27° this morning

The business news this morning is all about GM and Chrysler and how bankruptcy or reorganization will affect the retirees and current workers health care coverage. I always tried to be a realist during my employment at GM. There was a mindset in my hometown how GM would take care of you from the “cradle to the grave”. For my tenure in the school system if you were not in college entrance or business classes there was little done to inspire or move students forward. It was a given that in that a city a high school diploma would gain you admittance to GM where generations had found work before. There was a great article done by the Long Island newspaper, Newsday on this phenomenon back in the mid 1970’s. My aunt Fran sent it to me; the local papers pretty much ignored it. (I’ve tried to see if this has been archived on-line someplace with no luck.)

Many of my friends and co-workers who bought into that local myth are devastated. For all the 30 years I worked for GM the axe of my division folding was always over my neck. I learned when attending classes put together by GM, Cornell University, and the UAW in 1989 that GM itself would be under the wire in the not too distant future. That future is now here. That axe is still hanging over my neck. I thought I had prepared for the worst in case GM folded. I never expected the entire US economy to melt down at the same time.

Enough of this: I need to count my assets and regardless of what happens, I should be all right. Just like the disco song…..I will survive!!!!

It was a bitter 27° this morning at 5:30. We were short enough people to take out a boat. I’m up at 4:00 anyway, but it really sucks to get all bundled up and then not be able to go out on the water. I don’t know what is going on with these people. Sunday afternoon was perfect for a session on the river. We were short two people for taking out our 8. Fortunately there were two collegiate rowers who were on hand to even out our boat. They rowed as bow pair (1 & 2 seat) I was in 3 seat. It was a fairly warm afternoon, but we “master rowers” were decked out in sweats. These boys had on their spandex shorts and stripped off their shirts before we cast off! Oh, to be young again!! LOL!! They had a good time rowing with us along with getting some teasing in to Jason, (their coach) who was coxing. It was a wonderful afternoon on the water. Just perfect to take my mind off the current economic mess!