Going Green With Little Dinero

Ever since "An Inconvenient Truth," becoming environmentally-conscious has become extremely en vogue. Still, one sashay down an aisle of Whole Foods, and it quickly becomes clear that doing the right thing for the environment might be economically unfriendly. Here are five ways to be a friend to the environment while still being kind to your pocketbook:



1. Transportation: Whether it is cross-country or cross-town, it can be pretty expensive to get from Point A to Point B these days. Well, Recessionista, it is time to get creative! With the weather turning warm and lovely, channel you inner Green diva and get outside - walk, bike, or, if you are extra daring as the author of this blog, invest in some retro rollerskates and turn your town into your very own roller derby rink!



2. Recycle. Okay, so you already throw your empty cans of Red Bull into your special blue bin, and that is great. However, a common vesicle that you toss into that same bin on a daily basis can be used again and again before it is offered up to the Recycling gods. Specifically, the containers you purchase that delicious, designer water in can be rinsed out and reused. Simply refill (if you hate tap water, use a Brita filtered pitcher to refill, Miss High Maintenance!) and put in the refridgerator until your parched, diva self needs a guzzle.



3. Electricity. Summer brings on warmer temperatures and extra electricity devoted to air conditioning. Although I recommend using air conditioners sparingly, you can save additional power by turning off lights and lighting candles instead. Get in the habit now, then you will be clear of conscience and of the contrived when you bring that special someone home and leverage a little "mood lighting" to set the evening's tone.

4. Periodicals. Although the New York Times might be in financial trouble, you need not go and purchase your weekly paper copy in an attempt to single-handedly save them. Major publications with online editions of their paper counterparts receive big bucks from advertisers. Save a tree and spend time perusing the Style section on the web instead. Plus, you will save yourself the coffee splotches on the print edition.

5. Disposibles. Recessionista, you have way overworn those 1998 Juicy Couture sweatpants anyway...ditch the so-five-minutes-ago JLo trend, and cut that little terrycloth number into reusable cleaning clothes in lieu of paper towels. Not only will you save yourself the extra cost the Brawny man insists you need (no matter how good he looks in flannel, trust us, you do NOT need to buy disposible, tree-wasting paper towel!), but you can feel good for doing your part to save the environment. Juicy would approve.

Weekly Top Five Freebies and Cheapies

Every week, I scavenge the Internet, US cities, nay, the world to bring you, my beloved, the best freebies and cheapies that life has to offer. (P.S. I promise to include at least one "date" offering for my penny-pinching friends who know that lack of income should never mean lack of love!)

1. Cheap Designer Shoes. In case you are a bibliophobe, rest assured that Amazon is not just for bookworms! Stop by here and cheap out 80% off luxury brand shoes from Givenchy and others.

2. Cheap NYC Theatre. What if I told you that for the price of $10 plus the role of a dice, you could see 30 plays? Not to worry, my ADD friends, these plays, an exercise in interactive chaos, are performed in 60 minutes, engaging the audience, who is welcome to BYOB to the show. Check out the Neo-Futurists play, "Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind," every Friday and Saturday nights at 10:30 pm.

3. Free Street Fairs. For NYC dwellers or visitors for the holiday weekend, the Street Fair is a staple NYC summer affair, a carnivalesque arena of cheap trinkets, exotic wares, and a range of ethnic foods for your sampling pleasure.  I crave the falafel in the off-season.  Check out this site for the wheres and whens.

4. Free Perfume.  Download this coupon and receive a free purse size bottle of Clinique Happy.  Like we have said all along, in a recession, it is still free to get Happy!  (Bad puns, unfortunately, are also free!)

5. Free Advice for the Pinked-slipped.  Recessionwire has done a great job of consolidating and centralizing excellent articles on the how-to's of unemployment.  Check out everything from severance advice to debt management.

Perspectives are Still Free

Holidays, birthdays, etc. generally make me very uncomfortable, and I do not think I am alone in that. While it is always a wonderful pleasure to reunite with friends and family, it seems that there is never enough time to see everyone, never the perfect gift to be given, and rarely an event without some sort of drama to boot. This past holiday season, I was left with an empty void, as I was not able to travel home to be with family. Luckily, I joined my parents a few weeks prior, and my mother gave me what will probably be the best present of my life - the journal of my Great, Great Aunt Melaine, the only other person in my family to ever life the crazy, electric life that the city of New York offers. On the front page, Great, Great Aunt Melaine posted the following poem, which I have traced to the poet Sam Walter Foss and found to have great relavence and hopeful inspiration to these difficult times:

The House by the Side of the Road

THERE are hermit souls that live withdrawn
In the place of their self-content;
There are souls like stars, that dwell apart,
In a fellowless firmament;
There are pioneer souls that blaze the paths
Where highways never ran-
But let me live by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.
Let me live in a house by the side of the road
Where the race of men go by-
The men who are good and the men who are bad,
As good and as bad as I.
I would not sit in the scorner's seat
Nor hurl the cynic's ban-
Let me live in a house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.
I see from my house by the side of the road
By the side of the highway of life,
The men who press with the ardor of hope,
The men who are faint with the strife,
But I turn not away from their smiles and tears,
Both parts of an infinite plan-
Let me live in a house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.
I know there are brook-gladdened meadows ahead,
And mountains of wearisome height;
That the road passes on through the long afternoon
And stretches away to the night.
And still I rejoice when the travelers rejoice
And weep with the strangers that moan,
Nor live in my house by the side of the road
Like a man who dwells alone.
Let me live in my house by the side of the road,
Where the race of men go by-
They are good, they are bad, they are weak, they are strong,
Wise, foolish - so am I.
Then why should I sit in the scorner's seat,
Or hurl the cynic's ban?
Let me live in my house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.

Sam Walter Foss

Under the Weather Without an Umbrella: Part 1

Between Obama's stimulus plan for Healthcare, the H1N1 virus scare, and the surge of unemployed Americans finding themselves without health insurance, confusion and anxiety over what will happen to access and affordability of care has become a hot topic in the media as of late.  Still, most Americans are passive consumers of the healthcare system - people drive to the closest hospital/clinic, attend physician office visit unprepared to ask educated questions of their doctors, and fail to ask for the generic version of their prescriptions.  The lack of understanding and initiative on behalf of the patient really serves as a detriment to the patient, the provider, and the system at large.  This series will provide a number of ways to improve your understanding of the healthcare system, save time and money, and become a champion of your health:

Health Insurance.  

As if getting pink-slipped is not enough, you now have a serious amount of paperwork to siphon through and figure out, making that last break-up with the ex seem like a cakewalk in comparison.  Here is some high-level options for you to consider, to insure you are insured as you work to figure out and find your next professional move.

• COBRA:  Most employers offer the option of continuing the current health plan you enjoyed as an employee for a limited time period after your departure (usually 6-18 months)  Under the stimulus act (and assuming you lost your job after September 1, 2008), this means you will pay 35% of your healthcare premiums (the government will recompensate the employer or insurer for the remaining 65% through certain tax credits).  In layman's terms, you will be able to enjoy the same benefits of your previous plan provided through your job, but will be paying a lot more out of pocket for your premium. 
• Blue Cross/Blue Shield/State Programs:  Most states offer a multitude of Blue Cross/Blue Shield programs, that range in benefits and prices.  The website is generally very helpful in guiding you through the necessary steps to attain coverage, but there are a few things to consider before selecting your plan.  First, determine realistically what you need (not necessarily want) in a healthcare plan.  If you have not gone to a physician since Bush I was in office, you may want to consider a "High Deductible" plan - less money paid monthly, but more money paid out of pocket if you do decide to get that annual physical your spouse has hounded you about.  On the other hand, if your provider's clinic seems to serve as a pied a terre, consider a higher premium, more comprehensive plan.    
• Medicare/Medicaid:  Under certain conditions, you may be eligible for further government assistance with medical expenses.  Because eligibility varies by state, you will need to contact your Local Medicare/Medicaid office to determine if you qualify.  The government has recently put in place additional program funding to aid pregnant women and children who are without insurance.        

When determining the correct option for you, perform an assessment of your overall health needs and expectations of care, along with an analysis of what you can afford.  Ask tough questions and be ready to negotiate ( a common theme in this blog.) Though you may be unemployed, remember your health is still your responsibility, so manage it well!

Take a Contemplative Coffee Break

Before you jump on that next conference call with that Debbie Downer executive, enjoy your next Venti Skim Latte with an inspirational boost from one of the dear old Brahmin poets, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:

The Rainy Day

The day is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains, and the wind is never weary;
The vine still clings to the mouldering wall,
But at every gust the dead leaves fall,
And the day is dark and dreary.

My life is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains, and the wind is never weary;
My thoughts still cling to the mouldering Past,
But the hopes of youth fall thick in the blast,
And the days are dark and dreary.

Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.

What the World Needs Now...

Last week, I was walking down a bustling New York City street, lost in my own thoughts, when I heard a loud, cantankerous voice shouting in my direction.  A bit startled, I narrowed my focus and saw an older gentleman, struggling in along in a walker up the street as he approached me, and, as I did not recognize him I assumed he was either senile or had mistaken me for someone else.  He drew nearer, and I finally understood what he was struggling to yell...

"You have a lovely smile," he said. "Fantastic, dear.  It made my day."  

He reached out, took my hand to his old wrinkled lips, and kissed it as a gentleman of The Greatest Generation would.  With that, he clack-clacked along past me on his way.

This encounter started me to wonder about the ways we inadvertently affect people through our very presence and demeanor on a daily basis.  How do you project yourself when you are walking down the street, furiously messaging on your Crackberry or iPhone, unaware that others are aware?

The attitudes that we convey on a day-to-day basis are often projected to the masses, despite our ignorance.  When we ruminate on a fight with an ex, a dispute at the workplace, or even when we internalize our offence at the rudeness of being cut-off in traffic, we are often unaware of the furrowed brows and frowns we wear down the street.  

Perhaps it sounds a bit too prescriptively Pollyanna for our bustling, self-absorbed society, but smiling as you walk down the street (or, God forbid, saying "hello" to people you pass as is customary in the South), speaking kindly to people you are in line with at the grocery store, or showing gratitude to the waitstaff who are working hard while you unwind at your local restaurant can all go a long way towards making a person's day.  Try to foster an awareness of those around you.  After all, one day, God-willing, we will all be clack-clacking down the street and the smile of a stranger may be one of the last remaining rays of sunshine we have in our lives.  

Smiles are free - give and take liberally.

Love Don't Cost a Thing

"Ignorantly is how we all fall in love; for it is a kind of fall. Closing our eyes, we leap from that cliff in hope of a soft landing. Nor is it always soft; but still, I told myself, still, without that leap nobody comes to life." - Salman Rushdie

Love In the Time of Internet

Once upon a time, there lived a lovely princess, with no shortage of suitors. At that same time, there lived a prince, who earned the affections of every fair maiden in his land. Though the princess, with her perfect manicure and Manolos, and the prince, an utter Metrosexual and affinity for fine wines, were perfectly suited, miles, nay oceans, between them, there was little hope of ever meeting...until the the world wide web was born, that is.

Internet dating has arguably become the American take on arranged marriage. Who has time to to rely on a chance encounter? There must be an algorithm to help with this check box of the American dream! With the inertia of every day life, the metamorphosis of gender roles, and the general desire, no, compulsion towards instant gratification, Internet dating sites have found a lucrative market in a romance-starved society.

For love of the Recessionista readers (and a desire to remind myself of that life exists beyond my computer), I signed up for a short trial of one of these sites. The following represents a series of observations, concluded with some advice, should you choose this adventure...

1. Not Everyone on Internet Dating Sites is a) Desperate, b) Unattractive, c) A Player, d) A Freak, or e) All of the Above. While my busy schedule only allowed for a handful of dates from the site, all of the individuals I went out with were observably classy, witty, attractive, and VERY busy. This perhaps provides insight into why many might choose to seek love online - time is valuable and nightlife can be a crap shoot.

2. There is a Defined Etiquette to Online Dating. In my sophomore year of college, my best friend and I tried out "The Rules," a silly book that essentially promoted females playing hard-to-get until they get a diamond.  A decade older and wiser, I figured game playing was not for me, but, alas, it is alive and well online. Who initiates the first contact?  Is an email too bold or a wink too passive?How soon is too soon for an actual human encounter? How does one play coy through "LOLs" and "TTYLs"? I was not very good with games when we spoke in English a decade ago, and I am even worse in acronyms.

3. If Someone Asks You Out, Meet in a Public Place. I was very fortunate in my experience with online dating...every man who took me out was entertaining and a gentleman. However, knowing people who have been preyed upon (men and women!) in the dating scene, you MUST be careful, no matter how many points you match up with the person.

4. Expect Honesty, and Settle for Nothing Less. If someone posts a picture of his/herself circa 1990 and they look completely different, or they claim to be a liberal, but are, in fact, a card-carrying member of the NRA, call it out. Dishonesty is never an attractive quality.

5. Set Expectations for Yourself. I certainly have friends who have gone to these sites expecting to meet "the one." I also know friends who sign up for this type of matchmaking as a, "see, all the good ones are taken" justification for not braving the dating scene.  I suggest sitting down with yourself and having a clear conversation, one on  one with your heart.  Are you really looking to meet someone or are you looking to date many?  Are you ready to fall in love or are you really flirting with lust?  There are no right or wrong answers, but doing a bit of a self-assessment in advance will help you be a more honest cyberdate.

All and all, I have heard stories of people who met online and fell in love. I have also heard stories of disastrous dates that seem almost fictional. Personally, I think Internet dating sites are as good a jumping off point as a happenstance encounter at a bar or chance conversation at the grocery store. Still, my personal bias is to have the story..."he came up to me, and I told him to get lost...he persisted" or "she laughed so obnoxiously that I turned around and immediately fell for her." Forgive me, I was an English major in college.

The Single Scene: It's A Small World After All

Spending the week at a huge industry conference in Chicago, I have gathered anecdotal evidence to support the importance of good behavior and the detrimental karma brought on by bad behavior. My professional experience and observations this week in a field where everyone eventually knows everyone else remind me of how small the world is. Well Recessionistas, it is time to use that fact to your advantage in the dating world. Here are a few tips to avoid bad dates and less-than-you-deserve relationships by putting to use the interconnected nature of our planet.

1. Have Your Date Vetted: Now, I am not suggesting that you ask your date for references. However, given your mix of friends in various industries, it does not hurt to ask the question - "Do you know Mr./Ms. X?" to someone in their professional field. Reputations - good or bad- pervade industries and you probably don't want to be involving yourself with "the girl who cries in meetings" or "the guy who reads Playboy in airports."

2. Do Your Homework: I am not suggesting that you Google your date or stalk them on Facebook, but reading up on other information you may have available may help provide a clearer picture of who you are involving yourself with. For instance, in his article in New York magazine, Michael Osinski discusses some less than classy (well, in fact, vulgar) competitions among Lehman employees. Maybe your date is not a participant in such activities, but work environments can influence people greatly, so be sure you are careful.

3. Be a Student: Watching a person's interactions with the "extras" on the set of your date can offer insight into their personality. Pay attention to how he/she talks to the waitress and how they tip staff. I have found that the best men I have dated and the best friends I have consistently treat individuals serving them with a tremendous amount of kindness and respect, traits that have continued into their personal relationships.

4. Safety First: Many states offer the ability to access public criminal records online. Especially with the popularity of Internet dating, it is important to check for signs of danger. I know, I know - it kills the romance a bit. However, it is better to be skeptical and safe than to be romantic and blind.

At my conference, two women from different companies who had never met before discovered they were dating the same man and that he was sending them the same texts and messages. I have many male friends who have shared stories about the seemingly normal chic who turned out to be a "psycho." Sadly, I think most people have their own "I thought he/she was a totally different person" examples. Your time is valuable, Recessionista, so don't let the undeserving waste it.

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!

Dust Off Your Library Card and Check These Out

Read This: The Warrior Woman: Memoir of a Girlhood Among Ghosts by Maxine Hong Kingston

Through the literary form of the memoir, Maxine Hong Kingston takes the stuffy genre and reinvigorates it with swirl of the otherworldly, legends, and the female spirit. Kingston tells the story of her childhood, adolescence and adulthood through Chinese cultural idiosyncrasies, gender differences, and anecdotes from the generations of her family. The Warrior Woman promotes so much more than the common "coming of age" story we all share. Through this memoir, Kingston takes us only the tumultuous path of East meets West, Male meets Female, and Youth meets Old Age...and you thought puberty was rough!

Watch This: My House in Umbria starring Maggie Smith, Chris Cooper

A crazy old woman, a bitter middle-aged man, endless glasses of Grapa, and the Italian countryside - no, I am talking about an Italian Soap Opera. My House in Umbria is a story about strangers inadvertently brought together following tragedy, and, rather than a blatant feel-good, chic flick sort of film, this movie captures true pain in life, actual range in emotion, and ultimately, the possibility of finding solace from deep pain in very unexpected places. Keep a box of Kleenex handy.

Listen to This: Dino: The Essential Dean Martin by Dean Martin

Not going to lie, sometimes I pretend Dean Martin is my Romeo, singing all those classic crooner tunes directly for my enjoyment (no judgment, please!) For those Recessionistas not as familiar with the Rat Pack and music of that era, this album seems the quintessential starting point to discover a time of music when men were men, and women were dames (or, less affectionately, broads.) My favorite track is Sway, but with 30 tracks, it will not be difficult for you to find your own song to fall in love with. Don't worry, I won't mind if you claim Dean as your boyfriend too!

Recessionista Tip of the Day: The Golden Rule - I know you remember it! This weekend, I was once again reminded that being kind to others and treating them the way you wish they would treat you not only is a life mantra to follow, but also imperative to the Recessionista budget. By being generous in tipping, kindness, and time, you will find your initial investment multiplies easily, especially during difficult economic times. Case and point: at a Recessionista-friendly bar this weekend, my initial tips on the first couple rounds of cocktails (a nominal amount, but greater than 20%) was noted by the bartenders of the establishment. Not only did they give me a free drink, but took my order over swarm of new bar patrons. Kindness (literally) pays off, so don't forget the Golden Rule!

Love Don't Cost a Thing

The greatest tragedy of life is not that men perish, but that they cease to love.

--W. Somerset Maugham

Dear Fellow Recessionistas,
Recently, I was in Bikram Yoga class, attempting a near back-snapping bend in Camel pose, when the instructor came up to me and wagged her finger. "You must remember to expose your heart! That is where everything starts." Although she meant it in the literal sense, this comment started me to think about the vulnerability brought on by difficult times in life -tragedies, loss, and, of course, difficult economic times. Confronting our own challenging "poses", the situations that put us in the midst of strong emotion and stress, it may feel counter-intuitive to "expose the heart," to open up to love -romantic, familial, or platonic. However, just as in the case of my struggling yoga pose, these are the times we are most in need to do so.

One of the most important aspects of opening yourself up to the love and support of others during difficult times is to let those you love know exactly how much they mean to you. Here a one old-fashioned but Recessionista-friendly way to let your lovers, friends, and families know how much you appreciate them, especially in the support they provide during difficult times:

Write a Love (Lovely, Loving) Letter

What if I told you for 10 minutes plus 42 cents, you could make someone you care about, romantic or otherwise, understand that they are a big deal to you - sounds like something you could manage, right? Here are some useful tips in writing a love letter (not a "love email," not a "love text", and certainly not a "love IM") :

• Be honest and true to yourself and your feelings. No one expects you to be the next William Shakespeare, and sincerity is much more touching than grandiose metaphors.


• Be specific. Tell your friend/lover/family member (may they not be one and the same!!) what precisely you appreciate about them. For instance, follow up the general "I'm grateful for your support," with a specific example "like the time my jerk of an ex kept texting me and you threw my Blackberry in the toilet."


• Stretch outside of your normal emotional comfort zone. The yoga pose I mentioned above is one of the most uncomfortable poses in the practice; it is also one of the best for the body. So to, stretch your emotional comfort in the composition of your letter. Be brave and use the other four letter word you normally avoid - LOVE.


• Simplicity is not a bad thing. An unexpected one-line love note, "You really do make me very happy" can really mean so much more than weekly "Ode to thee, ye of heavenly beauty..."


• Do not, I repeat DO NOT, create a template and plug/chug names in. In the case of friends and family, this is slothful. In the case of lovers, this is creepy and pathological. Mass texts on New Year's Eve are bad enough, but if you are sending out the same "Hello there, Good-looking," love letter, well, ick.


• Discover your signature sign-off. "Sincerely" is appropriate when you write the IRS to reconsider auditing you, but not when you are signing off a note of love and appreciation.

If you tend to be a Type A Recessionista (join the club!) and are interested in structural help for your letters, the web offers a number of resources. If you tend to lack inspiration or suffer from writers block, check out examples by English poet John Keats, author Victor Hugo, and even Winston Churchill.

Reminding the people in your life how much they matter to you gives them an opportunity to do the same, allowing for the type of support we all need right now. When times are tight, love is the most important element to help us through. Sign your letter, lick the stamp, and congratulate yourself on coming closer to exposing your heart!

With all of our love,

Recessionista Roadmap

Recessionista Tip of the Day: Coupons are not just for Soccer moms! To access a seemingly infinite supply of coupons for various stores, activities and more, check out Coupon Cabin. There you can take advantage of wide selection of savings in popular stores (Target,the Gap, etc.) but also compare prices, and even follow deals about to expire. Thanks to Recessionista Angie for this outstanding find!

Saving a Soul: 24 hrs. in Kuala Lumpur (Part 2 of 2)

A 24 hr. Memoir -Featuring the writing of Guest Blogger/World Traveler/Recessionister Peter...

The notable part of my last day in KL began in an abandoned, walled-off lot I had seen from my room. It was large, about half a square block, but difficult to get into. It contained the ruins of a never-completed building’s foundation, pools of poisonous-looking water, and the brute, green, and magnificently varied growth that covers everything here not paved. I thought it would be good for a couple photographs. As I waited for my lenses to un-fog, two dogs-about-town decided with unerring canine sensibility that I didn’t belong where I happened to be, so I left on the quick.

I had thought about going to the National Art Gallery, but now decided that I would just explore the city on foot, get an impressionistic sense of how it works and is put together. So I started off in the most colorful direction. Here were covered outdoor restaurants where the food was made makeshift and sometimes eaten with hands. Much was made of rice and bean curd, supplemented with ingredients whose English names don’t feature on the handwritten menus. It was at such pseudo-establishments that I ate from time to time.
From here, I wandered through lower-middle class and poorer neighborhoods at a time of day when everything seemed to be about eating and meeting. In all, the people appear to be a happy, or at least not outwardly unhappy, people.
As I write this under the awning of a café drinking Argentinean wine topped with the spray from the daily thunderstorm, I’m reminded by the couple drinking next to me that I may never have been anywhere where there are more inter-racial couples. And the races are many: Malaysian, Chinese, European, Indian, African. I don’t want to draw any facile conclusions from this, but it is notable.

But I had walked all day. I walked, and I took pictures, and I thought of my surroundings. I happened to see my reflection in a shop window where dresses were being sold for the equivalent of US $1.50 and realized with a little embarrassment that I was soaked through with sweat. I decided to ride the monorail. There’s only one, so I knew it would take me back to places I was a little more familiar with. For I had no idea where I now was. Nor did it matter, but I was thinking a drink might reinvigorate me, and something surfaced which had been gnawing at the lower levels of my consciousness all day and the import of which now became acute. I don’t believe that regular drinking establishments as we know them – call them bars, taverns, pubs – I don’t believe these exist as such in KL. There are hotel lounges and clubs, and you can get drinks in nicer restaurants, but I was by now a little worried where my afternoon sustenance would come from. Much of my later wanderings were disappointing searches for cocktail hour, something I never found. But chance did land me in the café I mentioned earlier, and here I am now sitting in a deluge the likes of which are unknown in Wisconsin (where I live).

Damn, it’s raining hard. I lean over to the guy keeping me in wine at this bodega to ask how typical this is. It is, apparently, a big storm, and I’m finally ushered inside so they don’t have to keep the awning propped up over me any longer. Fair enough.
I’ve made no mention of the major shopping area immediately surrounding my hotel and directly across the street from my present situation. It doesn’t interest me at all, but it may interest others that it’s there. This is a world city and not impervious to Gucci, Prada, and other names no doubt important but unknown to me. What actually does draw my attention is that there are fashion ads everywhere, as there are everywhere else, but there is not one among this extremely varied population here who looks anything remotely like anyone in any of the ads. I have no grudge against fashion – how could I? – but the worldwide industrial demon that has taken possession of it, if it had a throat, that throat would require quick slitting, and I’d volunteer for the hit.

Let me now elaborate and summarize, for I’ve taken much of your time. KL is architecture most varied, people good and friendly and sleezy, food delicious and unclean, and I’ve not even mentioned the prominent beauty of the women. In short, it is a vibrant, partly modern, partly developing, city of the world. It is also located on the equator, so much daily activity centers around fluid loss and replenishment, though not so much replenishment as I would wish.
Finally and most importantly to me, but for the occasional times when I wish I were sharing this with someone else, I was able to inhabit a space outside myself; almost 24 hours I did this, and I am healthier for it. The soul is in remission.

The rain has lifted, and it’s time for me to fetch my bags and find the airport.

Recessionista/er Tip of the Day: If a tight cash flow inhibits soul-soothing from being performed abroad, Recessionistas/ers in NYC and Los Angeles should check out http://www.lifebooker.com/, a webstie that offers great deals on spa services, massages, waxes, etc. so you can find a moment of respite on a budget. (Thanks to Kat for today's great tip!)

Saving a Soul: 24 hrs. in Kuala Lumpur (Part 1 of 2)

A 24 hr. Memoir
-Featuring the writing of Guest Blogger/World Traveler/Honorary Recessionista Peter...

When I was a high school expatriate in the last years before Germany’s reunification, the matriarch of the family I lived with diagnosed me with an ominous condition. “Die Seele ist krank.” The soul is sick. She had no idea.

Twenty years later, the soul is still ailing, and the condition has metastasized to both more and less vital organs. But I am not lost, I am not dead, and I will beat this thing. Today I find my soul, not under the head-shaking gaze of a motherly physician, but in the lap of luxury’s exotic mistress. Two weeks ago, Malaysia was one of hundreds of places I might never visit. But it’s tonight, and I’ve just asked my butler at the Kuala Lumpur Ritz Carlton to wake me with a pot of coffee an hour before sunrise. He glances at my camera bag and asks with a huge smile, “for pictures?”

Yes. It’s half an hour to midnight, and I have twenty four hours to myself. Let’s call this rehabilitation.

The last half hour of February 24th I spend walking and soaked. Finally I was nearing the Petronas towers. I wanted to photograph these lit up, preferably from across the fountain and pool I knew were in front of them. I didn’t know just where that was, but I was probably within a mile now. I took a couple shots of the towers over the tops of other buildings, and then its lights went out. Shit. Things shut down at midnight here. Keep walking, though, I might as well.
A young man in a park tries a ruse. “Card stuck in the ATM machine,” could I give him 8 Ringgits? My instinct is quietly but firmly to refuse, but these are different circumstances. It’s the witching hour in an outdoor equatorial sauna underneath the Gothic imposition of the KLCC towers. So I venture, “I’ll give you 8 Ringgits if I can take your picture,” lifting my camera. He declines. Maybe I’m the fuzz, he might be thinking. I don’t know because he’s gone now, leaving me to change fogged lenses in a too dark park.
I circle slowly around the towers, the eye to the viewfinder seeking some eternal moment to capture, the other watchful for a place to get a drink. I resolve neither the one nor the other for a while. Then I hear some music and move in. No, it’s not music, it’s a dance club. But next door is an outside lounge. I haven’t been able to find out whether Malaysia produces its own beer, but I see a sign for Singapore’s typically Asian rice brew, and I make for the Tiger. This is a really crappy place, and they charge 17R a glass, but once I remember the conversion, it’s not so expensive, and it all seems marginally less crappy, even the lung-aggravating clove cigarette ambiance contributing to what might become an improbable nostalgia if provoked by a few more Tigers.

I borrow a pen from the hostess. It’s here that I’ve written the preceding. After a time, I move out.

In the equatorial dark, one’s compass is a poor navigational aid. I wandered far tonight, and in no certain direction. I passed and photographed and conversed with vendors of food and other fruits of the street. Street food is good for the constitution, and I vow that I will tomorrow eat nothing but species of its genus. The other may be less wholesome and try unqualified systems of immunity, and I leave it alone.

I am on back streets, and by this time there are medium sized animals testing the lesser shadows and I cannot know their dangers or designs. Welcome home says the Carlton Ritz, and plunder please the bar mini. And I so do. My god, did I make it back here? Sleep comes slowly and in small measure.

To be continued in tomorrow's entry...

Recessionista Tip of the Day: Unless you have the luxury to travel for work as my friend Peter, going to exotic, international locations might feel impossible. Even if you can afford the price of the airfare, the accommodations break the bank. Well, if you don't mind putting on your best Bohemian beret and roughing it a bit, you can stay almost anywhere in the world as a guest in a fellow Wanderluster's home! Check out Couchsurfers - a site devoted entirely to connecting Recessionistas across the globe. Freeloading is the new pink, after all.

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