Brunch, etc.

I've never been ashamed to admit how little I know about economics. My grasp of the subject is very elementary - sure! supply and demand! got it! I think a younger me, who remembered the rules to Pit, may have understood stocks better than I currently do. I for sure never thought I would see the day when I would be discussing the current state of the economy and it's impact on my life. I was naive enough to believe if I didn't think about the economy, it wouldn't affect me. Ah, 2008. How amazing to learn that what goes on Wall Street and with that guy-who-shouts-at-me on CNBC and with the housing foreclosures Anthony was writing about at the Free Lance would impact my life. But it does, and it has, and suddenly the economy is something I think about on a daily basis. In terms of my life, mostly it's caused me to feel a little stuck. I'm at a job that doesn't even hint of the industry I want to be in - but I don't foresee myself leaving any time soon. In fact, I'm more concerned about getting laid off and being forced to leave sooner than I can afford. But I know I'm not the only person in the situation. It's scary for those of us who are fairly fresh out of college and trying to find ourselves and a career that is challenging and engaging. Because, really, what is out there? And can I afford to leave what I have now to find out?

A recent article in The New Yorker tied a lot of the current challenges with our economy to the health care system:

"American businesses often can't afford to hire as many employees as they would like because of rising health-insurance costs; employees often can't afford to quit to chase their better-mousetrap dreams because they can't risk going without coverage. Add to this the system's moral failings: about twenty-two thousand people die in this country annually because they lack health insurance. That is more than the number of Americans who are murdered in a year."

This, to me, was one of those chopstick-dropper quotes (I was eating Thai food at the time). Who knows if a restructuring of our current health care system would solve all or any of the current financial crises, but it definitely is something worth thinking about.

On a completely different note, I ate at Chez Oskar in Fort Greene today. I braved the G-train and the rain to meet up with my friend Dinelle, who shares my love of the weekend brunch. Anyone living in the Brooklyn/New York area should really familiarize themselves with this restaurant. I'm convinced they have the best eggs benedict I have eaten ... perhaps ever. And I feel pretty knowledgeable on the topic, as I will eat this pretty much any time it's on the menu. Their bloody marys aren't anything to scoff at, either: cilantro-y and spicey-tastic. Which leads me to wrap up my blog post with a question: Has anyone heard of putting salt on the rim of your bloody mary? Please. Share your thoughts/feelings.