Is the recession making you depressed? Cranky?

AGDee · #1 12-05-2008, 06:25 AM

I'm seeing it a lot, but just about everybody I know has at least one bread earner working for one of the auto companies or a supplier and they are all feeling it. It's the talk of the day, every day, everywhere you go. It absolutely doesn't help that we're approaching the shortest day of the year and it's been really cloudy so we haven't seen much of the sun. That does affect people.

I'm cranky because my car has been in shops for over two weeks now, I'm paying for a rental in the meantime which is eating up my Christmas budget quickly. I have an appointment to test drive my Saturn Vue tomorrow though

Munchkin03 · #2 12-05-2008, 09:11 AM

I'm tired of talking about the recession/economy. I haven't personally been affected, my company hasn't been doing much in the way of layoffs, and my parents aren't impacted negatively (yes, people can be impacted positively by this sort of thing). I have a few friends who did get laid off, but they got pretty sweet severance packages and they aren't really looking for a job now.

I feel like the media drives things almost to the point of hysteria about this, and I'm so tired of it.

ISUKappa · #3 12-05-2008, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

I'm tired of talking about the recession/economy. I haven't personally been affected, my company hasn't been doing much in the way of layoffs, and my parents aren't impacted negatively (yes, people can be impacted positively by this sort of thing). I have a few friends who did get laid off, but they got pretty sweet severance packages and they aren't really looking for a job now.

I feel like the media drives things almost to the point of hysteria about this, and I'm so tired of it.

This is pretty much us, too, only no one we know has been laid off. We're watching our budget more closely, sure, but that's due more to the addition of another kid rather than the economy.

SWTXBelle · #4 12-05-2008, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

I'm tired of talking about the recession/economy. I haven't personally been affected, my company hasn't been doing much in the way of layoffs, and my parents aren't impacted negatively (yes, people can be impacted positively by this sort of thing). I have a few friends who did get laid off, but they got pretty sweet severance packages and they aren't really looking for a job now.

I feel like the media drives things almost to the point of hysteria about this, and I'm so tired of it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ISUKappa

This is pretty much us, too, only no one we know has been laid off. We're watching our budget more closely, sure, but that's due more to the addition of another kid rather than the economy.

It will be interesting to check back in 6 months and see if this is still the case for y'all. I sincerely hope that we are ALL doing great 6 months from now, and we can look back at this and LAUGH . . .

KSigkid · #5 12-05-2008, 11:01 AM

Not really; luckily my wife and I haven't been hit hard by it at our workplaces. I will say that the atmosphere around the law school is definitely more depressed than usual. A lot of law firms, of all sizes (from the large top tier firms to the smaller firms) have been cutting summer associate/first year associate staffing levels, so there are people who thought they had a job offer and had it pulled. So, there are a lot more 3rd years (and 4th year evening students) looking for jobs around this time of year. Usually, most people know what they're doing by October or so.

ETA: To be honest, I'm a little concerned, so I've started staying later at work and taking on more work, essentially to make myself more "valuable" to the company. It gets a bit busy with law school on top of the 50-60 hour work weeks, but if anything comes down the line I don't want to be at the top of the firing list.

SWTXBelle · #6 12-05-2008, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

I'm tired of talking about the recession/economy. I haven't personally been affected, my company hasn't been doing much in the way of layoffs, and my parents aren't impacted negatively (yes, people can be impacted positively by this sort of thing). I have a few friends who did get laid off, but they got pretty sweet severance packages and they aren't really looking for a job now.

I feel like the media drives things almost to the point of hysteria about this, and I'm so tired of it.

I wish I could believe that it is all media hype - but in my case I know it is all too true. I have been personally affected, my friends and family have received no sweet severance packages, and the job hunt continues for me and many others. Count your blessings, Munchkin.

Munchkin03 · #7 12-05-2008, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

I wish I could believe that it is all media hype - but in my case I know it is all too true. I have been personally affected, my friends and family have received no sweet severance packages, and the job hunt continues for me and many others. Count your blessings, Munchkin.

Apparently the recession IS making you cranky. Where did you see that I wasn't counting my blessings? I've lost 40% of my retirement savings. Good thing I don't retire for another 35 years, and I'm still on track to have over a million upon retirement!

I don't doubt that we're in a recession--everyone with the HOTT severance packages would still have jobs if the economy was good, remember? I do wonder how much the media hypes it up and makes the average Joe freak out a little too much.

Jaysis, woman. Stand down!

SWTXBelle · #8 12-05-2008, 12:25 PM

Don't over-react. I'm truly happy for those who are not affected. I wish I were one of your number. Perhaps I misunderstood your original post, but my take on it was you are tired of hearing about the recession, it has not really affected you or those you know, and you think it is media hype. Is that fair, or did I miss something subtle? It wasn't meant to be a snarky "Count your blessings" . . . it was a sincere "Boy howdy are you lucky".

If you are truly tired of talking about it, though, I do wonder why you even came to this thread. I began the thread because I did honestly wonder if it is just me, or if others are cranky, or depressed, or whatever. When you are dealing with your own personal crisis it is sometimes hard to gauge where your personal take on it ends and the overall reality begins. Yes, the media can overhype things - but sometimes there is some truth to the coverage, also.

eta - I guess you could say that it is affecting everyone's mood - some by their being affected by it, some by having to deal with the unrelenting media hype.

Munchkin03 · #9 12-05-2008, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

If you are truly tired of talking about it, though, I do wonder why you even came to this thread.

Because I can.

I wondered if some of the crankiness related to the economy was people just being cranky about hearing it. Like how a lot of people got election overload, recession overload can happen too.

I know I'm probably less tired of hearing about it because I'm not that affected...if I were, then I'd hate even hearing about it. I just wonder if a lot of the stuff the media talks about is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Think about how things get after a hurricane: everyone talks about how there won't be any gas. Everyone gets hysterical about gas, and then there's no gas! If the news folks didn't talk about the imminent gas shortages, there might not be any.

SWTXBelle · #10 12-05-2008, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

Because I can. .

Well, of course you CAN - but my point is that coming on a thread talking about the recession and saying that you are tired of talking about the recession seems to indicate that you must not be tired of talking about it. Or why talk about it? Or read about it? Or subject yourself to others doing just that?

My fear - not media-driven - is simply that this is just the beginning. I know that here in Houston our economy has been sheltered from some of the effects of the recession by the energy industry. With gas prices dipping so low - which is a real relief for most of the country - our oil and gas industries will have to make cuts. That means our housing market, which has suffered but not as badly as other places - will start to feel it. All those unemployed energy employees won't be able to spend money and the effects will trickle down to every other business here in town.