I love the rain!

I ran about forty minutes in lite ran this morning; with my cap pulled down I can keep my glasses dry. I was dressed in moisture wicking fabric; there is nothing like it because you never feel wet! It's fifty-five degrees; a perfect running temperature!

Clothes made of cotton are my lease favorite to run in; because they get heavy and hang when they get wet. I stay dry feeling with the moist wicking fabric by Cortex and others.

Yesterday I rode for thirty miles around the city, looking for short cuts; sometimes my short cuts turned into long extended routes; especially when I get turned around. I got turned around twice yesterday and after a few miles discovered I was headed further away and in the wrong direction. I even had to pull my map out of my seat bag at one point. But, all in all it was very adventurous and wonderful. The weather was perfect; nearly seventy degrees and mostly sunny. I had a blast!

Yes, I was riding alone; I would like to ride with someone who is special to me; but that is not possible, so I was content to be my own company!

There is nothing like getting out there and riding like the wind and feeling the pull on all my muscles at once. It's great!

I guess I could ride in the rain, I have a fender and front and rear lights; maybe tomorrow I will. But, there might be one problem - slick tires on wet pavement! I only will ride my road bike so I guess I'll rethink that idea.

I'm having a great time enjoying my independence; there is only one person I would like to see occasionally and intimately; she knows who she is. I met her last spring. I don't know what happened? Either we saw too much of each other or we began to care too much. I know I was beginning to get comfortable and that is always a bad sign with me. My subconscous, I believe was trying to alert me but I ignore the premonition.

Is this ever going to be an interesting holiday season! Actually, I will be totally alone for the first time, in my life, I guess. I have not spoke or communicated in any way with my family since early May, I guess. And at that time I felt like a fish out of water. I could not tolerate being in the presence of my mother. Even last year for the holidays, I think I spent a total of one hour with them. They didn't like it when I got there late; I was at my neighbors house for a longer time then at my families.

I moved to another state at the end of June and didn't tell them. My nephew left a message one Sunday in July saying he needed to talk to someone; he wanted me to call him to talk. Trust me, I know my mother put him up to it! It's insulting how ingorant they must think I am. I really had to laugh! My mother thinks she has to use treatery to get people to do her bidding. It is totally amazing to me how manipulating, controling and self-serving she has always been. She has no compassion or concept of what another person may be thinking or feeling; it is only all about her; how, it all "effects" her. She only sees from "her" point of reference. It is totally amazing to me! I am so glad to be "out of there"!
My sister is worse! My sister got to know my neighbor at one point and they hung out for awhile. My neighbor would always ask about my present love and she was concerned. I knew I fell inappropriately this one time; I had no business letting this person know that I loved her. I know that. I was in pain, suffering and she knew it, she understood. Actually, she was quite wonderful in her handling of the situation. In my heart (not in action) I will always love her. Our heart and souls touched that day if only briefly. But, my neighbor was interested and cared about me. Then there was my sister - nothing - total silent - was her response. And that did it for me! I wonder if she knows that her son is gay? He never brings his partner to any family functions. Personally, I'm sick of the secrets and pretending like we are the same.

I think I have had it with my family, they never truly acknowledged or accepted my life style. It was ignored at best! I felt invisible!
Why are they more important than me; why must I sacrifice my happiness for theirs? Why am I expected to live a lie? I have had enough of the descreet and for who? Why should I sacrifice my life style, which I hide all my life until I was forty, for those people. They treated me as shit for years; so why did I sacrifice myself? For what? They are no better or no more important than I am! I kept quiet and sat in the background - no more!

I don't ever remember my mother hugging me, never; even when I was a toddler; I was told that I was too big! Kids were supposed to be seen and not heard and to serve the adults. No more!

Actually, I'm looking forward to it; I don't mind if I'm alone. Besides Christmas is on a weekend this year; it will just seems like any other weekend to me.

I just do not want my family thinking that they should try to contact me. I don't want to be contacted. Now, you may think I'm nuts or disturbed; let me tell you, for someone one raised Catholic and taught to honor and obey authority and your parents, this was a tough choice.

Actually, there was no choice involved. I can't stand to be in the same room with my mother. I have to flee, and that is how I truly feel when I was in the same room last Christmas and the spring before at a funeral. For some reason, I see them all from a different angle now; a different point of view.

On September 20th, 2004 when Teresa hugged me, she save my life. She doesn't know it, but she saved my life. It was after that day, I knew that I had to be true to myself and nobody else; that I did not owe anyone anything. I do not need to sacrifice my happiness for anyone. Too, bad it took three therapist to get me to believe that!

I strongly dislike and disagree with the teachings of the Catholic church. Their teachings and scriptures are so self-serving, so manipulative, and controlling - gee just like my mother. She didn't love me either, only wanted to use me to serve her purposes!

My only fear is that, they will try to contact me. I already know that I will not response. Maybe I'm flattering myself; they probably have me written off already; in that case, I'm thrilled!

Just go away! I'm no good in relationships of any kind, I guess; after a couple of months I begin to subconsciously push and pull away. Too bad, we just can't come together on for occasion for intimacy!

I'm working on my writing skills; I realize that it doesn't appear so. Speaking of writing skills, I am reading a book for Oprah's book club and the author did not use quotes or commas. I think they'll publish anything. Appears that publishers are so much more relaxed now. Radio personalities are no better, I always notice incorrect language skills, like: "How long did he walk for?" instead of "How long did he walk?" or "Sherry and me" instead of "Sherry and I saw the same movie."

Well, it's time to walk my rottweiller and then throw another log on the fire and write another short story.

I'll write over the holidays, maybe about loveless families. Or how Hallmark and the Catholic church has guilted us!

Friends and Lovers

It seems as if I am blogging like crazy lately. I have this blog and one at http://360.yahoo.com/mzdzim. It's therapeutic I guess!

I was playing poker this evening with my friends; of which one is my ex-partner. It's sad, the feeling of attachment I have yet; sometimes it's like we never parted. I guess you get to know a lot about someone after being with them a long time. I still feel the same hurts and isolation but I would trust her with my life; in fact, she is still my health power of attorney.

Everyone should have a health power of attorney. If you ever need surgery, especially at a Catholic hospital, it's best to have someone there like that for you. Someone who will take you there and back and take care of you as you recover. I have done this for her and would do it again; and would do it for anyone I care about.

I don't want to do it for my family though; and, if anything happens to me, do not call them. Whatever you do, never call any of my family members.

You see, my ex is quite family orientated. When we were together, she always asked me: "Did you call your mother this week?" And of course I had not, because I can't stand my mother. So then out of guilt and feelings of duty, I felt that I should call, and ended up calling my mother. It was not until my mother worked her manipulating charms on my ex and she finally saw the light.

My friend I met several months ago understood about my family issues. I like the way she thinks; how she cares about people. I like her sense of independence; I think we were more alike that what we cared to admit.
We both pulled away! I miss her.

You know what it is? I think she made me feel needed and I liked it! She would dispute this; I know. She would say that I am so wrong!

Guilt!

I got this Catholic guilt thing going on; I hate it! There must be a pill for it? I know it will only get worse the closer it gets to Thanksgiving and the Holidays.

I haven't spoke to my family since Spring; and once more, I don't want to! God help me!

Maybe they'll just forget about me! When I was a kid, I would hide in the shadows of the stairs and wish I could just disappear. I didn't want to be there; but, I had no allies. I just had to wait it out until I was old enough to be a job and get out.

I wanted to cut the ties clean. I didn't want to hear: "After all we did for you!" I learned at a very young age not to ask for anything; not to owe them anything. I kept my promise to myself and never asked for favors or money. All I have achieved through life, I achieved on my own.

Actually, from a child, I was never encouraged to learn beyond my parents education, which wasn't high school. There were no words of encouragement or hugs.

Even as a young adult, there was sex, but there were no hugs. Sometimes for a long time where wasn't even any sex ( I played the straight life). I was shy, so that did help; but, I remember needing a hug so bad and my heart aching. One night in particular, I guess I met this guy and he hugged me good night standing next to my car. I needed that hug so bad; I felt it throughout my body. I had always thought men just thought of sex; I never believed them when they said they loved me. But, for some reason, that moment; that hug, has stuck with me all these years.

A moment like that happened about a year ago, this wonderful doctor sensed that I needed a hug. What made it better was that she came to me and hugged me for as long as I needed to be hugged. She was there for me! I miss her! I felt so loved! It was all the more special, because I loved her; but, she didn't know it. There was just something wonderful and compassionate about her . She had a loving heart and I thought about her a lot for a long time. I think her hug saved my life. It was that one special moment I waited for for a lifetime it seems.

Too bad, there aren't very many loving, compassionate and warm people in this world. Although early in the summer there was one. She wasn't into hugs; but, I loved loving her. My heart didn't ache when I loved her; it was very nice. She loved me as best she could; that person is gone now!

You wouldn't think that our childhood conditions us so for adulthood; and try as we may, it's very hard to get rid of those feelings. I try to be without feelings, but it is hard for me. I wish I wasn't a warm and compassionate person.

My father ignored me; except to scold. I remember being a toddler and coming to my mother's knees as she sat and reaching my arms up for a hug. "Your too big to hold!" It broke my heart! I felt very alone and I was alone most of the time; that is when the ache began.

When I was a child, we lived in isolation on a farm. I was my mother's helper. She was/is demanding, manipulating, controlling, and self-serving. She's old now, my family will be unforgiving of my abandonment. I don't care! I've given her fifty years; I can't do it any longer. I have tried to self analize my predicament. Do I detest my mother because I am becoming like her? God, I'd rather be dead. She is everything I"m not! I have tried very hard not to be like her. She complains all the time. So, you will never ever hear me complain. She was always needy. I tend to be very self-sufficent; in fact, to a fault. She was never loving or encouraging; I feel that I am.

They say we choose our body type and our parents for a reason; to condition us to fulfill our purposes in life. Recently, I have connected the dots and have seen where there were reasons I knew people in the past and that was to understand people I meet and love today.

Our bodies may die, but our souls live on from one life time to another. What we learn in one lifetime is subconsicouly taken with us to the next. Our spirt, soul and heart are one. We choose when we will be born and when we will die. We choose our body types, our intellect; our parents only contribute our DNA. Our personalities are a reflection of our soul. In the spirit world, age and gender or of no sufficence. To me this is good stuff and I can't wait to find out what the hell is going on with me. Maybe I'm learning for my next life. No matter, life is an adventure and I'm trying to learn all I can. I hope I achieve something worth while in this lifetime. If not. I look forward to dying and coming back again. Next time I'm going to be a doctor.

I should have been able to over-ride my parents negativity and lack of inspiration. I should have made more of myself no matter if I was encouraged or not. I'm sorry, I didn't. Next time, I'm choosing very loving and encouraging parents. I watch "Women Docs" on the Disovery Channel. All of them say, that one or more of their parents encouraged them to aspire to their dreams. One doctor said to her mother." I think I want to be a nurse." Her mother lovingly reponded. "Why not a doctor?" That's the kind of mother I' m having next time; and then, I'll be a mother like that too. My mother didn't inspire motherhood. I didn't want to be a cold mother like she was; I wouldn't do it to a kid. I didn't feel the love; I think you have to feel love in order to pass it on; to want to pass it on to a child. I would have been a good mother; but, I was too afraid I'd mess the kid up. So, therefore, there were no kids. I'm still trying to figure out why I allowed myself to be born; why as a spirit did I come to live in the human form?

I'm going to a seminar soon: "Creating the Life You Were Born to Live" I'm going to love this; it is something I am extremely interested in. It will cover: Examing my pre-birth "planning session" where I will review my past life and set intentions for this lifetime. I will learn to understand my soul choices for this life regarding body-type, intellect, personality and more. I will discover which childhood interests, talents, and events give clues to my purpose in life. I will explore "bardos" (life between life) where one makes arrangements to reconnect with others, and how I would recognize them. All this will help clarify my life's purpose and how it pretains to talents and soul gifts I have come to share.

Note: The two people I have recently loved: The doctor and then my summer love; well, I believe that as spirits we knew each other in past lives. That is why our hearts felt connected when we were together. And, that is why they both will live on in my heart. I look forward to more special loves in my life before I move on out of here. Personally, and in all honesty, I think life is very exciting. I have to remember not to let my environment run my life; but, instead to create my environment. In other words, don't just let life happen; make life happen!

Suggested reading: "Journey of Souls" by Michael Newton and "The life You were Born to Live" by Dan Millman.

Careful Now!

There just isn't a place in my heart for ill feelings; only a place for understanding! I hold no anomosity, only mixed feelings of some confusion, much warmth and a little pain. Even though I may not fully understand, I still care.I got your back and best interest at heart!

I try to look beyond the pain and the hurt that is buried deep within one's soul; that which depresses all capacity to love and trust yet lets stranger's in. Is pain a precursor of self-fullfilled prophecy? Pulling back and getting out is keeping one self safe from the known. Life is scary, so use your head.

Odd, how we trust Internet strangers. Are we sure they live where they say they live? They could live next door, across the state, several states away, or in their car! Anyone with a laptop can go to a coffee house or library and use the Internet connection there, and say they live just about anywhere! Who would be the wiser? They can be looking for a kind heart and a place to hang. They may want your shelter, your heart, your money; perhaps your ID! Be careful of what you make available! Even if nothing is taken it can still be borrowed. Be careful!

Great Weekend

I had a fabulous weekend! Thursday I walked with my good friends in the park. Friday I played poker with friends I've have known for a long time and my ex. My ex has a new girlfriend and is very happy! One day not long ago she thanked me for splitting up our relationship. I don't feel guilty anymore, now that I see she is happy! Maybe I did her a favor! Anyway, I am glad that we are still good friends; she is a good person.

Saturday morning, I helped some gals move, they hang out at the same coffee house I do, and I thought it would be nice to get to know them a little better. I made wonderful discoveries. One is a fabulous artist. I may just have to talk to her about painting a Southwest big picture for over my firplace. We'll have to talk! There was another girl there who is writing a book, I believe about social group and organization. She is already published so this won't be her first. How cool is that! They all had their specials talents and specialities. I think that is what makes people so interesting. All the gals were very welcoming! They are very nice and I am so glad that I offered to help.

I love doing things with a lot of different people and on Saturday evening, I accepted an invitiation and had dinner with Pat and his (and mine, now) friends. We all belong to the same walk/run group. Pat is a wonderful cajun cook; the pork tenderloin was excellent and the company superb!

Sunday afternoon I fortunate enough to get invited to a BBQ, so I drank a couple of beers, enjoyed good company, and ate the most delicious steak. We wrapped it up with a viewing of the L-Word. What a great group of gals I met this past summer. One was missing; however, I would have liked to have seen her!

I had a hearty appetite because I ran 10.66 miles this morning in one hour and 55 minutes. I know that is dreadfully slow; I always think that I can work in increasing my pace later, but later never comes. It felt good to run though, and I think that I actually got a runner's high for a change. It was beautiful cool day with low humidity and that is diffinitely a plus! I felt my right knee just a bit on the way back, but not too bad! I take every supplement I can find for connective tissue, cartilage and bone. It all seems to help! I am blessed with good health and I am grateful!

I'm very fortunate to know so many wonderful, educated and talented people! They all are very special and talented in their own way . Life just doesn't get any better than that!

Seasons of Change

It's late! I'm watching this crazy, but brilliant animated movie called: "The Triplets of Belleville". Of course, I had to watch it! I'm so glad I moved; timing is everything, and crime there is on the rise!

I watched the "triplets"; but recorded "Napoleon Dynamite" for my good friend. It seems not long ago, this past summer, we watched it together. It is one of her favorites; she is one of mine!

I think maybe that I'm beginning to learn things about myself; maybe a little too, about other people;how time with them should be treasured, how each moment should be celebrated and played, like a favorite movie, stored in our threatre of memories. Sometimes memories are all you have left; because like the seasons, some hearts change while some hearts remain, like tree roots that are grounded and growing.

The season of fall is here; and like fading love, the shorter days and cooler nights cause chlorophyll levels to drop and leaves transform into brilliant colors. So beautiful they yearn to be free! They are gone now and the tree, still left behind, feels not so lonely just bare and void of touch. Missing are soft caresses of warmed breezes while lying in wait of spring.

Clueless in D.C.

For some reason, we trust our leaders, or I have anyway, when I was very young and idealistic. Sad, to said, that in all actuality, they don't really have your best interest at heart; only their own pockets. For the first time in a long time, I am really beginning to worry about the changing workforce, off-shoring, out-sourcing and the effects these things on our economy.

I am reading two great books now and the information in one of them backs up and gives credence to the information in the other book. They are both great reads.

I haven't finished reading it, but what I have read so far is beginning to unnerve me; the book: "The World is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman. Well, between Microsoft and the ocean bottom optic cable which connects continents by allowing every country to transmit data between countries.It seems that the world will never be the same again. Because those two things, that combination, was the start of out-sourcing and off-shoring.

The software and optic fiber technology make it possible for all corporations all over the world to speak the same language and to be able to communicate easily enough so work can be done for anyone from anywhere.

Remember the Y2K scare? Well, it was very profitable for India. India had an extreme number of well trained IT techs willing to work for extremely low wages, compared to U.S. A. wages. And to work they went and fast so Y2K went as smooth as silk. The corporations realized they had a good thing going and began taking advantage of the high education and low wages and began off-shoring and out-sourcing.

Out-sourcing occurs when a corporation in the U.S.A. sends work overseas to a foreign country to have the work done for extremely low cost and then the produce is shipped back over there and other places to be sold. This is wonderful for the corporations; but people here in this country, the great U.S.A, are put out of work in the process.

Off-shoring occurs when a corporation, for example, in Camden, Ohio, moves its shop to Camden, China. In other words, the whole operation get moved overseas and again, workers here in this great country of the U.S.A. are out of a job.

Also what we have now, by doing this, is India and China, becoming much more independent economically. Corporations formerly located (although some are still here) in the U.S.A. find it more profitable and tax savvy to move the whole operation to India and China. So, now, what is happening is that their economy is prospering; so, what is happening to the U.S.A's economy. Oh, let me interject something here: Guess who holds the billions of dollars in loans? China! I wonder What would happen if they were to default on those loans?

Well, it seems all the good paying jobs are going aboard where highly skilled people are willing to work for very low wages. And the sad result of that is that (you must read "Nickel and Dimed" by Barbara Ehrenreich, to get the full picture) people in this country, the United State of American, are degressing into poverty.

According to Barbara Ehrenreich, some people are no more than two paychecks away from living out of their cars and here is why. Since, Bush has been in office the poverty rate has increased 17%. And social services are decreasing for the poor people of America. Let's face it! The rich, white males running our government are wealthy; they haven't a clue as to what is going on under their noses in this country. Most still blame the poor for being poor claiming that they just didn't try hard enough, or take advantage of education or opportunity. The fact is most of our leaders have never been poor so cannot relate and they have never lived and worked among the poor like Barbara Ehrenreich has.

It takes making $9.00 per hour for a family of four to be on the edge of poverty; $8.00 for a family of three. Well, according to Barbara Ehrenreich, she couldn't make it on her own making $7.00 per hour. She couldn't get the deposit together to get an apartment; because maid jobs and waitress jobs usually don't pay you for two weeks when you start them, so where are you going to live in the mean time?

She worked full time with co-workers who slept in cars and held down two jobs. Day care won't take a sick kid, so if a kid got sick and the mother had to stay at home she didn't get paid plus risked losing her job.

While working at cleaning houses, a fellow maid, had to "work through" a broken bone in her leg because she could not afford not to work. Many workers skipped meals and left at the end of the day dizzy from hunger and fatique.

Bush has said nothing about rising minimum wage; in fact, the mostly Republicans in office now are cutting social services and benefits, hitting the poor especially hard. So, what we have here is the government working with the corporations seeing that we lose our tax bases here by letting them do off-shoring and loses jobs here by out-sourcing. This , my friends, does not seem like a "government for the people, by the people." Something is terribly wrong with this picture, and it can only blow up in their faces one of these days, when our economy truly suffers and we have many poor and a few few that are rich in this country. In the past rising minimum wage was a bipartisan issue; now it is only a democratic issue, it seems, and we have a house and senate full of Republicans. Folks you are not going to get a rise anytime soon!

I recently read an article in the paper where 21,000 children do not have insurance in this state; because their parents are supposed to pay a premium now and I guess many cannot afford to. Well, the good state government has extended the due date; if the people didn't have the money before, where is it going to come from now, from a third job?

Another thing that surprises and worries me is the big spending that is going on here in this country. Oh don't get me wrong, it's great for the economy that houses are getting built; and old building converted to $600,000 condos. My question is? Where are the people who are going to be able to buy these places. Extreme creature techniques in financing now is being engaged to make these homes affordable to the upper middle class; but, I just wonder for how long. More people are growing deep in debt and live from paycheck to paycheck. If their job suddenly goes away; Well, I don't think they'll be making fun of poor people any longer; they'll be camped out right along with them in the park somewhere.

I used to turn a blind eye to the state of affairs concerning the government and the economy; but now I'm not the only one wondering and worrying what might happen next and how it might hit us.

Read the books, write your congressman and senators and vote. And don't let the government trick you into being so concerned about abortion, religion, gay marriage and moral rights; they are merely diverting your attention away from issues that are already effecting your lively-hood. Look at the big picture and get informed. Read! And listen to NPR for another point of view. It can't hurt; But, not taking the time to learn can hurt you.

I'm not even going to talk about Iraq; well only one thing. The democratic government that they are trying to establish there, will not give those people, any of the groups, control over the oil fields. Which reminds me of another good book to read: "American Dynasty" by Kevin Phillips. The library has these books available.

The latest book by Barbara Ehrenreich is "Bait and Switch". Its about where the jobs are going and things that just may effect your future.

Oh, and have a nice day! Concentrate on the things in life that are, you know, like the commerical: "priceless"! The best things in life are free!

Hail to the Kids

I was waiting for a red light on my bicycle, when a SUV coming from the right made a right turn in front of a string of four approximately ten year old boys on their small bicycles. They were a whole lane away from him and with his window lowered he began to yell obsenities at them. I mean using the F word and shouting! "What the F the matter with you, don't you see the red light". He yells! This man was all mess up, should they had crossed when it they had a "green" light?

"It says 'walk'!" One kid says looking at the man, but not getting angry himself. The man proceeded with his turn in front of them as they had all stopped by this time. As he went on, the kids proceeded again in single file. The third kid and the smallest used the F word himself in reply after the driver of the SUV was long gone (that would have been me as a kid). This is when I had to laugh! Hail to the kids; they were gentlemen throughout the ordeal; they were in the right and knew it and held fast!

Now, I dont' know what kind of morning the driver of the SUV had; but it couldn't have been a very good one. I think this guy was just looking for a place to put his anger; and the kids just happened along. It was plain to see, to me, that the kids were no where near him, he could have easily made the turn; or he could have been polite enough to let the four boys pass by in front of him.

The kids were good kids, not messing around, just crossing the interesection with using the "walk light". Hail to the kids because they realized that they are on an even playing field with adults; that adults at times can act more like kids than kids.

Nickel and Dimed in the USA

I just finished reading "Nickel and Dimed on (NOT) getting by in the America" by Barbara Ehrenreich. It is a rather depressing book but one that I think every middle class citizen should read; while you are still middle class!

It seems the poverty rate as risen 17% since G. W. Bush has been president. He has three more years. This is scary stuff! In the book the average wage was $7.00 an hour or less. These people had to work two jobs to get by. There was no way on earth that they could ever get ahead. There was not enough money being made that they could get put away for a rainy day, much less retirement.

The author, Barbara Ehrenreich, a journalist with a Ph.D. took the time to move about the country, alone with out children, to see if she could make a living on $7.00 per hour. She couldn't!

One of the things she ran into was employers usually hold back one week's pay; so how could she come up with the security deposit on an apartment? She had to pay week by week in a motel.

At one point she worked as a maid and a co-worker hurt her foot, actually, she broke a bone it appeared. It went untreated and the woman hobbled on it, still working every day. She had too, she could not avoid to take the time off without pay; her kids had to eat! There was no worker's compensation or any insurance for that matter provided by her employer. What was suggested was "work through it!" by him.

Besides spending long hard hours at work, many have no cars and must commute for a long ride, switching from train to bus, or from bus route transferring to another. It is very sad to read about these people knowing that they are stuck in their pedicament.

She stood for eleven hour shifts at Walmart with aching feet and her back hurting. She finally just gave up, because what money she had as a reserve (about $1200.) got used up

I can't imagine having to work two jobs just to make ends meet! "Only in America!" Clueless George proclaimed. What a shame he didn't have a clue what this mother was going through or even talking about!

So many of the good paying jobs are being out scourced to off shore companies where cheap labor can be had. Of course, corporation save money and claim that the product price stays lower; but, who will buy the cheaper product, here in this country, when people are being paid less than $7.00 per hour and spend all their available time working at two or more jobs to try to make ends meet.

It's a sad situation. There are some areas in the country where people working and still living below the poverty line (family of four living on $30,000) can get aid and food products.

It is such a sad sad situation;the youth of today better know that they must get well educated, and try to pick a profession, that you think can't be done by out-scourcing. Lots of luck! Today there are places where x-rays (your x-rays) are read overseas.

The middle class section of the population is becoming smaller and the poverty section is growing. The few rich are becoming more wealthy at lower class expenses.

Not on our goverment but more common middle class citizens are living more and more in debt. I think the average credit card debt per family is $10,000. or more. Not only this country's government, which is in high debt to China and Japan, but middle class people are living way beyond their means; and are barely making ends meet. Just how long can that last; just how long can things appear to be normal and people appear to be getting by before the truth comes out.

Recently I spoke with a realitor and a title company employee and they both said that they have stacks of "re-sales" on their desk waiting to be processed. In fact, they couldn't keep up with the work, so many people can't make the payments and they must sell their homes and either downgrade or move into an apartment.

We as Americans are reactive rather than proactive. We are a breed of "immediate gradificiation" seekers. We want it now! No one saves or plans for a rainy day. This all scares me about our economy; it looks good, but is it? When will we all fall on our "in denial" faces.