How are you DP folks personally affected by the recession ?

I'm happy to report that I am back to work after being off since last september. It's a crazy story how it all happened. I believe the good lord was looking out for me. To make a long story short, I found the pocketbook of the president of one of the largest ambulance service companies in northeast ohio lying in the middle of the street. Upon returning it to him with 300 cash, four corporate visas, personal debit card, account numbers, among other valuable things; he offered me a job on the spot. His company was just rated one of the 100 fastest growing small businesses in the country and has never layed anyone off since he started the company in 1991. The thing is, I was supposed to start a job with a construction company on a project that was set to last 4 months last wednesday, (I found the pocketbook on monday), then who knows what. After him showing me around the company and interviews with his top brass, he made an offer I couldnt refuse. Today was my 4th day on the job, and I really couldnt be happier. Seeing the reports of layoffs everyday, I feel so fortunate and grateful, and thank the good lord everyday.

will go down as the worst financial year for me (hopefully).

i've had my own business for 5 years and did very well. with that, I bought several pieces of property, some raw land that has been developed (permitted to build), a rental, and some property next door to our home. our children will be going to public school next year (eee gads) as a necessity....that will save us 14,000 a year. that has been the toughest decision...subjecting your own children to something you have a hard time supporting.

I took a 65% hit in 2008. Took a job as a zone manager at Lowe's recently and fly out on the weekends to do my consulting work when it comes in. Times are tough. But, one of my real estate holding will be paying off soon and that should set me up for my new approach to personal finances: peter schiff, ron paul, jim rogers approach. gold and silver, cash and we're moving to get off of the grind as much as we can.

we already garden, hunt and fish and i have good plans for alternative energies for the home and vehicles. we have already stored food and water.

hunker down.

Thank heavens I saw this coming a while ago and stocked up then, because I've been hit hard by the present troubles. I'm not exactly what you'd call essential personnel. Unless you're a tyranical potentate with a need for elegant and timeless visual propaganda. Then I'm very useful. I'm an artist, most often a portrait painter, the dead artist kind. I'm in a sort of 19th century time warp, painting in a classical manner that most people think isn't done anymore. Anyway, I was doing fine, my gallery was doing fine, and there was a year or two wait for my commissioned portraits. Now the mighty have fallen and they're not buying art. I'm still trying to adapt within my field rather than seek employment because I have Lyme disease. That makes me absolutely hopeless as an employee. I wake up every morning without the foggiest idea whether I will be functional that day or not. At least with art, and a kind of art that is specialized and somewhat scarce, I can get away with working when I am able, which may be in the middle of the night, or next week. The whole prima donna thing works for art. I don't think an employer would be amused by my work habits. But I'm also working on some liberty themed graphics to go on clothing. Usually I flatter my sitters, but I don't think Obama is going to like what I'm doing with his portrait. You'll like it, though.

My husband's employer has gone to 2 shifts working 3 days a week on the production line. Admin/Manager staff still working 40 hr week until March 9th, then they are going to a 32 hr work week. His company is a steel manufacturing plant (steel trusses, joists etc.) One of the biggest in the industry. The cuts are acrossed the board not just in Florida. They have plants in Indiana, South Carolina, North Carolina (can't remember them all) and they are reducing hours everywhere.

We are prepared and have planned well, but it is still very surreal!

Since I quit my job I have been garden crazy and it is starting to warm up so I can get to planting, I have the potatoes in the ground and today will plant onions. I know people get pissy about garden threads, but to me it is as vital as guns and ammo!

!!!Truth is treason in the EMPIRE OF LIES!!!

I run my own computer repair business, and I've never had more work. My business grew by about 70% last year, but I think that has a lot to do with the way I run my business.

I have very low overhead (work from my home), no business debt, and no employees to pay (other than myself). I treat people the way they should be treated and keep my rates on the low end of the market ($50/hr.), and I actually have to turn away some work.

There's nothing wrong with big businesses, but it sure is a lot easier when you're small. I'll never have to worry about laying off, and I love my work. What more could you ask for?

On the other side, I have a lot of friends who are getting killed by the recession (contractors especially). I just hired one of them to paint my living room, and it was the first work he's had in a month and a half after grossing $100,000+ last year. Another contractor friend of mine had 17 employees, and now he's down to 3.

Our county runs on manufacturing and retail, and both of them are drying up. There's been hundreds of layoffs in our county in the last 6 months, and the rumors are that at least one of the plants may close completely.

Eventually, I expect it to catch up with my business, too. For now, I'm just thankful that God provides!

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Last summer I sold my house, auctioned off most of the possessions and furniture, cashed in all my stock, and moved to an Island in the Marianas.

I have no crystal ball, but the writing has been on the wall for a couple of years now. Most people didn't quite believe it, but I did, and I am very happy that I got out with my cash and have a nice place to live.

Thank goodness the sale of the house and possessions gave me a pretty good nest egg so I don't have to worry about working for the moment. I could always teach here but am busy writing books, which is fun.

Last, I may have mentioned this before, but it is worth repeating. One of the books I read in 2007 was THE MAYAN CALENDAR AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF CONSCIOUSNESS by Carl Josef Calleman. I was a bit skeptical, since I don't usually read stuff like this, but several friends encouraged me and I got the book. It's not only amazing, it's accurate. I don't know beans about the Mayans, who they were or what they did, but they had some very bright guys create this calendar 4,500 years ago and it has been consistently correct.

According to the Mayan Calendar, we are in a 'dark time' now that will extend through late 2011. At 2012 the calendar stops. Calleman speculates that by then, all the bad stuff will be over and we will perhaps enter a more humane and enlightened time. I hope that is the case.

In the meantime, as the world continues to deteriorate and the likelihood of martial law looms on the horizon, I am happy to be far, far away from the U.S. mainland. Whether it will be safer here is a good question, but at least there is a certain amount of autonomy withing the Marianas.

If you need a place to escape to, consider the Marianas (Saipan, Tinian, Rota and nearby Guam). They are U.S. territories, U.S. post office, U.S. dollar and rents are cheap. Food is a little pricey, but the beer is cold.
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