–by Carla
Something hit me the other day while I was sniffing my 7-month-old son’s hair, wondering why it smelled like a pet store: I really loved Katy’s post this week about being super busy at work and not even thinking about complaining about it. Ok, sure, we are Recession Mama, “where you can whine about your dwindling dime”. Dwindling dimes is what I’m all about. Honey, I have had a dime dwindling kind of week, so I know all about that. Whine away. But as the resident “person who got laid off”, I can tell you that it is a little nerve wracking hearing people (even my close friends and relatives) whine about “work being such a beating” or about having to pick up a weekend shift “again”. That sort of whining does sort of get under my skin these days.
As many of you know, it is in my nature to give people an honest piece of my mind, but not in this situation. I never felt like I should be correcting someone who is truly not happy about their job, even in this economy. Plus, I never ever want to be that Debbie Downer who is constantly complaining about how people should act. I just sucked it up and moved on…all the while thinking, “Man, if they didn’t HAVE that job, they’d be singing a different tune.”
So, when Katy put those exact words on paper (so to speak) earlier this week, I felt a real sense of relief. Because if you are employed right now, even if you’re doing quite well, things could change in an instant, as we’ve all seen over the last 6 or 8 months or so.
It’s really OK to be thankful for your income and that pain-in-the-ass job of yours and the piece of mind it brings you and your family. We’ve all complained about work, believe me, I’m not the exception, but maybe we could take a second to think about what things might be like if you had nothing to complain about.
** And then yesterday, with the deaths of Farrah and Michael, I know more than ever before that life is short and our time here is precious. I’ll be keeping my whining in check from now on. Now, to go hug the husband, who is working more than ever before, and has never complained once.
{June 26, 2009}
Say What?
Recession Mama 
Well put and a good reminder that your problems could be worse. I’m a bit of a whiner sometimes and I shouldn’t be. I think it was an Ally McBeal episode where someone asked her what made her problems so much bigger than anyone elses. She replied “because they’re mine.” Your problems may seem huge. But nobody really wants to hear about them. They often pale in comparison to others.
My show is ending soon, and I was just thinking this morning how nice it is to go to work…to have that structure in a day…to go and get a cup of coffee or a breakfast burrito with a co-worker…and the little pleasures of accomplishing something in a day. I’m appreciative of all that.
A lot of folks are being hit hard these days. I’m currently a stay-at-home-dad because my job was cutting back on hours and it just made more sense for me to stay home while my wife worked.
Before I continue let me state that I currently do not reside in what some may refer to has a “Slum” or a “Really bad neighborhood.” The following all takes place in my very average neighborhood. The scary part, it could be your neighborhood.
One of the things that I like to do with my 7 month old daughter is to take her for walks everyday. In that time we’ve gotten the opportunity to meet quite a few of our neighbors.
Ever since I’ve been taking these walks in February, we’ve already had to say goodbye to a few of our neighbors because they had to sell their homes. A few have family and friends, or both, staying with them to prevent them from loosing their homes. One guy has even been living in his truck for the past 3 months. So yah Carla, it’s time to stop complaining unless it’s complaining about how thankful you are about what you DO have. Clipping coupons. You better hope that’s as bad as it has to get for you.
My wife and I are also in the entertainment business so I know what the work situation is like out there. You don’t know where your next paycheck is coming from or if you’re going to be able to pay your bills on time? I ‘ve been living like that for the past 17 years since I started acting. The “Recession” has only brought the rest of you to the penny pinching party.
Welcome.
I am also in the entertainment business, and I agree! That’s why I’ve said on this site that I’ve lived this recession over and over…way before this recession.