Howzit?

"Look, mom! That's something we can smile about these days."

The price of gas is going down a few cents every day and that's just great. Just the kind of break we all need, don't we? However, does this really mean anything? Is today really better than yesterday? In a way, of course. Maybe the improvement is not as significant as we all hope for but go on and embrace it anyway. Let's all be thankful for that flash of light somewhere in the dark horizon. But what if that flash is nothing more than that? Well, it's too dark in here and there's just no predicting. What's crystal clear is that the common people are financially burdened- right here, right now. Here in Hawaii. I am in the tourism business and the HTA figures just haven't been pretty lately. I know for a fact that a lot of other businesses are greatly affected too. All going south. See, Mr. A who used to drink beer with his ribs is now just ordering tap water. Mrs. B who used to get her hair done every pay check now reduced her visits to the salon every couple of months. It's a tough time so both of them along with thousands of others who are in far worse conditions are penny pinching. Saving those extra bucks for the rainy (stormy?) day. It is terrible for me to belong to the same backyard and yet be on the other side of the fence as well. While these days I could never stop thinking and executing ways to generate money into our company, I also have to strategically cut back on my overhead. So as much as I understand how my employees need money for their living, I'll have to cut one or two of them everyday to save on my costs. That kinda sucks.

Quite frankly, it doesn't look good out here right now. This state has been so dependent on tourism that I'm not sure if its economy can ever be self-sufficient. What, go back to growing pineapples and sugarcane, brah? I don't think so. It's just scary.