Economic Good News

This may be sort of rambling, because I'm putting together my thoughts as I go.

I've heard a few stories on NPR recently that I regard as good news:

• One is that auto repair places are experiencing a boom, largely because many people are being willing to drop a couple thousand dollars to keep their older cars running rather than buying new cars. Apparently, they're deciding that it's better to not be saddled with car payments, comprehensive insurance coverage, higher licensing fees, and sales tax. Well, duh!



• Another is the popularity of cooking shows (and I'm a big fan of Top Chef and Kitchen Nightmares). People are finally figuring out that they can eat better and cheaper at home than at restaurants. I'm noticing that grocery stores are selling a much bigger variety of "gourmet" foods, which must be a result of that phenomenon. I'm even seeing it in my kids -- both of them are evolving into much better (and more imaginative) cooks than I ever was. We very rarely ate out while they were growing up. It's funny, because when they first moved out on their own, they ate at restaurants ALL the time. I'm really hoping that this signals the return of "dinner parties," which are my favorite sorts of gatherings. There's something about eating together that unites even very different sorts of people.



• The third trend I heard about is the resurgence of "crafts" (are you listening, Shannon?). People are choosing to give homemade presents, rather than store-bought. Now, this could be dangerous -- I mean, how many dried flower wreaths does a person really need? It's a difficult thing to distinguish between "art" and "craft." "Art," to me, is something that gives me pleasure to look at -- forever. "Craft," on the other hand, is something that has a function, and can be beautiful, too. It's a difficult distinction, but the picture below illustrates my idea. The shelves that Tom built are, by my definition, "craft." The painting below them, by our friend George Couts, is "art."

I hope this makes sense. Anyway, these trends are probably not good news for car dealers/manufacturers, restaurants, or Hallmark stores; but I think they're a good thing. People are re-evaluating what is important, and everything is becoming less "disposable."

So, hey, Happy Valentine's Day! Drive your old car to a grocery store and a craft store, cook up a terrific meal, and make a homemade card!