are you better off now than 5 years ago?

Yes in all categories.

I'm 53, healthy, more or less retired, married to the woman of my dreams, have lots of old friends and a few new ones...Sorry, no complaints here.

Interestingly, I think I have about the exact same amount of dolla dolla bills right now as I did 5 years ago. 5 years ago I had just started working at Tumbleweed because I was a broke-ass college graduate with degrees in English and Political Science. Right now I'm a broke-ass PhD student who would probably be waiting tables this holiday season (at a local place, natch), except there's not time or parameters for that to occur.

The only difference is that I have added an additional 1.75 degrees since that moment 5 years ago. The rest of the questions revolve necessarily around that point. I have secure employment right now, which will change here in a bit. My health is great now because I have health insurance. Depending on what happens career wise, I might be in the same health situation, with the same lack of health insurance, I was 5 years ago. I think there's a point in here about everything being cyclic, unless one has the power to control their own destiny.

So, what was 5 years ago? And who are we blaming?

financially---yes,but not by a great margin.
job wise---yes,weve expanded some every year.
health wise---20 pounds lighter than five years ago.
social scene wise---yes,five more years of adding friends
romance wise---sure,our lives together get better everyday.

"ASK YOURSELF... ARE YOU BETTER OFF NOW THEN 5 YEARS AGO???"

Yes,without a doubt.

YES!

Financially - This may not be better, but at least it's back to where it was and I have it thoughtfully reprogrammed.
Job wise - Well, I'm retired now and it's wonderful!
Health wise - I haven't had any of the five surgeries that I was facing, and while, I may not be in better health, I am not any worse. I think anytime one can successfully postpone surgery, one is a winner.
Social scene wise - Retirement has allowed me allowed me more time to enjoy friends, both old and new.
romance wise - Didn't exist then, doesn't exist now, don't know that I want it back in my life.

Am I better off now thatn 5 years ago? You bet your sweet bippy!

Job wise/financially - I have been one of the folks that lost a job in recent months so, no, not better off. In fact I'm working for less money than I've worked for in 20 years. But I am working.

Health wise - Yes simply because I'm taking better care of myself, eating healthier and exercising regularly.

Socially - Much better now. I work with some genuinely fine people and have met some of my best friends in the last 5 years. That is not to say that my friends I had 5 years ago weren't great, most of them have moved away and are elsewhere and we've lost touch. I have also re-connected with several friends from 20/30 years ago which is wonderful.

Romance- About the same as 5 years ago. Still waiting for Sam Elliot to call.

Still waiting for Sam Elliot to call.

Shut up Carla, me too!

This is a good example of a non-scientific survey. Because you're much more likely to hear feedback from people who are doing better. I mean who wants to publicly talk about not doing better off.

Well, I'll say no. Not better off. There ya go...

financially - nope. not a fatty bank account.
job wise-nope - I used to get paid, now I pay to work.
health wise-nope (most of us are aging, but I still play hoops. But I'm still veg, and reasonably ok)
social scene wise- nope - try working 100 hour weeks....
romance wise -nope - but I do have a date this week.

There you have it.

The only real thing i have to show for the past five year is a wonderful 1.5 year old son, Rain Maxwell Couzin.

The economy sucks. Glad some people were able to hoard the wealth during the previous decade of de-regulation. I'm sure it'll trickle down on us commoners eventually...yeah, right. Look at the poverty levels. Do kids deserve that? Look at the disparity in wealth. Do we - as a society - approve of it? Do we - personally - approve of it? Why should one percent own so much while we have massive poverty among innocent children? In the world's richest country. Fair questions....

Nimbus Couzin,PhD
Owner, Ray's Monkey House Coffeeshop
Lecturer, University of Louisville

I'm much better off than I was at 23.

Financially - I have collected more debt, but I'm in a position to pay it off now
Job wise - Absolutely! I was a college graduate with a degree in communications working as a server staying out all night and sleeping all day. Now, I'm a teacher with a masters degree.
Health wise - What can I say? I'm certainly getting older. I've been to more specialists and I'm paying my co-pays instead of my parents. However, I now have control of my allergies since I get four shots a week.
Social scene wise - I've reconnected with old friends, met new ones through Doug, and made lifelong friends while in graduate school at Bellarmine
Romance wise - At 23, Doug and I had been together for less than a year and I was already in love with him. The only thing that's changed is that I love him more everyday.

Financially I've managed to earn a living wage at helping to assist people in crisis. Thank my Union more than anyone else.

Job wise I've managed to transition my life from helping people on the street to helping all people who ask for help. When I was on the street as an Firefighter/EMT I helped them one at a time, now I help 33 people every shift give the best we have to offer them. Pretty incredible to serve alongside others who love people, that they have never met, assistance with their lives. I'm lucky enough to work with some of the greatest people you will never know.

Health wise: I'm getting older and have met some health challenges with good insurance for me and my family, see my union reference above.

Socially I still have quite a few people that I know fron High School, College and everywhere else along for the ride. Love everyone you can along the way, life is hard enough and you will need them all to get through.

Romance wise I've been lucky enough to find the most incredible person on the planet. I love her more than the day she married me and we still find each other as our best friends. I'm not sure that there is anything better than that.

Five years went by in the blink of an eye. Everyday we are above ground we all are living the dream. To my friends here and elsewhere I hope your holiday season, and every other season, is filled with the simple reasons to realize how fortunate we all are. Peace.

The economy sucks. Glad some people were able to hoard the wealth during the previous decade of de-regulation. I'm sure it'll trickle down on us commoners eventually...yeah, right.

Nimbus Couzin,PhD
Owner, Ray's Monkey House Coffeeshop
Lecturer, University of Louisville

Just another example of "The Man" trying to keep a brutha down....heh Nimbus ? While I have always been one to admire a strong work ethic, if it's me and I'm working 100 hours a week and still not getting ahead I would eventually come to the conclusion that maybe....just maybe...I'm the one doing something wrong. What the hell though, a man's got to have principles and you have yours.

Peace be with you

Thank my Union more than anyone else.

I hear THAT !!!!!

Things were pretty good for me five years ago, and they are much better now. Having never held a job where I didn't work on nights or weekends since I was 16, I've always wondered what it was like to live a "normal" life. Now I know. It didn't take very long to get used to having two days off in a row and not working on the holidays!
I've never really been one to let things keep me down for very long anyway. It's just life!!! There are some bumps in the road on occasion, but I've always come out better on the other end.
I am lucky to have married someone that I can't imagine being without and who is able to tolerate me and still love me anyway.
So I would have to answer yes to all of the above!

Sometimes, dispite all my efforts, all my hard work, all my good intention and my morals I find myself where I don't want to be. I reason sometimes that it's all a simple journey. This path at this time in my life is taking me in this direction because there is something there I need to learn. If I always strive to do the right thing and stay straight with my 'god(s)' things always turn out for the best. It's a cockamaimmy, sophmoric belief I know but it always works for me. If you look at a larger time frame than 5 years you may see what I mean. Ask yourself, "Have I grown up to be the kind of person I wanted or thought I'd be when I when I was a kid?"

If you look at a larger time frame than 5 years you may see what I mean. Ask yourself, "Have I grown up to be the kind of person I wanted or thought I'd be when I when I was a kid?"

Its interesting that you bring this up. I was just having a similar discussion with a friend. I stated that I had envisioned my finical situation different than it is currently,but some of my other childhood wishes have come true.
Examples... I get to drive around heavy equipment here on the farm,I get to drive a firetruck around for our VFD,I get to play in the dirt most of time and last but not least I get to play with really big fireworks. Pretty much a ideal life for a nine year old.

Still waiting for Sam Elliot to call.

Shut up Carla, me too!

He is a great guy!