[Bluefly]

I think what you are experiencing is a very under analyzed problem in our highly mobile global society.

Economies rise up like firecrackers and then fade away only to rise up somewhere else. We abandon our families and friends in an effort to keep up with it all.

I feel for you. I don't know what the answer is unless we fundamentally reassess what we value out of life (is it the greatest accumulation of wealth and power or the greatest happiness?).

I vote for the latter, but I doubt either of us will live long enough to see it become a universal reality.

[MI-IRISH]

Originally Posted by zakian

Loong post.
The state is dead. Face it. Grandholm screwed up big time, the "big 3" screwed up, unions were selfish. Unemployment is at (they say) 10.7 %.
Predictions are up to over 12%.
The Wayne county Sheriff just put a stop to foreclosures. Won't allow the power company to issue shut off notices. But the ex mayor is getting out of jail. He's gonna bail to Texas asap......his girlfriend is still in jail.

Again,let's lay blame on politicians,union's,and corporation's,who put them in their respected positions of authority,and,again i say,if you want to blame somebody,you only need look in the mirror

[WheredoIlive?]

Originally Posted by Bluefly

I think what you are experiencing is a very under analyzed problem in our highly mobile global society.

Economies rise up like firecrackers and then fade away only to rise up somewhere else. We abandon our families and friends in an effort to keep up with it all.

I feel for you. I don't know what the answer is unless we fundamentally reassess what we value out of life (is it the greatest accumulation of wealth and power or the greatest happiness?).

I vote for the latter, but I doubt either of us will live long enough to see it become a universal reality.

I agree.

I am thinking of writing something on this topic for money. Even now I find msyelf thinking why dedicate myself to new friendships etc, if I will just see the back end of them, and so immediately too?

Ever read the book BOWLING ALONE, that is a book from someyears ago that talked about how social cohesion and capital has literally been destroyed turning Americans into itenirant serfs following jobs that never last. There is nothing stable anymore.

I was happiest in a small town, in Hillsdale. I have asked self did I sin against God, thinking husband had gotten new job? But it always cameto this point, there he couldnt even get freelance work, even McDonalds was overrun with applicants and he had been unemployed an entire year. I didnt want to leave but felt forced too, he had gotten 35,000 year job here, which he lost in three months, we never would have moved, knowing what we gave up in Hillsdale. It has been oone of our lives biggest regrets, and honestly this precipated the destruction of our marriage. Marriages die when there is no social supports too.The divorce rate is related tothis lack of community and family cohesion.

I could be divorced soon, and even there, I was driven crazy, WHERE DO I GO? There are no roots, no home anymore. My family and friends are so spread out, there is NO HOME to go to. Everyone in a different city or place, and many friends having left HIllsdale.

I think of what my mothers life was like growing up in small town, there was a small town in Ohio that 100 of my relatives, now all are deceased adn the majority have moved away. Things were far better. I feel like I have no roots, I had no children so this made things worse.

Husband even GREW up in town we now live in, but no family members are left here, except one aunt who never calls.

I have decided I hate modern life. If I was younger and healthier, I would consider joining some old fashioned group--like Hutterites, or something, just to have a home, some community, a real family, instead of strangers that see each other every couple of years. I was even fed up with my mother who decided to move to Florida half the year [most of us are too poor to even visit] and leave behind a town she has lived in for 25 years where she does have roots and friends.

Americans have turned themselves over as slaves to the economic order giving up everything that is important about life. But then I am just as guilty, I moved for money too....but then the people in my old town, are barely surviving, and more are clearing out. Maybe it would have been morepainful to watch everyone leave, I did for a while but then more left later.

[WheredoIlive?]

Originally Posted by MI-IRISH

Again,let's lay blame on politicians,union's,and corporation's,who put them in their respected positions of authority,and,again i say,if you want to blame somebody,you only need look in the mirror

I blame myself, I had me and husbnad leave town I loved for money, but then what choice did we have? IF you are looking at welfare or homelessness or tkaing job elsewhere what do you do? I think this country needs a get back to basics, social capital kind of movement, where families and communities reunite, but I am probably dreaming, consumerism and that what fueld all of it, brings the complete opposite. I know people are lonely now, I am sick and disabled, but most people out there, including my friends who live elsewhere DO FEEL DISCONNECTED. It is sad. This isnt what life is supposed to be about. I was even watching show on TV< about family all gathering around relative dying of cancer, and thought well today, theyd be on the phone or internet, maybe the relatwives would fly in, on the day they were on tehir deathbed, if they could afford it.

[Driller1]

Sounds to me like you are looking to others for your happiness. We are all reasonable for our own happiness.

[BoomRShine]

Originally Posted by WheredoIlive?

Over the last 18 months since Ive left, just about everything has shut down. The coffeeshop, bookstore are long gone: closed just two months ago. KFC chicken gone, one other large restaurant gone, second coffeshop gone. {businesses closing like crazy}...

Do you suppose the opening of the Wal-Mart Supercenter in nearby Jonesville had anything to do with small mom-and-pop businesses closing?

[Marti191]

Yes, 'wheredoIlive' I'm afraid Hillsdale is never again going to be like it was. This greatly saddens me. I am born and raised in Hillsdale and I will forever love it. The closing of the Hallmark shop was especially painful because one of the long-time families that live there owned it. It was a place to work while in High School and the women that worked there for years were known throughout the whole community. We went there every year when I was little to pick out a new Christmas ornament. Yet, I would still love to live in Hillsdale again, if there were jobs, to enjoy the small-town culture that thrives there.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by WheredoIlive?

I think the whole country is dead or dying. I ask friends about THEIR state...OREGON, OHIO, etc, they say things are BAD, and EVERYWHERE is BAD. I beleive the unemployment rate is more at a quarter right now, they only count those who are on the unemployment but that is only 6 months.

That wayne county sherriff sounds like he is a man with morals. People can die if thrown into the street.

If you would look -- the unemployment of some places is 4-5% Michigan is very high but that's because it's a union state and in a globalist economy, the union wants it's wages and benefits unreasonably high. The corporations have caught on to cheap third world labor, it's time to realize that.

[WheredoIlive?]

Originally Posted by Marti191

Yes, 'wheredoIlive' I'm afraid Hillsdale is never again going to be like it was. This greatly saddens me. I am born and raised in Hillsdale and I will forever love it. The closing of the Hallmark shop was especially painful because one of the long-time families that live there owned it. It was a place to work while in High School and the women that worked there for years were known throughout the whole community. We went there every year when I was little to pick out a new Christmas ornament. Yet, I would still love to live in Hillsdale again, if there were jobs, to enjoy the small-town culture that thrives there.

Wow that CLOSED too?

I thought about going back but I am not now. I may go to larger city or stay put. I found out they do not have visiting home physician services and I need to continue that whereever I go. I am very sad to hear even that store is closed. I had heard it was turning into ghost town, but didnt know things would be so bad, even Hallmark shop would be gone too. I bought things there all the time when living there. They did have nice ornaments. I wonder if Nash Drug downtown has closed too. {Hallmark shop was night next to it] There really are no jobs down there so I understand why you couldnt go back. Most people I know who are left are pretty down and out. I enjoyed the small town culture too.

[Marti191]

Nash Drugs is still open at this point. They've moved some of the Hallmark cards into it. Nash also has a mini-store inside of the Market House. I have no idea how the Market House can stay open through these times-especially with super Wal-mart now there. I'm glad they do, they are a huge contributer to the schools and sports teams in the community.
It is becoming a ghost town though, sad to say. We visit a couple times a month (settled in Lansing for now), and it just feels like there are fewer people around. I know that most of my graduating class moved away. Oh! another unfortunate casualty has been that Savarino's is now sold to the owner of the Hunt Club who is turning it into a sports bar restaurant.