Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Virtual Book Club Seeks New Members
The long defunct Virtual Book Club seeks new members and a second life. For anyone who likes to read, this is an ideal way to meet new people and discover books one might not otherwise encounter. Anyone interested can leave a comment here. Thanks.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Reflections...What Would You Change?
Someone asked me recently whether there was anything about my life that I would change. Short of a snappy comeback meant to intrigue, this is not a question I can answer easily or adequately in two minutes or less.
Regular readers to this blog know that the last couple of years have been life-altering. I have had to adapt to living the larger portion of my life from a chair. Number one on my list would be stronger enforcement of access and accessibility standards in public places. Number two would be better transportation options for persons with disabilities. We do have a paratransit service here, but some cities actually run the service 24/7, making it easier for those who can to work or take part in community life. I would point out that a job or regular participation in one's community are not luxuries. These are vital economic and psychological functions.
On a more personal note, I've seen more friends loose jobs to downsizing. The crash of housing markets which were once highly inflated have left people "upside down" as they pay more in mortgage balances than these properties are worth while others can barely keep the rent covered. Admittedly, this is not my maternal grandparents' Depression, but a malaise that appears farther reaching with consequences many are apparently at a loss to understand.
I am not optimistic that things will somehow shift, returning us to more affluent circumstances. I do, however, believe that all of us had better learn to live within current limits because it does not appear that those limitations, from clueless self serving politicians to corporate bosses and bean counters, are not going anywhere.
What this means in practical terms to me is a lot of "no," as in no television, no cable bill, no car or car insurance, no far-flung holidays or travel, no high priced entertainment, no clothing budget, no job, no big phone bills, no expensive flat renovations to make my small piece of home more wheelchair friendly.
I am fortunate that the little suburban box I inhabit is paid off, though the monthly maintenance fees continue to climb. While I am not elderly, I now must live on a fixed income and worry about the future of Social Security. This isn't the life I aspired to, nor is it one most highly educated professionals, a group which includes me and most of those with whom I associate, would find themselves living but for factors largely beyond our control.
That said, there are still many things for which I am grateful: Educating myself by reading every book on personal finance for women in my local library, finding the right people when a particular problem needs seeing to, hearing from my congress person, my cats, friends and friends of friends, cookbooks since I eat in more often than out, bloggers from around the globe, and strangers on the bus who pass along tidbits of information about community events or resources, the drivers who get me where I need to go and my favourite cabby as well as librarian friends and colleagues. These I would not change for all the money on the planet.
Until Next Time...
Regular readers to this blog know that the last couple of years have been life-altering. I have had to adapt to living the larger portion of my life from a chair. Number one on my list would be stronger enforcement of access and accessibility standards in public places. Number two would be better transportation options for persons with disabilities. We do have a paratransit service here, but some cities actually run the service 24/7, making it easier for those who can to work or take part in community life. I would point out that a job or regular participation in one's community are not luxuries. These are vital economic and psychological functions.
On a more personal note, I've seen more friends loose jobs to downsizing. The crash of housing markets which were once highly inflated have left people "upside down" as they pay more in mortgage balances than these properties are worth while others can barely keep the rent covered. Admittedly, this is not my maternal grandparents' Depression, but a malaise that appears farther reaching with consequences many are apparently at a loss to understand.
I am not optimistic that things will somehow shift, returning us to more affluent circumstances. I do, however, believe that all of us had better learn to live within current limits because it does not appear that those limitations, from clueless self serving politicians to corporate bosses and bean counters, are not going anywhere.
What this means in practical terms to me is a lot of "no," as in no television, no cable bill, no car or car insurance, no far-flung holidays or travel, no high priced entertainment, no clothing budget, no job, no big phone bills, no expensive flat renovations to make my small piece of home more wheelchair friendly.
I am fortunate that the little suburban box I inhabit is paid off, though the monthly maintenance fees continue to climb. While I am not elderly, I now must live on a fixed income and worry about the future of Social Security. This isn't the life I aspired to, nor is it one most highly educated professionals, a group which includes me and most of those with whom I associate, would find themselves living but for factors largely beyond our control.
That said, there are still many things for which I am grateful: Educating myself by reading every book on personal finance for women in my local library, finding the right people when a particular problem needs seeing to, hearing from my congress person, my cats, friends and friends of friends, cookbooks since I eat in more often than out, bloggers from around the globe, and strangers on the bus who pass along tidbits of information about community events or resources, the drivers who get me where I need to go and my favourite cabby as well as librarian friends and colleagues. These I would not change for all the money on the planet.
Until Next Time...
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