Economizing

Today I was sidelined at home because our daycare center closed for Presidents' Day. It rained most of the day, so Sam and I camped out in the living room, building block towers and listening to NPR. As I always do when I listen to the radio all day long, I learned a few things. For one, it turns out the unemployment rate in California is almost 10%. I knew it was bad out there ... but geez. Unemployment in my fair state has nearly doubled in the last year. If our legislators can't arrive at a budget compromise -- now eight or nine months late -- our governor is threatening to lay off another 20,000 people. But our state's economic crisis feels surreal to me because I have been virtually unaffected. I'm already unemployed, and my job for next year is secure. So far as we can tell, Brian's job is secure too. If anything, we stand to benefit from the mess: real estate is on clearance and gas is oddly cheap. I feel a touch of survivor's guilt.

In other news, last night Brian and I went to a Punch Brothers concert and earlier in the week, we attended an evening event at church. We left Sam with a sitter both nights: his first experience with being put to bed by a non-parent. Apparently, he rose to the occassion reasonably well, so I'm optimistic that it will be possible for me and Brian to go on somewhat earlier dates from here on out. I'm continually surprised that this parenting gig appears to be getting easier and easier. Now that my kid sleeps 11 hours straight at night, gobbles down table food and puts himself to bed when he's with a babysitter ... being a mother is a snap! Bring on the octuplets!