Reality Defeats Comedy
Posted at 5:01 AM on February 11, 2009
by Dale Connelly
(32 Comments)
Yesterday I had a little fun with B. Marty Barry counseling lovers whose rocky romance mirrored the ruined financial landscape.
I thought it was an amusing scenario because it created an exaggerated, unlikely reality. I should know better. A few hours later I found evidence that my imagination simply can't compete with reality. Every day, real counselors are working with wealthy people whose complicated emotional relationship with money mirrors their freshly ruined love lives.
In a New York Times article from February 6th, Paul Sullivan quotes Thomas Ruskin, a retired NYC detective who runs a personal security firm. Mr. Ruskin said divorce investigations have increased with the economic decline.
"In the last 90 days, we've seen a tidal wave. It's mostly for infidelity that has been going on for years and that spouses were willing to accept in better times."
This sounds like a fundamental cash / love equation, so basic you could write it as a couplet.
While the money flows, hanky-panky grows.
When the payday tapers, serve the papers.
The article quoted Manhattan psychoanalyst Eric Dammann on the feelings of very wealthy clients who have lost half their net worth, but still have tens of millions in the bank.
"It feels like everything is imploding at the same time as well as this sense that there is no light at the end of the tunnel.
As their net worth shrinks, their self-worth shrinks."
Here's another gem from Mr. Sullivan's article, attributed to a financial psychologist in Hawaii named Brad Klontz. He was talking about the need for rich people to grieve for their lost wealth. One source of pain is thought to be a loss of self esteem that comes from no longer being able to keep up with (or stay ahead of) the Joneses.
Mr. Klontz's comforting words?
"I've been telling people that you're just as rich now, because everyone has lost 30 percent,"
The world is in flames, but thank God I'm still richer than my neighbor.
Another basic tenet, worthy of rhyme.
I'm poorer now than I was before.
But compared to you, I've still got more.
I'm drinking less expensive gin,
But you can't eat, so I still win.
That makes everything better, don't you agree?
Comments (32)
It may not always be fun to be "poor"
but at least I know where I have my treasure store.
I know that when this life is done
I will have all I need in my life with the Son.
Well, anyway, the home canned tomatoes in the basement are holding their value.
I remember Garrison doing a monologue on the economics of canned tomatoes and how children were able to go to college, because their parents had canned the tomatoes.
Any chance of the Greg Brown song about canned peaches (not sure of the title).
I think it would do us all good to "taste a little of the summer" on these bleak (not to mention slushy) days.
Thanks!
"What, me worry?"
Connie Calder's "I have you" is my favorite song about what's really important in life in terms of possessions. I requested it a bunch of times for my kids over the years. I'd love to hear it again.
Thanks, Dale
Greetings, all. I hope I'll get to pop back over to read the blog and stream the show. I'm going to be performing a little network maintenance that will take the network temporarily down. I'm the person in my work environment who restricts streaming and so forth, but until I receive a directive from my boss to do so, people here will be streaming radio heartland!
Good morning!
This little ditty of Monty Python's always cheers me up:
Always look on the bright side of life.
I mean - what have you got to lose?
You know, you come from nothing,
you're going back to nothing.
What have you lost? Nothing!
Isn't there anyone else in Heartland who appreciates this song?
Good Morning!
Thanks Dale for the Sarah Vaughan version of "I can't give you anything but love"! You found a version I hadn't heard which isn't very easy. Of course I should have clarified that she goes by Jeannie even though it's spelled Jeanne. It doesn't matter, she knows it came from the heart.
The reality of super duper mega rich folks now only being super mega rich is quite depressing as is pointed to in this NY Times article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/28/nyregion/28daba.html?em
A haiku for the occasion:
Once I had great wealth
Had to sell my second yacht
Things are so tight now
Morning Heartlanders! Donna, I am also a Monty Python fan. One of my favorites is the Galaxy Song from Meaning of Life, which we most often hear by Tom Paxton. Could we hear this one this morning?
Hey Guys! Count me in with Alfred E. Neuman and Monty Python - they inspire us to take the long perspective! I have actually instructed my children to play The Galaxy Song at my funeral when the day comes.
Dale, I wanted to say I am enjoying the increased variety of station identification announcements you have been making lately - I notice a little of your personality coming through which is nice to hear. I count you in that elite group of perspective inducers mentioned above.
For Valentine's week - can you play Love Will Find You by Storyhill?
Great idea Sherrilee! And for the life of me I can't figure out why Dale won't play my request. How hard could it be for him to take over the mic and insert the word 'grit' when the line, "life's a piece of ____", comes up?
http://www.startribune.com/nation/39394927.html?elr=KArks:DCiUMcyaL_nDaycUiacyKU7DYaGEP7vDEh7P:DiUX
Breaking goat news! Goats are accused of starting a fire and burning down a barn in Wyoming. Heartlanders with goats take precautions now.
more depressing news: Niblet is pronounced "chubby" by vet yesterday during her visit. prescription is cut his ration of grain to zero and just feed hay. poor Nibby has no control over his situation - getting rations cut. he hadn't saved any for the future (except in the flesh on his belly) but right now that isn't much consolation. he was living in the moment, as goats tend to do. he spent his energy romping and running and had no thought of tougher times. what will he learn from this? nothing. if he gets a chance he'll eat as much as he can. in contrast to humans, though, the other goats will not despise him because he has no grain. they won't even notice, as they scarf up their ration.
Thanks for the requests, everyone.
The Galaxy song is coming up.
And Donna, you're trying to get me in trouble. Chances are, I'd misplace my "grit" and that would be it for me and Radio Heartland!
I understand, Dale. Too great a risk!
thanks for thinking of us, Beth-Ann.
i'm sorry but the fool who left electrical devices in close proximity to even penned-up goats caused that fire. i discovered long ago that Dodger has a telescoping neck that can reach things (ropes, leads, hay, gloves) to chew way beyond my estimate. poor goats.
Sure hope that Neal and Leandra gift us with
"Mold Love" ...first heard in Worthington at the Memorial Auditorium on Valentines Day of...what year was that???
Good morning,
Is it just me or is the streaming thingy not working this morning. I'm get nothing from either stream - my Winamp fallback is no good either.
Thank you for replaying part of Sat nights show!
speaking of sat nite show, is it archived so we who have to work on saturday nights til 11 can listen the next day?
Good Morning!
Seems my first post is still bouncing around in cyberspace but I did want to thank Dale for playing "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" this morning.
Perhaps the budget axe fell and posts are being reduced. First there's no more caviar and now this, how will we ever survive?
Have a great day everyone!
Thanks for suggesting "Mold Love" Kathy.
Sorry Neal & Leandra didn't do it, but I'll see if we can find a recording of our Worthington show.
That broadcast happened in 2003. Time flies!
And Mike - we have no other reports of a winamp or MP3 outage, so I'm guessing it's you. Sorry.
Thanks Dale - still not working but apparently Charter internet is having issues with some websites.
Shelley,
Yes, the Saturday show is archived and available to listen, but the audio is not usually posted until Monday. Under the Programs menu on the MPR website, go to "Radio Heartland". The playlist for the Saturday show on MPR News is there along with the audio.
better late than never, right?
Donna, I am SO with you on "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life"---that's one of the songs i want at MY funeral....
in fact, how fun would it be as a group to come up with a great funeral CD? i'd put on Elton John's funeral for a friend and Michael Johnson's Bristlecone Pine and Let the Mystery Be by someone whose name i've misplaced.... other great thoughts? i think there's a song by Laura Nero, too, that woud be appropriate.
and yes, the galaxy song is a great one for the funeral CD too.
oh, yeah, dale, radio heartland could make some money off the Dead Keepers CD!!!
:-)
The last couplet was pricess, Dale....
Thanks for making my day!!!
The last couplet was Priceless, Dale!
Thanks for giving me a reason to wear a cat ate the canary grin this morning!
Ooooops! Sorrry about the multi-posts!
Guess I love the show so much it needs to be posted twice!
Kay - "Let the Mystery Be" is done by Iris DeMent.
I've always thought the reading of Sullivan Ballou's letter from "The Civil War" Ken Burns series, with "Ashokan Farewell" playing in the background would be a great piece - really makes you think.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa2hv8U8cWU
Hmmm, I'm suspecting that this blogger who comments once in a while with one liners by the names of Alfred E Neuman and Jim, is our very own JEP. Does anyone else suspect the same thing? His notes have given me a little Jim vibe when I've read them in the past.
I love the idea of the "Death Keepers" CD. The most-requested funeral songs of all time. . .
Does anyone know if Neal and Leandra have a recording of the "Stopping by woods on a snowy evening?" I really enjoyed their a capella singing.
-Eric
Wealth and poverty are relative. We evaluate our net-worth based on what those around us have... or don't have. That's why I don't watch "Cribs." The average American is still wealthier than 95% of the rest of the world- who, by the way, are happier than we are anyway- even before the recession! Money can't buy happiness. But it can buy antidepressants.
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