Today is Saturday.  This is what I did.

I am grateful…

No, I’m not talking about my love life.

This recession is only going to get worse, especially with the stupid government trying to band-aid the walking dead. I’m sorry, but the automotive industry needs to run its course. Pumping money into GM is a waste of money!

Every day I hear about a lay-off. It’s time to pack your bags, move back home, and volunteer. Vacation in a cheap country or continent. Better yet, join the Peace Corps!

I switched my personal cell phone bill to work. I simply asked if I could do it. Transfer my personal cell to my blackberry. That’s $100 I no longer pay. I’ve reviewed every recurring expense, cut down where I could, and put what I could onto my credit card for the cash back. I believe in Lean Cuisines; they’re cheap. Don’t tell me you can cook a meal for $2. And for all you people who talk about cooking cheaply…how many times do you throw food out? Don’t lie to me. You know you do. Here’s a tip: do your shopping in Chinatown. Our admin came back one day with a pink thank you bag full of bok choy, green beans, tomatoes, garlic, and condiments. She asked us to guess how much she spent. Mind you, the bag was full of groceries. I guessed $8.50. The other guesses were around the same—less than $10. It was $2.38!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’m now a convert back to Trader Joe’s $2 buck chuck. Their cab is the bomb. I thought I couldn’t afford to drink wine every night. Not the case! I enjoy wine every single night of the week.

Now who’s with me on Fresh Choice? OMIGOD, my dad took me there last week. $7.99 for all you can eat. I’m not a fan of buffets; I think they’re disgusting. Fresh Choice is surprisingly very fresh! I laughed when the cashier quoted me the price. I was so floored I left a huge tip (optional). And my dad gets a 15% discount for being a senior.

I’ve always said that people need to take personal responsibility for whatever their situation is. I have been there. I have gotten laid off. I knew I had no definable skills and struggled to find a job after getting laid off in 2001. I went back to school. I’m glad I had the foresight to equip myself with recession-proof skills.

But everyone who reads my blog is a friend of mine and especially dear to me for your continued support. If you or family and friends of yours are having difficulty, I am here to help if I can. While few companies are hiring, I have access to a great deal of job postings. I have a very strong personal and professional network. A few weeks ago when I was in a bar, I bumped into someone I’d gone to high school with. Back then, he was a senior and school president. I was a freshman. After buying me a couple drinks and catching up, he offered, “Would you leave your company? Would you come work for me? If you ever need a job, you know who to call. I’d love to have you on my team.”

I also believe I’ve mastered the resume. I don’t believe in cover letters. Clearly, you need the substance to back it up, but I’m so confident of my resume, I know I will get a call back every single time it’s distributed. The intervew…well that’s a different story. But I believe the more you get yourself out there interviewing, the better you do. Practice makes perfect.

If I can help, please let me know.

Lastly, I want to end with a story. Last night before the movie, I went to one of the food kiosks at the Metreon. While waiting for my food, a man walked in bundled up in a sweatshirt and baseball cap; his hands were stuffed in his pockets. He was speaking Spanish. I don’t know Spanish or understand it which is a horrible thing. I hate to admit it. But I was able to piece together what he was saying. He wanted a job and he’d been walking throughout the Metreon asking managers if they were hiring. The cashier told him they were not. He insisted he speak to the manager. The manager came out and chatted with him in Spanish. “I’m sorry sir, we do not have a kitchen here. We’re not hiring and even if we were, we don’t hire cooks. We heat up the food.” The man looking for a job kept asking questions, did the manager know of anything, could the manager talk to anyone at the Metreon? Anything at all? While nothing came of the conversation, I felt so proud of that immigrant. What persistence! That is what makes America truly great: people from all walks of life who are ready and willing to work hard and seek out those opportunities.

Go do it. No excuses.

A friend/co-worker of mine asked if I wanted to go to a pre-screening today.  I scoffed, “Uhhh, no. I’m sorry, but I really don’t watch movies unless they get rave reviews.  The only movie I want to watch right now is The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.  But a pre-screening, no, I’ll pass.”

New York City is hauntingly a specter of what it used to be.  The city is hard enough to bear with its bitter winters and bone-chilling temperatures.  But I always loved New York no matter what time of year, in the unbearable swelter of summer or the frost-bite of Christmas.  There is an energy or force field that surrounds the city that makes it the greatest city in the world.  It’s not that anymore.  I hate to say it.  For as long as I can remember, I had longed to live in NYC. I’m over it.  The bars were dead.  The people were sad.  It’s depressing.  But maybe I’m mistaken…because maybe that’s what Americans are feeling everywhere else in the country and it just happens to be that NYC magnifies what the country is feeling: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Right now, it’s just plan horrifically ugly.