Irrational, very depressed, lonely semirant

[fogueira]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/04/AR2008120404347_pf.html

I feel weird for saying this, but when I read this I said, I'm GLAD.

I am a recovering credit victim. I hate living every minute in American consumer society, but if you live with a seminormal person, or have to have a big ticket item in an emergency, or a medical problem, THEY get you.

Oh, I forgot. I live with a mother-in-law who is the WORST OCD shopaholic in the entire world. The only thing she cares about is going to Walmart. She has to have minor surgery and there is so much literal crap in her room that she will be unable to lie down after the operation. She's in her 80s and there is nothing that anybody can do about it, but just living in proximity to this drives me insane. It shouldn't, but it does.

Bankruptcy was the best thing that ever happened to me outside of my marriage.

I especially go seriously nuts during the Helliday Season. I just wish I could take a vacation in what's left of the Amazon rainforest or Outer Mongolia to get away from it.

I don't have anyone around me who understands so I'm just venting.

Thank you for listening. You may now get up and continue with your day. :help:

[hollywoodveg]

I'm sorry for what you are going through, sounds really rough. If you can just try to remain positive and live your life the way that is best for you. At the end of the day the only person who we are in control of is ourself, even though I know life isn't always that simple try not to let it interfere with you.

[codemonkey]

With the exception of my car, I've been living a credit-free life since college. I have to *gulp* pay cash for things like vacations, televisions, computers, motorcycles, clothes, etc. If we don't have enough cash in the bank to buy something, we don't buy it. We don't have a 50 inch flat-screen television and we don't get to go on as many vacations as some of our friends, but we don't have crushing credit card debt. Now that credit card companies are raising rates and it's harder to get credit, I hear people complaining that they'll have to cut back on spending while my life hasn't changed at all (aside from benefiting from the lower gas prices and great sales that have been going on). It was funny, right after the "credit crisis" started, I saw Dave Ramsey on the news basically saying, "I told you so" and "live within your means" over and over. I'm so glad I listened back when I was in college.

[NotYet]

Yeah... I have to say that as someone employed in the retail industry this whole thing sucks. Loss of money = loss of jobs. I still have mouths to feed and bills to pay.

That said, I agree with you. This whole 'consumer driven economy' got us into this mess. And since I have been working in retail for... gah, it'll be 6 years in April! I have seen a LOT of changes in peoples habits/behaviors and their changes in lifestyle, it's amazing. It's not enough, but it's something. If retailers quickly change it up some of them have a chance.

Anyway, I live with a hoarder too. My grandmother 'collects' everything. Foil from cigarette packs, foil candy wrappers, paint, fabric, styrofoam trays like you get meat in (not me, her!), glass & plastic jars of all sizes.... Let's just say I understand the 'stuffitis" issue. Hers may not be as expensive but it's the same addiction. In my personal experience people who lived through the Depression or were raised by parents who did have a tendency to have a lot of possessions. Personal experience of course, no proof to back that up.

Rebbecca