The economy finally does not feel an abstract notion

sonic1 · June-23rd-2008, 12:29 AM

hello old friends. Just a question. I am curious. Is anyone else having a totally shitty time this year economically? Generally I don't feel the bumps in the economy and all the talk feels very abstract. But my god, it sure doesn't now.

I swear if things don't improve I might have to whore myself in some back alley somewhere.

As a consequence I am looking to move out of Tucson, which has very little industry and is difficult to make a living in. I am thinking of Austin, DC, NY or if I get desperate, LA (which would be the easiest move since I already work there-I just don't want to move there).

Scott Dolan · June-23rd-2008, 01:29 AM

The economy certainly does suck right now. The cost of living seems to have doubled overnight. We've had to make adjustments just like everyone else has, but I wouldn't refer to our situation as "totally shitty".

Sorry to hear things are so bad for you and your family right now. I hope things take a turn for the better someday soon.

sonic1 · June-23rd-2008, 01:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Dolan

The economy certainly does suck right now. The cost of living seems to have doubled overnight. We've had to make adjustments just like everyone else has, but I wouldn't refer to our situation as "totally shitty".

Sorry to hear things are so bad for you and your family right now. I hope things take a turn for the better someday soon.

I don't have a guaranteed income because I get commission. I just changed jobs to work at a slightly busier (and closer to drive to) job. For years I worked at Miraval (as long as you all have known me, and more). I started a few weeks ago at Canyon Ranch. Same type of people basically. But in general this year I have seen a huge decline in business. I am handling it better than when it first started in the spring (I freaked out). Now it is more humorous to me.

cookie · June-23rd-2008, 03:12 AM

More solo work and less band work this summer. We're actually doing okay because I play and sing (bonafide BOGO bargain two-fer). If I didn't play (even as crappy as I think I play), we'd be screwed.

It does seem like things cost roughly twice as much now as they did in, say, January. Everything went insane at once. 'Bout the time I got my stimulus check. Hmmmmm........

Jimmy Cantiello · June-23rd-2008, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sonic1

I am thinking of Austin, DC, NY or if I get desperate, LA (which would be the easiest move since I already work there-I just don't want to move there).

You live in Tucson and work in L.A.? Quite a commute.

Pete C · June-23rd-2008, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sonic1

But in general this year I have seen a huge decline in business.

Not surprising, since discretionary spending is the first to go in a bad economy, though less so in luxury markets, which I guess is your niche, no?

I'm assuming the cost of living is so much higher in the places you've mentioned that it wouldn't be the answer, nor would demand be so much higher all other things being equal.

Gentle Giant · June-23rd-2008, 09:36 AM

We don't have a ton of debt (threw out our credit cards years ago), but we don't make enough to live on. Every month the question is which bills to pay because we can't pay even the minimum on all of them. As a result I get so many friendly courtesy calls each week.

jesus marion joseph · June-23rd-2008, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sonic1

I started a few weeks ago at Canyon Ranch. Same type of people basically.

Doesn't Canyon Ranch have a location in the Berkshires? Kripalu is also there, and both places seem to have plenty of "recession-proof" clients, but I'm not sure about turnover of employees.

Anyway, western Mass. would seem to be the type of area where you might have better job prospects, and it's rather beautiful to boot. Then again, you can hardly swing a cat out there without hitting a yoga/massage therapy office.

Gary Sisco · June-23rd-2008, 11:56 AM

Sonic -- I hope things pick up for you.

To answer the thread question, the economic conditions are far from abstract for us. We gambled (all ventures are gambles) and let everything ride on our horses, farm and land, and we've been trying to sell it now more than a year and a half. We're in big trouble, now, needless to say. We didn't take out one of the crackpot mortgages in the news, but we still have to sell in the market conditions created by the housing bubble-burst and credit crunch (they overlap all over the place), not to mention our geniuses in Washington. It does keep me up at night, believe it.

sonic1 · June-23rd-2008, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimmy Cantiello

You live in Tucson and work in L.A.? Quite a commute.

Yeah the commute sucks. I actually drive now too because the cost of flying, AND renting a car really got high. High gas prices notwithstanding, it is cheaper to drive.

My clients are supposed to not be effected. But they are, psychologically. It doesn't help that Miraval is being ruined by the new CEO Steve Case, the AOL/Time Warner dude. What works on wall street does not work in a destination resort!

But all the resorts are slowing down, even Canyon Ranch, which relative to the rest is doing best. But these are all the people who should not be effected.

And though the cities I mentioned are the most expensive, they are also the ones that have the jobs that pay well. I live in a very cheap-to-live-in state. And I can't make it because it doesn't matter if prices are low if you can't make a living.

LA is one of the most expensive places to live. But I make 4 times as much there. That is why I drive out there. I just don't want to live there. I was tempted this spring when I discovered the east side: silverlake, echo park, etc. I already have a lot of friends there. Lots of music. But then I would have to drive across LA every day, yuck what a nightmare. And to start off, I would have to live in Brentwood, capital of yuppydom, with a friend. I just can't do it. I have my personal reasons also for wanting to be more east not west though I prefer the west coast.

Cem · June-23rd-2008, 01:48 PM

Jared, I hope things improve. I'm definitely feeling it. Not sure how much I can blame the economy, in my case.
You probably still got me on ignore (not sure why), but perhaps you could fly to LA for a week per month and work a concentrated work week, say 10-12 hour days. IIRC, you are a massage therapist, so I'm not sure that's manageable physically. Too much, I'm guessing. Besides, would your clients be willing to go for once a month appointments?
Anyway, peace and good luck.

sonic1 · June-23rd-2008, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cem

Jared, I hope things improve. I'm definitely feeling it. Not sure how much I can blame the economy, in my case.
You probably still got me on ignore (not sure why), but perhaps you could fly to LA for a week per month and work a concentrated work week, say 10-12 hour days. IIRC, you are a massage therapist, so I'm not sure that's manageable physically. Too much, I'm guessing. Besides, would your clients be willing to go for once a month appointments?
Anyway, peace and good luck.

I have JamesH and Rob Damen on my ignore list. Goody has been on there from time to time. I don't know that I ever put you on ignore and honestly I can't remember if there was a reason I should.

You have to piss me off a lot for me to remember to hate you. Otherwise I couldn't bother with the effort. Besides, you have a butoh avatar.

I already do what you are talking about. Exactly that. But the problem is getting everyone to be available at the same time. And the trend is that they all want me to come on the weekend. So I arrange a weekend that works for most of them, and bang out about 10 massages a day for three days--which is an awful lot. My arms feel like they are going to fall off by the end of Sunday. Then I go home and assume my normal schedule. If I lived in LA I could work more of a regular schedule. The other problem is now with my new job, I work weekends (it took almost a decade at Miraval to get weekends off). So now I have to get off the days to work, and when you have requests that gets difficult. I just need to move somewhere where I don't need to travel so much to work. Even here, locally, I have long commutes to work. It sucks. More than anything I would love to dump my automobile and the associated car payments.

Jimmy Cantiello · June-23rd-2008, 02:03 PM

Damn, Jared, you must have enormous forearms. Remind me not to fuck with you.

tippy · June-23rd-2008, 02:06 PM

Sorry, Jared, you are feeling the pain. I have been struggling to get the money to move West since late 2006 and this year when I was supposed to be in the black by this month and start the saving part for the move - well, I am going to be lucky now to end this year in a dead heat with no progress made toward getting out of here. It's frustrating as it gets ever more important for me to back home to help my aging parents. The New York rent market became too much for me in June 2005 when I was no longer subject to rent increase caps and I have been depressed ever since then. The financial district here is taking hits but, you know, given that you are a massager, really this or any city is probably your relative oyster when you can provide a luxury service. I mean maybe you could feel out what other people in your position are doing at a place like Craig's list. If you whore yourself, please don't do it in the back alley - those people never pay very well.

sonic1 · June-23rd-2008, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimmy Cantiello

Damn, Jared, you must have enormous forearms. Remind me not to fuck with you.

I don't generally give people the impression that I could kick their ass. I have always used the flawless method of avoidance in conflict. I have not been in a fight since Jr. High School (and I didn't really fight back). But I don't think it is because I look all that threatening.

I am, after all, a fucking massage therapist.

tippy · June-23rd-2008, 02:16 PM

I like your kangaroo. They are so cute when they're babies.

Gary Sisco · June-23rd-2008, 02:33 PM

The physically strongest woman I know -- closer to 80 than 70 -- is a massage therapist. If I need someone for a muscle spasm or etc, I go see her. She gets *way* down in there and sets things right. Several others I've tried, it's more like being stroked like a cat than like the massages this woman can do. I don't know who I'd go see if she ever retires. To do what she does requires amazing arm and shoulder strength and also a remarkable understanding of bone and muscle anatomy.

The first time I went to her, she moved my shoulder blades in such a way that I hadn't known they could even do it without breaking.

After the session she asked how I felt and I told her it was damned near worth getting injured to feel that good.

tippy · June-23rd-2008, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Sisco

The physically strongest woman I know -- closer to 80 than 70 -- is a massage therapist. If I need someone for a muscle spasm or etc, I go see her. She gets *way* down in there and sets things right. Several others I've tried, it's more like being stroked like a cat than like the massages this woman can do. I don't know who I'd go see if she ever retires. To do what she does requires amazing arm and shoulder strength and also a remarkable understanding of bone and muscle anatomy.

The first time I went to her, she moved my shoulder blades in such a way that I hadn't known they could even do it without breaking.

After the session she asked how I felt and I told her it was damned near worth getting injured to feel that good.

She sounds like a rolfer.

sonic1 · June-23rd-2008, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Sisco

The physically strongest woman I know -- closer to 80 than 70 -- is a massage therapist. If I need someone for a muscle spasm or etc, I go see her. She gets *way* down in there and sets things right. Several others I've tried, it's more like being stroked like a cat than like the massages this woman can do. I don't know who I'd go see if she ever retires. To do what she does requires amazing arm and shoulder strength and also a remarkable understanding of bone and muscle anatomy.

The first time I went to her, she moved my shoulder blades in such a way that I hadn't known they could even do it without breaking.

After the session she asked how I felt and I told her it was damned near worth getting injured to feel that good.

Someone called me "jaws of life hands" the other day. I supposed if I ever do get into a fight, I will just grab hold of the jugular and squeeze.

I found one way to increase my exercise and also save money. I am riding my bike to work today. It is a 20 min drive so we shall see how long of a bike ride it is. The problem is that it is over a hundred degrees outside. So if I don't write back sometime in the next few days, you know what happened. The ride home should be at night, thus much cooler, but more assholes on the road.

sonic1 · June-23rd-2008, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tippy

I like your kangaroo. They are so cute when they're babies.

Yes, we found Junior in the desert, dumped off.I told him I didn't like his kind. But he somehow acted cute enough to take him home, little bastard. Usually people day he looks like a fox, but ok...kangaroo works too.

Captain Hate · June-23rd-2008, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sonic1

hello old friends. Just a question. I am curious. Is anyone else having a totally shitty time this year economically?

I try not to reveal much personal about myself here (hence my moniker) for a variety of reasons, with the main one being that there are a few people here that I want as little known about me as possible (there are also plenty of people here that I've met and/or exchanged personal emails with that I'm comfortable with knowing, in case I come off like a standoffish prick; and while I'm at it I wish Scotty and Cem would cease their childish online spat, saying that as somebody who likes them both). But this hasn't been a good year for me so far. That could turn around, as it always has in the past, and I don't want anybody feeling sorry for me because in just about every way I feel like an extremely lucky person. But the uptick in inflation is extremely bothersome because it injects uncertainty in the economy and that's never a good thing.

tippy · June-23rd-2008, 03:05 PM

If Hate is speaking up, you know it's bad.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sonic1

Yes, we found Junior in the desert, dumped off.I told him I didn't like his kind. But he somehow acted cute enough to take him home, little bastard. Usually people day he looks like a fox, but ok...kangaroo works too.

You should dress up and see if Junior still recognizes you.

He's tres cute. I don't know HOW people drop animals off like that. I mean I wish I knew how. I could never do it though.

Al in NYC · June-23rd-2008, 04:39 PM

Is anyone having a good year this year? Maybe Gordon in the currency trading biz... But for the rest of us business is s-l-o-w.

Jon Abbey · June-23rd-2008, 04:46 PM

I've had a pretty bad last month, things were pretty good before that. but my business is theoretically helped by the low dollar, since it makes it even cheaper for worldwide customers to buy from me in US pesos.

Pete C · June-23rd-2008, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al in NYC

Is anyone having a good year this year?

I'm doing better this year than last year.

Sergio Zamora · June-23rd-2008, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon Abbey

I've had a pretty bad last month, things were pretty good before that.

I bet part of that has to do with me not being able to buy any cds in the last few months

Jon Abbey · June-23rd-2008, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sergio Zamora

I bet part of that has to do with me not being able to buy any cds in the last few months

yeah, punk! what's up with that?

do you at least have this year's Ersts (I think you do)?

Scott Dolan · June-23rd-2008, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al in NYC

Is anyone having a good year this year? Maybe Gordon in the currency trading biz... But for the rest of us business is s-l-o-w.

Now that I think about it, I'd say we're having a good year. No worse than any other year, I suppose. Other than losing money in our retirement funds.

Of course, a good vs. bad year at Dolan Manor is based on a much more than just our monetary situation.

Steve Reynolds · June-23rd-2008, 05:16 PM

If I can deal with this new job, I will double my pay from the last 12 months!

3-4 years ago, I made ZERO

so life is good-

clinthopson · June-23rd-2008, 05:26 PM

Steve,
I hope you hang in there.

I think I retired at the right time.