Can a recession actuall improve the quality of our lives?

A couple of months ago, Time ran a lenthy article entitled "The End of Excess," which suggests that the recession isn't such a bad thing after all. It serves to check the greed and materialism of our society and bring our conception of wealth and happiness into the more moderate portion of the spectrum. Could this be true?

I don't mean to say that we should whistle in the unemployment line and toss away our tanking 401k statements without a care. As a business owner and friend to many who have been affected, I am well aware of the negative impact of the the sliding economy of our homes, our relationships, our wealth. However, the Time piece spurred a line of thought that might be worth pursuing.

One of the alternatives to travel that has emerged in the wake of the economy is the notion of the "staycation," or, put another way, staying close to home for leisure trips. Aside from the savings, there is an added benefit to that. I would wager a guess that few of us out there have thoroughly explored our cities--their museums, their parks, the hole-in-the-wall eateries, the numerous oddball things to do that most of us never try. It has been said that people who take these "staycations" leave with a greater appreciation for the local and near-by. We, as a culture, are addicted to the glitzy and new. Maybe its time we have some new experiences by peeking around a corner we've never bothered exploring.

Similarly, I've attended a lot more small gatherings and dinners with friends lately. Instead of a concert or a movie, we're preparing meals together and dusting off the Monopoly board. These activities don't seem like much, but, in a very real way, they bring our friends closer together. Often, we get stuck in the rut of routine and passivity. The recession has helped me interact with those closest to me more than in the past.

As the owner of a dating service, I'm not suggesting you all cancel your memberships and make s'mores over fire buckets in alleyways. In fact, I think the recession may prove the benefit of our service in that it brings people together. When the chips are down, we need one another in a very real way. We are, at last, social creatures. Perhaps the slide in the market serves to reiterate what is really important. Perhaps, in the oddest of ways, there is an upside to a downturn.

What IS the past tense of Tweet?

I'm not (yet) on board with Twitter. I'll plainly admit it: I'm a Facebook junkie, but I just don't quite "get" twitter. It seems to do the exact same thing as my status update on Facebook, but with none of the cool pictures, videos, etc. Plus, it seems to be increasingly a form of mini-celebrity stalking. And when people like Glenn Beck are on board with Twitter, how "cool" can it really be?

The very funny girls at 2 Birds, 1 Blog have chimed in on Twitter, spelling out our fascination with both famous people and minutae, before ultimately deciding that Twitter is good thing, because it can aid in getting people some loving.

Compelling argument, ladies. However, for the moment I'm going to abstain (pun!) and remain the last guy on my block NOT on Twitter. That's not to say that I won't venture over to the dark side sometime very soon, but, for now, I'm steadfastly in (semi-)opposition. I leave you with a counter example that pretty sums up my feelings on tweeting...

We're Recovering Nicely

So our office renovation (forced by an act of nature) is under way and we are currently in a temporary office space. Most people would view this as an annoyance, but this place is not your typical cubicle nightmare. This new office space has its own fully functioning espresso machine, a soda gun, and a very fun, funky decor. So, despite all the trauma and headaches, we're growing quite fond of our new digs!

We also wanted to say "thanks" to all of our friends, vendors, and clients who have taken the time to extend their support as we atempted to get our feet back underneath us. We even had numerous offers from people to help move furniture and office supplies. It just goes to show the outstanding caliber of people we've got in our Eight at Eight database. We appreciate all the kind words and help. You guys rock!