Everybody Wants To Be At Home

       My how things have changed. It seems like everybody just wants to be at home. They do not what to go out and do anything. According to them anyway. When I was younger the last thing that I wanted was to just go home. 
     People used to want to do things outside. Go somewhere. See someone. Get something done. Now it seems we just want to be at home.  Maybe not really want to be, but the best sanctuary we can scratch out. As I am the second oldest person in my apartment building I see the younger people just staying home after they get off work. When I was their age I would want to go somewhere and do something. 
     For the most part it has to be an economic thing. It takes everything that you make to just get by. That is the only way to make it as a low wage earner or someone on a fixed income. As there isn't any money, time or energy to run and play. A tight leash. And it seems like all of us are exhausted. No extra energy anyway. 
     Our escape is electronic. We have our TVs, phones, computers, headphones and the plethora of other electronic devices. A lot of people do not even speak. We are living in the Matrix. Like a baby's pacifier. It does however get us by. 
     A lot of people are cooking at home. I do. I watched an episode of All In The Family tonight. It was probably from around 1970 to 1972. Archie spoke that he made about $150 a week. That is about $7800 a year net I guess. He complained that they were eating chicken again for the fourth time that week. Edith was doing the best she could with what she had to work with. Sound familiar? That would be about $10,000 a year gross. Wow!
     In spite of what we hear from media. The economy is not great. Sure. There are more low paying jobs available. But they are low paying jobs. I would guess that about half of our customers at the store I work at are receiving entitlements. Young, old and all races. 
     Yet in the magazines they still speak of affordable cars starting at $18,000. Bicycles at $2000 plus. Etc. When looking in the parking lot where I work I see a lot of really nice cars. A lot of not so nice newer cars. A lot of people parking in the handicapped zone that get out and look like they could run a mile or two. Dressed nice and driving nice cars. 
     We have to thank the wealthy people. Because they are more than ever keeping the lower class working. That is the lower class that works. It has been a long time since I went to a mall. As most people are in the same boat, no wander they are dying out. So many retail establishments have the same old junk.
     I am afraid that we are past the point of no return. The younger generation are for the most part fat and stupid. They are lazy and selfish too. But they learned this from my generation that was not fat and stupid, just self centered. We had kids that shouldn't have been. Split them between two parents. Carried on with our our designs. Fed them fast food and processed stuff. Just an encumbrance. Just stick this video in your face and stay out of mine as I have my own designs to deal with. Each and every one of our actions has ramifications.
     Homes were built in large sizes. Payments were high. I do not know for sure if this is the same thing that went on during the 1890s when a lot of the Victoria mansions were built. History does repeat itself. There was a Panic of 1873. Bad economy in 1973. Go figure. But as always, the rich remain rich. 
     As a guess right now I think that if you are making $30,000 a year you are doing well. Still in the lower class range. There are a lot of regular customers that I do not see any more. Have they chose another venue? Have they moved to another location? I do not know. I just hope that they were not that 60 percent of the Bell Curve that were not happy with the service and quietly went away. 
     Getting out on weekends (what are weekends?) used to be a big deal with me. Going to festivals, antiquing, picnicking, hiking, golf and other things used to come to mind for a weekend off. With a girlfriend (what is that?). I do not even think of doing this now. Perhaps of being older and tired. Maybe not financially able to do so. No matter. Can't do it now. 
      But even the younger people I know are always sick and tired. Is there something in the food and water? Do we not get enough exercise? Is our minds shot? Got to be something. 
      As I write this I am just where I want to be. At home.