Missouri combines freezing cold (okay, not usually for a really long stretch) in the winter with unbearable heat and humidity in the summer. You can really cover your bases climate-wise.

Don't the crowds know that we're in a recession and they should be staying home? I mean, geez.

My co-worker is moonlighting at the local mega-market and says this is their top-selling week of the year, which really suprised me given all the food prep that goes in Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Fourth of July. I guess the media have done their job well with the "You must buy expensive gifts for Valentine's Day or YOU WILL DIE ALONE!" message.

a quick but unscientific survey of my friends is finding that people are seeing crowded retail and restaurants at every turn.

I see things closing down in my neighborhood (3 stores in 1.5 blocks within the last 2-3 weeks), but in the work neighborhood I see no sign of a slowing economy.

a quick but unscientific survey of my friends is finding that people are seeing crowded retail and restaurants at every turn.

Restaurants around my office have been close to empty at lunchtime, but my favorite local brunch place was as busy as I've ever seen it last weekend when my in-laws were in town. t /anecdata

huh, I should look at the sit down places at lunch and take note. The take and go places like what I frequent have been same as usual. Myself, I am really pushing on bringing lunch at least twice a week.

The only bagel store in Athens GA closed last week. Dammit.

Check the front page of the NYTimes to see a 44-story hotel in Beijing fully in flames (not yet open, thankfully). Damn. Things are on fire too much lately.

anecdata

My new favorite word.

I should look at the sit down places at lunch and take note

Oh yeah - I meant sit-down places. The cheap take-out places I usually go seem about the same. But we've had a few birthdays lately and places that used to be crowded have been able to seat us (parties of 6ish) right away.

bt, stay safe! I've got a friend living in Melbourne right now, I just hope she's staying safe, too.

I can't say as I've noticed more store closures than normal. The local malls seem to have the average number of empty storefronts at any time, one closes, another opens. I haven't been up State Street lately, though; that's where all the indie boutique stores are and I think that would be a better indicator of the economy than the malls. My anecdata is clearly lacking.

The Angel of Doom just visited me: My Girl Scout cookies arrived.