It's a Recession When..

For the last couple of months I've been asking myself "what recession"? There have been the worried economists in the newspapers and the late night politicians wrangling bailout bills on C-SPAN, but until recently, no part of this was within my orbit. I personally did not experience it, nor did anyone who I knew. But it's changed now, accelerating, like that slow inexorable movement of a canoe just before it leaps off the edge of a waterfall.

So what happened that made me think a recession actually really happening? Well, it's a recession..

..When the horror stories popping up on the internet of firms first unplugging their coffee machines and then a few days later going on a mass layoff - happens to people I actually know.

..When I go on Google and start typing "Great", the first suggestion it comes out with is "Great Depression".. yikes!

..When I drive into the usually crowded Palisades Mall, and find out, disturbingly, that there is no competition for the best parkibng spots

.. When the first thing I listen to now is the NPR Planet Money podcast.

..When they're practically giving away flat screen TVs at the mall and even I dont bite

..When even I go off my blogging hiatus to talk about it.