Hard work...and pressing up, basically

1. Hello, friends (and cyber-stalkers). You probably know (if we're friends or if you've stalked me thoroughly) that I'm someone who believes everything happens for a reason. And, well, I've come to believe the reason for this recession (even if certain republicans in a failed administration refuse to call it that) is to force people to get back to some hard work. This country was founded on it. That's why I believe this country became a superpower. The fact that we've moved away from this as a culture is why I think we're growing weaker and poorer.

A recent report amidst the whole Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac coverage claimed that some investors admitted to a lower level of productivity and higher tech usage. Is this a surprise? Look around you! Many of your co-workers use company time to shop online, blog, look up their fantasy stats, email with friends, IM, and the list goes on. I've done it. So have you.

But there's a limit to how much of it should be done. And when.

Sometimes people just don't like their jobs--it's merely the source of a paycheck. There's not much pride in their work or even a mild appreciation for being employed during our dismal economic forecast. "If I had the job I wanted, I'd do a good job." That kind of attitude.

Are we really that spoiled? Do you think our grandfathers had a passion for mining? Do you think our grandfathers enjoyed sweating all day in the mills? Do you think they yearned to wash dishes in a restaurant? No. They did it to take care of their families. And too many water breaks would get them fired, let alone the thought of chatting on the job.

Hey, I'm the first to admit that I love to communicate, but I get my shite done first. I don't do the IM thing. It's just not conducive to my lifestyle as a busy mom. I blog--usually at night, after work, once the kids are asleep. If I do shop online, it's usually window shopping and, again, at night. The same pretty much goes for email at this point. I text occasionally, but these days I mostly just call the person. Was I always this way? No.

But I used to have this friend who simply could not visit anyone without her laptop. She claimed it was because she was just SO busy at work, but everyone knew she spent the majority of her day IMing and flirting online with her fantasy boyfriend of the week. It always seemed kind of...sad. Not to mention rude to the person she was visiting. And while I wasn't cyberaddicted, I knew I couldn't judge her, even if silently, until I reigned in some of my own bad habits.

When I read those Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac stories, I just wonder: Would things have been any different if we all just put in an honest day's work? And for more than one day...

I sort of think the same thing when I read all these stories about the rising cost of education. On behalf of parents, I'd like to say, "We get it! It's going to be expensive--way more expensive than when we went."

But does that mean our children are doomed? NO!

Here's an idea: Maybe instead of trying to scare an 8-year-old into figuring out how many loans he/she will need, we instead encourage our children to do it the ol' fashioned way! Work hard, earn scholarships!

Get it together, America.

"Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress." -- Alfred A. Montapert

"Do not wait; the time will never be "just right'. Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along."
--Napoleon Hill

2. Now let me tell you about something really unproductive that I did. On Saturday and Sunday, I was ill. Considerably ill. And I made a mess in the process. We'll leave it at that. But what was nice about feeling like a scene from "Alien" was that I got to re-watch most of season 3 of "The Office." And with Larry and my youngest brother-in-law there, I was in good company. I really really love "The Office." Even if I clearly remember an episode, it still makes me laugh out loud. Also, I'm pretty sure that my stepdad is a combination of Michael Scott and Dwight Schrute.

3. But before I was unproductive and sick, I was really really happy. On Friday, we got to spend time with friends for Dinner and Dark Knight, and not only was I not disappointed, but all of my expectations were exceeded. And our friends brought us a gift for the baby, which was totally unexpected and incredibly sweet. Also, I had the best grilled zucchini ever. Ever!