. . . All over the world

Went “tag-surfing,” and discovered it’s a big, scary job world out there.  At Mrs. Justa and Uncertain Tomorrows, the blogger’s recent encounters with unemployment concerns start old layoff memories from recessions past bouncing through her mind. Pennydog Jewelry, a self-employed craftswoman, is holding her own, but really working hard on selling in a recession.  It’s on the news, in the papers, and constantly in conversations all around us, but the recession is also being quietly mulled over in our minds.   Not just in the US, either!  Simba Rulez writes about Gloom and Doom in Germany.  We can’t get the recession and threats to our jobs off of our collective mind.  Could all this resonating worry around the globe do something to pull us together?  Can we solve this problem together?  Someone else has been wondering  something similar, a blogger named TheThirdDegree.  Examining her own role in the financial crisis is java girl, who is managing to be thoughtful in the face of layoff concerns herself.

I heard on the news that the American economic disaster is also a disaster for other economies worldwide.  We are linked more closely than ever, in our global economy.  Interdependence – we share the troubles as well as commerce.

I was talking with another investor today, who questioned why I was trying hard to buy now, since it seems we’ll be in this recession for a while before prices start going back up.  In part, I don’t think there’s a need to wait for “rock bottom” before buying.  If I find a deal and it cash flows, that works for me.  But the other part is, what if I get laid off?  I’ll have to create a lot of cash flow to replace my income.  Might as well get started now; either I’ll become financially independent, or I’ll become unemployed, and need to make my real estate pay me.

This started out being about taking back what the stock market took away, and bringing my dream of retirement back to the foreseeable future.  Now it feels like it could be about survival.

But that’s exaggerating.  I’m not in the position of someone who retired a few years ago and then lost 70% of their retirement savings.  I’m one of the lucky ones.  I have options besides making real estate investment work or keeping my job.  Still, my worries are in tune with our collective global consciousness – people all over the world, worried about work.