Workin' It

Gen Y and the workplace

2008-07-25T18:40:00.000-07:00

There have been a spate of news articles in the last few years about how the 70+ million members of Generation Y is going to change the workforce with their can-doism, computer savvy, and desire for work-life balance. While I don't doubt that each generation is somewhat different from the last in terms of its desires and expectations (I definitely find a lot of baby boomers' work experiences and expectations hard to relate to) I'm also extremely skeptical of articles about trends which don't have any data to back them up. I accept that there are a lot of people in their early twenties entering the workforce, and a lot of baby boomers on the verge of retirement, and that means companies are really going to need to attract these young workers. But are they going to get the shorter hours, more interesting and meaningful work, and more casual atmosphere that they reportedly want in the workplace -- indeed, the very things that everyone wants? I hope so, for all our sakes. But here are my predictions for the next ten or twenty years, based on gut instinct and reading a bunch of these articles:

1. It's all going to depend on the economy. Sure, when the economy's going good and the unemployment rate is low, employers have to be a lot more flexible in the war for talent. I remember all too well the overblown salaries, flexible schedules and snack cabinets of the dot com era. Good times. But the fact is, when the going gets tough, and we're all fighting each other over some 28K entry-level job that we have to dumb down our resumes for, your request to take your dog to work or to have Wednesdays off for your juggling group will no longer be accomodated.

2. The workplace will become more casual. In many industries people's home and work wear will completely blend. However, companies that have international clients will still be compelled to dress *somewhat* professionally.

3. Multi-tasking will become the norm. Yes, the time will come when texting someone during a meeting will no longer be considered rude, but perfectly acceptable. (Does anyone remember when call waiting was considered rude? I do.) Everyone will check Facebook and IM their friends during work (if they don't already) and companies will abandon their efforts to try to stop this.

4. If Gen Y members want to enter truly desirable professions (such as in the entertainment industry) they're just going to have to buckle down and work the crazy hours and wreck their personal lives like everybody else. Because if they're not willing, someone else their age certainly is.

5. Workers will not be judged as harshly for wanting to take a sabbatical or change their schedule to accomodate some other outside interest. But know this: those who sacrifice everything for work will still get ahead faster. Which is only fair.

6. By the time the Gen-Yers are in their thirties, they'll have tempered their expectations of what they're likely to get out of work, just like everybody else. Only the lucky ones will enjoy work so fulfilling they'd do it happily for free. Everyone else will do work they sometimes like and often don't, and sometimes suspect is utterly pointless. Because burgers will still have to get flipped, and ad copy will still have to get written, and funds will still have to get hedged. They will have to try to squeeze some meaning out of that.

Have a great weekend, everybody! Come back Monday for my Q&A with a phone sex worker. Perverts welcome!

Linky Wednesday

2008-07-24T14:08:00.000-07:00

Linky Wednesday

2008-07-23T22:25:00.000-07:00

Young men who like to steal books: remember, when you're stealing Bukowski from your local used bookstore, you are in no sense sticking it to the man.

Mental health officials are deciding whether to include compulsive shopping as a legitimate disorder in the DSM. This article notes that in the U.S. avid shopping is a widely observed norm, so it's hard to distinguish avid shoppers from compulsive ones. The whole thing makes my teeth chatter.

An Indianapolis janitor finally got an apology from his union which censured him for reading a historical book on the KKK during his break. Now you know why I'm always nervous about being spotted reading books about Nazis.

A Yahoo article lists five jobs you can feel good about and still make a decent salary at. (Not that it's going to be any picnic getting them. Good luck on that nonprofit executive one. Sheesh.)

A study confirms what we already knew: high-tech gadgets are causing us all to waste our lives. According to this research, 15 to 20 percent of people can be categorized as chronic procrastinators, dramatically up since the availability of computers and mobile phones. Professor Piers Stell from Calgary University estimates that the beeps notifying the arrival of email are responsible for a .5% drop in the gross domestic product of the U.S. -- that's 70 billion a year.

No one is saying reading blogs is anything but an excellent use of your time, of course.

And..I found someone who's an even bigger cheapskate than me. A New York man pulling down six figures a year chose to live in the company paint shed without anyone knowing. I gotta say, I admire the discipline.

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner?

2008-07-21T20:27:00.000-07:00

My brother David sent me this link which talks about just how horrible it is to work in a poultry factory. When you're cutting into a chicken 20,000 times a day, it's no surprise that you'd be subject to serious carpal tunnel syndrome and tendinitis, but you also might be risking both life and limb. This has been going on for decades, and yet in past years these poor working conditions stopped being part of the public record. The reason is explained by an interviewee on a recent PBS special on this very subject:

AMES ALEXANDER: There used to be a column on injury logs where companies were supposed to record all repetitive motion injuries. Uh, and this essentially gave OSHA inspectors a very quick idea of how common repetitive motion problems like carpal tunnel, like tendonitis, were. Uh, and then, uh, under pressure, uh, from the industry, OSHA removed that column.

(OSHA = Occupational Safety and Health Administration)

The Charlotte Observer did a lot of coverage on this group of workers back in February. They note that over 80% of poultry workers in the Carolinas are Latino, and the majority of those are here illegally, and not in a position to officially complain about sub-par working conditions.

Although my brother correctly assessed that I'd be interested from a Workin' It standpoint, I don't think he is aware that reading about such conditions in poultry factories in a 1989 New York Times article is what prompted me to become a vegetarian, which I still am to this day. Back then, I was so horrified by both the working conditions for humans and the living conditions for the animals that I decided to sever my association with the poultry industry by no longer eating their food. Another reason was, back then, the use of antibiotics on these birds was rampant, although this practice has been somewhat phased out. This overuse led to one strain of bacteria, Campylobacter, commonly found in chickens' intestines, to become resistant to antibiotics, and led to a subsequent massive increase in the presence of this bacteria, which was passed on to humans eating this contaminated poultry. (Which is why everyone is always so concerned about cleaning everything a raw chicken touches.) In 2001 this stuff sickened one percent of the (U.S. human) population per year. This overuse of antibiotics has also seriously contributed to their ineffectiveness in a general sense.

I was planning on posting something upbeat today, since it's Monday. Sorry about that. If you don't work in a poultry plant, you can take solace from that. And, if you do, you have my sympathy.

Bonus Cheapskate Tip

2008-07-19T12:28:00.000-07:00

This is the biggest overall tip I can give you to help you save money: don't increase your expenses just because your income increases. I know that when I made the biggest salary of my life, back in the dot com days, every time I got a check I was surprised that I was being paid yet again. I drove the same car, lived in the same converted garage, and didn't add any significant additional expenses to my budget. As a result, I was able to weather the very grim financial times of late 2001 through 2002 without having to borrow any money.

By the way, I hope anyone doesn't feel personally attacked by my cheapskate posts. Everyone obviously has different priorities, and if you've been dying to buy Guitar Hero or the new iPhone and can afford to do so, don't think I'm quietly thinking: looks like someone's going to be eating cat food in about forty years! I'm not. Unless you're also $20,000 in debt and up to your neck in an ARM mortgage. Then, I admit, I kind of am. But only because I want what's best for you!

How to Be A Cheapskate

2008-07-18T18:26:00.000-07:00

Bleaders, I'm worried about you, and here's why: you're not saving enough money.

I am posting, for your edification, a 2005 chart on worldwide household saving rates. Korea: 10%. Thailand: 18.7%. India: 24.3%. U.S.: 1.4%

That's right, people. The richest country in the world, with one of the most pitiful savings rates going. (As a side note, I can't believe Canada saves as little as we do. I always think of them as being the more thoughtful, civilized version of us.) I don't want to hear your excuses. Cost of living, blah, blah, blah, kids need to get into Harvard someday so they need those lessons, blah, blah, blah, I need those clothes to look good for work, yak, yak, yak. If you're some single mom working two jobs to support your three children and making $28,000, this rant is not directed at you. You are excused. Go make yourself a hot chocolate and take a load off.

For the rest of you, I am going to give you a piece of advice: stop spending so much money. What? You say you don't make enough to save? Let me ask you this: do you have cable TV? Premium channels? Do you buy more than one pair of shoes a year per member of your household? Do you go on vacation, somewhere that involves a plane? Then I don't believe you. Neither does Japan (7.4%) or Germany (10.7%).

Fellow wage slaves, none of us know what the future holds, but I can guarantee you this: some emergency is going to come up where you will need savings. You or your spouse are going to get injured and be out of work; your car will need extensive repairs; your kid will need braces. And no matter what, you are ultimately going to retire, and hopefully live a long time after that. And you're going to need cash, and lots of it.

So here's some advice from a lifelong thrifty person on how to start saving.

1. Buy stuff used. Thrift stores aren't for everyone, and I won't claim that they'll solve all your problems, but it's worth everyone's while to try to buy big items used: appliances, computers, etc. Unless you are a freelance graphic designer, you don't really need a brand new computer, and getting one a year or two old will save you tons of cash. I got a used breadmaker at a yard sale for $5.00. Works great. Delicious, delicious bread.

2. Drive an old car. It's a complete waste of money to buy a new car. It loses value as soon as you drive it off the lot, and the insurance is crazy high. God forbid you're paying it off in installments and paying all that interest. (Don't even tell me, my heart can't take it.) Save up $5,000, buy the best fuel-efficient and reliable car you can afford, and drive it into the ground. Plus, if someone keys your car, you don't even care. Bring it on, vandals! Your attack means nothing to me!

3. Buy quality items that you'll hang on to. If you're making a big purchase, like a piece of furniture, buy something classic that will stand the test of time. That way you won't keep buying the same thing over and over again. I like to buy older used furniture because I find it's more well-crafted than most contemporary stuff, plus (if you can keep kids and pets away from it) it doesn't actually decrease in value like that lame IKEA bookshelf you spent four hours putting together. The same goes for clothes. Avoid purchases that you know are going to be easily identified from a certain period of time (blazers with fringe on the lapels, anyone? Skirts that come down to a point?) and take good care of what you buy.

4. Don't make shopping your hobby. Shopping isn't a hobby. Gardening is a hobby. Chess is a hobby. Find something to do that doesn't cost you money. When you've got some free time, don't go over to Zappos and check out the new shoes. Don't cruise Best Buy looking for new DVD releases. Join Facebook and find your old friends. Got for a run. Learn French (from the tapes you checked out from the library, of course.)

5. Think of excuses not to buy stuff, instead of the other way around. Instead of your usual internal dialogue about how that jacket is going to really be the last black jacket you ever need, so it's totally worth the expense, turn that conversation on its head. Think: I already have two black jackets, and getting another one is not going to improve my life. But at some point I might really need this $60. Pass.

6.Learn to cook. You'll eat better, save money, and it qualifies as a hobby. Plus, it's actually not that hard.

7. Think about what the old version of you will think of your purchases. When I picture old Nancy Matson shaking her bony index finger at current me because I frittered away thirty-five bucks on a throw pillow while she's picking pennies off the sidewalk to buy a cup of coffee, it gives me pause. That old lady scares me.

Have a great weekend!

Linky Wednesday

2008-07-16T21:15:00.000-07:00

Here's a few snippets from an upcoming book about phone sex workers. Sounds like a good job category for an interview.

If you're worried about having enough for retirement, you're probably right to be. Especially if you're a baby boomer.

Workers hard hit by the economy and the unemployed are tapping into their 401(K)s. It makes me all nervous just thinking about it.

I found out too late that the oldest living blogger has now died, at the age of 108. Olive, may you rest in peace.

Workplace bitterness: parents v. non-parents

2008-07-14T19:10:00.000-07:00

It's taboo to mention it, but this poster on the Evil HR Lady's blog did: non parents resent it when they feel they're being asked to do work that people with kids aren't.

According to this article, citing an earlier poll, 16.5 percent of workers resented doing work to cover for a parent who is busy parenting, and 4 in 10 workers resent employers who provide work/family benefits to workers with family only. (I would guess that the first number is on the low side, and we have to consider that some people who responded have kids, and some probably haven't been called upon to do any extra work. I scrounged around for a better poll, but couldn't find one.) The fact is, while no one doubts that managing a career and children at the same time is a difficult task, you have to be a pretty generous person to cheerfully fill in when a parent dashes out of the office and you are asked by your boss to stay late to take care of something your co-worker rightfully should have done.

Usually, of course, this reallocation of work is more subtle. You're asked to come in on the weekend, not the parent who holds the same position, and the reason is never explicitly stated. Or you're in the middle of a meeting, and the people without kids remain behind while the parents run off to pick up their kids. As a non-parent you'd love to leave, too, but you know there is no excuse you can offer that will allow you to gracefully exit. And there you have it, the root of it all: whatever you, as a non-parent, are doing in your off-time, never mind that it's volunteering for the aged or installing solar panels in your house, much less spending time with people you care about or just watching TV -- doesn't count. It's not like you're nurturing America's next generation, are you? Then back to your desk!

Personally, I applaud the efforts to make workplaces more family friendly, and allow people to live their lives with less stress. But I think changes to the work day, like unpaid time off or flextime, should be offered to all employees, not only those with kids. And if parents get to leave at five to pick up their kids from school, non-parents should be extended the same privilege, even if they're only going home to write a curmudgeonly blog post.

Would You Want to Know?

2008-07-11T19:55:00.000-07:00

Agent Nathan Bransford asked his readers this week if there was a seer who could tell writers they'd absolutely, never be published, (a) would they want to know and (b) would they keep writing. Overwhelmingly, the answer was yes, they'd want to know, and even if the news was bad, they'd keep writing.

It's hard to know exactly how seriously most of these responders take their writing, how many hours a week they work on it and all that. I can only assume the range is wide. But I have to say I can't get on board with the idea of continuing to write with any kind of seriousness without the slightest chance of being published and having some kind of audience. Certainly writing a novel, even a short story, is a grueling task if you're going to craft something that anybody besides you can appreciate. Even if you're the kind of writer that enjoys the process, at some point you're going to be (a) despairing that you'll ever finish, (b) sorry you ever started and (c) plagued by the idea that what you have written thus far is utter crap. Certainly it is satisfying when you finally feel you get something right. But doesn't at least some of that satisfaction come from knowing that what you've written is good enough that maybe someone else will like it?

Some people admitted they'd probably cut down on their writing time if they knew there was no hope, and would also spend less time perfecting their prose, but still they'd have to write, because they needed to. I can see keeping a diary or dashing off a page of something you had stuck in your head. Or blogging, because it's not all that taxing. But if you saw a post-apocalyptic movie in which the last human on earth was working on the third draft of a literary novel in the middle of a trash-strewn field, would you really think: oh how nice, she's expressing herself!

I'm sure there are those who write for the sheer joy of it, and I can't say I'd never write another sentence if the seer came to me with the bad news. But I think it's telling that a high percentage of the never-say-die group in the commenters tried to cheat the system, saying no one could ever know for sure what would happen, and some of them would go on writing to just to prove the seers wrong.

Have a great weekend!

Linky Wednesday

2008-07-09T19:02:00.000-07:00

According to a new study, It will cost you about 10% in wages if you sound black. Sounding southern means a pay cut as well.

Young women are now making more money than young men in a number of cities, like New York. Possible reason: women are now graduating from college in greater numbers than men. Possible shift in this trend: when these same men and women reach childbearing age, and some women opt out of work or take less demanding jobs.

Rumors flew that an arthritic jaw might keep professional eater Takeru Kobayashi from attending the annual July 4th hot dog eating contest. (Hey, it's relevant to the blog -- it's his job!) Apparently, it was all a ruse to psych out his opponent, Joey Chestnut, who won, anyway, after a total of 64 hot dogs were eaten by both. There's a lot of pride there. A lot of pride.

The deadliest job these days? Apparently, logging in at 183.6 deaths per 100,000 workers, it's working on cell phone towers. It's hard to imagine that being as fun to watch, though, as Deadliest Catch.

Are you a baby boomer looking to reduce their hours, and willing to take a subsequent cut in pay? It didn't work for this sixtysomething oncologist, and it might not work for you, either.

Happy Wednesday!

Real World Encounters With Used Car Dealers

2008-07-07T18:25:00.000-07:00

In honor of my Q&A with Frank, I've got a treat for all you Nancy Matson historians out there: a short re-telling of my three most notable encounters with used car dealers. Now that I've got the inside scoop on the cutthroat nature of the biz, it all makes sense. A horrible, tragic kind of sense.

#1. A used car lot in Marina del Rey, CA. Some guy in a cheap suit approaches me as I walk on the lot and starts talking. I cut him off and say, "I just want to look around, and I don't want to talk to anyone. If anyone tries to help me, I'm leaving." Twenty, thirty seconds pass, and the guy returns, unable to help himself. He asks if I want any help and makes a few suggestions about what vehicle might suit my needs. I instantly walk off the lot.

#2. A used car lot in the Valley. I enter the office of an older used car salesman, despite the Jack Lemmon/Glengarry Glen Ross vibe. I've already scanned the lot for any cars that meet my very specific criteria, and find none. I reluctantly give him my phone number and the following specific instructions: "I want a Honda, Mazda, or Toyota with less than 60,000 miles on it. I don't care how old it is, and I don't want to pay more than $5,000. If you get a car like that, call me."

Two days later, he leaves me a message about a Chevy Cavalier with 90,000 miles on it. I reiterate that I am really only interested in the specific cars I mentioned. Two days after that, he calls me about a Volkswagen. At this point, I tell him I already bought a car.

#3. A used car lot in Ingelwood. I test drive a green car -- possibly a Ford Taurus. The saleswoman is seated in the passenger seat. About a block away, I notice the check engine light is on.

"Uh, the check engine light is on," I point out. I don't know a lot about cars, but I know that's bad.

"Oh, don't worry, we'll take care of it."

Most likely, my boyfriend suggests later, by dousing the light.

Linky Wednesday

2008-07-02T21:08:00.000-07:00

Emily Yoffe worked as a day care worker for two weeks to see if she could cut it, and confirmed that there are way easier ways to make $18,000/year.

A Long Island millionaire abused her housekeepers and kept them in a state of virtual slavery until one of them fled to a Dunkin' Donuts in rags and got help. Her defense lawyers are claiming that the two women's injuries resulted not from her beating them but because they were practicing witchcraft and abused themselves as part of their rituals. Yeah, that's the best they could do.

London meat company workers forced to clock out whenever they used the toilet. Union angry at, you know, the Dickensian aspect.*

A federal reserve study shows that ugly people earn less, pretty ones more. Short and unattractive guys, you might want to consider starting your own business.

Jonathan Karp notes that authors are spending less time on each book and that there's a lot more crap being published than there used to be. Includes a heads up that if you have a choice of editing an autobiography of Clay Aiken and Manual Noriega, Noriega is easier to deal with. Mark my words, that knowledge is going to come in handy.

And, just for fun, check out this LA Times Story of a scientist who abandoned his family, changed his name, and then went to work in a horse stable.
It's not the most thorough article, but it's still quite a tale.

Happy Wednesday, gentle bleaders.

*for all you Wire fans out there

Interview with a Used Car Salesman

2008-06-30T18:35:00.000-07:00

Frank Sarwark of Consolidated Auto in Arizona was a good sport to answer all my questions, even the slightly snarky ones. You can visit him at his own blog, Trust Me, I'm A Used Car Salesman. It's informative and friendly, just like Frank.

1. I'm sure I'm not telling you anything you don't know when I say that most people have an extremely negative impression of car salespeople -- especially ones who sell used vehicles. I, personally, have had nothing but unpleasant encounters with them. Do you feel that the typical person who sells cars is extremely pushy and untrustworthy? If so, why is that?

Car buying is something that a person doesn't do very often so it is unfamiliar and therefore challenging. The salesperson is working on a commission. If he doesn't sell cars, he earns nothing. A typical new car store has a turnover rate in salespeople of about 30-40% per month. The new salesperson is hired and has a quota to make each month. He sells cars to his family, friends and acquaintances. After those sales it gets harder. If the store can allow 10 salespeople to earn a good living, the store will hire 15 of them or more. That way they have to work harder for every sale.

The salesperson is in an uncomfortable position between a manager that is threatening him if he doesn't sell cars and the customer who looks and may or may not want to buy a car today. Most dealerships work on an "up" system. As customers come in, there is a rotation so every salesperson will get the same number of "ups" or chances to sell a car. If that customer is only looking, that salesperson has to wait until another 15 or 20 customers come in before he has another chance. This is what will make the average salesperson pushy.

The untrustworthiness comes in more with the finance department employees. This is the person who actually does most of the paperwork and gets your deal approved. He is the one who will say, "I know that your credit isn't the best, but if you make payments on time for a year we can refinance the car at a lower rate." More profit can be made in the finance department than on the sale of the car itself. This is where the warranties, insurance products, and accessories come in. If the finance guy can sell these, he makes money too.

2. I notice that your site says that you personally guarantee a pleasant experience or you'll pay the customer for their time. How exactly does this work? And what do people get paid if they hold you to this promise?

I have never actually had anyone take me up on that guarantee. We operate in a way that is a little bit different than a new car dealership. We finance 90% of the cars we sell. That means that when the customer takes delivery of that car, we are entering into a relationship with that person for the next two or three years until that car is paid for. If the customer is unhappy with his purchase and the experience he had, he is less likely to complete the payments and finish paying for the car. If someone were to ask me about the guarantee at that point and say he was unhappy, I would give him $20.

3. Would you say most people who sell cars actually know anything about cars? I don't generally get that sense.

Most people end up selling cars because they are looking for a job. The new car store has a training program that teaches them about the line of cars that they are selling, but the average car salesperson doesn't have a lot more knowledge about cars that the average person on the street. The longer he is in the profession, the more he learns, but most people don't stay in the job too long.

4. What advice would you give someone who is car shopping to get the most out of their experience and not get taken advantage of?

The more information you have, the better equipped you are. If you have a trade-in there are a number of Internet sites that will give you your car's approximate value so you know if the salesperson is trying to low ball you on the value of your trade. Edmunds and KBB are a couple of them. Edmunds will also give you prices on new cars.

Go to your bank or credit union before going shopping for a car. When you ask the salesperson for a Camry with a trade-in that is worth $4,000 and you are already approved at your bank for a loan for the difference it makes things a lot easier.

Warranties and insurance from the dealer can be had from other sources like AAA or your credit union for less and possibly with better coverage.

5. You talk a little about how gas prices are impacting your business. Do you see a trend towards customers wanting more fuel efficient cars?

Right now, the car market is in turmoil. Everybody is thinking fuel economy and getting rid of the full size cars, SUVs, and trucks. Depending on the vehicle right now it might only be worth half of the book value and the really fuel efficient cars are selling at a premium. I heard of someone that wanted to get rid of a big SUV. He sold the car for half what he owed and took a personal loan for the balance in order to pay it off. If you are going to lose $5,000 or more when you sell this car, think of how much fuel $5,000 can buy.

6. What standards do you have for extending credit to car buyers? Are they more stringent than, say, the subprime loan people?

We look at time on the job, address, and area, and then we look at income and ability to pay. The last thing we look at is the credit report. I know that most of the banks, finance companies and credit unions have tightened up their requirements in the last month or two. People who could have easily gotten a car six months ago are now running into problems getting the car at the price and terms they want.

I would say we are more stringent than the subprime people. Since we are entering into a relationship with this buyer for the next few years, we want to make sure the buyer feels comfortable and will be able to complete the transaction.

7. How did you end up in this business?

My father started this business in 1942. I went to work for him when I got out of high school and have been here since then. That was about 40 years ago. I still enjoy the work and the customers. I see people today who we have been dealing with for 20 or more years. We rely a lot on repeat and referral business. The best advertising is word of mouth from a satisfied
customer.

8. How many jobs have you held in your life?

I am probably one in a million. I grew up in a family business and ended up taking it over. I do have some other interests, but this is my career and something that I enjoy doing.

The American Dream...

2008-06-27T19:29:00.000-07:00

..now brought to you by Canada. And Finland. And Denmark.

New research by the Economic Mobility Project shows that the very American notion that you can grow up in a plumbingless hovel and later become a millionaire...well, it's still possible, but it's not as likely as if you were living in, say, Saskatchewan. If you are living in Saskatchewan and reading this, this doesn't apply to you. Also, could I borrow $50?

Here are a few interesting factoids from the report for ya:

-23% of children born to wealthiest parents remain in that upper echelon without a college degree, while only 19% of those born at the bottom quintile who get a college degree climb to the top quintile**. In other words, if you want to be rich, it's better to be born rich and spurn higher education than born poor and go to college.* It's more statistically likely, and, it goes without saying, way easier. Plan accordingly.

-African-American kids are much less likely to make more than their parents than white kids are, regardless of starting income level. Two out of three middle-class white kids go on to exceed their parents' incomes, while only one out of three black kids does.

-in the United States, only 8 percent of people make the “rags to riches” climb from bottom to top rung in one generation, while 11 to 14 percent do so in some other countries.

"..the view that America is “the land of opportunity” doesn’t entirely square with the facts. Individual success is at least partly
determined by the kind of family into which one is born. For example, 42 percent of children born to parents in the bottom fifth of the income distribution remain in the bottom, while 39 percent born to parents in the top fifth remain at the top. This is twice as high as would be expected by chance."

In the good news department:

Real income growth has allowed most Americans to live better than previous generations overall despite the increasing unevenness of income distribution. In other words, maybe you're still at the bottom, but you're not living in a plumbingless hovel. You have plumbing. Plus cable. So it's not so bad.

Have a great weekend, everybody!

**By the way, top quintile just means the top fifth, for those unfamiliar with these terms. And the top fifth in the U.S. means a household income of $81,200 or more.

*It's like I always say: lazy rich people ruin everything.

Bonus Thursday post

2008-06-26T13:02:00.000-07:00

My friend Moira was good enough to send along this link to a truly tough job interview: Steve Vai tells his story of getting auditioned by Frank Zappa as a recent music school graduate. Enjoy!

Linky Wednesday

2008-06-25T19:11:00.000-07:00

Only half of 18-24 year olds believe there will be bookstores in twenty years. I'm sure there is nary a one of those naysayers who goes to the bookstore now, anyway, so what's the big deal? It's like me claiming that we are at the end of the age of paintball.

If you want an example of the unfortunate state of the rock bottom of the kid lit slush pile, check out this excerpt of the story of "little poo." Yes, it's tragically real.

On a related note, remember that in any professional exchange in which you use the phrase "eat shit and die" that you post on your website, you will come out looking worse than your correspondent.

Do you feel like your anxiety is dropping to untenably low levels? Check out this global incident map which displays terrorist possibilities around the world. I'm sure there's something near you!

Feel like dropping casual insults about David Sedaris but aren't sure how to get started? Michael Ian Black tells us how.

For example:

"...you're knitting with some gal pals. Somebody drops a stitch. You respond by saying, 'Speaking of stitches, that's what David Sedaris wishes he had me in when I read his last book.'"

It's obviously all a clever publicity ploy, which is fine by me. To that I say: Augusten Burroughs, it's time to throw down!

Happy hump day, compatriots!

Interview with a Marriage Counselor

2008-06-23T18:15:00.000-07:00

If you live in the East Bay in the San Francisco area and could use some help with your relationship, maybe Jay Slupesky can help you out. If not, you can at least get some insight into his profession here.

1. What are the five most common problems that motivate couples to attend marriage counseling?

Here are the top five, but not in any particular order:

Blended family issues. This occurs most often when one of the spouses has been married before and has kids from that marriage. If the kids are at least 10 or so, there can be trouble between them and the stepparent which then becomes trouble in the marriage.

An Affair. One spouse has been caught or has admitted to cheating. This is devastating, of course, and sometimes ends the marriage. But some couples want to work through it, and so they come to counseling.

Porn addiction. This is becoming a bigger issue due to the easy availability of pornography on the Internet. Some men become addicted to porn. They sometimes can hide it for a while, but eventually the problem surfaces.

Stage-of-life crisis. I see this more often in women than in men, believe it or not. The most common case is that of a woman who was a stay-at-home mom but who has something of an identity crisis when the youngest child leaves home. She frequently makes some significant life changes at this point and may re-evaluate whether or not she wants to stay married.

Communication problems. Many couples don’t know how to express their feelings to each other in a healthy way. At one extreme, they may argue constantly. At the other extreme, both people keep their feelings to themselves. Neither option is good.

2. Is it sometimes obvious to you after a session or two that the couple you're treating would be better off apart?

Yes. For example, if I find out that the husband is physically abusing his wife or is extremely controlling of her and that he is not willing to try to change, then I think it’s better for the wife to leave him. I spent a year working as an intern counselor at a domestic violence shelter, so I am quite familiar with this pattern of behavior on the man’s part. Sometimes the man will claim that he had 'no choice' but to hit his wife because she 'provoked' him. Or I might find out that the wife has to let her husband know where she is at all times and that she is not 'allowed' to go certain places or see her friends. These are all red flags to me.

3. What problems do you sometimes see that can't be solved through the counseling process?

Occasionally I will get a couple where one spouse has announced that he/she wants out of the marriage. The other spouse doesn’t want the marriage to end and has convinced the unhappy partner to attend counseling in an attempt to patch things up before agreeing to separation or divorce. Unfortunately, by this time it is usually too late to fix things because the unhappy spouse has been unsatisfied for years and already has one foot out the door. This is a case in which the couple should have begun counseling several years earlier.

4. Do couples have to be married to engage your services?

No. I see unmarried couples as well as married ones. This includes young couples who are planning to be married as well as older couples who have no plans to marry. Although many relationship problems are common to both married and unmarried couples, I have noticed that unmarried couples are more likely to have “trust issues.” They suspect that their partner is cheating on them and so will be spying on them by reading their email, checking their phone, looking at their MySpace page, etc. A lot of times people with trust issues have been cheated on in previous relationships so it’s not hard to understand why they fear that it will happen again.

5. Do you occasionally get couples with very minor problems that can be worked out quickly, but simply need an intermediary?

Yes. A couple may be generally happy and satisfied with their relationship but be stuck on one particular issue. It might be something to do with job choice, a financial decision, or a major decision involving children. When this happens they may come to me for a few sessions just to have an impartial third party engender a healthy discussion and point out options that may not have been considered.

6. Do you find that people are often surprised by what is said by their partners during a counseling session?

Yes, this happens sometimes. For example, sometimes a person will 'save' an issue for the next counseling session rather than bringing it up at home. This is because he/she feels safer discussing the issue with me in the room; I won’t let the discussion get nasty or out of control.

7. What general advice can you give to couples who want a long, successful partnership?

Try to see things from one another’s points of view. I’ve written about this recently on my blog. It sounds easy, but in fact it’s not easy at all and requires some concentration. If you can put yourself in your spouse’s shoes and feel things as if you were in his/her position, you go a long way toward being able to understand him/her. When both spouses understand each other at this level, conflict goes way down.

The sad fact is that many couples will argue just for the sake of trying to convince each other of who is right and who is wrong. They completely gloss over the hurt feelings that caused the argument to begin in the first place. They should really be talking about the hurt feelings and not who is right and who is wrong.

8. How many jobs have you held in your life?

Fast food worker, warehouse clerk, landscaper, radio station engineer, electrical engineer and therapist. I guess that’s six.

Off-Topic Friday: My Dentist Adventure

2008-06-20T19:34:00.000-07:00

On Monday night, I noticed a pronounced sensitivity when I rinsed my mouth with cold water after brushing my teeth. After a monumentally undignified effort involving my bathroom mirror and a mag-lite, I discovered the culprit: a gaping hole in one of my lower molars where a cavity had obviously fallen out. The next morning, first thing, I called my dentist, and scheduled an emergency appointment for the following day.

My appointment was for 2:00 on Wednesday; I arrived about fifteen minutes early. As I mounted the stairs to the familiar building, I realized I couldn't remember what suite my dentist was in. I checked the business card I had brought with me, and verified the number: 202. As I approached the door, I was disturbed to find out my dentist's name was no longer on it. In fact, no one's name was on the door.

In a panic, I called my dentist's number and got the following message:

"Dr. Goff's office is closed through [whatever date] during our move. If this is an emergency, please leave a message."

After the beep, I started leaving a long, stream-of-consciousness message. "Hi, I had an appointment for 2:00, and it is an emergency, I have a big hole in my tooth. I'm not sure where you guys are but I'm outside the door right now of your old office, maybe you're still here..."

I open the door and the entire office has been stripped down to the walls. There was nobody in there.

"Please call me and tell me where you are...."

I hung up the phone and sat on a nearby bench, trying to figure out what to do. I then went outside to ask the parking lot if there was a building manager onsite I could talk to, and he said no. Then I decided I would throw myself on the mercy of the closest dentist, hoping there was some dental Hippocratic oath that would come into play. I scanned that building for anyone with D.D.S. after their name, but found only M.D.s. Then I went next door and found a D.D.S. on the first floor.

I walked in and three women were sitting behind the counter. "This is going to sound kind of weird, but my dentist, Dr. Goff, just moved, and I'm not sure where she is..."

"Oh, we know Dr. Goff," said one of the women, who quickly found the information and wrote her new address a post-it for me. "I'm not sure what suite it is." I thanked them, and drove the ten or fifteen blocks away, where I parked in the parking structure, which was also the parking structure for the retirement home next door. Not sure of how to go up to street level, I opened the door to a glass-enclosed elevator area, which set off an alarm system -- it was the door to the retirement home elevator only. I ran off, up the ramp I had driven down, making no effort to rectify the situation.

Finally, I get to the building I'd been directed to. Dr. Goff is not listed in the directory. No problem. Using my new knowledge of the dentist underground, I simply scan for the first D.D.S. and go to their office to see if they know where she is. Fourth floor, they think.

I wander around the fourth floor until I find her name on the door, enter the office, and start to tell my story to the two women behind the counter. "We know who you are," one of them says. "We got your message. We weren't answering the phone because we were working on a computer problem." I could hear customer support on the other end of the phone line.

Then my dentist fixes my tooth.

It wasn't until after I left that I wondered when they'd gotten my message, and if it had been more than a minute, why they hadn't called me back.

When I paid the parking lot attendant when I left, I didn't recognize him at first. Not until he said "you found the person?"

I did a double take. "You work at this parking lot, too?" I asked him. Yup. It was the same guy.

He nodded, and pointed to the front of my car. "I recognized the license plate."

Okay. I don't think I'd ever been recognized by my license plate before.

And then I went back to work.

Have a great weekend!

Linky Wednesday

2008-06-18T19:19:00.000-07:00

I have never seen this actually written before, but I've intuited that publishers really like it if you can crank out a book a year. Dennis Lehane says "no more!"

Incredibly attractive people, relax. Your hotness is not keeping you from getting the job. That's one more point for your team in an already crushing defeat.

Some mother and son went into Habitat for Humanity and asked for a bookshelf for the boy to hold all the books he'd received from the First Book program. Apparently, no one at this Florida Habitat for Humanity office had ever asked for a bookshelf before. And this is pitched as a warm fuzzy story?

Freakonomics has an interesting Q&A with a plastic surgeon.

And, finally, if you happened to miss my radio interview a few weeks back about Stuff Ya Don't Want, fear not. It is now archived for your listening pleasure.

Interview with an Antiques Dealer

2008-06-16T17:58:00.000-07:00

Or, more specifically, Michelle Staley of My Granny's Attic Antiques, Collectibles & Gifts.

1. How did you get started as an antique dealer?

I was exposed to the wonderful world of antiques at a very young age: five. One of my aunts was an antique dealer, and her husband (my uncle) was an clock repairer and collector. When I would spend summers with my Granny we would go with them to First Monday in Canton, Texas. Another aunt and uncle of mine would also go. She was a quilter and he bred and sold hunting dogs. They would give me $5.00 and turn me loose to scout around and find treasures of my own, some of which I still have. At the time First Monday was just a small, intimate affair where everyone know everybody. Now it covers about 10 acres and you can't see it all in one day.

2. What types of antiques do you specialize in?

I don't really have a specialty. I sell a very wide assortment of goods from fine china and antique glass ware to Garbage Pail Kid Cards. I also sell items that I am tired of having in my personal collections. Right now I am paring down my vintage dolls and vintage and antique kitchen gadgets. I buy and sell items that appeal to me personally and that pretty much includes everything you can imagine.

3. Where do you acquire most of your collectibles? Does it seem like merchandise is relatively easy to come by?

I love live auctions and attend a local weekly auction as often as I can. I also frequent estate sales and some garage sales. Since I am an antique dealer and known among many of the estate sale companies, most have a "dealer preview" night before they open to the public this is where I find a lot of my better items.

Another source I use is friends scattered all over the country. If they come across something they know I will like they will send me a photo and a price and either I purchase it or not. This comes in handy if I have a customer that is looking for a specific item. I can put the word out and hopefully someone will come through with the item. I don't have a hard time finding items but I also spend quite a bit of time out there looking and shopping.

4. Have you seen the bottom fall out in any particular area of collectibles?

The antiques market is very fluid and always has been. Items go in and out of popularity and you never know what the next hot trend will be. Right now I am seeing people purchase items that remind them of their childhood, the 1970s in particular, so these items aren't even classified as antiques. They are collectibles. People are also interested in items that their grandparents or parents had which does take us back a few decades.

I have seen the true antique doll market falter a bit but it seems to be on the upswing. This is another reason I have not locked myself into one particular genre of antique or collectible. One of the reasons I see for some of the fluctuation are the large numbers of so called dealers, uninformed about their wares and uninterested in learning about them, selling online either through shops or online auction sites. They don't know what they are selling and are passing off reproduction items as antiques thus burning people and not refunding money or even offering a apology to the buyer when it is brought to their attention that they have misrepresented an item. It just puts a bad taste in peoples mouth when word gets out and the rest of us suffer for it. This happens quite often with glassware and porcelain items.

5. Is there an area of antiques you would advise people not to get into collecting?

I always tell people to buy what they love, don't buy for investment purposes. If you buy what you love then you will never be disappointed in it. All of my personal collections have started that way. My heart will give a little flutter when I see something that I just have to own and nine times out of ten the item comes home with me. I also keep my antiques and collectibles out where I can see them and/or use them. The only things behind glass doors are my dolls and that is just because they are so hard to keep clean if they are left out in the open. I would advise people not to fall for the "Limited Edition" items, such as dolls and plates, that are advertised in magazines. Hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of these items are produced and an equal number of people purchase them. These items will not go up in value so do not buy them unless you get the little heart flutter and just can't live without it. If you are going to collect, please take the time to learn about your collection(s). Learning the history of pieces is part of the fun of collecting.

5. What's the most profitable area of your business?

Ha Ha, profit? As far as the selling of a particular category of product it varies from week to week but I would say that my copper tea kettles and copper molds are probably my very best sellers. I have quite a few vintage clothes and a lot of vintage costume jewelry that I have not put in the shop yet but I foresee those items doing very well. I try to keep my prices low and competitive and most of my profit is turned right back around into new inventory.

One of the most satisfying aspects or areas of my shop has been my resource and research area where I provide information on porcelain marks and the history of the companies that made the pieces. I get so much positive feedback on this particular portion of my shop. People get so excited when they learn the history of their pieces. I also have an antique forum so that people can post photos and ask questions about their antiques and collectibles. It is also a big hit. The last time I checked we had about 3000 active members. I have several people who help me answer questions.

6. Have you ever bought something that turned out to be fake?

Oh, yes, a supposed antique doll that I fell in love with that I purchased at an antique show. I took her straight to an antique doll dealer friend of mine to get her some new clothes and it was then I was informed that she was a well made "kit" doll. Or a doll that someone had
reproduced from an antique. Fortunately, she wrote me a little letter which I took back
to the seller and the seller gave me my money back and let me keep the doll. She did not know that she was a new reproduction either. That is the only time so far.

7. What do you think about the long-term viability of the vintage costume jewelry market (this one's for me -- I'm a collector!)

This market has always held pretty strong. Celluloid is being reproduced, so you do have to be careful and be knowledgeable about what you are buying, but every woman loves the sparkle of a great Coro rhinestone necklace or Weiss bracelet.* I have so many vintage rhinestone brooches that I could wear a different one every day of the week for a year and still not wear them all. Even the new reproduction pieces cannot compare to the beauty and style of vintage costume jewelry pieces so this market will hold its own. Especially in this day of recycle and reuse.

8. What is the biggest misconception laypeople have about your job?

That I have a lot of time on my hands and that this is an easy job. I love what I do and would not trade it for the world but it does keep me very busy. Since I work from home I often put in 10-12 hour days, six days a week. I always have new items to photograph and enter into
inventory, put on the website, and find a place to store in the store room. I also have to maintain the website, respond to emails, pack orders, research items I am not familiar with (I will not post anything in my shop if I do not know the history of it), work on the paid appraisals that come in, shop for new inventory and take care of my family and dogs. I think I work harder now than I did when I worked for someone else.

9. How many jobs have you held in your life?

I was a bartender through my college days. I have an Associates of Applied Science degree as an X-Ray Tech and worked in the medical field for 18 years, plus my mom and I had an antique store during most of that time. In my 30s I decided to change careers and obtained my BS degree in human resource management with the idea I would go to law school and practice family law, but a few months after I graduated my oldest daughter found out she was going to be a mom and I decided not to pursue law school so that I could stay home and care for my grandchild. In 2000 I closed the live antique shop and opened my online antique shop. I had my amazing granddaughter full-time her first three years while her parents worked and my daughter went to school, part-time for the next year, then she was off to school.

I have not completely given up on going to law school but I am doing what I love and I am here for my grandchild if she is sick or out of school for some reason so I don't see law school in my near future...maybe when I am on the other side of 50. I also believe that giving back to my community is very important and currently volunteer for two different organizations both of which deal with children. Since 1989 I have been the Kansas chapter coordinator for a nationwide child support advocacy organization and for the past two years the Kansas coordinator and leader for a worldwide anti-bully organization. I began with them after a 15 year stint with a local teen drug and alcohol prevention and early intervention group.

Thanks, Michelle!

*Indeed.

Censorship and kids' books

2008-06-13T15:40:00.000-07:00

I just read an academic journal from 1996 devoted to the subject of worldwide censorship of children's literature -- Paradoxa: Studies in World Literary Genres/Censorship in Children's Literature and it was just as dry and poorly-written as you would imagine. Nonetheless, it contains a few interesting nuggets, which I will pass on to you here.

*Many Western children's classics, such as Winnie the Pooh and Peter Pan, were not made available to a Soviet audience until the 1960s and 70s. Thus, Soviet authors frequently plagiarized these well-known stories in earlier eras. One of the most popular Russian kids' books is a slightly altered version of the Wizard of Oz, which is much better known there than the Frank Baum version.

*After WWII, the General Headquarters of Allied Powers in Japan (mainly the US army) censored any materials which were seen to promote Japanese Imperialism or criticize the American occupation. Thus, suspicion about any kind of censorship is pretty widespread in Japan, across political parties, to this day.

*While censorship was a major component of both Nazi Germany and post-war East Germany, the GDR was much more systematic about it. The Nazi censors were big fans of the Johanna Spyri classic "Heidi," because of its perceived celebration of nature, but the GDR felt it was too bourgeois.

*In locations like the United States, where there is no state-sponsored censorship, "challenges" to books' contents usually comes from parents, school committees, etc. (A point which is not actually made in this volume, to give you an idea of the total lack of clarity with which it is written.) However, criticisms like this can exert a subtle effect on an author. From well-known children's author Lois Lowry:

"In Number The Stars, I knew I would get an occasional outraged or concerned letter about the use of the adjective damn in a book whose audience would sometimes be as young as eight years old. And I did receive those letters...I was willing to defend my use of the word because of the context."

Then:

"I began, after a few books, to consider each bad word that appeared from my typewriter, later from my word processor, and to question whether it needed to be there."

The best thing in the volume is this exchange, cited in a paper about the importance of providing young people books which raise societal issues and address them in complex ways, between a would-be censor and a student:

Adult: You just don't understand how you can be influenced by a bad book.

Student: That's only if you read weak. You've got to read strong.

Read strong, my friends. And have a great weekend!

Linky Wednesday

2008-06-11T13:17:00.000-07:00

Oooh. I'm feeling especially linky today.

According to a recent poll, a lot of people are putting off vacations because of the the looming recession. Don't do it -- most likely you very much deserve this time off, and if not, it's a chance for people to be distracted from the terrible job you're doing for a full week.

Economist Paul Krugman expounds on a point I made in the comment section of Friday's post regarding alternate revenue streams for authors in the face of digital distribution of books. I always knew NY Times columnists were cruising the comments section here for column ideas. So keep those comments coming!

The zeppelin may be making a comeback! A 12-passenger version will be crossing the ocean, thanks to an endowment from Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin.

Writers were asked to recommend books to the presidential candidates. Here's what they came up with.

A 102-year-old former Negro League Baseball Player was flown to Yankee Stadium to be honored. Aw, that's nice. In other old people news, a 115-year-old woman's brain shows that you don't have to lose brain function even if you get really, really old. That one's for you, Mom.

Interview with a Middle School Teacher

2008-06-09T13:00:00.000-07:00

Ms-teacher blogs about educational topics and her experiences as a teacher.

1. What prompted you to become a teacher?

My journey to becoming a teacher was rather long. I went back to school when my second child was 18 months old with the intent of becoming a paralegal and then perhaps going to law school. It took me seven years to get my BA in Government/Political Science. I was lucky to land a job for a state senator with whom I worked for a few years. I thoroughly enjoyed working for him, but hated the backstabbing atmosphere provided by many of my colleagues. My original intent when becoming involved in politics was to give back to my community. That's when it hit me that I could have much more impact at the local level by becoming a teacher. I've often said that from the moment I walked through the doors of my first classroom, I knew that this was where I was meant to be all along.

2. It is common for people to complain that teachers are poorly paid. Do you feel that you and your co-workers aren't properly compensated for the work you put in?

People usually assume by our work schedule that we have it easy because we get off mid-afternoon, have summer vacation, and enjoy various breaks throughout the year. What too many don't realize is how much of our own time and money we use to help support the learning environment of our students. A good example for me is that this summer I will be attending three conferences, all of which are a week long. I also spend a lot of time after I'm "off the clock" developing curriculum, looking and exploring ways to make me a better teacher, and doing such daily essentials like grading papers, lesson planning, etc. I have a 55 minute prep each day, but during that time I'm expected to make phone calls to parents, grade papers, make copies and do anything else that my administrator might want me to do.

For the level of work that a conscientious teacher puts in every day in comparison to other professionals with similar amounts of education, I would say that the vast majority of us are underpaid. I've held other jobs in the private sector prior to becoming a teacher and I hadn't yet earned my BA. Salaries and benefits coupled with professional integrity and respect were much more than I experience now in many ways.

3. How many hours do you typically put in per week?

On the clock hours, my contract has me working 37.5 hours each week. Off the clock, it depends upon what time of year it is. Right now it's not too bad because the year is winding down, but the first 3/4 of the year, I would wager I put in an additional 20 to 30 hours each week.

4. What would you say are the biggest problems facing most teachers today?

We are increasingly asked to do a lot more with a lot less. I'm not just talking about salaries either. In my school district, we have had to lay off a lot of support staff, such as our counselors, office staff and custodians. The people picking up the slack are teachers. When people tell me I have it easy as a teacher, I gladly invite them to trade jobs with me for a week. If teaching was so easy, we would have people beating down the doors to do it.

I would also say lack of professional respect from the public at large can be very depressing. Some assume that as a teacher that my sole intent is to indoctrinate their children in a way that is in opposition to their belief system. I'm not sure how I can do that teaching ancient history or language arts, which is what I teach. And thanks to the many unflattering news story that have hit the press with teachers having sex with their students, teachers humiliating kindergarteners, or sleeping on the job, this has led to more bad assumptions on the part of the general public. Most teachers want to teach because they want to positively impact the lives of children, not because they want to morally corrupt or harass our young charges.

5. What impact is the increase in standardized testing having in the classroom?

I've not known teaching without standardized testing. For me, all my lessons are built around the mandated standards set forth by the state of California. I also tell my students that they should do their best, not to stress and as long as they know they tried their hardest, that's all anyone can ask of them. I do not think that standardized testing is a necessarily bad idea; however, I do think that those making education policy need to understand that their are a variety of reasons that children may not perform well on tests.

A good example that I can provide regards one of my students from this school year. Ricky has been a mostly B/C student for the majority of this school year. In March, I started noticing a change in his academics. I asked him about it and all he was willing to share with me is that he and his mom had moved from his stepfather's house. We had our state-mandated testing towards the end of April. Ricky often came to school late, without his school supplies and just generally disinterested. It was a very noticeable change from his behavior earlier in the year. He still wasn't willing to share much with me.

Finally just this past week, Ricky came into my classroom at lunch to talk to me. He started telling me how his mother had left his stepfather and had moved in with another guy. This guy started beating up on his mom. She clearly needs to move, but has nowhere to go. Finally, his aunt stepped in and agreed to take Ricky a couple of weeks ago. His mom had left the guy beating on her for a little bit, but has since moved back in with him. I can tell by what Ricky was telling me that even though he's safe, he's clearly worried about the safety of his mom.

Now, if anyone looks at Ricky's test and he performs poorly on it, they are only going to see a test score. They aren't going to know what I know about him and know that based on his earlier work, I know that he probably can do better. There are so many variables when it comes to standardized testing and yet, some are calling for merit pay based on it. To me, it's absurd.

6. What are the biggest misconceptions about teaching?

That my job is easy!

7. How many jobs have you held in your lifetime?

I have had many jobs over my lifetime, from customer service rep in an insurance company, to day care provider, to selling Mary Kay Cosmetics. I've done a lot.

What The Future Leaves Behind

2008-06-04T21:21:00.000-07:00

Aging Gen-Xer that I am, I sometimes I find myself feeling nostalgic for the old ways. This includes, but is not limited to, stuff I never actually liked at the time. For example: the shared home phone. Since all the generations who come after me will only ever have cell phones, they'll never quite grasp the communal feeling of having your mother or housemate or boyfriend yell "Hey, Nancy, it's for you!" and then hold out the receiver in your direction. They'll never suffer from the supreme indifference of a roommate who fails to give messages to you in a timely fashion, and upon delivering them fails to pass on the useful particulars. "Some dude called for you," your friend-of-a-friend might say, the guy who you let stay with you with the understanding he'd move out in a week or so after he found a place -- and even this nugget will only be offered after you've asked five times if someone's called. "At least I think it was a dude. It might have been a girl with a deep voice."

"Was his name Joseph?" you'd ask slyly.

"Yeah," he'd say, nodding. "I think so."

"I don't even know anyone named Joseph!"

He'd shrug. "Well, it was something like that."

I'm starting to feel like that, in a pre-emptive way, about the paper book.

I've never had anything but affection for the good old tree-killing hardcover or softcover, though I'm not completely averse to new technologies. But with reading devices like the Kindle gaining popularity, I can see that more books in the future will be electronic. What do I think the downside of this is? If the physical aspect of a book is lost, then you can no longer read an inscription in a book, which, if they are from an earlier age, are inevitably inscribed by a relative or friend and dated Christmas and the year. You will never wonder why the previous owner of The Scarlet Letter chose to highlight two pages in the middle of chapter two that didn't seem to be of any special import. And you'll never find the extra bits, the bookmarks from the book's past -- plane tickets, sometimes a juicy postcard. Or even this letter, which was tucked into the Robert's Rules of Order I scored by the dumpster a few weeks back. It's got to be fake. But it's funny, anyway.

*I will discuss the dubious environmental advantage of this in a future post

Linky Wednesday

2008-06-04T17:56:00.000-07:00

More than half of US workers call the American Dream unattainable according to a new Zogby poll. The dream is as follows: "the opportunity to have a nice home, financial security for you and your family, and hope for the future." 45.1% of people polled described themselves as bitter about the deterioration of their economic circumstances. No one commented on the sheer banality of calling home ownership a "dream."

A bunch of people who busted into Robert Frost's house for partying purposes and destroyed a bunch of his former property are now forced to take poetry classes to help them learn the error of their ways. In your face, anti-literary punks.

A very old couple, 100 and 99, drove the wrong way on a highway in New Zealand and ultimately crashed. Ironically, the fact that they were able to dodge other cars for a full mile before the accident makes you think whoever was driving (which is still unknown) was pretty on the ball.

If you're bummed out about excessive junk mail, why not sign the do not mail petition, similar to the do not call petition, that calls upon our legislators to end the annoyance and anti-environmentalism of all that wasted paper. Let's do this thing, America!