Thanks tremendously for your concern, Terrell; it means a lot to me. But it turns out that this pace of overwork has been my lifestyle for about the last 10 years. Apparently God was preparing me to thrive during difficult times. Everyone I know is working their brains out to just stay employed; the notion of "getting ahead" seems ridiculously passe'.

I recall that Moses was struck by the fact that the burning bush was not consumed. Similarly, God is able to make people burn brightly while keeping them from burnout. It depends, I think, on their source of fuel.

I should also note that postings from DtS are so achingly rare (but an excellent trend: already so far, *two* before the following year's Groundhog's Day!) that it's important to seize them when they appear, and comment with all possible gusto. Even if that means razzing Dave, once again, about being Gina's boss. (Cue the "herding cats" commercial in 3,2,1...) I just hope he gets the humor I intend; I think he and his entire crew are great - a tremendous blessing to us weary working stiffs.

Leave some for the end. I understand your predicament. These days it seems that those who are still employed are working harder and longer and then lines at the department of labor stay the same or get longer.

And now today we read that 50 percent of Americans don't beleive in the American Dream anymore. They have made it so that the kid with a lawnmower and the gumption to push it can't make it on his own. The other day in a NTU newsletter I read about all the taxes and such you have to pay when you hire someone. Not to mention the new 1099 requirement. Now why was it I was going to quit a salary job and go out as an entreprenuer?

Aw, Dave, cut her some slack, willya? I mean, vacations in Germany don't come along every day, and it's natural to have a productivity dip when you're waxing nostalgic to your colleagues about those cobblestone streets with their quaint tiny shops and...

Oh. You meant "everybody get back to work" *including those who don't work for you directly*. Oh. My bad.

Well, I'd have responded to you sooner, but I've been pulling 16-hour days plus even some all-nighters, along with travel. And you should see my overflowing email inboxes. I keep trying to pass work on to my colleagues, but they're either equally swamped or not qualified. So I'm doing more, with less and less time, like so many other Americans. As Scotty would say aboard the Enterprise, "We canna take much more o' this, Cap'n!" Businesses need more confidence in the economy and their own economic forecasts so they can feel free to hire more people, I'd think. Maybe increasing the taxes on small and medium businesses will do the trick...

But I must say that the people I know from Stockholm and all those Ingmar Bergman films in college left me with a prejudice that Swedes aren't able to "crack the whip". Thanks for broadening my perspective. ;-)

I just forgot to rush back out and try to do my part. I am battening the hatches for the double dip. I don't know anyone who has an enthusiatic outlook until after Nov 2 at least.