Everyone’s talking of recession. Be it jobs, pay checks, a much-wanted vacation, a shopping extravaganza, a beauty therapy, a movie in a multiplex, an evening in the mall, a new pair of kurtas, a much-awaited tatoo…everything gets ‘verbally’ delayed or postponed “in this time of recession”. Apparently, even the blind man’s cut down on the choice between the blue pill and the red pill (see Comment #19) 😀 !
But how true is this??? A few excerpts from real-life experiences!
You: What a surprise! How come you are in a bus??
Friend: Recession, re! No money. Wallet’s almost empty.
You (nodding in agreement): Yea…I know. So, where you off to?
Friend: Am meeting an old ‘friend’ (winks) in CCD at 5. Haven’t seen each other in a long time. So, thought could catch up over a coffee.
You: Uh…uh. (Cafe Cofee Day’s the only place for a coffee??)
You: You sure you wanna come in my car? I thought you hated car-pooling. Friend (sheepish smile): I do. But well…one has to change with the times. When the wallet’s empty, that’s when saving becomes important! 😀
You: Hop in! Where can I drop you?
Friend: At the mall. Have some shopping…and am catching a movie with my girl! (beams)
You: Uh…uh. (Mall and multiplex??)
You: Dude, can you lend me 5k? I’ll return it in 15 days.
Dude: Jeez, no! I just bought a car.
You: What? In this time of recession?
Dude: Yea! Dad wanted me to buy a house. But what good’ll that do now,when I’m staying with them? A car’s what I need now. Helps us friends hang around and go places together. Anyway, it’s an investment. So, rather invest in somethings that’s most useful now!
You: Uh…uh. (Investment?? Car over a House? Really?)
You: Hey buddy! How’s it going?
Friend: Not too good. Mom called up yesterday too. She’s vexed that I’m not sending home any money! What does she know about recession!
You: Hmmm… but maybe you could…
Friend (cutting you short): Hey! Check out my new hairstyle! I coloured it too! Spent a fortune on it at L’oreal! Phew!
You (gaping): But you just said…well, never mind! (After a pause) Oh, it’s stunning!
Has Recession hit only the Management, that hard? Because even though lay offs and salary cuts are happening, Coffee Days and Baristas and Pizza Huts and Malls and Multiplexes and Branded Outlets and Fancy Restaurants and Boutiques and Professional Salons and are all always full of people!
And more interestingly, they are always full of young people! Is there something that makes these Hargrave-types so confident of a brighter (financial and economic) tomorrow?
So, how many of you are saving? And how? Would love to get some tips…because I seem to be one of those indifferent ‘youngsters” (though I have no confidence in a financially better tomorrow; this is just how I am). 😀
Well what you have told is true…. all this is happening because in the pre “recession era” parents have not taught children wat it is to save and only to spend during for the need not create a need for spending!!
OMG!!! I have actually started cribbing abt ppl!! Are I getting old 😛 😛
Interesting read…
For some people recession seems to hit them according to their convenience.
all my savings are related to tax exemption ..so its either LIC or Tax gain funds.
Gee! I tried saving for one & half months and was successful as well. And seriously my spending habits have changed i don’t go beserk like old times. Chal this much for now gotta go meeting a friend at CCD & hopping onto a mall 😉 PS I think CCD is a necessity.
well true….i never spent so much for me, so its not of much a hit or change to me!
btw the post was humorous and so very true!
the day before yesterday, I lost my voice while singing. Thanks to recession!!! yesterday, my bikes tyre got punctured. again thanks to recession !!!! today, I burnt my tongue while having sizzlers. once again, thanks to recession !!!
(oh yeah, I have developed this new habit of blaming everything on recession these days!!! 😉 )
@Moukound
True! Very true! And they still think their parents were ‘miserly’ every 5th day!
@Dipty
Hehe…yes!
@Reema
Hmmm…takin the easiest, safe route! I’ll follow soon! 😉
@Smita
Hehe…good for you! Wish I didnt have these gaps between my fingers…they say such people are spendthrifts! Now i blame it on my fingers! 😀
CCD? Really!?
@Sahaja
Good for you! Somepeople (like me) never learn, though!
Hehe…thanks!
@Vimmuuu
Bah! During recession, don’t waste your energy singing (save it, you might be able to skip a meal) 😉 ; and why bike? go in a bus!!! and szzlers??? wont idly and tea satisfy yur hunger??? Spendthrift! 😛 😛 😛
haha, touche. i’m going for my first vacation to bangkok next month. 😀 in my defense, though, i don’t feel as if the recession has affected me personally. i found a part-time job just recently.
Multiplexes are actually empty.. at least the one near my house which was always full. I, however is getting tickets quite easily.. and enjoying my movies in vacant theater. 🙂
I dont see much difference in the malls here… it was packed this weekend too… btw I was just window shopping 😉
Ha HA. Nice post!
I’ll put in here a mail forward about recession which I got recently that sums it all…
The Story is about a man who once upon a time was selling Hotdogs by the roadside. He was illiterate, so he never read newspapers. He was hard of hearing, so he never listened to the radio. His eyes were weak, so he never watched television. But enthusiastically, he sold lots of hotdogs. He was smart enough to offer some attractive schemes to increase his sales. His sales and profit went up. He ordered more a more raw material and buns and use to sale more. He recruited few more supporting staff to serve more customers. He started offering home deliveries. Eventually he got himself a bigger and better stove. As his business was growing, the son, who had recently graduated from College, joined his father.
Then something strange happened. The son asked, “Dad, aren’t you aware of the great recession that is coming our way?” The father replied, “No, but tell me about it.” The son said, “The international situation is terrible. The domestic situation is even worse. We should be prepared for the coming bad times” The man thought that since his son had been to college, read the papers, listened to the radio and watching TV, he ought to know and his advice should not be taken lightly.
So the next day onwards, the father cut down the his raw material order and buns, took down the colorful signboard, removed all he special schemes he was offering to the customers and was no longer as enthusiastic. He reduced his staff strength by giving layoffs. Very soon, fewer and fewer people bothered to stop at his hotdog stand. And his sales started coming down rapidly, same is the profit. The father said to his son, “Son, you were right. We are in the middle of a recession and crisis. I am glad you warned me ahead of time.”
Keep Blogging!!
Happy Recession! 😀
I’m quitting my job! 😀
It was fun read… 🙂
My point of view here is we shd help our country in coming out of recession by giving more work to malls , ccd and pizza hut !!!
Just think of those who might be going through bad times due to this recession. And here we all are having a laugh…??
Immoral..aren’t we??
@sulz
Enjoy your trip! 🙂
Congrats on the job…lucky girl! 😀
@Harsh
I wouldn’t generalise recession-effect in such a way. A lot of people’ve been it hard. Just that a few lucky, indifferent ones like us haven’t realised 😉
Hope it’ll be better when you’re in your final yr! Good luck! 🙂
Vee
Hehe…maybe so there (yu in Chennai, right?) B’lore multiplexes seem to be covered in recession-proof paint! 😀
And see? My point, exactly! You still go to multiplexes! All your-type-of-people seem to ave migrated to B’lore! Come over!!
@Remya
Hehe…really!?
@Biju
Thanks! 🙂
Hehe…funny mail! This is how recession sets in! 😀
@Nikhil
So you do read my blog!! 😛
Happy Recession!? Moron! 😀
You did it! Finally! Congraaaats!
@Rashmi
Welcome to AlphabetWorld! 🙂
Thanks!
Gosh! You’re evil! 😛
@Dev
I never meant for anyone to laugh. It was written light-heartedly, that’s all. I really do think it’s a scary situation…all I said was, most youngsters do not seem to care or realise — either of the two.
I wouldn’t say it’s immoral to laugh at ‘recession’ (don’t you laugh at your pains and they seem to go away!? 😛 ) ; I’d say it’s immoral to pretend it’s not there (which we’re doing!) 😐 ; and it’d be immoral if we don’t help people who’re in trouble because of this R-monster!
i was in complete confusion till i read the last line 🙂 as tmrw we are going together to the multiplex to watch movie ;P
@Verbivore
Shhhh…
Thank God I wrote that last line! 😀 😀
And well, in my defense, this is a must-see for every Mallu…and well, I’m just obeying Rashmi!!
And don’ forget the jumping-up-and-down smiley yu sent when I said we’re going!!
I am saving a lot. I am just making some small trips here and there. 🙂
@Amit
Good for you!
Am already knee-deep in crisis! 😀
ha ha … good one. throws a nice perspective on things! 🙂
@Ashwathy
Welcome to AlphabetWorld! 🙂
Thanks… Keep visiting! 🙂