So, this weekend was a little bit weird. On Friday I drove around for about a half hour looking for gas. Ever since Hurricane Ike our supply has been sparse at best. Right before Ike gas prices had dropped to about $3.55/gal. which we were all actually excited about. But right before Ike hit word got out that gas would be scarce in the days following and panic ensued.
Ever since then, stations have been running out of gas on a regular basis. On Friday, an oil exec actually urged Georgia's governor to cancel the GA/AL football game, an action which would have had him run out of town on a rail (though in retrospect it might have been a good idea. UGH!).
We didn't really go anywhere this weekend so that we could preserve the gas that we had. On the way to work this morning I passed 7 gas stations with no gas, and even though I had more than a quarter of a tank I still felt a little panicky. When you commute 50+ miles a day, gas is critical and I have no way of knowing when those gas stations will get a new delivery. And then when they do, everybody will rush to that station and in a matter of hours that station will be empty again.
Now, I know some of this "panic" is self-created. We get all worked up and get gas even when we don't need it, but really, what is going on? Why do we still not have gas? How is this situation going to right itself?
And speaking of situations righting themselves, what about the stock market? And the $700 billion dollar bailout? Frankly, I wasn't sure if I should be glad or sad that the bill didn't pass today. This is a huge decision and everything about it just feels rushed to me. I think the market can correct itself with the right kind of stimulus and maybe throwing $700 BILLION dollars at these failing companies would be the answer, but I can think of lots of other ways to stimulate the economy. Whatever they decide they just need to make sure that there's lots of oversight and lots of accountability.
But what do I know? I'm just a little old American worker, plugging away at my 8-5 job every day. Trying to pay off bills. Trying to save for a retirement that is seeming farther and farther away. Trying to pay for daycare and essentials for my children.
But I don't need any stimulus. Nooooo. Not me. I just need some gas.
Mixed Bag
12 years ago
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9 comments:
Gas actually has dropped to $3.24/gallon here, which prompted me to remark to my husband Saturday night "how cheap gas is!"
I'd be out of my mind stressed if we had to hunt gas down. It would be like some post-apocolyptic freak out, especially when I'm already thinking $3.24/gallon is cheap!
I hear ya! We still have gas here in VA, but my friends and family in NC were telling me about having to drive all over the place to fill up their tanks. I'm not sure what I would do if I couldn't drive - I commute over an hour each way, there's no way I'm riding my bike! Though, come to think of it, my thighs might be grateful for the exercise...
I heard somewhere that if they passed out that 700 billion to the american workers, we would all get (after taxes) about 250K. Now wouldn't that be an excellent economic stimulus package? Maybe I could afford the premium gas (which is all my station has right now).
I'm with you - I don't know whether the bailout would have been good or bad. I do know that the economy is going to pot quickly.
The gas thing baffles me. You guys are out, and our prices are dropping weekly. Can we not share the love somewhere in the middle?
I heard about this on the news just yesterday. I had no idea! It is so strange that someone in the same country is going through such a different experience. I'm so sorry. This whole economic disaster is freaking me out. I don't know what the answer is, but feeling so unsure is stressful, and I've decided that I don't want to be a grownup anymore.
We are lucky up here not to be having a shortage of any kind.
I think all of this stuff is scary though. I have to remember that I have friends and family no matter what and that God is in control.
But it is all kind of frightening and stressful!
La la la la - I can't listen to anything about the economy or I'm going to have ulcers. I am sorry that you're so affected by the gas crisis. It *is* kinda funny picturing you yelling from the rooftops: "I have no gas!" hee hee. Sometimes being crazy helps. :)
I am so very confused about the gas shortage thing. We aren't having it here, and our prices are actually pretty low compared to what they were for a while there. Aren't prices based on supply and demand? And supply is down so . . . nothing happens in some places and others just can't buy gas? Me confused.
The gas shortage thing seemed to be especially bad here in the south. I was surprised to find out that friends of mine in new jersey didn't even know there was a gas shortage down here. We were lucky in that most of the stations around our house continued to have gas. It's a sad, sad day when $3.55 seems cheap.
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