Is it the economy ?

[allaboutmary]

Does anyone else feel this way.......just not alot of joy in life.  I never wanted to consider myself a materialistic person. I hate the thought that it takes money to have fun or enjoy life, but since the economy took a **** here two years ago life has stopped being fun. My friends and I don't get together for our weekend bbq's. The saturday's of shopping with one of my girlfriends are gone.  I still talk to them on the phone, but it's usually about things like.......hotdogs are buy one get one at Walmart and how their behind on paying their bills.

I constantly remind myself that we are some of the lucky ones,we still have our homes.  I so miss the days my friends and I would get together and just sit around, have a few drinks and laugh. The few times we have gotten together the conversation is so depressing.
Is it just me ? or is anyone else feeling this way ?

[Savas]

The problem with the welfare system is it doesn't really help. It's really designed so once you get ON welfare or any of the connected programs...well, its like a slow bleeding to death.
It's enough to sustain you at a barely-living-but-slowly-slipping to homelessness and starvation level of life.

Plus these programs can become a full time occupation (trying to maintain your place in them).

All these stories about people getting rich off of welfare are really anomalies. It's like the story that's been circulating around NYC for decades about the "homeless" man who begs for money and takes home $500 dollars a day. Even if its true, it's NOT the norm.

The worst thing too is these programs actually punish you FOR finding work. Generally, most people on these programs if lucky, can (NYC for example) find a job where they are make 18-30 thousand a year if they're actually lucky enough to find work.

the end result is they lose access to these programs and find themselves in the position of having a job which doesn't pay a wage you can actually live on!!! Which means...they end up applying for these programs again after thet've lost their jobs due too eviction, etc...

Is it any wonder these programs are unable to produce the results they're supposed too; providing temporary support to individuals and families in need of temporary assistance until their situation improves?

[flmagi]

VicUser,    LMAO,  I'm gonna agree with you about the welfare system. Can you beleive I'm agreeing with you?
The welfare system is a necessity, but needs some serious re-vamping. I have known way to many people that abuse the $hit out of it....not just abuse it, but receive it by lying. Those that continue to spit out children to get more money, those that hide their income, don't file taxes...the list goes on and it makes me furious. Mean while the poor elderly are scrimping on food so they can by their meds, people that need some medical attention must do without and again the list goes on.
But someone will always find a way to abuse these good programs. And I do feel the country needs some kind of health care system. Until then, I'm off to the ER to have a check up...lol (kinda).

[VicUser]

The more social programs that are gov’t run the more control the gov’t has. That is one of my major complaints about the current welfare system, it is designed to make it easy to get on and hard to get back on your feet. I think that if we had gov’t run health care it would be the same. I doubt if the quality would be as good and the cost any cheaper. Look at the number of people that use the ER as a Dr’s office because it’s “free”. For those of us that have to pay a big co-pay it discourages us from using it unless it is an emergency.

[allaboutmary]

I think you hit the nail on the head.....a feeling of hopelessness.

LOL  ( I always spell intellegent wrong) probably just did it again. lol

[Savas]

I'd say its partly the economy, but a large part of it is a general atmosphere of fear and hopelessness. During the 60's and early 70's people upset with government policy would take action, protest, and galvanize the others. It was probably a good feeling, to know you could make a difference.

Of course, the nation was riding the tag end of a period of economic prosperity. Those people could afford to protest BECAUSE of the prosperity of the previous generation.

Now...could you imagine deciding to take a day off from work to go down to a protest on some issue? The first thing that comes to a person's mind nowadays is;

"I'd like to...but i can't afford to lose my job/don't have the money to take time off. And it won't make a difference anyway."

Our government learned a great deal from the 60's about how to deal with protesters to make them essentially ineffectual. frankly, it's in our governments best interest to keep us hopeless and poor and poorly educated. After all, that's the perfect equation for an easily controlled population.

People aren't totally stupid...they can sense/ see whats being done to them. Is it any wonder they've given up?

(funny thing, I just mispelled "educated". :) )

[flmagi]

VicUser,
You're very lucky. I really hope all things continue to go well for you and those around you. And I'm not being sarcastic, lol. I wouldn't wish these problems on anyone. It's really hard to have your life and watch other peoples lives go down the drain. I remember watching Mary's neighbors leaving their home, it was sooo sad. They had been there for years and always took such pride in their home. Then cancer, forclosure and boom, their lives distroyed. Their faces looked so empty and lost as they packed up the truck. You could read the mans face, what he was thinking.......I did everything I could and I've failed my family.  
This is happening all over the place. So sad.

[allaboutmary]

Sounds like your area hasn't been hit as hard as it has down here.   Oh those were the days. lol

[VicUser]

We still leave our house unlocked a lot and the keys in the car. Not that we don't have crime, but it isn't a major issue and we all watchout for each other around here.

[allaboutmary]

Thank you. I guess I need to get back to taking my long walks in the morning. Maybe that will get some endorphines going, and it's free ! lol  Guess I just woke up a little sad today.  Take care of you and thanks again.

[lovepat906]

These are tough times aamary- we all need to keep our chins up and find a way to enjoy life. Taking a long walk with a friend, having a pot luck once a month, having a cards/games night... put you and your friends heads together and come up with some no cost fun. Support each other.
I too am not " better off". My kids- young adults are struggling- both have great educations but good jobs are not available. My small hard earned retirement nest egg is in  grave jeopardy- and so on.
One of the things I do daily is count my blessings- play the " Glad Game" - for those out there who remeber Pollyanna. That helps me a bunch. In the meantime- hang in there. You are not alone. lovepat

[allaboutmary]

My husband and I choose our house in most part because of the neihborhood. The women we bought it from actually had to have a locksmith come and make keys because she hadn't locked the doors in 11 yrs.  It was such a nice feeling gathering in the street talking to neighbors while we walked our dogs.  We took care of each other. Feed the fish when they were on vacation. If they made a big pot of soup we were sure to get some. My husband would mow their lawns if they weren't feeling well.

I am now surrounded by 5 vacant houses. One neighbors wife had breast cancer (she survived !) but the medical bills etc. caused them to go into forclosure. A few moved out of state when things started getting bad. It's like a ghost town here now.

Sorry everyone I probably should have put this in my journal.  
They used to call me Bubbles now I'm Debbie Downer. lol