08-12-2005

Since I have a website, I might as well use it. My original thoughts had to do with looking professional and putting things like a resume up, that I could link people to. I was going to use it for things such as hosting pictures as well, but the pictures were going to be seperate, not really part of the site. Instead, for now, I'm just going to use it to babble.

Topic the first -

While not an economist, I am becoming convinced that a new "Great Depression" is on the near horizon. It's not something I can firmly quantify. Several things jumble together in my mind to grant the conviction. One item, is that the cost of the so-called "American Dream" has risen quite out of proportion with the average pay. I am convinced that I have one of the better jobs available to me, and I work hard...yet, even when I go full time with the US Postal Service, the ability to fund things like a home and car at the same time will probably require both a second job and quite strictly budgeting my income.

Second, and obvious to all, is the price of gas. As it rises, and I begin regularly seeing it past the $2.50 mark, I can't help but notice simultaneously that my expenses rise as my income decreases. I deliver pizza at night, and while I am far from able to prove a correlation, it feels like tips drop as gas prices rise. I understand that people must reduce outgoing expenses as they can, but tipping less is like adding insult to injury - the price of gas certainly hits me harder than it does most of them.

Whether the future will prove my theory or only make me seem a pessimist, we'll have to wait and see.