It's no secret that the economy is tough right now. It's heavily affected all of us, destroying jobs, foreclosing houses, and bringing wave after wave of general discomfort. (The state of California, the 7^th largest economy in the world!, is actually giving out IOUs this year for tax returns, haha. sigh) That being said, what I want to know is, through all this, are we as Americans going to learn our lesson? What lesson is that, you ask? Why do Americans always live so far above their means? We analyze how much we make and squeeze every last penny from our salaries, or even perhaps more, going into debt.

I'm not trying to slam people who have legitimate bills. There are millions who have no choice about this. They have families to feed and clothe. But there are plenty more of us with no excuse and we know who we are. For all the rest, I give you this quote by Henry David Thoreau:

“Most men appear never to have considered what a house is, and are actually though needlessly poor all their lives because they think that they must have such a one as their neighbors have... It is possible to invent a house still more convenient and luxurious than we have, which yet all would admit that man could not afford to pay for. Shall we always study to obtain more of these things, and not sometimes to be content with less?”

The reason I feel comfortable preaching such a financial gospel is because, out of everyone I know, the present state of the economy has affected me the most. I work for a non-profit organization and in the last four months have been paid a total of a whopping $675. And yet, I've muddled through. The reason why is because I've always tried my hardest to spend far less than what I earn. “For my greatest skill has been to want but little.” Another quote from Henry David Thoreau.

To me, it's always been more important to do work that's meaningful than work that's high paying. But often times, in order to be employed in meaningful tasks, one has to be content with little pay. Most of us, however, take the opposite approach. We associate pay with value, and think that when we have that high salary career, we'll finally have found everything we're after. But this is a fatal misconception. For who among us can control those unforeseen storms, like the current financial crisis? (Ok Ron Paul probably saw it coming, but who else?)

I guess what I'm trying to say is that contentment is a skill, one which most of us have not yet learned. I hope that through times like these, we'll learn. What do you think?

I always thought that college was supposed to prepare a person to join the workforce. When did college become a place that prepares a person for getting experience? Who in their right minds wants to spend 4 years of their life learning and many thousands of dollars just so they can be told, “Sorry, you need more experience.” Somewhere along the line, the mentality of the academic world has become consistent with one of my favorite quotes: “Always remember that you're unique... just like everybody else.”

Because of this, however, something surprising has happened. A shift is slowly building in today's economy. The trade jobs of yesteryear are actually gaining more of a rise in the modern workforce. One would think that with technology abounding more and more, jobs like carpentry and plumbing would lose their appeal. But in fact we find the opposite. Trade schools in our modern age are becoming like a fresh breath of air in an otherwise stagnant, musty atmosphere. Just imagine it with me for a moment. Going to school for a mere two years and stepping straight into the workforce. Wait, no unpaid internships? No experience oriented programs that resonate vaguely with the words: “indentured servitude?”

The trade jobs of yesteryear (Welding, Auto Mechanics, Plumbing, Electricians) have gotten somewhat of a bad rap in times past. With the advent of computers and the internet in our modern age, trade jobs seem to almost have an air of stupidity associated with them, like a backward step on the evolutionary chain of society. In other words, in our modern society, there's a clear attitude that trade jobs should never be a person's first choice. But now, surprisingly, things are starting to change. Trade schools actually offer viable training for the working world, not training towards eventual indentured servitude. I, personally, think it's about time.

It's always been one of my dreams to build my own house somewhere out in the recesses of the San Diego countryside. Beyond actually having a house, one of the most exciting things about that goal is the opportunity to learn many of the trades. To try my hand at plumbing, electrical work, foundation pouring, and carpentry will be more than a little challenging, but also very rewarding. And though I will only gain a cursory knowledge of the trades required in construction and will most likely hire professionals to work with me, the idea of one day learning those time tested trades is a welcomed thought.

John Ratzenberger (played Cliff Clavin in the TV show Cheers) is a big advocate of encouraging children to learn about and be proud of the fabrication and manufacturing professions. Among other accomplishments he founded “Nuts, Bolts, and Thingamajigs” the Foundation of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association International. This foundation educates and encourages children and to explore the professions in the fabricating and manufacturing fields. Here is a link to his site. http://www.fma-foundation.org/nbtf/

It may be that the pendulum is about to swing back in the favor of trade jobs. With so much of our industry now in foreign hands, and with the constant problems we have with Chinese-made goods, good old-fashioned American manufacturing might gain a little momentum and respect. The trades might actually become the first choice in the minds of the youth of tomorrow. Wouldn't that be an interesting thing? It might, in fact, be the only hope for getting back the industrial roots this country was founded upon. One day, we might actually be able to give our children toys again that aren't coated in lead paint. I look forward to it.