I can only extend heartfelt sympathy for Brice and all others who are struggling through these times of economic and employment uncertainty and woe. A year ago I saw myself sliding, not into the unemployed, but into the unhappily employed (okay, lets just say miserable) but putting up with it for lack of a better opportunity. I was ready to leave my fairly well paying day job for a less well paying night job, the only benefit of which was that I had to work fewer overall shifts, and therefore had more time off, while sacrificing sleep and quality family time. I was also stuck in an inhospitable locale with a big mortgage that far outweighed the new valuation of the home after the market for homes crashed. And my wife and I had just had our new son, the miracle of our lives.
Out of the blue comes what could only be considered the offer of a lifetime, the chance to be the boss and run the show, develop some new programs, hire some new people and purchase some much needed new equipment----a place that was itself in its own form of dire straights, but all they needed was someone who knew how to do a lot of different things across the spectrum of my job, someone aggressive and ambitious enough to do it, someone who was willing to relocate-----someone to lead them out of their desperate and dysfunctional situation. There has in my mind never been a better match between a job and my personal and professional skills, and I am so grateful every day to have found this opportunity. Not that life has been easy---I still ahve a lot of work related problems to deal with, but then that was what I was brought in to do--fix them. I sitll have two houses in two very different states in two separate parts of the country, which means two mortgages to carry, and no money left over to put into retirement. But I have a much happier work and life, and my family life couldn't really be better, with a couple minor exceptions. WE are by no means plush, and I am by no means riding on my laurels, but we can eat, make all aour payments and have altittle left over for juat a taste of the good life most of us enjoyed over the last few more fruitful years.

What it does mean is that I have become extremely selective about any discretionary spending, including kilt related purchases, and feel the need to be double and triple careful about finding the best deal for what little I am still buying. I still buy, as I believe that those that still have should do so to help stimulate the economy to help those that do not (trickle down Reagonomics), but it has definitely slowed my sense of need for certain items, especially fluff stuff, and focussed me more on the importance of making the best with what I already have, then filling in carefully the remaining needs. It also makes me oh so much more aware of scot's frugality, getting the most value for your money, and not settling a lesser quality when I know that the better quality somewhat pricier item is really the bargain in the long run. And through this forum have connected up with true artisans who do great work at reasonable prices, and who deserve our patronage becasue of hteir skill and dedication to their craft, if for no other reason than to keep those skills alive and available to future kilt wearing generations.

So I do have one kilt on queue with Barb, fabric sent several months ago, and another on queue with an xmarks newcomer kiltmaker who comes with good background and credentials, and with whom I have bartered a discount on my kilt labor (I provided the fabric) for what I anticipate to be a very favorable review here of the product, once my kilt arrives in the next month or so. Hopefully this will help her garner new business here while simultaneously providing the opportunity for xmarkers to have another reasonably priced high quality kiltmaker be available to make them a more affordable but high quality product, thereby helping more than one person at a time weather the economic storm but still enjoy a little indulgence for their hard work. Other loftier projects have for now been put on hold, like most of you.

I pray for a speedy recovery to the economic, employment and housing crisis, for all those suffering beneath its heavy weight, and can only offer the old adage that" out of our darkest hours comes the dawn of a new day." Keep the faith, and something will come along your way. God Bless.