Friday, January 2, 2009

Predictions


Next year these people won't be so quick to throw the Christmas lights out with the tree because it'll be a lot harder to find and buy cheap lights next year.

The experts and pundits have spoken! The official predictions for 2009 are out there in the papers and on TV. I find modern soothsaying so fascinating. These people speak as if they really know what's going to happen next. Isn't it funny? Or perhaps just optimistic, a classic American characteristic. If they can do it, I can do it. Why not? Though, one disclaimer: I don't have a CLUE what's really going to happen. I'm just guessing.

I predict a lot of chaos in the U.S. in 2009, especially in terms of our financial habits. I see the end of a lot of big retailers - department stores, as we used to call them - like Macy's, for example. The biggest and most heinous retailer, Walmart, will stand firm, enduring the chaotic year like the cockroach. Too bad about that!

I see less demand for all the stupid products we Americans find adorable, which means manufacturing companies that produce, for instance, battery operated pepper grinders, will go out of business. But do we really need battery operated pepper grinders? I say no. In fact, we never needed them or any of the other wasteful stupid things that are now crammed into our overstuffed closets.

Some businesses will do well. If there's someone out there devising a twelve step program for people addicted to shopping, they will make out like bandits in 2009. People are not going to have the money to shop till they drop, and too there will be fewer places to go on shopping binges.

I expect that all of us small scale alternative care healers, like myself and the Sufi acupuncturist, for instance, to be very busy in 2009. It's nerve wracking for citizens of fumbling empires. People will need healing. I also foresee doing a lot of shamanic business this year. I've already received two requests for shamanic interventions for January. Wow.

2009 is the year when Americans who have not already opened their eyes, will be forced to wake up and smell the coffee. My heart goes out to the folks who planned carefully and hoped to retire this year but now can't because of the financial crisis. I also feel for all the people who work in large retail stores and in other businesses that are based on profit but don't provide services or products that people actually need. Maybe all of those people will be able to get jobs revamping our electrical grid or rebuilding our infrastructure, projects our president elect is determined to invest in. I hope so.

Chaos attends the end of every empire. Ours is no different than any other throughout history. It's an interesting time to be alive.

My advice for 2009? Stand up straight and keep breathing. We can get through this, we can. And as Merle Sneed says, we'll all be the better for it.

Onwards and upwards! Indeed.

52 comments:

Unknown said...

I see we both have the same ideas about useless items and clearing much garbage from our over industrialized lives. Hope to get to know you better, Happy 2009, C.S. Alexis

janis said...

Reya
I stumbled upon your blog and am very impressed. You write beautifully and your photos are intriguing. I am going to try hard to "take one day at a time", and instead of eating more cake, I think I will eat more pie!
Keep up the great Blog!

Amelia said...

It's a scary thought on were and how we could all end up in 2009. I'm hoping that it won't turn out to bad but who knows! All I can say is anyone who has a job right now needs to hold onto it for dear life and pray that their company stays in business.

I'm looking around for some new Blogs to read. I was placed over here in Blogger when our J-land community shutdown on AOL. All of my J-land friends have followed me over here and I them, but I would like to get out and about and meet some Bloggers.

I hope 2009 brings you a lot good times.

*M*

http://learningtoadapt.blogspot.com

or click below
MISSYZ STUFF</a

Unknown said...

I think your predictions are right on target. I'm not optimistic about a fast financial turn around, even with billions of tax dollars being dumped into the economy. As always your blog is a pleasure.

JS

Concord Carpenter said...

Jakes a cutie. I love labs, had two. One left me recently after 14 years of unquestionable friendship.

Currently looking for a second pup and my kids have proposed JAKE as one name they like...

Congrats on making the blogs of note!

Happy New Year! ROB

Merle Sneed said...

Reya, I think you have hit the nail on the head. My best to one of my favorite people.

Ralph Suarez said...

One of the really great features, here on Blogger, is the BLOG OF NOTE, as I find wonderful blogs such as yours. Congratulations for authoring something that is so refreshing, and yet, inspiring and encouraging to other people. As a matter of fact, I called my daughter and pointed her to this blog and we both laughed about the Hugh Grant film clip. Thank you.
I took some much needed vacation days, in between the holidays, to reflect on life and how I am living it. Where to go from here...from this point? Your blog arrives in a very timely and personal way for me, as you remind me of the focus that I wish to discover, in these last few days of 2008 and the first beginnings of 2009. Thank you for your honesty and for your perspective. It is great to know that I am not so terribly unique.

Celestite said...

Those trees thrown out like that make me gag.
I agree with your predictions. While it is going to be hard on a lot of people, there are also a lot of people (like me) who have been kicked to the curb during the last 10 years of greed riots. Big upheavals aren't all bad, they also create opportunities for people who want to try something new.
Good luck to us all in 2009.

Chetan said...

Nice post.. although I am in India but the recession is scary as we are more or less dependent on the American economy.. And in such depressing circumstances this blog is like a nice breeze of hope. I wish everything falls back in place.. Thanks for the post.

Unknown said...

Interesting predictions for this year. I think you are probably not far off.

Angela said...

Amen, Reya! I can`t quite compare, as the situation here is not quite as bad as in the States, but I also do hope that people will stand still for a while and wonder what is REALLY important in life. It is a great chance, is it not?

ArtSparker said...

There's a some sort of new economy on the way...Talked to a relative over the holidays who is presently working for an architecture firm that builds retail outlets, he said he'd always liked the idea of working on converting cars to green (and word is at present, solar) if he lost his job.

A Concerned Citizen said...

I have full confidence that you have much, much better prowess at predicting the future than any of those folks on tv. That's not even a close contest! What you say makes a lot of intuitive sense to me. I agree with you and Merle Sneed that no matter what winds up happening, we will all wind up better for it.

I can't believe that someone threw out a tree with the lights still on it! I confess that during my 9 Christmases on Capitol Hill I have never before seen that. But, the way things work around here, someone more appreciative of the lights will come and give them a new and better home before the city gets around to collecting the tree. . . .

Jenni Renee said...

Very well put. Keep Smiling!

rosedale's 4head said...

interesting take. thanks for sharing.

Tom said...

i predict your dog will sniff that shadow trash can that he merged with on the bricks ... nice sunny day in D.C., can we get some of that over here in the midwest ?

Washington Cube said...

Jake is looking pretty snappy there.

Steve Reed said...

I think you're right in many of your predictions. This is going to be an interesting, lean year.

I can't believe someone threw out those great old lights. Those seem to be the old-fashioned kind, and not the skinny little bulbs they sell now. (Of course, maybe getting replacement bulbs is difficult!)

cconz said...

AMEN! Great post. Just stopping by to say, congrads on noteable blogs list! Walmart will survive like a cockroach,sad but true.

Unknown said...

So Sad.. many peple here in the Philipppines cant Buy there own Christmas tree also a Cheep Christmas Lights

jacqueline said...

I must say I very much agree with your predictions. But then, I don't really have a clue as to what will happen either. :)

TAB Photographic said...

ummm... So I'm thinking we can try to create some sort of repellant. Much like roach repellant but on a much larger scale for Walmart. He... Walmart and George W. Bush... We can make a "W" repellant???? ahhh yes... So true about your entire post. I actually wrote a couple hours ago how there is no one that could have predicted this year much like many don't remember 10 years ago...

Shine on!

Pod said...

i think you're right about us getting busier. it's happening already here. so many acute necks. so many in denial that stress is the cause. i feel i may become more detached from my work, but feel this is probably not a bad thing?
one thing i know for sure is that bonds with people that matter will strengthen
xx

Little Gypsy said...

I think those are good predictions. And you never know, you might just end up on the history chanel one day next to Nostradamus.

You have a cute dog by-the-way.

Caz Wilson said...

A positively optimistic outlook on 2009!?! You hint at there being a light at the end of the tunnel for some ("some businesses will do well") but honestly, don't you think this is a fabulous time to weed out the weak and leave the strong standing?

Well done for being a blog of note btw :)

Watson said...

Your photos are amazing! A delight!
My human enjoyed them immensly.

Reya Mellicker said...

Definitely eat more pie.

Steve they were old fashioned lights, but brand new.

I'm loving the idea of W repellant.

On the history channel next to Nostradamus? OH YEAH!!

Reya Mellicker said...

Yes, Pod. I already feel my connections to my nearests and dearests strengthening. That's such a good thing!

Searching Soul said...

When people live in excess and throw a lot of blessings while the rest of the world have people not knowing where to get their next meal, that's really making me cringe in horror.

The old adage "We will never know the value of water until the well runs dry" can be coming true this year.

I just hope not.

mouse (aka kimy) said...

most excellent post! hey did i read gp is a blog of note....most deserved!!! congrats & cool....I predict a huge increase of regular readers!! namaste, sweet reya

Alycia said...

love your blog :) and your pup is a cutie!

Oldman Ginger said...

Congrats on blog of note, I love the blogs of note because it exposes us to some blogs that we would probably never get the chance to see. I love the DC area and your pictures are spectacular! Thank you so much!

Tess Kincaid said...

Sounds to me like you are spot on, Reya. Onward and upward! :^)

Rick said...

Hello Reya, Please forgive me for being so bold, but I am doing a bit of blog surf to invite people to sign up for my giveaway. There are no gimmicks. This is just my way of celebrating two years of blogging. On January 4th I am giving away a free caricature drawn by me. I'd be honored if you came by and signed up for a chance to win.

Lori ann said...

Hooray Reya on the Blog of Note and all the lovely comments too!
xx lori

Aktionsgutscheine.de said...

Have a nice weekend!

iPictured This said...

My daughter interned in DC last spring for 10 weeks. It's such an awesome place! Love your photos.

PERSPECTIVE said...

Well blame it on consumerism....in one of the article in my blog i had written how consumerism not only induces us to consume more and more...things that are important and not so imp. but in turn it also consumes values and integrity ....its for all of us to witness....
But there is light at the end of tunnel. As a race we have always come up stronger...this will be no different.

CocoDivaDog said...

Hey,
I agree with you, 2009 will be scary, but I also think it will be a time of optimistic changes. Perhaps a time of economic "survival of the fittest"?
PS
love your blog.

Aktionsgutscheine.de said...

Have a nice weekend!

Anonymous said...

A light at the end of the tunnel would be welcome as long as it doesn't turn out to be an oncoming train.

5windsOfvenus said...

Hello!
I love your article... that was amusing... and sounds rather sound... I live in Canada but we still are certainly affected by what happens in america, unfortunately, almost like the big sister little sister dynamic...

I teach Reiki here in Montreal on barter or donation; just feel to share and get it out there.... I am an employed artist yeah!!

I hope that people start to wake up in more ways then one... start to realize how we create our own realities... yargh... why is it that peace, harmony & love are perceived as something that flaky people talk about ?

I wish you bright blessings this year in whatever ways you need it the most... Maybe the world will heal this time around?

Cheers;
April-Anna
http://theartofapril-anna.blogspot.com/

Molly said...

I've never seen a tree thrown out complete with the lights before! I'm shocked (and yet not surprised) at the wastefulness. I'm also always surprised at all the people who feel the need to buy all new ornaments every year so they can have a "theme" tree. Maybe we'll see that end to that too.

Our family gives an ornament every year attached with one gift. It's a tradition I started with my own family. Each ornament is personal and holds memories. It makes decorating the tree every year a truly nostalgic experience.

Jane said...

How are battery operated pepper grinders get into the industry? Wierd... Anyways your blog is so awesome. Your writing flows. I can never get mine to do that.

Rick said...

Not too late - thanks for signing up and good luck.

lettuce said...

keep breathing - and one step at a time too

i can't help thinking that it'll be us "ordinary" people who learn and change most through all this
the ones with money and power will hang on and survive and go on accumulating money and power

but I guess their fate isn't our concern

(thankfully)

Anonymous said...

Hey Reya

I do not live in US, so it's impossible for me to make the sort of observations you do but I fear I agree with you on this. Effects now seen in Turkey as well, almost all of Small&Medium Enterprises that are vulnerable to exports are sweating with most of them out of the business. I also do not approve of the packages passed upon by your current administration and fear it may add to the woes of US economy. You have $10,000,000,000 of gross public debt, leaving aside Social Security. This combined with again a huge size of external debt is worrisome alone. These packages will fuel the inflation and increase your debt. Too bad, I fear Bernanke might have to cut all the trees in US to print money so as to tackle the crisis. I want to be hopeful about Obama, hope he delivers on his promises.

Nice Blog, will keep an eye on from now on...

Cheers
Tohellboy

presious said...

I am definitely a dog person. Your "puppy" is absolutely adorable in his blue shirt. They like to be warm too!

Your photos are very inspiring. They take you to a place that makes you want to exhale. They bring an appreciation to a world that has truly forgotten the small beauties in life.

Good job!
Presious

Luvsupreme said...

I agree, most of us will be pulling our purse strings a little tighter just out of fear alone this year. And booo to Walmart's hypnotic you-can't-pass-up-buying-this-cheap-thingamajig trance they have over the average consumer (although I must admit to being a closet shopper there). I really fear for the charming little shops that you go to on a nice Sunday afternoon to look at the "knick-knacks"...sigh, where do we go from here?

Unknown said...

I don't believe in predictions. But just last year one prediction made in January 2008 actually happened in December 2008. Now, I'm a bit confused on whether to believe in predictions or not.. Great blog.. Thanks..

LeePsycho said...

Funny how Empires are always brought down by a tyranical leader with very few actual leadership skills.

As for our Economy, we made that bed .... Great blog, honest words.

UrgĂȘncia de viver ! said...

I love simples picture im great form !
Good picures !