at a start-up nonprofit called National Coaching Fellows, Inc. She works part time as a FedEx package handler to make ends meet. “That is how much I love it and believe in its cause. Or maybe I'm crazy,” she says. And there’s Craig Sigl, who worked for a Fortune 500 firm as a manager putting in 60 hours a week. He’s now a hypnotherapist who helps athletes in Bellevue, Wash. “Some days, I get tears in my eyes going home from the satisfaction of helping someone overcome a problem that has hurt them for decades,” he says. Maybe he can hypnotize us all to look at the bright side of this crummy economy. Eve Tahmincioglu writes the weekly "Your Career" column for msnbc.com and chronicles workplace issues in her blog, CareerDiva.net.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Hey, Look on The Bright Side!
Aren't you sick and tired of hearing all of the negatives about our economy? Think on the brighter side...what can you lose now? 
Anyone had enough bad news lately about the economy? Layoffs, the stock market diving, bailouts, government debt, the housing crisis — all of it can add up to some pretty somber feelings. And the fact that it's been going on for awhile now can drag anyone down. We're not going totally Pollyanna on you, but we do share the sentiments of the Wall Street Journal that maybe we should stop complaining and be a bit thankful. Turns out that doing so could put you in the middle of a growing trend:
There may be a positive byproduct of our troubled times: a decrease in the urge to complain. People who still have jobs are finding reasons to be appreciative. (It feels unseemly to complain about not getting a raise when your neighbor is unemployed.) Homeowners are unhappy that home values have fallen, but it's a relief to avoid foreclosure. And yes, our portfolios have plummeted, but most of us can say that at least we didn't invest with Bernie Madoff.
Ok, so maybe you're having trouble seeing any sort of silver lining in the current economy. Perhaps these two thoughts will spur a bit of gratitude:
* Maybe whatever bad news you're dealing with is actually a blessing in disguise. You wouldn't be the first person to start an ultimately successful career, business, investment, etc. in times of despair.* You don't have a job that stinks — at least as much as these jobs do. After all, can your crappy job really be much worse than being an animal semen collector, an odor judge, or a lift-pump remover? We think not.
So consider this our attempt at looking on the bright side of things. That's what we're going to do. At least until the next economic report comes out...
From Attitude to Gratitude: This Is No Time for Complaints [Wall Street Journal]
— FREE MONEY FINANCE (Photo: TeaWhyEllieAre)
Read More: Economy, Money, Personal Finance, Jobs, Unemployment
consumerist388:http://consumerist.com/5164214/hey-look-on-the-bright-side
google.load("ads", "1");
25 Discussions
Classic view Expand all Collapse all
Start a new discussion
Show: Oldest first Newest first Most popular
1
2
next »
[1..20 of 25]
11:18 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009 3 replies
Radi0logy 11:18 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
Sir, we found your teeth in wal-mart
Radi0logy Sir, we found your teeth in wal-mart
3 replies by satindevil, Canino, nakedscience
satindevil 11:25 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@Radi0logy: You may have just made my morning!
satindevil @ Radi0logy : You may have just made my morning!
Canino 11:49 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@Radi0logy: And +5 internets right back to you, sir!
Canino @ Radi0logy : And +5 internets right back to you, sir!
nakedscience 12:07 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@Radi0logy: I spit muffin all over my keyboard, thanks!
nakedscience @ Radi0logy : I spit muffin all over my keyboard, thanks!
11:26 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
innout3x3 11:26 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@Radi0logy: you beat me to that plug =)
I am thankful for my job.
innout3x3 @Radi0logy: you beat me to that plug =) I am thankful...
11:27 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009 3 replies
Starfury 11:27 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
Just watch some Dirty Jobs reruns and you'll see plenty of jobs that stink....but the people that do those jobs seem to generally be happy with their work.
Starfury Just watch some Dirty Jobs reruns and you'll see plenty...
3 replies by MrBlastotron, gStein, m4ximusprim3
MrBlastotron 11:36 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@Starfury: +1 Mike Rowe reference. *hands over one internets*
MrBlastotron @ Starfury : +1 Mike Rowe reference. *hands over one...
gStein 12:20 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@Starfury: but how much do those people make? (i don't watch the show, but one way to convince people to do shitty jobs is to pay them well)@MrBlastotron: Mike Rowe... is that the guy who started a software company?
gStein @ Starfury : but how much do those people make? (i don't...
m4ximusprim3 2:17 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@Gstein: Usually, about what office jobs pay, if not less.
But, they're doing a hard day's work, accomplishing something tangible. We should all be so lucky.
m4ximusprim3 @ Gstein : Usually, about what office jobs pay, if not...
11:34 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009 9 replies
hi 11:34 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
I'm so thankfull that our countrys stealing money from the poor and giving it all to the rich! I love the fact that they are purposely fueling the failing economy so that they can create their one world government and create their one world bank that controls their new currency.
hi I'm so thankfull that our countrys stealing money from...
9 replies by Applekid, Trai_Dep, Landru ...
emona 11:36 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@hi: Then boy are you in for a biiig disappointment...
emona @ hi : Then boy are you in for a biiig disappointment...
U-235 11:39 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@hi: ......You're joking right?Right?
U-235 @ hi : ... .. . You're joking right? Right?
B 11:51 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@hi: I'm thankful for crazy people posting their economy-related conspiracy theories on the internet, cause they're so entertaining.
B @ hi : I'm thankful for crazy people posting their...
thesadtomato 12:03 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@B: I don't mean to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but keeping everyone else poor, fearful, and worried about the future is a pretty good strategy for the 10% of people who own 90% of the wealth in America.
thesadtomato @ B : I don't mean to sound like a conspiracy theorist,...
pecan 3.14159265 12:25 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@thesadtomato: But it's a pretty legitimate concern, so there isn't really too much of a conspiracy. People really are getting laid off, it's happening. People really did lose their homes.
pecan 3.14159265 @ thesadtomato : But it's a pretty legitimate concern,...
Stream Of Consciousness 12:29 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@B: Well, it is feasible.
Stream Of Consciousness @ B : Well, it is feasible.
Applekid 12:45 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@hi: On the bright side, I voted for Kodos.
Applekid @ hi : On the bright side, I voted for Kodos.
Trai_Dep 12:46 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@B: I guess with the price of gas being what it is, Black Helicopters no longer make the Top Three of what the tinfoil hat brigade is worried about...
Trai_Dep @ B : I guess with the price of gas being what it is,...
Landru 1:44 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@B: Hey, it was those "economy-related conspiracy theories" that made me take my retirement fund out of the stock market a year ago January. I lost very little. Keep 'em coming!
Landru @ B : Hey, it was those "economy-related conspiracy...
11:35 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
emona 11:35 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
I've never been much of a whiner, but now there's an extra layer of guilt every time I open my well-fed, happily employed mouth to complain.
Being optimistic does help in most situations. My mother always said that nothing ever got done by griping about it, or maybe it was something about flies and vinegar.
emona I've never been much of a whiner, but now there's an...
11:40 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009 4 replies
serracloud 11:40 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
I don't know about you, but this recession is treating me pretty good. The house I'm in is in the process for foreclosure so I've been living for close to a year rent/mortgage free. I've cut back on wasteful spending, stashed a ton of money in my savings, and started walking to the bus stop to get places, losing 5 pounds in the process. My job still sucks, but it's good to have one (especially nowadays) and it's something that we should not take for granted during the boom times.
serracloud I don't know about you, but this recession is treating...
4 replies by Cat_In_A_Hat, pecan 3.14159265, serracloud ...
Stream Of Consciousness 12:30 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@serracloud: Way to see the silver lining. :)
Stream Of Consciousness @ serracloud : Way to see the silver lining. :)
Cat_In_A_Hat 12:46 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@serracloud: Since when did foreclosing on a house become a good thing? you do know how this whole mess began, right? I'm sure your bank is happy about providing you with free rent for a year.
Cat_In_A_Hat @ serracloud : Since when did foreclosing on a house...
pecan 3.14159265 12:59 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@Cat_In_A_Hat: Apparently sierracloud meant that the house he/she is renting is a great thing because there isn't any rent involved now (how do you stop paying rent just because the house is in foreclosure?)...but it's totally bad that someone lost their home to begin with, I agree.
pecan 3.14159265 @ Cat_In_A_Hat : Apparently sierracloud meant that the...
serracloud 3:38 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@Cat_In_A_Hat: The whole point was to look at the bright side of a bad thing, and that's what I'm doing. Furthermore, I couldn't give a flying hoot about the how the banks feel, they shouldn't have been so irresponsible in their lending practices in the first place.
serracloud @ Cat_In_A_Hat : The whole point was to look at the...
11:40 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
sodomanaz 11:40 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
Feel good Wednesday. I needed this today. :)
sodomanaz Feel good Wednesday. I needed this today. :)
11:46 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
Gann 11:46 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
*Investing in a down economy gives you more for your dollar. This also applies to buying a house.
Gann *Investing in a down economy gives you more for your...
11:57 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
PunditGuy 11:57 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
It doesn't surprise me for one second that the Wall Street Journal would tell workers to essentially shut up and be happy. They've been doing that for years. How incredibly awesome for them -- if we complain about the fallout from the mess, the people who created the mess can point to it and tell us how much worse things could be for us. Sounds vaguely like extortion. "Nice little setup you have here during this recession. It would be a shame if something bad were to happen to it."
PunditGuy It doesn't surprise me for one second that the Wall...
12:42 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009 1 reply
Trai_Dep 12:42 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
It could be worse. We could be living in caves, trading with oyster shells and wearing animal skin loinclothes (baby seal if you're from Alaska).Although, The GOP is trying, damn it. They're TRYING!
Trai_Dep It could be worse. We could be living in caves, trading...
1 reply by m4ximusprim3
m4ximusprim3 2:19 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@Trai_Dep: that doesn't sound half bad. sign me up for another helping of elderberry stew!
m4ximusprim3 @ Trai_Dep : that doesn't sound half bad. sign me up for...
12:44 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
GuinevereRucker 12:44 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
We are a materialistic society who has forgotten things that really matter in our quest for more stuff, more money, and more power. I welcome a recession if only to force people to think differently.
I don't wish trouble on anyone, but sometimes it's in the times of hardship and disaster that we come together and focus on what's really important. In times of war heroes are born; in times of persecution martyrs are raised up; in times of disaster there are great acts of generosity.
Being thankful for what we do have is a great first step in this direction, and I expect that there will be other benefits along the way!
GuinevereRucker We are a materialistic society who has forgotten things...
12:59 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009 1 reply
MyPetFly 12:59 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
I can't say I'm happy, in fact, just the opposite. However, I do have food, shelter, transportation, medical care and opportunities, which is a lot more than the vast majority of people in the world can say.
That doesn't mean we shouldn't but the balls off of Bernie Madoff and his type.
MyPetFly I can't say I'm happy, in fact, just the opposite....
1 reply by MyPetFly
MyPetFly 1:52 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@MyPetFly:
"Cut," not "but."
MyPetFly @ MyPetFly : "Cut," not "but."
1:00 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009 4 replies
quizmasterchris 1:00 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
Anything the Wall Street Journal has to say to the average American is not only safe to ignore, but dangerous to heed.
We're the only industrialized country in the world where your family can go bankrupt from a trip to the hospital, we're the only one with ZERO mandated paid vacation, we have 2 million people in prison, 2+ wars, a massive debt, growing unemployment, terrible union organization rights, the wealth distribution of Brazil, the infant and maternal mortality rates of a Third World country, and these asshats want us to be THANKFUL?!
Wall St should be thankful that firing squads haven't been formed yet.
quizmasterchris Anything the Wall Street Journal has to say to the...
4 replies by pecan 3.14159265, pecan 3.14159265, HooFoot ...
oneandone 2:47 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@quizmasterchris: I am torn between wanting to dive under my desk to hide or jump up and cheer. I think I agree with you. That kind of perspective is frightening, but bracing and probably neccessary.
oneandone @ quizmasterchris : I am torn between wanting to dive...
pecan 3.14159265 2:57 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@quizmasterchris: Well you could be like some other countries in which you can't go bankrupt from a hospital visit because there is no decent or accessible health care, and you have no money to begin with.
pecan 3.14159265 @ quizmasterchris : Well you could be like some other...
pecan 3.14159265 2:59 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@pecan 3.14159265: Nevermind. My eyes skipped the word "institutionalized" in your post. Apologies.
pecan 3.14159265 @ pecan 3.14159265 : Nevermind. My eyes skipped the word...
HooFoot 4:46 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@quizmasterchris: This post reminds me of my old coworkers. We worked in a boring, but safe office environment. The pay was average, the health insurance was great, and the job itself was pretty "recession-proof". Yet my coworkers still found reason to complain every day and make it seem like the worst job in the world. It used to royally piss me off at how ungrateful and unappreciative they were for what they have. I'm not suggesting that they never complain, but I wish they would understand before they ran their mouths that there are hundreds of millions of people in the world who would gladly trade places for a chance to have a steady paycheck and a safe work environment.
Your post reminds me of the same "OMG PITY US BECAUSE WE'RE SUCH VICTIMS" mentality. Yes, there are problems in this country that we shouldn't ignore or marginalize, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't take a moment to recognize and appreciate the good things we have. I am grateful that we have the opportunity to vote out the idiots who caused these problems. I am grateful that we can speak out against the government without fear of violence. I am grateful that being a woman does not prevent me from seeking employment in this country. I am grateful that I have access to a stable electrical grid, stores stocked regularly with affordable food, a working toilet and sewage system, and clean, running water. You should be grateful for these things as well.
HooFoot @ quizmasterchris : This post reminds me of my old...
1:13 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009 2 replies
Saboth 1:13 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
Yeah, the problem is, you've got employers taking advantage of the situation. For instance, where I work, they laid off people, cut their 401k contributions in half, and took other "cost cutting measures" despite the fact they raked in record profits last year and this year we are busier than ever. Making life much more stressful for the rest of us here, as we are getting less benefits, but more work (as we have to pick up the slack for the fired people).
Saboth Yeah, the problem is, you've got employers taking...
2 replies by MyPetFly, orlo
MyPetFly 1:37 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@Saboth:
Our hours and pay have been cut by 20%, but the owner is rolling in dough, so I instituted my own productivity cut.
MyPetFly @ Saboth : Our hours and pay have been cut by 20%, but...
orlo 7:28 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@Saboth: High unemployment=cheap labor. There's probably someone without a job that's more qualified than you and willing to do it for less.
orlo @ Saboth : High unemployment=cheap labor. There's...
1:51 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009 1 reply
Lance Peeples 1:51 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
Was the WSJ writer the former senator Phil Gramm who said, not that long ago (July 2008,) that we were just a nation of whiners suffering from a mental recession?
"You've heard of mental depression; this is a mental recession," he said, noting that growth has held up at about 1 percent despite all the publicity over losing jobs to India, China, illegal immigration, housing and credit problems and record oil prices. "We may have a recession; we haven't had one yet."
"We have sort of become a nation of whiners," he said. "You just hear this constant whining, complaining about a loss of competitiveness, America in decline" despite a major export boom that is the primary reason that growth continues in the economy, he said.
"We've never been more dominant; we've never had more natural advantages than we have today," he said. "We have benefited greatly" from the globalization of the economy in the last 30 years."[www.washingtontimes.com]
Lance Peeples Was the WSJ writer the former senator Phil Gramm who...
1 reply by yagisencho
yagisencho 3:15 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@Lance Peeples:
He needs those quotes read to him each and every time he opens his mouth.
yagisencho @ Lance Peeples : He needs those quotes read to him...
1:52 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
Jevia 1:52 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
I am thankful my husband and I both have our jobs which appear to be fairly secure. It feels odd to me that I have to be thankful that I got laid off from my last job a little over a year ago, and thus found a better new job before the economy really began to tank.
I am thankful that my husband and I listened to our inner gut and didn't buy too much house when we bought two years ago and thus have no problems making our mortgage payments (as long as we keep working).
I am thankful that this country has democrats in control and feverently hope that they can reverse the policies of the last eight years that got us into this mess, fix things before they break even more, and are able to institute some new policies that bring us up to the level of other industrialized countries with regards to the rights of families, workers and those with lower incomes.
Jevia I am thankful my husband and I both have our jobs which...
2:51 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
oneandone 2:51 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
I'm thankful that it's become easier to distinguish between needs & wants, and that status-bearing luxuries are now being recognized as just conspicuous consumption. I'm happy that more and more people seem to agree that a person's wealth doesn't determine their worth.
oneandone I'm thankful that it's become easier to distinguish...
4:33 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009 1 reply
kwsventures 4:33 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
Watch the movie Slum Dog Millionaire. See how others in the world live. Then quit complaining about how horrible everything is in the USA. If you can find a better country to live in, then go. Nobody is stopping you from leaving. We haven't built a wall to keep you in. Oh, you talk a good game, but have no guts to change your "miserable" existence. Why would you stay in such a horrible country? Are you crazy?
kwsventures Watch the movie Slum Dog Millionaire. See how others in...
1 reply by orlo
orlo 7:25 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@kwsventures: It's pretty difficult to emigrate. Most countries are stricter about it than the USA (which isn't exactly welcoming), and you won't have much luck unless you can claim citizenship through recent ancestors or somehow line up a job with a corporation willing to do the paperwork, which would require you to be uniquely qualified. Hopefully things will get worse, and Americans will finally be able to seek refugee status.
orlo @ kwsventures : It's pretty difficult to emigrate. Most...
4:44 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
ElizabethD 4:44 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
I would be happy to be happier (ermm) if it were not for the unfortunate impact of this recession, specifically my spouse's job loss and two-year inability to find another one, and our escalating cost of living (groceries, tuitions, etc.), on our kids' ability to get college educations and find jobs. Now I've learned that my job (and others where I work) is on the line. Cuts are coming this spring and more next fall. Whoopee! I can't wait to learn this valuable lesson about what really matters.... like going into foreclosure and losing our house, pulling our kid out of college, etc. All this in a state with the 2nd highest unemployment rate.I understand what people are saying in the comments here about appreciating what we do have in this country, but when you've lived the middle-class life in the U.S. (home ownership, two cars, college for the kids, no other luxuries like travel in 20 years) all your adult life and are approaching retirement age and suddenly you're looking at the poverty line because of layoffs and home depreciation, it's a bit tough to swallow. So I'll stay grumpy and gloomy.
ElizabethD I would be happy to be happier (ermm) if it were not for...
5:39 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
MercerDerro 5:39 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
What assholes, the Wall Street Journal. Maybe if they did their job right we wouldn't have to be all thankful for not being homeless. From: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2009/01/how-could-9000-business-reporters-blow-it "Jesse Eisinger, a former financial columnist for the Journal and now a senior writer for Portfolio, says the paper, like business journalism generally, clung to outdated formulas. Wall Street coverage tilted toward personality-driven stories, not deconstructing balance sheets or figuring out risks. Stocks were the focus, when the problems were brewing in derivatives. 'We were following the old model,' he says." "Increasingly, business coverage has addressed its audience as investors rather than citizens, a subtle but powerful shift in perspective that has led to some curious choices. The Journal, for example, at times seemed to strain to find someone other than Wall Street to blame for the mortgage mess: A December 2007 story announced that borrower fraud 'goes a long way toward explaining why mortgage defaults and foreclosures are rocking financial institutions,' though no such evidence exists. Another Journal story last March accused 'about half' of foreclosed-upon borrowers of trashing their homes. The source for the 'half' bit: a PR firm working for real estate clients" Wow! So you guys gave up real reporting, blamed regular folk for the financial crisis, and blatantly repeated PR propaganda? And now you want to give us the heartwarming story of "Shut the fuck up, people." I think now is the time to complain about the Wall Street Journal.
MercerDerro What assholes, the Wall Street Journal. Maybe if they...
Anyone had enough bad news lately about the economy? Layoffs, the stock market diving, bailouts, government debt, the housing crisis — all of it can add up to some pretty somber feelings. And the fact that it's been going on for awhile now can drag anyone down. We're not going totally Pollyanna on you, but we do share the sentiments of the Wall Street Journal that maybe we should stop complaining and be a bit thankful. Turns out that doing so could put you in the middle of a growing trend:
There may be a positive byproduct of our troubled times: a decrease in the urge to complain. People who still have jobs are finding reasons to be appreciative. (It feels unseemly to complain about not getting a raise when your neighbor is unemployed.) Homeowners are unhappy that home values have fallen, but it's a relief to avoid foreclosure. And yes, our portfolios have plummeted, but most of us can say that at least we didn't invest with Bernie Madoff.
Ok, so maybe you're having trouble seeing any sort of silver lining in the current economy. Perhaps these two thoughts will spur a bit of gratitude:
* Maybe whatever bad news you're dealing with is actually a blessing in disguise. You wouldn't be the first person to start an ultimately successful career, business, investment, etc. in times of despair.* You don't have a job that stinks — at least as much as these jobs do. After all, can your crappy job really be much worse than being an animal semen collector, an odor judge, or a lift-pump remover? We think not.
So consider this our attempt at looking on the bright side of things. That's what we're going to do. At least until the next economic report comes out...
From Attitude to Gratitude: This Is No Time for Complaints [Wall Street Journal]
— FREE MONEY FINANCE (Photo: TeaWhyEllieAre)
Read More: Economy, Money, Personal Finance, Jobs, Unemployment
consumerist388:http://consumerist.com/5164214/hey-look-on-the-bright-side
google.load("ads", "1");
25 Discussions
Classic view Expand all Collapse all
Start a new discussion
Show: Oldest first Newest first Most popular
1
2
next »
[1..20 of 25]
11:18 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009 3 replies
Radi0logy 11:18 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
Sir, we found your teeth in wal-mart
Radi0logy Sir, we found your teeth in wal-mart
3 replies by satindevil, Canino, nakedscience
satindevil 11:25 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@Radi0logy: You may have just made my morning!
satindevil @ Radi0logy : You may have just made my morning!
Canino 11:49 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@Radi0logy: And +5 internets right back to you, sir!
Canino @ Radi0logy : And +5 internets right back to you, sir!
nakedscience 12:07 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@Radi0logy: I spit muffin all over my keyboard, thanks!
nakedscience @ Radi0logy : I spit muffin all over my keyboard, thanks!
11:26 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
innout3x3 11:26 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@Radi0logy: you beat me to that plug =)
I am thankful for my job.
innout3x3 @Radi0logy: you beat me to that plug =) I am thankful...
11:27 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009 3 replies
Starfury 11:27 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
Just watch some Dirty Jobs reruns and you'll see plenty of jobs that stink....but the people that do those jobs seem to generally be happy with their work.
Starfury Just watch some Dirty Jobs reruns and you'll see plenty...
3 replies by MrBlastotron, gStein, m4ximusprim3
MrBlastotron 11:36 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@Starfury: +1 Mike Rowe reference. *hands over one internets*
MrBlastotron @ Starfury : +1 Mike Rowe reference. *hands over one...
gStein 12:20 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@Starfury: but how much do those people make? (i don't watch the show, but one way to convince people to do shitty jobs is to pay them well)@MrBlastotron: Mike Rowe... is that the guy who started a software company?
gStein @ Starfury : but how much do those people make? (i don't...
m4ximusprim3 2:17 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@Gstein: Usually, about what office jobs pay, if not less.
But, they're doing a hard day's work, accomplishing something tangible. We should all be so lucky.
m4ximusprim3 @ Gstein : Usually, about what office jobs pay, if not...
11:34 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009 9 replies
hi 11:34 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
I'm so thankfull that our countrys stealing money from the poor and giving it all to the rich! I love the fact that they are purposely fueling the failing economy so that they can create their one world government and create their one world bank that controls their new currency.
hi I'm so thankfull that our countrys stealing money from...
9 replies by Applekid, Trai_Dep, Landru ...
emona 11:36 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@hi: Then boy are you in for a biiig disappointment...
emona @ hi : Then boy are you in for a biiig disappointment...
U-235 11:39 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@hi: ......You're joking right?Right?
U-235 @ hi : ... .. . You're joking right? Right?
B 11:51 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@hi: I'm thankful for crazy people posting their economy-related conspiracy theories on the internet, cause they're so entertaining.
B @ hi : I'm thankful for crazy people posting their...
thesadtomato 12:03 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@B: I don't mean to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but keeping everyone else poor, fearful, and worried about the future is a pretty good strategy for the 10% of people who own 90% of the wealth in America.
thesadtomato @ B : I don't mean to sound like a conspiracy theorist,...
pecan 3.14159265 12:25 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@thesadtomato: But it's a pretty legitimate concern, so there isn't really too much of a conspiracy. People really are getting laid off, it's happening. People really did lose their homes.
pecan 3.14159265 @ thesadtomato : But it's a pretty legitimate concern,...
Stream Of Consciousness 12:29 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@B: Well, it is feasible.
Stream Of Consciousness @ B : Well, it is feasible.
Applekid 12:45 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@hi: On the bright side, I voted for Kodos.
Applekid @ hi : On the bright side, I voted for Kodos.
Trai_Dep 12:46 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@B: I guess with the price of gas being what it is, Black Helicopters no longer make the Top Three of what the tinfoil hat brigade is worried about...
Trai_Dep @ B : I guess with the price of gas being what it is,...
Landru 1:44 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@B: Hey, it was those "economy-related conspiracy theories" that made me take my retirement fund out of the stock market a year ago January. I lost very little. Keep 'em coming!
Landru @ B : Hey, it was those "economy-related conspiracy...
11:35 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
emona 11:35 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
I've never been much of a whiner, but now there's an extra layer of guilt every time I open my well-fed, happily employed mouth to complain.
Being optimistic does help in most situations. My mother always said that nothing ever got done by griping about it, or maybe it was something about flies and vinegar.
emona I've never been much of a whiner, but now there's an...
11:40 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009 4 replies
serracloud 11:40 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
I don't know about you, but this recession is treating me pretty good. The house I'm in is in the process for foreclosure so I've been living for close to a year rent/mortgage free. I've cut back on wasteful spending, stashed a ton of money in my savings, and started walking to the bus stop to get places, losing 5 pounds in the process. My job still sucks, but it's good to have one (especially nowadays) and it's something that we should not take for granted during the boom times.
serracloud I don't know about you, but this recession is treating...
4 replies by Cat_In_A_Hat, pecan 3.14159265, serracloud ...
Stream Of Consciousness 12:30 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@serracloud: Way to see the silver lining. :)
Stream Of Consciousness @ serracloud : Way to see the silver lining. :)
Cat_In_A_Hat 12:46 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@serracloud: Since when did foreclosing on a house become a good thing? you do know how this whole mess began, right? I'm sure your bank is happy about providing you with free rent for a year.
Cat_In_A_Hat @ serracloud : Since when did foreclosing on a house...
pecan 3.14159265 12:59 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@Cat_In_A_Hat: Apparently sierracloud meant that the house he/she is renting is a great thing because there isn't any rent involved now (how do you stop paying rent just because the house is in foreclosure?)...but it's totally bad that someone lost their home to begin with, I agree.
pecan 3.14159265 @ Cat_In_A_Hat : Apparently sierracloud meant that the...
serracloud 3:38 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@Cat_In_A_Hat: The whole point was to look at the bright side of a bad thing, and that's what I'm doing. Furthermore, I couldn't give a flying hoot about the how the banks feel, they shouldn't have been so irresponsible in their lending practices in the first place.
serracloud @ Cat_In_A_Hat : The whole point was to look at the...
11:40 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
sodomanaz 11:40 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
Feel good Wednesday. I needed this today. :)
sodomanaz Feel good Wednesday. I needed this today. :)
11:46 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
Gann 11:46 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
*Investing in a down economy gives you more for your dollar. This also applies to buying a house.
Gann *Investing in a down economy gives you more for your...
11:57 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
PunditGuy 11:57 AM on Wed Mar 4 2009
It doesn't surprise me for one second that the Wall Street Journal would tell workers to essentially shut up and be happy. They've been doing that for years. How incredibly awesome for them -- if we complain about the fallout from the mess, the people who created the mess can point to it and tell us how much worse things could be for us. Sounds vaguely like extortion. "Nice little setup you have here during this recession. It would be a shame if something bad were to happen to it."
PunditGuy It doesn't surprise me for one second that the Wall...
12:42 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009 1 reply
Trai_Dep 12:42 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
It could be worse. We could be living in caves, trading with oyster shells and wearing animal skin loinclothes (baby seal if you're from Alaska).Although, The GOP is trying, damn it. They're TRYING!
Trai_Dep It could be worse. We could be living in caves, trading...
1 reply by m4ximusprim3
m4ximusprim3 2:19 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@Trai_Dep: that doesn't sound half bad. sign me up for another helping of elderberry stew!
m4ximusprim3 @ Trai_Dep : that doesn't sound half bad. sign me up for...
12:44 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
GuinevereRucker 12:44 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
We are a materialistic society who has forgotten things that really matter in our quest for more stuff, more money, and more power. I welcome a recession if only to force people to think differently.
I don't wish trouble on anyone, but sometimes it's in the times of hardship and disaster that we come together and focus on what's really important. In times of war heroes are born; in times of persecution martyrs are raised up; in times of disaster there are great acts of generosity.
Being thankful for what we do have is a great first step in this direction, and I expect that there will be other benefits along the way!
GuinevereRucker We are a materialistic society who has forgotten things...
12:59 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009 1 reply
MyPetFly 12:59 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
I can't say I'm happy, in fact, just the opposite. However, I do have food, shelter, transportation, medical care and opportunities, which is a lot more than the vast majority of people in the world can say.
That doesn't mean we shouldn't but the balls off of Bernie Madoff and his type.
MyPetFly I can't say I'm happy, in fact, just the opposite....
1 reply by MyPetFly
MyPetFly 1:52 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@MyPetFly:
"Cut," not "but."
MyPetFly @ MyPetFly : "Cut," not "but."
1:00 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009 4 replies
quizmasterchris 1:00 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
Anything the Wall Street Journal has to say to the average American is not only safe to ignore, but dangerous to heed.
We're the only industrialized country in the world where your family can go bankrupt from a trip to the hospital, we're the only one with ZERO mandated paid vacation, we have 2 million people in prison, 2+ wars, a massive debt, growing unemployment, terrible union organization rights, the wealth distribution of Brazil, the infant and maternal mortality rates of a Third World country, and these asshats want us to be THANKFUL?!
Wall St should be thankful that firing squads haven't been formed yet.
quizmasterchris Anything the Wall Street Journal has to say to the...
4 replies by pecan 3.14159265, pecan 3.14159265, HooFoot ...
oneandone 2:47 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@quizmasterchris: I am torn between wanting to dive under my desk to hide or jump up and cheer. I think I agree with you. That kind of perspective is frightening, but bracing and probably neccessary.
oneandone @ quizmasterchris : I am torn between wanting to dive...
pecan 3.14159265 2:57 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@quizmasterchris: Well you could be like some other countries in which you can't go bankrupt from a hospital visit because there is no decent or accessible health care, and you have no money to begin with.
pecan 3.14159265 @ quizmasterchris : Well you could be like some other...
pecan 3.14159265 2:59 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@pecan 3.14159265: Nevermind. My eyes skipped the word "institutionalized" in your post. Apologies.
pecan 3.14159265 @ pecan 3.14159265 : Nevermind. My eyes skipped the word...
HooFoot 4:46 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@quizmasterchris: This post reminds me of my old coworkers. We worked in a boring, but safe office environment. The pay was average, the health insurance was great, and the job itself was pretty "recession-proof". Yet my coworkers still found reason to complain every day and make it seem like the worst job in the world. It used to royally piss me off at how ungrateful and unappreciative they were for what they have. I'm not suggesting that they never complain, but I wish they would understand before they ran their mouths that there are hundreds of millions of people in the world who would gladly trade places for a chance to have a steady paycheck and a safe work environment.
Your post reminds me of the same "OMG PITY US BECAUSE WE'RE SUCH VICTIMS" mentality. Yes, there are problems in this country that we shouldn't ignore or marginalize, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't take a moment to recognize and appreciate the good things we have. I am grateful that we have the opportunity to vote out the idiots who caused these problems. I am grateful that we can speak out against the government without fear of violence. I am grateful that being a woman does not prevent me from seeking employment in this country. I am grateful that I have access to a stable electrical grid, stores stocked regularly with affordable food, a working toilet and sewage system, and clean, running water. You should be grateful for these things as well.
HooFoot @ quizmasterchris : This post reminds me of my old...
1:13 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009 2 replies
Saboth 1:13 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
Yeah, the problem is, you've got employers taking advantage of the situation. For instance, where I work, they laid off people, cut their 401k contributions in half, and took other "cost cutting measures" despite the fact they raked in record profits last year and this year we are busier than ever. Making life much more stressful for the rest of us here, as we are getting less benefits, but more work (as we have to pick up the slack for the fired people).
Saboth Yeah, the problem is, you've got employers taking...
2 replies by MyPetFly, orlo
MyPetFly 1:37 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@Saboth:
Our hours and pay have been cut by 20%, but the owner is rolling in dough, so I instituted my own productivity cut.
MyPetFly @ Saboth : Our hours and pay have been cut by 20%, but...
orlo 7:28 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@Saboth: High unemployment=cheap labor. There's probably someone without a job that's more qualified than you and willing to do it for less.
orlo @ Saboth : High unemployment=cheap labor. There's...
1:51 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009 1 reply
Lance Peeples 1:51 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
Was the WSJ writer the former senator Phil Gramm who said, not that long ago (July 2008,) that we were just a nation of whiners suffering from a mental recession?
"You've heard of mental depression; this is a mental recession," he said, noting that growth has held up at about 1 percent despite all the publicity over losing jobs to India, China, illegal immigration, housing and credit problems and record oil prices. "We may have a recession; we haven't had one yet."
"We have sort of become a nation of whiners," he said. "You just hear this constant whining, complaining about a loss of competitiveness, America in decline" despite a major export boom that is the primary reason that growth continues in the economy, he said.
"We've never been more dominant; we've never had more natural advantages than we have today," he said. "We have benefited greatly" from the globalization of the economy in the last 30 years."[www.washingtontimes.com]
Lance Peeples Was the WSJ writer the former senator Phil Gramm who...
1 reply by yagisencho
yagisencho 3:15 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@Lance Peeples:
He needs those quotes read to him each and every time he opens his mouth.
yagisencho @ Lance Peeples : He needs those quotes read to him...
1:52 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
Jevia 1:52 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
I am thankful my husband and I both have our jobs which appear to be fairly secure. It feels odd to me that I have to be thankful that I got laid off from my last job a little over a year ago, and thus found a better new job before the economy really began to tank.
I am thankful that my husband and I listened to our inner gut and didn't buy too much house when we bought two years ago and thus have no problems making our mortgage payments (as long as we keep working).
I am thankful that this country has democrats in control and feverently hope that they can reverse the policies of the last eight years that got us into this mess, fix things before they break even more, and are able to institute some new policies that bring us up to the level of other industrialized countries with regards to the rights of families, workers and those with lower incomes.
Jevia I am thankful my husband and I both have our jobs which...
2:51 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
oneandone 2:51 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
I'm thankful that it's become easier to distinguish between needs & wants, and that status-bearing luxuries are now being recognized as just conspicuous consumption. I'm happy that more and more people seem to agree that a person's wealth doesn't determine their worth.
oneandone I'm thankful that it's become easier to distinguish...
4:33 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009 1 reply
kwsventures 4:33 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
Watch the movie Slum Dog Millionaire. See how others in the world live. Then quit complaining about how horrible everything is in the USA. If you can find a better country to live in, then go. Nobody is stopping you from leaving. We haven't built a wall to keep you in. Oh, you talk a good game, but have no guts to change your "miserable" existence. Why would you stay in such a horrible country? Are you crazy?
kwsventures Watch the movie Slum Dog Millionaire. See how others in...
1 reply by orlo
orlo 7:25 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
@kwsventures: It's pretty difficult to emigrate. Most countries are stricter about it than the USA (which isn't exactly welcoming), and you won't have much luck unless you can claim citizenship through recent ancestors or somehow line up a job with a corporation willing to do the paperwork, which would require you to be uniquely qualified. Hopefully things will get worse, and Americans will finally be able to seek refugee status.
orlo @ kwsventures : It's pretty difficult to emigrate. Most...
4:44 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
ElizabethD 4:44 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
I would be happy to be happier (ermm) if it were not for the unfortunate impact of this recession, specifically my spouse's job loss and two-year inability to find another one, and our escalating cost of living (groceries, tuitions, etc.), on our kids' ability to get college educations and find jobs. Now I've learned that my job (and others where I work) is on the line. Cuts are coming this spring and more next fall. Whoopee! I can't wait to learn this valuable lesson about what really matters.... like going into foreclosure and losing our house, pulling our kid out of college, etc. All this in a state with the 2nd highest unemployment rate.I understand what people are saying in the comments here about appreciating what we do have in this country, but when you've lived the middle-class life in the U.S. (home ownership, two cars, college for the kids, no other luxuries like travel in 20 years) all your adult life and are approaching retirement age and suddenly you're looking at the poverty line because of layoffs and home depreciation, it's a bit tough to swallow. So I'll stay grumpy and gloomy.
ElizabethD I would be happy to be happier (ermm) if it were not for...
5:39 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
MercerDerro 5:39 PM on Wed Mar 4 2009
What assholes, the Wall Street Journal. Maybe if they did their job right we wouldn't have to be all thankful for not being homeless. From: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2009/01/how-could-9000-business-reporters-blow-it "Jesse Eisinger, a former financial columnist for the Journal and now a senior writer for Portfolio, says the paper, like business journalism generally, clung to outdated formulas. Wall Street coverage tilted toward personality-driven stories, not deconstructing balance sheets or figuring out risks. Stocks were the focus, when the problems were brewing in derivatives. 'We were following the old model,' he says." "Increasingly, business coverage has addressed its audience as investors rather than citizens, a subtle but powerful shift in perspective that has led to some curious choices. The Journal, for example, at times seemed to strain to find someone other than Wall Street to blame for the mortgage mess: A December 2007 story announced that borrower fraud 'goes a long way toward explaining why mortgage defaults and foreclosures are rocking financial institutions,' though no such evidence exists. Another Journal story last March accused 'about half' of foreclosed-upon borrowers of trashing their homes. The source for the 'half' bit: a PR firm working for real estate clients" Wow! So you guys gave up real reporting, blamed regular folk for the financial crisis, and blatantly repeated PR propaganda? And now you want to give us the heartwarming story of "Shut the fuck up, people." I think now is the time to complain about the Wall Street Journal.
MercerDerro What assholes, the Wall Street Journal. Maybe if they...
Fashion in a Faltering Economy
In spite of the current turmoil in the financial markets, retailers are hopeful the slew of new spring styles shown at New York fashion week will still attract buyers
As retailers pulled out their notepads to place orders on spring fashions featured on the runways in New York in recent days, they prepared to make a bet on new styles that they hope will nudge shoppers to start buying clothes again.
Neiman Marcus fashion director Ken Downing praised the edgy "'80s moment" he saw on several runways, a trend long absent from stores and one he felt would look fresh to shoppers. At Bloomingdale's, fashion director Stephanie Solomon expected "rich hippie" looks to appeal in spring. And Barbara Atkin, vice president of fashion direction at upscale Canadian retailer Holt Renfrew, singled out the minimalist origami-inspired silhouettes and "ethereal" sorbet shades seen on many runways as different enough to sell well next year.
While retailers kept their chins up as they looked ahead, however, the reality was grim. Wall Street was in shambles on Monday after the announcement that Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. had filed for bankruptcy protection on Sunday and Merrill Lynch & Co. agreed to be sold to Bank of America Corp. The weak economy, with jittery consumers already slashing their spending on apparel, suddenly got shakier, making the retail forecast for spring even murkier.
"It's hard to stay really positive about business," said Stacey Pecor, owner of the Olive and Bette's chain of boutiques in New York, whose regulars include many in the investment-banking world. "These are very uncertain times right now. I think the shopper's going to look at her wardrobe and she's going to keep everything -- there won't be that, 'I'm throwing all of this out this season because I'm sick of it and replacing it all.' "
New York fashion week's Spring 2009 runways were a potpourri of styles meant to serve as an escape from the current economic climate. But there were a few standing motifs that peppered collections and which designers hope will ignite impulse buys despite tighter pocketbooks. Here are some of the trends to look for next spring.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122152150288939413.html#articleTabs%3Dslideshow
As retailers pulled out their notepads to place orders on spring fashions featured on the runways in New York in recent days, they prepared to make a bet on new styles that they hope will nudge shoppers to start buying clothes again.
Neiman Marcus fashion director Ken Downing praised the edgy "'80s moment" he saw on several runways, a trend long absent from stores and one he felt would look fresh to shoppers. At Bloomingdale's, fashion director Stephanie Solomon expected "rich hippie" looks to appeal in spring. And Barbara Atkin, vice president of fashion direction at upscale Canadian retailer Holt Renfrew, singled out the minimalist origami-inspired silhouettes and "ethereal" sorbet shades seen on many runways as different enough to sell well next year.
While retailers kept their chins up as they looked ahead, however, the reality was grim. Wall Street was in shambles on Monday after the announcement that Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. had filed for bankruptcy protection on Sunday and Merrill Lynch & Co. agreed to be sold to Bank of America Corp. The weak economy, with jittery consumers already slashing their spending on apparel, suddenly got shakier, making the retail forecast for spring even murkier.
"It's hard to stay really positive about business," said Stacey Pecor, owner of the Olive and Bette's chain of boutiques in New York, whose regulars include many in the investment-banking world. "These are very uncertain times right now. I think the shopper's going to look at her wardrobe and she's going to keep everything -- there won't be that, 'I'm throwing all of this out this season because I'm sick of it and replacing it all.' "
New York fashion week's Spring 2009 runways were a potpourri of styles meant to serve as an escape from the current economic climate. But there were a few standing motifs that peppered collections and which designers hope will ignite impulse buys despite tighter pocketbooks. Here are some of the trends to look for next spring.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122152150288939413.html#articleTabs%3Dslideshow
Yanks, Sabathia agree to deal
The Yankees reached a preliminary agreement with Sabathia on Wednesday, following an in-person meeting between general manager Brian Cashman and Sabathia in California, sources with knowledge of the deal told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney.
A source told ESPN.com's Jayson Stark there are "zero major roadblocks" that would prevent the Yankees from finalizing an agreement with the 28-year-old left-hander.
Not all terms of the deal are agreed to yet, the source indicated. Sabathia also would need to take and pass a physical exam.
Sources told Olney that, to get the deal completed, the Yankees added a seventh year to their original six-year, $140 million offer, bringing the total package to seven years and $161 million -- at $23 million a season, by far the biggest contract for any pitcher in history. He also confirmed that Sabathia can opt out of the deal after three years -- addressing his concerns about living in New York with his wife and children.
A source told ESPN.com's Jayson Stark there are "zero major roadblocks" that would prevent the Yankees from finalizing an agreement with the 28-year-old left-hander.
Not all terms of the deal are agreed to yet, the source indicated. Sabathia also would need to take and pass a physical exam.
Sources told Olney that, to get the deal completed, the Yankees added a seventh year to their original six-year, $140 million offer, bringing the total package to seven years and $161 million -- at $23 million a season, by far the biggest contract for any pitcher in history. He also confirmed that Sabathia can opt out of the deal after three years -- addressing his concerns about living in New York with his wife and children.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)