Monday, June 09, 2008
SHOCK - A 5 Letter Word
Yesterday someone told me they quit their job. I looked a tad perplexed and asked them why.. They stated after paying for gas for their midsized vehicle that they come home with $150.00 a month and can no longer afford to go to work. Instead, they are going to garage sale from their home until they can figure out what to do. I asked where they got their inventory.. They stated they are having to sell their personal belongings in order to pull through this until a minimum wage job at home could be secured. Gas is now $4.00 per gallon and no end in sight for it to either go down or stop surging.For myself, I finally gave in and traded my utility trailer for a motorcycle that was not all that new, but will do what I need it to do FOR NOW. But how long will it be before I can no longer afford to ride the motorcycle? Someone told me I am going to get myself killed, and my answer was.. At least that is a lot quicker than starving to death or burning up in the heat in my home.
Yet another online friend wrote a blog entry called Empty Wallet. She stated at the rate it is going with the 20% increase at the grocery stores created by the fuel prices, she will be a homeless senior person in less than three years.
For myself I had put my electric bill on an average of $94.00 per month.. This lasted two months when they raised the average to $128.00 per month. So where does that stop? How much longer will I be able to hold out. Well I suppose I can keep selling things at the flea market, but how long will it be before there will be no buyers there? Afterall, this takes money and gas.. People cannot afford to go..
One solution I have come up with for my senior friends and those with disabilities is I have acreage and perhaps if they were to get travel trailers they could pay me a moderate amount to live here. It is a thought, but the problem will be septic tanks for each of them. Or perhaps portable buildings we finish off into living quarters. It is a better option than the streets and I am more than willing to concider this for the right people. Perhaps communal living from the late 60's and early 70's will have to become a part of the baby boomers lives. It is clear the government is not going to be there for us..
At first I wanted to blame Bush for the gas crisis and that he was over inflating them. Perhaps this is not the case, but it is Middle East warfare and will do more harm than bombing America. Perhaps this is unorthodoxed sanctions against the United States for the role we have played in the Middle East and defying the wishes of the United Nations. I am not certain and these are only speculations, but the current regime certainly did not win world friends or support, but I do think they influenced people and not in a positive way.
What I do know is we are in trouble. I have no answers for myself other than to shave back, and shave back I have. I have cut out cable TV, I have cut the cell phones to bare minimum and may have to concider dropping them altogether. I have placed myself at risk by buying a motorcycle, but the options far outweigh the risks.
I am sad because we no longer live in the America we once knew. Service jobs that older Americans can do have been given to India and other once Third World Nations.. Manufacturing now belongs to China and the influx of products is shotty at best. We were once the leading nation and while I cannot be certain, China is now the leading nation. They will enjoy all we once took for granted.
The middle class in this nation will now become the poor and the poor will now become the throw-aways. What will happen from here? I do know the older single folks or the disabled must ban together and start buying acreage that is non-zoned so we can collectively pull through this. It seems like the only logical answer. This is where we are all going to have to learn to get along.
I know of folks who once lived in upscale homes now living in old travel trailers. How sad is that? Collectively, perhaps we can increase hope for those who are going through what we are.
Well heres to mobility.. At least for now
4 comments:
Well, I think you are absolutely right - we are going to have to ban together to survive. After Russia's war with Afghanistan - it broke their country and an underground economy arose.....along with the bread lines. I have noticed things getting scarcer in the grocery stores too - slowly, subtly, but surely our choices are diminishing.
My gardening project is pretty successful on a very small scale. But hey, I got tomatoes that aren't killing us! For a while anyway.
Our America, even with all its faults, is gone.
Oil prices - greed, purely greed. The profits are off the records.
You have a great idea - if the water and sewer problem could be solved - there are alternatives to electricity -this might even leave a few left over dollars for electricity - and if there could be a huge communal garden...and despite the heat - this climate offers year around growing...
That communal garden is a grand idea.
You are right. Our America is not what we once knew. It never will be.
I have also been considering corn. LOL If you cannot beat them, join them.
But I do think communal living is the way this is going to have to go for many. Especially seniors.
The government is also going to have to loosen up on their codes and ordinances if they don't want the streets covered with homeless from formerly middle class backgrounds and down.
And I am a bit sick of us sending money overseas for other countries to eat whe so many Americans are not eating properly.
I love your Honda!
I know...it's a shallow comment to your serious post, but it's the week-end so my brain is on holiday.
Hi Milla,
Thanks for the compliment on the old girl!! i.e. The Honda.. If you knew my love for bikes, you would not worry about that being a shallow comment!! And you know... Sometimes Light and airy is more!!
Hope you enjoy your weekend. :-)