“Found” journaling is finding a word, like placing your finger on a word in a magazine, and writing about it. I write for 10-15 minutes about whatever comes to mind from that word, continuously writing even if it wanders, and post immediately. It’s not about grammar or syntax. It’s about writing and practicing writing.

State

Ok…I admit it. I wandered around to a few of my favorite Xanga sites before writing this morning. Everywhere I turned, I saw this word. State of the Union, State of the Nation, State of the State, state of the economy, on and on ad nauseum.

I don’t talk politics too often here even though I’m pretty involved in them locally. I don’t feel that I’m going to change any minds out there and to rant and rave will only close some avenues that were previously opened.

I did watch the State of the Union address last night. I was not impressed. I felt that on one hand, party lines were being drawn. On another, our President was trying to appeal to to our more environmental side (when he comes from the most polluted state in the nation!!!) and was trying to appease us with his talk of hydrogen cars.

What wasn’t discussed was the state of the union. Does he understand that tens of thousands of people have lost their jobs? That no income tax reduction will help them because they don’t have an income??? Does he understand that layoffs are ongoing? Small businesses are closing left and right. Educational facilities are in dire straits and there is no end in sight. Government programs are being cut and we’re not talking wasteful spending but actual programs that really assist people.

The state of our union, our nation, our nation-state, is bleak. I don’t see an economic upturn in the near future and as far as I can tell, neither do most economic analysts. Our President is the only one who seems to think we’re heading out of this “recession.”

Maybe I’m more sensitive to this because I was recently told that my job may be cut. I work for a college. It’s public sector. Those jobs are usually pretty safe even during economic difficulties. It’s one of the reasons I choose lower paying public sector jobs. There is normally job security. Now, though, our universities and colleges are being asked to cut so much money that layoffs are huge. The local university has layed off so many people that even lower-paying jobs are filled…because people are taking on 2 & 3 jobs to pay the bills.

These are scary times. People are worried. I’m worried.

So, Mr. President, what is the state of our union?