It could be the howling, screaming sounds of the home as the ferocious force tries to blow it down. It could be the cacophony of the wind chimes as they spin and tangle with the energy in motion...
Or it could be the sideways icicles.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
The wind...
Since our wind swept landscape provides no nutritional genesis for vegetation taller than grass, and since our grass is still dormant and tiny- how do we tell the wind is blowing?
It could be the howling, screaming sounds of the home as the ferocious force tries to blow it down. It could be the cacophony of the wind chimes as they spin and tangle with the energy in motion...
Or it could be the sideways icicles.
It could be the howling, screaming sounds of the home as the ferocious force tries to blow it down. It could be the cacophony of the wind chimes as they spin and tangle with the energy in motion...
Or it could be the sideways icicles.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Economic Hard Times for A Remote Western Town
Because of our remoteness, we do get the privileged of being insulated from the volatility of the world economic issues... but not for ever. Eventually, like fashion and ideology, economics impact us, too.
This morning's tearful call reminded me of this reality. Where jobs were once so plentiful, restaurants in town had difficulty finding help, and when they did- they paid top dollar. Today? Today, dozens of people apply for the single job at the gym. Out of work attorneys apply as warehouse managers. Times are frightening for us here, where heating costs are crippling in the winter, and commuting to other areas is nearly impossible.
My friend lost his job today and is leaving town. I doubt we'll see him again. He worked for a company that services the natural gas drilling industry, and with the falling gas and oil prices, many rigs are laying down. At nearly 60 years old, he's got a tough ordeal ahead of him and I wish him Godspeed on his search for employment.
While we typically don't dwell on the hard times, I do feel it necessary to mention how the current global financial situation is impacting all of us. We don't drive flashy cars here, but car care is expensive in an area where everything comes in from four or more hours away. Our homes aren't large or showy, but real estate has been higher than all but one area of our state. Tourist areas can be that way. Heating, repairs and maintenance are also much costlier compared to other areas, and food prices are very high.
So, while my husband now works four days a week out of state, four of my close friends are dealing with unemployment in their lives and my salary has just been cut by 10%, I know we will overcome this. We always do.
This morning's tearful call reminded me of this reality. Where jobs were once so plentiful, restaurants in town had difficulty finding help, and when they did- they paid top dollar. Today? Today, dozens of people apply for the single job at the gym. Out of work attorneys apply as warehouse managers. Times are frightening for us here, where heating costs are crippling in the winter, and commuting to other areas is nearly impossible.
My friend lost his job today and is leaving town. I doubt we'll see him again. He worked for a company that services the natural gas drilling industry, and with the falling gas and oil prices, many rigs are laying down. At nearly 60 years old, he's got a tough ordeal ahead of him and I wish him Godspeed on his search for employment.
While we typically don't dwell on the hard times, I do feel it necessary to mention how the current global financial situation is impacting all of us. We don't drive flashy cars here, but car care is expensive in an area where everything comes in from four or more hours away. Our homes aren't large or showy, but real estate has been higher than all but one area of our state. Tourist areas can be that way. Heating, repairs and maintenance are also much costlier compared to other areas, and food prices are very high.
So, while my husband now works four days a week out of state, four of my close friends are dealing with unemployment in their lives and my salary has just been cut by 10%, I know we will overcome this. We always do.
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