THE NOSTALGIA OF RECESSION - AND WHAT'S CURRENTLY IN VOGUE
IS THERE ANY FUTURE INVESTING IN OLD STUFF?
NEWS WE SHOULD BE AWARE OF
WAS THERE VOTE SUPPRESSION TACTICS EMPLOYED IN THE LAST FEDERAL ELECTION, AS THE NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF CANADA HAS CLAIMED THIS AFTERNOON? THIS IS A GIGANTIC NEWS STORY, AND ONE I SUSPECT THAT HAS SOME STAYING POWER. I CAN'T IMAGINE THE ALL THE NASTY IMPLICATIONS THIS COULD HAVE ON THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT OF CANADA. WHAT A TIME TO BE A REPORTER ON PARLIAMENT HILL. ANXIOUSLY AWAITING AN EXPLANATION…..HAVE YOU GOT ONE?
A PREAMBLE NOTE: ABOUT THE GRAVENHURST, ONTARIO 2012 BUDGET
I WAS IMPRESSED THIS WEEK BY ONE REALITY, I'VE BEEN WAITING TO READ ABOUT FOR OVER A YEAR. POSSIBLY I MISSED IT BEFORE, OR JUST DIDN'T HEAR IT CORRECTLY SINCE THE LAST MUNICIPAL ELECTION, BUT BY GOLLY A GRAVENHURST COUNCILLOR ADMITTED THAT THE BURDENS LEFT BY A FORMER ADMINISTRATION, IS LIMITING WHAT THE MUNICIPALITY CAN DO ABOUT TAX INCREASES TODAY.
FINALLY. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IT'S BEEN QUOTED IN A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE, OR IF IT HAS BEEN BANDIED-ABOUT IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, BUT MY PERCEPTION HAS BEEN, THE NEW COUNCIL WAS TREADING EVERSO GENTLY ON THE NEGATIVE LEGACY LEFT TO THEM…..PREFERRING INSTEAD TO BITE THE BULLET, AND CARRY-ON DESPITE THE PONDEROUS LENGTH OF CHAIN, ATTACHED TO THE ANCHOR OF YESTERYEAR'S DEBT-LOAD. MAYBE IT WAS TO SPARE THE FEELINGS OF THOSE RETURNING COUNCILLORS, WHO WERE PART OF THAT SPENDING SPREE. HAS THERE BEEN A RELUCTANCE TO DWELL ON THIS DEBT-LOAD ISSUE? IT'S AN AWFULLY BIG AMOUNT TO SWEEP UNDER THE CARPET. NO MATTER WHAT TIME OF DAY OR NIGHT, SOMEONE WAS GOING TO TRIP OVER THAT BULGE IN THE CARPET. AND AS IT'S CURRENTLY RESTRICTING BUDGET FLEXIBILITY, WHAT ELSE CAN PRESENT COUNCILLORS DO, EXCEPT DRAW A CIRCLE AROUND PAST OVER-SPENDING. SO WHEN I READ THIS WEEK, THAT A COUNCILLOR HAD ACTUALLY SPOKEN OF THIS, WHEN CONFRONTED BY SOME DISILLUSIONED RATEPAYERS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL 8.8 PERCENT TAX HIKE THIS YEAR, I'VE GOT TO ADMIT IT WAS BANG-ON….THE RIGHT THING TO DRAW INTO THE DISCUSSION. IT'S TRUE. IT'S NOT JUST THROWING BLAME OUT, TO BUY SOME FORGIVENESS….OR TO RE-DIRECT THE WOLVES CLAWING AT THE DOOR. IT'S A HUGE BURDEN OF FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AT AN INCREDIBLY BAD TIME OF GLOBAL ECONOMIC INSTABILITY.
I'M SURE A NUMBER OF MY REGULAR READERS WERE AGHAST THAT I DIDN'T COME OUT RAGING-MAD, ABOUT NEWS OF THE POTENTIAL TAX INCREASE, A HAIR'S BREADTH FROM DOUBLE DIGITS. I REMEMBER THE WORDS OF THE MAYOR LAST YEAR, AND SHE MADE IT CLEAR, THESE KIND OF INCREASES WERE GOING TO BE A REALITY FOR A FEW MORE YEARS, DUE TO THE CENTENNIAL CENTRE RE-BUILD, AND CARRY-OVER OF THE TOWN HALL / MEDICAL CENTRE PROJECT. NINETY-NINE POINT NINE PERCENT OF LOCAL RATEPAYERS, DIDN'T EXPECT THE HUGE AMOUNT REQUIRED TO FIX THE TOWN HALL ROOF. OF COURSE HEADS SHOULD HAVE ROLLED. BUT WHICH ONES? WE WERE ADVISED, EVEN BY OTHER COUNCILLORS, NOT TO GET OUR HOPES UP ABOUT SUB 5 PERCENT TAX HIKES ANY TIME SOON. WHEN I READ ABOUT THE POTENTIAL 8.8 PERCENT HIKE, I ADMIT IT. I WANTED TO HUG THE MAYOR. I HAD HONESTLY ANTICIPATED A FIGURE CLOSER TO 10.5 PERCENT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE FIRST YEAR OPERATING BUDGET OF THE NEW REC. CENTRE. IT COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE, AND I HOPE FOLKS REALIZE THIS FACT. BUT FOR EVERY CRANKY BUGGER OUT THERE, IT SIMPLY DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH YOU ARGUE WITH COUNCIL REPS. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO CARRY OUR DEBT-LOAD, LARGELY THE HANDIWORK OF A PREVIOUS COUNCIL, AND HAVE A MODEST TAX INCREASE EACH YEAR.
WE HAD A CHANCE TO MAKE THIS CLEAR DURING THE LAST MUNICIPAL ELECTION. I WAS ONE OF OVER 300 CITIZENS WHO JAMMED INTO THE OPERA HOUSE, TO HEAR THE CANDIDATES DISCUSS THE PRESSING ISSUES…….AND AS I HAVE STATED BEFORE……IT WAS NOTHING MORE THAN A MEET AND GREET. IT WAS A LOVE-IN, THAT WAS SO TIGHTLY BORDERED BY ORGANIZERS, WHO APPARENTLY DIDN'T WANT ANYTHING CONTROVERSIAL TO HAPPEN, THAT WELL, NOTHING DID. IT WAS A FARCE, AND THERE WERE A LOT OF UNKIND REMARKS FROM THE AUDIENCE, I WISH ORGANIZERS COULD HAVE HEARD. TRYING TO MAINTAIN TIGHT CONTROL OF SUCH AN EVENT, IS AN EQUIVALENT OF ALLOWING ONLY "PARTIAL DEMOCRACY." OBVIOUSLY, THEY DID NOT WANT A GUY LIKE ME ASKING A QUESTION LIKE………HOW MUCH DEBTLOAD IS TOO MUCH ON A MUNICIPALITY? AND WHY WAS THE FORMER TOWN OFFICE GIVEN TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT? IN THIS REGARD, WE WERE AWFULLY GENEROUS FOR A FUNDAMENTALLY TAPPED-OUT MUNICIPALITY. AS FOR THE MEETING, THE CITIZENS OF THIS TOWN COULD HAVE DEMANDED A RE-MATCH BEFORE THE ELECTION, TO CLEAR THE AIR OF STATUS QUO. SO WE HAVE TO ACCEPT PART OF THE BLAME HERE…..BECAUSE WE DIDN'T SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT. WE DIDN'T DEMAND ANSWERS, AND THUSLY, WE DIDN'T GET THEM. I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW MANY NEW COUNCILLORS WERE STUNNED TO FIND WE WERE IN SUCH FISCAL ARREARS.
NOW THAT WE'VE GOT THE TOWN TALKING A LITTLE MORE LIBERALLY ABOUT THE PICKLE WE FIND OURSELVES IN, POSSIBLY IT WILL BE THE KIND OF LIBERATION FROM FEAR AND LOATHING, THAT ALLOWS US TO MORE FULLY EMBRACE THE NEAR-CATACLYSMIC REALITIES OF THE UPCOMING PROVINCIAL AND FEDERAL BUDGETS. NOW WHEN YOU LIVE IN A REGION WHERE CIVIL SERVANTS NUMBER IN THE THOUSANDS, AND THE PRICE OF GAS WILL ONCE AGAIN POUND TOURISM TO A PULP, IT ISN'T A STRETCH OF IMAGINATION, TO SEE A GREATER CRISIS BREWING HERE. ADD TO THIS THE POTENTIAL OF RISING INTEREST RATES, THE CONUNDRUM OF OPPRESSIVE PERSONAL DEBT, AND A POTENTIAL REAL ESTATE VALUATION ADJUSTMENT DOWNWARD. IF YOU WERE ON THE OCEAN, IN A SAILBOAT, YOU WOULD SAY OUT LOAD….."GOD HAVE MERCY……IT'S THE PERFECT STORM."
I OFFERED ONE COUNCILLOR MY HONEST OPINION, PRIOR TO THE ELECTION. DON'T DO IT! I SAID IT WOULD BE THE MOST DIFFICULT, AND CONTROVERSIAL TERM OF OFFICE, IN THE PAST FIFTY YEARS. LARGELY BECAUSE OF THE DEBT-LOAD, AND THE SOCIAL-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS OF THE TOWN…..WHETHER IT IS THE MAIN STREET BUSINESS DIFFICULTIES, OR THE FACT THE FOOD BANK IS BEING STRESSED BEYOND ITS CAPACITY, TO PROVIDE FOR THOSE IN NEED. WAS I TELLING A PORKY? WAS I BEING OVERLY DRAMATIC? UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THIS LATEST TAX INCREASE, YOU TELL ME. NEXT YEAR? THAT ALL DEPENDS DOESN'T IT. WE'RE NOT ISOLATED FROM THE REALITIES OF THIS MAD, MAD WORLD. LIKE THE JOY WE ALL GET AT THE GAS PUMPS. NOW IMAGINE IF THE MIDDLE EAST CRISIS WORSENS. TOM BROOKS WON'T BE THE ONLY GENT RIDING A HORSE IN THIS TOWN.
NOSTALGIA ALWAYS GETS A BOOST WHEN WE START THINKING BACK TO THE GOOD OLD DAYS
I USED TO THINK OF NOSTALGIA AS STRICTLY COMING BOOKS, HOCKEY AND BASEBALL MEMORABILIA, OLD KITCHEN UTENSILS AND VINTAGE RADIOS. I WAS AN ANTIQUE HUNTER PASSIONATELY DEVOTED TO PINE. I HAD TO HAVE PRIMITIVE PINE. I WANTED PINE CHAIRS, PINE CRADLES, DRESSERS, CUPBOARDS, TABLES…..PINE FRAMED MIRRORS, AND THE OLDER THE BETTER. THEN I LOVED OAK. MAPLE. BIRCH. ANY SPECIES OF CANADIAN FOREST MADE INTO A CHAIR, CORNER CUPBOARD, DRESSER OR PICTURE FRAME. I WAS WOOD CRAZY AS A COLLECTOR / DEALER. EVEN TODAY, I WOULD LEAP OVER TALL BUILDINGS, AND WEAR A "ONESY" WITH A CAPE, TO GET TO A PIONEER-CRAFTED SIDEBOARD AHEAD OF YOU. I COULD NEVER GET ENOUGH PINE IN THOSE START-UP YEARS, AND SUCCESS FOR ME, WASN'T MEASURED BY SALES FIGURES, BUT BY HOW MUCH PINE I'D HAULED HOME TO BIRCH HOLLOW. LET'S JUST SAY I'VE REHABILITATED MYSELF SOMEWHAT, AND ALTHOUGH YOU STILL DON'T WANT TO STAND BETWEEN ME AND A PRIMITIVE ROCKER, I'M FAR MORE SUBDUED AND FOCUSED ON OTHER ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES I'M ACTUALLY WILLING TO SELL. SUZANNE HAS ALWAYS HAD A TOUGH TIME, PULLING MY FINGERS OFF COVETED PINE CRADLES AND HARVEST TABLES, NO MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY I NEEDED TO MAKE, JUST TO BREAK EVEN. I'D SOONER SELL HER RESTORED QUILTS THAN MY FABULOUS COLLECTION OF CANADIANA…..LOVELY, WONDERFULLY AGED, HOMESTEAD CRAFTED PINE.
THE REALITY FOR ANTIQUE HUSTLERS, IS THAT WE OCCASIONALLY HAVE TO TURN A PROFIT, DESPITE THE FACT WE'D LIKE TO HANG ONTO ALL OF IT. THERE ARE TRENDS, JUST LIKE IN THE FASHION WORLD, THAT WE DO HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO, IN ORDER TO SURVIVE IN BUSINESS. THE REASON I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIND A FEW NICE PIECES OF PIONEER FURNITURE RECENTLY, IS THE SIMPLE REALITY THAT A LOT OF BABY BOOMERS IN OUR BALLIWICK, COULDN'T CARE LESS ABOUT CANADIANA. THEY MOST DEFINITELY LIKE TO COLLECT, IN THEIR "MID-LIFE CRAZY," BUT THEY HAVE ALL THE NEAT AND FUNCTIONAL FURNITURE THEY REQUIRE. WHY BURDEN THE PRESENT HOMESTEAD WITH MORE HEAVY STUFF, WHEN IT'S WITHIN A WHISKER OF THE TIME, TO GET RID OF BURDENSOME CLUTTER? AS A DEALER TODAY, I ALWAYS DIVERSIFY MY WARES, TO INCLUDE A LITTLE BIT FROM ALL DISCIPLINES, AND ALL CATEGORIES OF COLLECTIBLES. BUT I WILL BE INVESTING IN NOSTALGIA MORESO THESE DAYS, BECAUSE AS TRENDS GO, TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES, SEEM TO INSPIRE THOUGHTS OF THE GOOD OLD DAYS…..LIKE THE 1950'S THROUGH 1980'S.
WHEN I SUGGEST "GOOD OLD DAYS," I'M REFERRING TO THE DAYS THE BABY BOOMERS WERE SUCKING-UP THE AMBIENCE OF THEIR DAILY LIVES……AND REMEMBERING WHAT THEY ENJOYED OF THEIR YOUTH AND BEYOND. MY YOUNG LADS ANDREW AND ROBERT ARE HAVING A TOUGH TIME KEEPING-UP THEIR VINTAGE VINYL (RECORDS) INVENTORY, AT THEIR GRAVENHURST MUSIC SHOP, AND IT'S THE BABY BOOMERS, WHO ARE LEADING THE CHARGE. THEY WANT THE COMFORTS OF THOSE SAME RECORDS THEIR MOTHERS SOLD-OFF AT YARD SALES, WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION. THEY WANT THE OLD RECORD PLAYERS THEY REMEMBER, AND ANDREW IS FEELING PRETTY GOOD THESE DAYS, ABOUT BUYING A HUGE INVENTORY OF RECORD NEEDLES, A FEW YEAR BACK. PLUS AN EVEN LARGER INVENTORY OF STILL-IN-THE-BOX VINTAGE RADIO AND TELEVISION TUBES, WHICH HAVE COME IN PRETTY HANDY FOR REPLACEMENT NEEDS. THEY ARE SURPRISED, ALMOST EVERY WEEK, BY THE NUMBER OF YOUNG ADULTS, WHO ARE ALSO BUYING UP VINTAGE ROCK 'N ROLL RECORDS, AND LOOKING FOR CIRCA 1970'S AND 80'S TURNTABLES. EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE NEW ONES AVAILABLE TODAY, THEY WANT THE PERIOD PIECES TO SPIN THEIR VINTAGE VINYL. SO WE'RE ALWAYS ON THE LOOK OUT FOR THESE 1970'S AND 80'S COMPONENT STEREOS. REFURBISHED WITH A NEW NEEDLE, THEY DON'T LAST LONG IN THE STORE.
SUZANNE AND I ADMITTEDLY, ARE HAVING SOME CULTURE-SHOCK ISSUES THESE DAYS, BECAUSE WE ARE ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN THE BOYS' COLLECTIBLE BUSINESS, AS RUN-OF-THE-MILL CONSIGNERS. THEY HAVE BIGGER CONSIGNERS THAN US. FRANKLY, WE'VE BEEN HAVING A PROBLEM MAKING THE ADJUSTMENT FROM VINTAGE QUILTS, PRIMITIVES, CANADIANA, ART ( PARTICULARLY VINTAGE CANADIAN LANDSCAPES) OLD GLASS, SILVER AND COPPER, TO COKE MEMORABILIA, MUSIC COLLECTIBLES, OLD GUITARS AND BANJOS, NOT TO MENTION VINYL RECORDS. OUR YOUTH APPARENTLY WAS PRETTY HOT, AND SO WAS EVERYTHING WE CONSIDERED AVERAGE STUFF. IT'S NOT THAT WE CAN'T ADJUST, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF PREPARING OURSELVES EMOTIONALLY, TO TAKE A STEP INTO (OR ONTO) THE "WILD SIDE"……YOU KNOW, "TUNE IN, TURN-ON, AND TUNE-OUT!" I THINK THESE ARE THE WORDS TIMOTHY LEARY SUGGESTED FOR US HIPPY-KIND. SHORT OF A DRUG INDUCED ANYTHING, WE DO RECOGNIZE THERE'S A BUSINESS RELEVANCE TO RE-VISITING WOODSTOCK. I WAS HAVING TOO BLOODY MUCH FUN IN THOSE DAYS, TO HAVE REMEMBERED MUCH MORE THAN THE BLACK-LIGHT POSTERS I'D STARE AT FOR HOURS….IMAGINING I WAS PETER FONDA, AND LIFE WAS FULL OF EASY RIDING. MY BOYS KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS PERIOD IN MUSIC / CULTURAL HISTORY THAN SUZANNE AND I DO……..EVEN THOUGH THESE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE OUR HALCYON DAYS.
I WAS A CONSERVATIVE HIPPY. I HAD THE HAIR, THE TYE-DYE SHIRTS, RAGGED JEANS, A PEACE SIGN ON A GOLD CHAIN, AND THE IMPRESSION I WAS AT LEAST AS COOL AS DENNIS HOPPER…..ON A CHOPPER. I WAS ALL FOR FREE LOVE, AND JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR WAS MY FAVORITE MOVIE. I ACTUALLY ATTENDED THE PLAY WHILE I WAS IN ENGLAND IN 1974……ADMITTEDLY IN THE TIME PERIOD BETWEEN OLD HIPPY AND NEW YIPPY. EVEN MY DAD HAD LONG HAIR AND WORE BELL BOTTOMS. SUZANNE WAS ON THE AMISH SIDE OF HIPPYISM, AND WORE BLUE JEANS IN PROTEST. I DIDN'T PROTEST ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR, BUT I WAS AGAINST WAR, THAT'S FOR SURE. I DIDN'T LIKE AUTHORITY FIGURES, BUT I ALWAYS SURRENDERED QUICKLY TO ADVERSITY. I ANSWERED TO ANY GIRL WHO YELLED AT ME, AND MORE THAN ONE GIRLFRIEND TOLD ME I WAS A PACIFIST. I THINK THAT WAS A GOOD TRAIT FOR A HIPPY. I MEAN I HAD OPINIONS THEN, BUT THEY TOLD ME TO SHUT-UP, SO I DID.
SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS, SUZANNE AND I BOTH FIND OURSELVES SOMEWHAT LOST, HAVING TO GO BACK TO A TIME PERIOD IN OUR LIVES, WE ONLY EVER FOUND PARTLY REMARKABLE. FUNNY THOUGH, HOW WE HAVE BOTH PAID SO MUCH TRIBUTE TO THE PIONEER PERIOD, SUCH THAT WE HAVE MEMORIALIZED THEM IN VIRTUALLY EVERY WAY IMAGINABLE, INCLUDING FILLING OUR HOUSE WITH WHAT THEY LEFT BEHIND. SO JUMPING UP TO OUR OWN BABY BOOMER TIMES, WE SURE NEED TO UPGRADE OUR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WHAT WE PRETTY MUCH TOOK FOR GRANTED. IT ALL SEEMED SO ORDINARY THEN, AND THIS IS PRECISELY WHAT WE HAVE TO UPGRADE, IN ORDER TO CAPITALIZE, LIKE OTHER DEALERS, ON THIS RISING NOSTALGIA CRAZE. I SEE IT UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL, IN THE BOY'S VINTAGE MUSIC SHOP, AND IT WOULD BE HARD TO DENY THE SUCCESS THEY'RE FINDING, EXPLOITING THE TIMES OF OUR LIVES. WE'VE JUST BEGUN RECKONING WITH OUR OWN STUBBORN INTERESTS IN COLLECTING. ANDREW SAID TO ME THE OTHER DAY….."DAD, YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL. YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE UP COLLECTING OLD PINE. JUST DIVERSIFY A BIT, AND PICK UP SOME OLD RECORDS WHILE YOU'RE OUT SHOPPING." FAIR ADVICE. I SUGGESTED TO SUZANNE THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO DRESS-UP IN OUR SIXTIES DUDS AGAIN, THROW SOME FLOWER DECALS ON THE FAMILY TRUCKSTER, AND JOIN A COMMUNE. ARE THERE ANY OF THOSE LEFT? WHATEVER GETS US IN THE MOOD, TO HUNT RETRO INVENTORY, IS A GOOD BUSINESS STRATEGY. THE ONLY BRAGGING RIGHT I'VE GOT, OVER SUZANNE FROM THE SAME PERIOD, IS I HAD THREE GIRL FRIENDS ON THE GO AT ONCE. "AND THEY KNEW ABOUT IT TOO," I RETORT WITH BORROWED HUBRIS FROM EITHER BENNY HILL OR PETER SELLERS. "AND YOU LOST EVERY ONE OF THEM, DIDN'T YOU," SHE CHORTLES, WHILE LOOKING THROUGH SOME VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPHS OF OUR GOOD OLD DAYS.
WE'LL EXPLORE MORE OF THIS NOSTALGIA THING IN FUTURE BLOGS.
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