04.22.09 - 9:47 am

my line of work has a distinct grasp on the lens of the economy. its a business built on the american hobby. the result of our expendable income.

"how are you guys doing?" is the question that has dramatically increased in its inquiry from customers. joel, my boss, is typically honest, "march was terrible. its been very slow. id like to order more livestock, but i have to get paid first." he tells people he doesnt have any money. i choose to go the bear stearns route: "everything is just fine. we are doing well."

i feel like joel uses the pity card, in hopes people will feel like spending more of their own limited finances to help out his business. i feel like if the impression of our business is that of success, people will feel more secure in shopping with us. that they should expect to see new products, instead of dwidling stock.

christina, alexis, evan, rick, whitney, julie, emily and others all laid off this year. then there are the handful of people i know who havent been able to find a job in weeks. months even. yesterday mom said our unemployment is up to 12%.

summer in the marine aquarist business is dreadfully slow. its warm, its sunny, most people are spending their income and time outside. when winter comes, they spend the next several wintery months repairing their aquarium neglect. and spend they do.

but summer combined with a global recession equates a very disastrous outlook for the local marine fish stores. my store included. already joel has asked if i would be willing to work less hours. twenty eight less hours in fact. i agreed, but knowing that i wont be able to survive with that big of a hit to my paycheck. i agreed, knowing this would mean its time to start looking for another job. a career.

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i started that entry in morning of the 20th. by the afternoon of the 21st my boss would call with "some shocking news".

joel has decided to sell waves, his shop. if he cant find a buyer, hell close it.

wow. that was quite a shock. at first i thought he was going to tell me hed fell into some money and was going to be able to keep me on fulltime, that things were going to be just fine. but apparently hes ready to move on. his lease is up in august, if the shop isnt sold by then, hell close it down and ill be back on the job market.

i have until august. or ill be added to that list of unemployed. this could be a particularly challenging summer.