"I'd far rather be happy than right any day."

-Slartibartfast

it's going to get worst before it gets better. all of the recent layoffs have been the equivalent of pre-emptive actions, think trees shedding their leaves before heading into the long, cold winter. it's a survival tactic and the good news is that some will survive.

I'm optimistic that the sales of alcohol and tobacco will see a rise in this economic "downturn"

PodZilla - Like the character, I also prefer to be happy than right. But, sadly, I'd also like to know the truth. Being right and knowing the truth are two separate issues I think.

On a good note, Careerbuilder.com thinks we'll need more architects in the future. I don't know how they came up with this but here it is:

Architect
Annual mean income: $62,246
Projected employment in 2016: 155,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 18 percent

I like the cut of your jib, Slartibartfast.

citizen - are you often taking to the cut of someone's jib? It seems a familiar statement.

On occasion, yes.

Just this thread's title, and the spirit of its author to suggest something so bold as a positive outlook, resonates with me.

I don't have anything particularly optimistic to say right now, but this video just made me laugh hysterically for a few minutes, which felt really good.

That was a good video.

Nice, LB.

An optimist might say, "At least I'm not as dumb as that."

you know what i am trying to figure out? when are we as a nation going to stop being scared, and start getting angry? this chicken little shit is starting to make my blood boil.

i don't want CEO's to take home $1 pay, i want their heads and the board members heads on fucking pikes. i want someone to take over CITI and the other good for nothing douchebag companies, clean house sack the fuckers, reflect the anger of the people, and run those companies the way they need to be run.

run these assclowns down Wall Street, naked, chased by real Bulls and Bears.

Naked CEO's with clown hats strapped to their butts being chased by bulls down Wall Street - that probably *would* make me laugh!

i am surely as dumb as that. sometimes.

i admit that with optimism, because i still seem to function well most other times.

Cutting the cost of one CEO to $1 is a ploy to cover up the real issue, they need to retool the company to fit new priorities, which coincide with the demand of idiot consumers. It seems pretty simple to me. Even if they were to go the long way around and hire consultants to tell them how to be more efficient in their day to day operations, that won't cost more than $700 billion dollars. So my question is "Is it worth it to keep feeding an animal that can't breathe on its own?" I don't know, about you but I'm pissed.

Sorry about the rant, but I think I'm turning a little more conservative everyday, and its scaring me.

Anyway, back to the topic of optimism. I am optimistic that green jobs can help level off the economy, without too many people being out of a job. You can't expect the economy to grow 3% to 5% every year, without a little bit of a bump on the road once a while. I just hope people are still able to take care of themselves. Actually, I hope I can take care of myself.

Today is the first day of the rest of your life.

I have been out of work officially for 3 days- was officially laid off 3 weeks ago- its been hard finding a new job- the philadelphia market seems dry and/or frozen,

BUT,

I have had a wonderful 3 days with my kids, who I have not seen as much as I'd liked in the last 3 years, and who knows how many more so that's a blessing.....

I also think that I am sure glad I never put my profit sharing cash from my former job in a mutual fund, etc. and instead left it in an IRA in a good old bank. Smartest dumb move I ever made...

and in Pennsylvania- Gov. Ed Rendell just signed a bill that allows communities to designate individual properties as blighted- which will require an owner to fix up or hand over to the community to rehab- I see a lot of work in that pipeline.... we just need cash and willing investors

"Yay capitalism!"

Last year, I almost will pour $7000 inot 401K to get some benefits for tax reason on Dec 30. But because of the GPS stolen from my car on that night, I was too angry to do it. I am so happy for it.

“If you will call your troubles experiences, and remember that every experience develops some latent force within you, you will grow vigorous and happy, however adverse your circumstances may seem to be.” - John Heywood (English Playwright and Poet)

“Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents, which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant.” - Horace (Ancient Rome Poet)

“Count your joys instead of your woes; Count your friends instead of your foes.” - Irish saying

bRink, i second the above.

nothing like the phone ringing on a Friday Afternoon and it is a potential client you gave a proposal to over a month ago and in these times they say go ahead......so what is it is the design of a
stair railing...(ultra modern) in an old colonial farm house...Yipee!
Damn and it will pay the mortgage...

Cheers to brink for providing the quotage.

the plunge in the stock market has been a boon for young investors. anyone with less than $20,000 in the market will never have a better time to invest. you will see major increases over the span of your working career.


similarly, there has never been a better time for young people to buy a house. prices are dirt cheap, interest rates are very low, and there's a lot of talk to lower them further.

if young architects can retain their jobs (a big if in this economy), the recession may be a benefit to those in their 20s and 30s.

[and it's been a great check on inflation!]

hate to be the party buster jafidler, but i wouldn't recommend anyone with less than 20k to invest in the market right now. with such high volatility, it's usually the little guy that gets burnt.

also, home prices are great, interest rates are low, but the problem is, no one can get a mortgage right now except the people who had the foresight to save for a huge down payment.

finally, deflation is not exactly a check on inflation. it has its own negative impact, especially for suppliers, or someone who may want to open their own firm someday.

good news? georgia tech did beat georgia last week.

dot, i think you misread the title of this thread. OPTIMISM!!!!!

re: the stock market, not having a ton of money in the market, but knowing that i will have money in the market for a long time, i in fact am hoping it goes down even further. everyday it goes down i cheer because it means i can buy more shares while it is down. (fyi we've already seen the major depreciation, mark it.) it's the people close to retirement or those that have a lot of money in the market that are getting royally burned right now.

no one can get a mortgage right now except the people who had the foresight to save for a huge down payment.

yes, exactly! finally, for once, the people who did things right and actually saved for a down payment are being rewarded with low prices and low interest rates while the flippers get the shaft. if you want to buy a house, a place to live and raise a family, NOT a piece of property as investment, there will be few better times in your life time to buy.

here's something to be optimistic about;

With the economic meltdown taking place we are likely, as precedent has shown, to be presented with a new architectural movement (or perhaps the substantiating of non-established ones). Case in point I believe we are likely to see the green revolution be redubbed on a global scale as it may be the only way to survive.

Also petrol may as some economic futurists say drop to as little as $20 a barrel (but by that time conventional combustible vehicles will likely be illegal in LA, London, Mumbai, Australia & Seattle - and everywhere else it will carry a massive tariff)

Your vacation option will be Cuba and the only way to get there (see above) will be via the same raft Cubans used to get to Miami in the first place.

mostly for laughs but also quite serious

I realized I've never made a distinction before over the different levels of optimism/pessimism in my own mind; on a personal level, on a professional level (architects in general), and then the economy in general.

I think having a realistic take on what is going on is helpful in itself, instead of getting sucked in with the kind of negativity that are self-fulfilling prophecies.

More good news.....two more project leads. One even came on Sunday....with a potential client closing on a deal for a second home....Yipee! They are looking at doing work on the main house and major work on a guest house.

[url=http://change.gov/newsroom/entry/the_key_parts_of_the_jobs_plan/]also this week's address:[url]

1. a massive effort to make public buildings more energy-efficient.

2. create millions of jobs by making the single largest new investment in our national infrastructure since the creation of the federal highway system in the 1950s.

3. the most sweeping effort to modernize and upgrade school buildings that this country has ever seen. We will repair broken schools, make them energy-efficient, and put new computers in our classrooms. Because to help our children compete in a 21st century economy, we need to send them to 21st century schools.

4. renew our information superhighway.

5. modernize our health care system – and that won’t just save jobs, it will save lives. We will make sure that every doctor’s office and hospital in this country is using cutting edge technology and electronic medical records so that we can cut red tape, prevent medical mistakes, and help save billions of dollars each year.

energy efficient technology, education buildings and technology, healthcare technology, infrastructure, internet connectivity... it's stimulating alot of different industries, activating people...

all of these things don't just create work, jobs in the short run, they actually have returns in long term cost reductions for our federal government (save us money long run), and make our systems more efficient and competitive globally... it's not big government, it's real construction, buildings, work for AEC, for the IT sector, benefits healthcare and education facilities... fiscal stimulus = oil in the engine...

the credit and financial crisis of course still needs to be addressed... the credit and financial markets = the gas...

I am shamelessly bumping my own thread.

While I still have a job, I am very unhappy in my position right now. Everyday I go into work I think "I should quit today." And I feel selfish and naive for even thinking it. I lose sleep. I went to bed after 4am yesterday after hours of unproductive attempts at doing work. It feels like paralysis. My apartment has been a mess for weeks. A couple of times today, I caught my voice on the phone - a meloncholy drone.

But then it is the New Year and it brings some thoughts about a fresh start. I realize that I haven't actually searched for a new job. I figured it is practically impossible to find a job right now, but I also realize it doesn't hurt to try. Right now I feel like this:

Lloyd: What are the chances of a guy like you and a girl like me... ending up together?
Mary: Well, that's pretty difficult to say.
Lloyd: Hit me with it! I've come a long way to see you, Mary. The least you can do is level with me. What are my chances?
Mary: Not good.
Lloyd: You mean, not good like one out of a hundred?
Mary: I'd say more like one out of a million.
[pause]
Lloyd: So you're telling me there's a chance.

There's always Obama--I'm pretty optimistic about change.

Here is something that made my day feel more optimistic: This is the most beautiful piece of art I've seen in perhaps years. (I sincerely hope the linked image works; since it's from the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego I assume it's safe.)


Marisol Rendon, At 1:00 am


It's a charcoal drawing. Charcoal. It blows my mind. I yearn to see this thing in real life. And that makes me feel good.

There's always MOM!

Punched Vado's link...listened...so cool...remembered how much I like her...LOVE her scary From the Air song...punched that into YouTube...listened while I stared at that unbelievable charcoal fridge and thought how awesome it is not to be an accountant.

Not to worry, though. Reverie interruptus via Antihistamine's
Dennis propoganda...DENNIS! Oy...

Indeed it is awesome to not be an accountant, KURT. Even though they are entering their busiest time of year right now, I'd rather be drawing kitchen elevations.

Whoa, I guess I have to repost what I wrote this morning.

Unemployment dropped from 9.5% to 9.4%. Its the first drop in a year. The number is still higher than anyone would like, but the fact that it actually went down is encouraging.