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This Week in Elitism: Recession Resolution? Or Bring on the Fun!?

My personal economy is in a downturn. It's reached the point of recession, but hasn't yet approached the great depression of 2003 (my literal salad-and-only-salad days). Thanks to some financial backers, I got a generous bailout, so my spirits are somewhat lifted... but I'm still wary. I've decided to develop a "Recession Resolution" and make this a new year in my financial life. And so, I solemnly swear to myself that I will only shop for groceries at Rainbow, I won't venture near the tempting shelves of Urban Outfitters, and I will go on no more incredibly fun road trips in the near future (even though they're more manageable now, with gas prices falling).

That being said, I'm not alone in changing my spending habits. The New York Times reported today (in an op-ed article by this year's Noble-Prize-Winning Economist Paul Krugman), that consumer spending is dropping for the first time since the 1980's. Makes sense when you have no money. However, sources at NPR tell me- over my radio yesterday morning- that spending is up in one area dear to The Blogulator's heart:

FUN!!

That's right, when depression hits, people turn to pop culture for a bit of sweet relief. Movies ticket sales, television show ratings, CD sales, et al. are all on the rise! But that's not all. This week, and today in particular, you will see consumers walking the streets wearing what amounts to a month's savings. Halloween costume sales are rising fastest of all.

People want escapism and what better way than to disguise yourself as someone who still has a 401K and a house? I'll be a 60's housewife, back in a time when most women didn't have to worry about getting and keeping a job (or a second or third) to support their families. All they had to worry about was staying thin, cooking a mean pot roast, and having a dirty martini ready for their husbands when they got home from work. Ahh, the good old days:)

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This entry was posted by Nicole, on Friday, October 31, 2008. You can leave your response.

  1. Blogger Sean | 1:05 PM |  

    dirty martini?!?

    how about regular martini?

    dirty=gross

  2. Blogger Nicole Arratia-Walters | 7:42 AM |  

    I think a dirty martini is just vermouth-free...but I really have no idea;)

  3. Blogger Sean | 9:40 AM |  

    oh heaven's no. a dirty martini is more watered down. they have all the regular martini stuff plus they add olive juice to it so it's a cloudy color and it's gross.

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