Stress and the City

I am not sure if it is the changing of the seasons, the AIG bonus controversy, or the inaccessible cure to spring fever, but everyone in my life seems to have been exceedingly stressed out the last few weeks. It is also true that Joseph Stalin has been yelling extra loudly in my mind these last few weeks, probably because I keep trying to silence him with these healthy stress-relieving activities:

1. Yoga. I once dated a man who asked of my devotion to yoga, "Isn't it just stretching and stuff." Needless to say, it was my devotion to him that eventually dwindled. Whether you try Vinyasa, Kundalini, Bikram (otherwise known as "the HOT yoga" - the room is kept at 104 degrees), or others, this practice makes you, well, calm. As a Type A, caffeine-addict whose mind races every minute, holding poses and doing a bunch of breathing seemed too slow, too boring, too Shirley McClaine. I was wrong. The best part? Joseph Stalin is banned at every yoga studio.

2. Clubs. Getting involved in extra-curricular activities can be a great way to relieve stress. Whether your interest is an outdoor kickball league or you prefer to show off your inner literary theorist at a book club, activities beyond the 9 to 5 grind can greatly reduce your stress. In fact, new moms in the New York area should take advantage of opportunities to focus on themselves with MeTime events, an organization devoted to providing activities to new moms that are NOT baby related - great stress relief. Click on the link for information on the upcoming Mixology for Moms event in April!

3. Find Perspective. In a past life, I found myself having to work at a hospital on the Pediatric burn unit. I remember seeing a boy, about 5 years old, with half of his face burned off, and as I walked by his room, he smiled and waved at me. It is human nature to fall into our own minds and focus on our discomforts, our pains, but often times, hearing the plights of others can serve as a reminder that others suffer around us and it behooves us to recall the good things we have and how much we should be grateful for. For a quick reality check, I recommend going to Post Secret, a website that publishes postcards sent in from anonymous individuals confessing secrets that haunt them.

Recessionista Tip of the Day: In the case that you are a Recessionista that has yet to feel fed up from the doom and gloom of the media and still enjoys reading the news, http://www.pressdisplay.com/ allows you to access newspapers from all over the world for FREE! Maybe the Swiss have a better outlook on the economy...worth checking out!

Recessionista on the Web

To start your week properly, I feel it is my duty to bring to you, my fellow Recessionistas, brand new websites to explore during your non-existent downtime this week. Instead of leaving the office, paying $5 for the Frappucciono at the Starbucks down the street, try this quick, delicious make-it-yourself coffee drink and spend 5 minutes of coffee break time checking these out:

"The Poor Man's Mocha Latte"

• 3/4 cup brewed coffee (make sure the derelict from the mail room didn't brew the last pot)
• 1/2 packet Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa
• 2-3 Tablespoon of Fat Free Cool Whip 1/4 cup Milk, Cream or Half and Half
• 1/4 Teaspoon cinnamon 1 Tablespoon Sugar

Mix coffee with Sugar, Cinnamon, Cream, and Hot Cocoa. Top off with the Fat-free Cool Whip and a dusting of cinnamon and sugar, and congratulate yourself - you just saved $5!

Then, check out these sites:

1. http://www.restaurant.com/ : This website is exclusively designed to bring local restaurant deals to you. You enter the site, type in your zip code, and it will display specials occurring in your area (example: Baci Restaurant, in the Washington D.C. area, will sell you a $25 gift card for the cost of $10 to use on dinner. Amazing!)

2. http://www.theonion.com/ : Nothing solves the mid-day work blues like a little laughter. This faux news website, originally a faux news newspaper born out of Madison, WI, offer laugh out loud satire in the guise of news.

3. http://www.eopinions.com/ : We have all succumbed to the glossy ads and recommendations coming from our favorite magazines, or found ourselves entranced with a clever or enticing commercial on television. No more - we deserve better than to find ourselves as a passive media consumer/drone. This website features the unbiased opinions of the proletariat, the average Joe, and those who have not been featured on reality television.

4. http://www.worldsbestbars.com/ : This site is a must for world traveling Recesssionistas who are seeking the social scene in an unfamiliar area of the planet. Though the site is not updated as frequently as one might like (this Recessionista is living in the most efficient city on the planet, after all), the places and recommendations have not yet let me down when traveling abroad. If nothing else, it is a great incentive to track down that Russian pen pal you had in high school.

5. http://www.freerice.com/ : When did the English language become so pedestrian that we have to invent new words to keep it lively (not to mention acronyms!) Instead of embracing the vocabulary wardrobe of a Clueless extra, check out this site to refresh your vocabulary and bring a little dignity back to the language of Shakespeare. More good news: you will find many alternatives to the non-existent word "irregardless."


Recessionista Tip of the Day: For Recessionistas interested in yoga but short on cash, you can indulge in the ancient practice guilt free with a fresh daily routine available to you online at http://www.yogatoday.com/ . Bonus: No one has to see you fall out of Warrior 3 pose...again (and by "you", I mean me!)

Homage to March

"No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow."- Proverb from Guinea



By Day, 31 Reasons Why March Does Not Completely Suck...


1. March got dumped! In Ancient Rome, March was the first month of the year...until, the younger, sexier January came along...those fickle Romans!

2. National Reading Day. Pick up a book - it will make you (at least look) more interesting.(Forget Amazon and Borders! Go to the local library! If you have an expired library card - bring a piece of mail and drivers license/passport, and you will renew your passport to brilliance in no time!)

3. U2: New album No Line on the Horizon out today. Love him or hate him, Bono is back.

4. Tell the Truth! On this day in 1861, Honest Abe Lincoln was inaugurated as the 16th president of the United States.

5. Spring Awakening: Good news! Duncan Sheik did not disappear with Y2K! The pop-rock band provided the music for the Broadway musical Spring Awakening, and they perform live at the Memorial Union in Madison, WI today for the Recessionista-friendly price of $10 today.

6. Stars are Aligning. Take a date (for free!) to the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles for a dreamy night of star gazing.

7. Peace Corps Day. Jump onto Facebook and drop your friend/brother/cousin in Thailand a note to let them know that you admire and appreciate what they are doing...and, no, sending them a Facebook "poke" is not enough.

8. Religious Services: Okay, so this happens to occur every weekend (and, in some religions, every day.) Take this Sunday as a opportunity to thank your God(s), or, if you are an atheist, your loved ones for all that you have in your life. If you are a misanthrope, I probably lost you at "hello."

9. Toast the Lovely Ladies in Your Life! March 9th is International Women's Day. Celebrate with homemade cosmos, Sex and the City reruns, and a group of fabulous ladies!

10. Talking Marionettes. Pinocchio, the Disney classic, comes out on DVD today in celebration of its 70th Anniversary.

11. Britney is Back. If you love a comeback story and are still bummed that Mickey Rourke lost the Oscar to Sean Penn, perhaps viewing Miss Spears in full lip-syncing glory will boost your spirits. Performance, at the Nassau Country Coliseum in New York, begins at 8 pm.

12. National Girl Scout Day. Bring on the Thin Mints.

13. Friday the 13th: For the second month in a row! Rent the film of the same name, curl up with a blanket, and let out a good blood-curdling scream - very cathartic.

14. That's Genius! Today is the anniversary of Albert Einstein's birthday. Read up on the brilliant man with the wacky hair. We will overlook the mustache.

15. Ogres. Half off of Shrek, the Musical on Broadway. If you loved the movie, you will undoubtedly fall for the real-life remake of the animated take on a fairytale that was never written.

16. An Excuse to Booze on a Worknight: What if someone told you that you could have as many drinks as you wish and only pay $20? No, I'm not talking about a frat party at the Sig Ep house. Bondi Road, at the corner of Rivington and Sussex on the Lower East Side of the city, offers all-you-can-drink in 2 hrs. to patrons who just can't bear Mondays...or unemployment.

17. St. Patrick's Day. As if drinking green beer is not something you do everyday anyway.

18. South by Southwest: For those unfamiliar with the festival, music fans flood the streets of Austin, TX to check out bands on the rise. Bring back a few new artists and you will finally prove to your friends that you are "indie," in spite of the Kate Spade bag you tote around.

19. Mingling with Other Yuppies. Madison Magnet, the young professionals networking group based out of Madison, WI will be hosted its monthly happy hour today. Bring business cards, leave the politics at home.

20. First day of Spring. If there is still snow on the ground, just remember...this too shall pass.

21. Hot Vampires. Twilight, the teen movie phenomenon, is out on DVD today.

22. Dance like There is No Tomorrow: D.C. Recessionistas, take note! Check out the Dance Expo and try as many classes as you like for the recession-friendly price of $20.

23. The Feast Day of Saint Rafqa Pietra Choboq Ar-Rayès: Potentially the Saint with the longest name, the Roman Catholic church celebrates St. Rafqa on this day...and you think people get your name wrong a lot!

24. Labour Day: The holiday we celebrate in September is recognized on this day in Melbourne, Australia. Fake your best Aussie accent when you try to convince your boss you deserve the day off too.

25. For the Men Who have No Game: For D.C. men struggling on how to woo the ladies, fear not. At 7 pm, attend a seminar that will give you the necessary social savvy required to meet and attract the hottest Recessionistas.

26. Festival of Wines. Recessionistas in Boston are cordially invited to attend Wine Tasting and Dinner at Vinalia. Warm Italian food, along with a plethora of wines - what better way to spend a rainy Thursday night?

27. National Skyscraper Day: Kurt Vonnegut once fondly referred to New York City as "Skyscraper National Park." Drive, bus, train to your nearest city and look up at these amazing architectural wonders.

28. Urban Scavenger Hunt: What could be a better way to meet fellow young professionals in NYC than roaming around the city searching for random items and locations?! Event starts at 12:30, so bring your metro card and your flask.

29. Shamrock Shuffle. The name of the race actually might inspire you to participate!! Chicago Recessionistas should cross their fingers for good weather for this 8K run.

30. Break Out the Absinthe! March 30th is the anniversary of Vincent Van Gogh's birthday. Given that the "Van Gogh: Colours of the Night" exhibit is currently showing at the artist's museum in Amsterdam, this might be a great "spring break" destination for Recessionistas on a budget.

31. End March in Appreciation: “When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.”- Marcus Aurelius

You are Never Fully Dressed...

I have friends who have lost the majority of their savings and/or 401K. I have friends who have lost their jobs. I have friends who have lost their desire to follow the news (well, other than the celebrity gossip blogs) because they swear it is causing them a chemical imbalance that will require treatment antidepressants that are not covered by their HMO's formulary. The times of late do not just seem difficult; they seem downright Dickensonian. In fact, many of my peers might lobby adamantly that it is said "worst of times..."

I happen to disagree. Falling into the category of young, intelligent, savvy professionals who feels "economically-challenged" as of late, I cannot help but recall the most financially-challenging time of my life - namely graduate school. Picture this: North Carolina, $10/day budget, and book per day grad-school diet. What should have been a portrait of misery was actually an amazing experience in building a castle from a cardboard box. While we led very frugal lifestyles, there are lessons to be learned from a different memory the time here. Very early one Sunday, my roommate dragged me to essentially a "free" version of St. Vincent's...people came in to "shop" for items at a church that were donated, but the items where provided at zero cost. In the three hungover hours I worked the store, I met characters that were anything but Dickensonian. In actuality, the women rifling through the used lipsticks smiled more than some of my most "privileged"friends, and the men asking for fashion advice when comparing flannel to flannel seemed so much more open and kind than most men I had ever known.

Individuals with little to no money, laughing, smiling, and kind - how was this possible? Where were the clouds of gloom that should cover their faces? Why were they not throwing elbows in a Darwinian fit to get the best offerings at the store? Where was the misanthropy, the misplaced blame of circumstances, the sadness of economic woes?

I suggest that these people were in touch with something many of us have lost. Circumstances are sometimes, sadly, beyond our control. The good news is our attitude is not.

The best of times is a mindset away...

Recessionista Tip of the Day: To help keep the positive spirit alive and kicking, as well as your body in prime shape, exercise is a great aid during tough times. Walk or run outside, put on your Rollerblades, or, if you have an extra $75 and live in a major US city, check out the Passbook (up to 600 free passes to health clubs and classes all over your city!) You can purchase one at http://www.health-fitness.org/ny.html