roundcorners_IHB
New member
There was this saying I heard from a few practices at the beginning of the year. If you can survive 2009 you can survive anything! The statement is turning out to be more true than not.
I have been a bit quiet lately these past few weeks; I?m still just reeling and processing the seemingly endless turmoil that is raging in and all around us since July.
If it is darkest before dawn; then I?ll make a strong argument that this summer has been the darkest season of the recession. People might have been able to handle the stresses and pressures of the recession up until now, but families we know are starting to break. Some economists think that we are closer to the end than the beginning of the down turn but for some families it won?t be soon enough.
I apologize for starting such a heavy topic but that is exactly where my heart has been. I would come home almost everyday with some form of bad news; and I been finding myself zoning out on conversations, walks and care-taking, heavily weigh down in solemn reverie.
Most of the conversations I have with other dad and guys lately go something like this. They ask me; so um, how is business? I say, slow, just waiting around; trying to hustle when I?m not with the baby. I ask; what are you going to do now? They respond, I don?t know, back to square one! I guess I?m really open to anything? The conversation gets quickly switched back to the kids, or there is an awkward silence or we try to join the wives conversation. The atmosphere of confusion, disorganization is so thick that you can cut it with a knife. This economy is really hitting the guys hard; many head are still spinning after being cut.
I don?t want to just share stories, bitch and complain how bad things are but I really want to see the goodness, hope and inspiration of the anguishing stories I hear of the recession. Many are trying to be positive, many are as confused as ever, and you can just feel that many have just given up as their motivation, industry and career has permanently disappeared.
Below are just some of the stories that I?ve heard lately. Some are economically, some are medically related; but the thread that connect all of them is that people including myself are searching; searching for that greater meaning in the events that are happening, searching for direction and purpose.
My wife?s acquaintance died of a rare tumor at 39.
Close friend is having trouble at her work due to staff lay-offs; she is 43, single and stuck at a dead-end job that is utilizing none of her giftings. The rest of her family in Detroit is also struggling due to the auto industry. She doesn?t feel at home here or there; in her words she feels ?homeless?. She was in tears crying to my wife last night.
A good friend of the person mention above (an acquaintance of ours) just had a double mastectomy this past weekend. Her breast cancer came back and spread to her other breast.
Close friends, husband has been laid-off since May, the might lose their condo. The wives is completely stressed out, the parents are also dumping the responsibilities of short-selling two properties on her.
Pastor of our north OC multi-site had an affair. He immediately confessed to the church and resign.
Another Pastor of another site had an accident that fractured his skill and arm in a motorcycle accident.
Neighbor?s husband came home drunk last (Sunday) night; they argue and shouted loudly in the hallways around 11:30. I wrote before how the police came before to their unit; IPD came again looking for him but he must have fled on foot. They have a four month old.
The mother of our other neighbor with a three month old will be going back to work next week and is dreading it. The husband has been out of work since the baby was born.
A doctor (my client) had her practice ripped off; her staff stole almost $50,000 dollars and now can?t pay our company.
Friend graduated this past spring can?t find work anywhere.
Friend lost his job just under a year there, right from grad-school. They have a four month old along with a three year old. The wife now has to work full time and she doesn't want to.
Cousin lost his job in June has completely lost his direction and motivation in his career. Spoke to him on Sunday, is thinking of going into stocks and securities; I consider myself a novice with the market and I can tell he doesn?t know the first thing about stocks.
Good friends from church were laid-off; this was the third round of cuts.
My car just died today (Monday) I?m waiting for the tow truck as I?m writing.
I have over $150,000 outstanding in A/R, most of which I will be taking to collections or small claims court. I will lose about 15% of my accounts.
I have been a bit quiet lately these past few weeks; I?m still just reeling and processing the seemingly endless turmoil that is raging in and all around us since July.
If it is darkest before dawn; then I?ll make a strong argument that this summer has been the darkest season of the recession. People might have been able to handle the stresses and pressures of the recession up until now, but families we know are starting to break. Some economists think that we are closer to the end than the beginning of the down turn but for some families it won?t be soon enough.
I apologize for starting such a heavy topic but that is exactly where my heart has been. I would come home almost everyday with some form of bad news; and I been finding myself zoning out on conversations, walks and care-taking, heavily weigh down in solemn reverie.
Most of the conversations I have with other dad and guys lately go something like this. They ask me; so um, how is business? I say, slow, just waiting around; trying to hustle when I?m not with the baby. I ask; what are you going to do now? They respond, I don?t know, back to square one! I guess I?m really open to anything? The conversation gets quickly switched back to the kids, or there is an awkward silence or we try to join the wives conversation. The atmosphere of confusion, disorganization is so thick that you can cut it with a knife. This economy is really hitting the guys hard; many head are still spinning after being cut.
I don?t want to just share stories, bitch and complain how bad things are but I really want to see the goodness, hope and inspiration of the anguishing stories I hear of the recession. Many are trying to be positive, many are as confused as ever, and you can just feel that many have just given up as their motivation, industry and career has permanently disappeared.
Below are just some of the stories that I?ve heard lately. Some are economically, some are medically related; but the thread that connect all of them is that people including myself are searching; searching for that greater meaning in the events that are happening, searching for direction and purpose.
My wife?s acquaintance died of a rare tumor at 39.
Close friend is having trouble at her work due to staff lay-offs; she is 43, single and stuck at a dead-end job that is utilizing none of her giftings. The rest of her family in Detroit is also struggling due to the auto industry. She doesn?t feel at home here or there; in her words she feels ?homeless?. She was in tears crying to my wife last night.
A good friend of the person mention above (an acquaintance of ours) just had a double mastectomy this past weekend. Her breast cancer came back and spread to her other breast.
Close friends, husband has been laid-off since May, the might lose their condo. The wives is completely stressed out, the parents are also dumping the responsibilities of short-selling two properties on her.
Pastor of our north OC multi-site had an affair. He immediately confessed to the church and resign.
Another Pastor of another site had an accident that fractured his skill and arm in a motorcycle accident.
Neighbor?s husband came home drunk last (Sunday) night; they argue and shouted loudly in the hallways around 11:30. I wrote before how the police came before to their unit; IPD came again looking for him but he must have fled on foot. They have a four month old.
The mother of our other neighbor with a three month old will be going back to work next week and is dreading it. The husband has been out of work since the baby was born.
A doctor (my client) had her practice ripped off; her staff stole almost $50,000 dollars and now can?t pay our company.
Friend graduated this past spring can?t find work anywhere.
Friend lost his job just under a year there, right from grad-school. They have a four month old along with a three year old. The wife now has to work full time and she doesn't want to.
Cousin lost his job in June has completely lost his direction and motivation in his career. Spoke to him on Sunday, is thinking of going into stocks and securities; I consider myself a novice with the market and I can tell he doesn?t know the first thing about stocks.
Good friends from church were laid-off; this was the third round of cuts.
My car just died today (Monday) I?m waiting for the tow truck as I?m writing.
I have over $150,000 outstanding in A/R, most of which I will be taking to collections or small claims court. I will lose about 15% of my accounts.
