Money can't buy happiness...but it can certainly create unhappiness

The economy...the focus of everyone's thoughts, decisions and conversation. Our current economical situation has significantly effected our everyday lives. Airports are less crowed, restaurants are empty and homes are foreclosing at a devastating rate. As a recent college grad, the effects of a poor economy have really hit home. Thankfully, I have a job, where as so many people are being laid off. Or instead of being laid off, people are excepting jobs that they are way more qualified for, taking pay cuts and basically leading miserable lives just to pay the bills. When you are young, you fantasize about your dream job; being writer, a teacher, or a fashion designer. You go to school, get the degree, and fill your head with hopes and dreams, and the next thing you know your making 10 dollars an hour filing paper work and getting coffee. Sure, they might offer benefits but at the cost of 200 dollars a pay check. Not much of an incentive. so what are you to do when you've graduated full of debt and responsibility--and no job to back it up? They say life is short. They say live life to the fullest. But can we really do that when we are forced to take mediocre jobs for insignificant pay. Yes I'm sure many believe that money cant buy happiness, but the lack there of certainly contributes to unhappiness. I don't think anyone will be to pleased if they can't pay their bills or afford to buy gifts for holidays or even enjoy the occasional glass of wine and a nearby cocktail bar. I'm also sure it makes people very unhappy that they can't take their boat up north because of gas prices. People simply are not traveling or shopping. I walked in a retail store the other day and picked up a sweater. A year or so ago, a sweater from this particular store ranged from 70 to 90 dollars. The current price tag however read 150 dollars. It was shocking! I wanted to contact their headquarters right then and say Hello do you realize we are in a recession.

The bottom line and the reason for this mundane statement is that something needs to change. But how can we do that. The answer is circulation. But we can't have circulation if people are not spending money. And people can spend money right now cause they simply just don't have it. It is a viscous cycle that we've not yet figured out how to break. But I hope we do very soon for everyone's sake.