Martyrdom

Had an email chat with a friend this morning about her troubled relationship with her mother.
(NOT that I have any experience with that sort of thing!)
And, as has happened in the past, I was gifted with a response that I was fortunate enough to share:
"Laying down your life for your friend is only holy when you don't feel resentment for it afterward."
Women are all too likely to "do" more than their share - in ALL of their relationships - until, I think, they reach a certain age.  Some start setting more boundaries and putting aside time for themselves.  They replenish their own souls in order to be better friends, lovers, wives, daughters... just better people.
But some others, some moms, bypass that stage altogether and fast-forward to "it is just all about me".
Well, as Eleanor Roosevelt said so eloquently, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."
And no one can force you into accepting a relationship on their terms without your consent.
That's my opinion.
And I am thankful for the gift of words with which to express it.

There's No Fool Like a Rhubarb Fool

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New favorite indulgence:
Rhubarb Fool.

Don't ask me why they call it a "fool". 

Don't know; don't care.

Quite possibly, though, it's because you can make one out of yourself eating too much of this yummy, yummy dream of a summer delight.

One pound of fresh rhubarb stalks, cleaned of leaves 
(about 9-10 stalks which comes to about 4 cups chopped up into 1/2 inch cubes)

One cup sugar

Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean

2 tablespoons of water

Bring this all to a boil in a covered saucepan. 
Then uncover and simmer on low for about 8-9 minutes so the rhubarb gets soft.

Cool it.

Puree in a food processor until smooth.

Chill in the fridge until thoroughly, thoroughly cold.

Meanwhile, whip 3 cups of heavy cream until stiff peaks form.

Fold the rhubarb into the whipped cream gently but near to completely, leaving some streaks.

Serve cold (in clear stemware for extra "wow!" appeal).

Ahh.

The perfect taste of summer.

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When Does the Next Bubble Burst?

First it was the "Tech Stock Bubble", wreaking havoc on the stock market and, thus, our economy near the end of the last century.

Then came the "Housing Bubble", and it's inevitable burst wreaked havoc - again - on our economy only this time it didn't stop with us.  The "bubble" burst all over the globe and we're all still reeling from it.

Which has me wondering about the next "bubble".

And I'm thinking it's the "Entitlement Bubble".

Because there is one common element, one thread that runs through all three of these scenarios:

People thinking that they can just keep riding a gravy train, and that it will go on forever.

Think about it.

The tech stocks were so hot they were flying. 

People were making money hand-over-fist.

And they thought it would go on forever.

And then it didn't.

And the economy tanked.

And all of America suffered because of it.

Then the housing market took off. 

House prices (those so-called "values") took off.  Real estate went sky-high.

And people thought it would go on forever.

And then it didn't.

And the global economy is tanking, largely due to this one ghastly bubble.

And now we have an "Entitlement Bubble". 

Medicare.  This "entitlement" is money you didn't necessarily pay in but that pays out for your healthcare.  And once you're on it, you're on it.  You're "entitled" to it.

Medicaid.  This "entitlement" is more money you didn't pay in, but which pays out for that part of your healthcare that Medicare doesn't.

Unemployment insurance.  Now you can get unemployment for 99 weeks.  ALMOST TWO YEARS!  You are, after all, "entitled" to it.  Sit on your a@@ for two solid years and collect money for nothing.  Go on, you're "entitled".

Lifestyle subsidies like governtment-funded daycare for children of parents who can't - or won't - afford them.  Free cellphones for those already receiving government subsidies of one or more variety.  Too "depressed" to go to work?  Get SSI Disability!  You're "entitled" to it!

Housing bailouts.  This is money you're supposedly "entitled" to if you were so stupid you thought you could affford a $300,000 house when you bring home $28,000 a year.  You made a bad deal, dude!  Oh, but wait!  You're "entitled" to your house, whether you can realistically afford it or not, so the government is stepping in with your bailout -- making the bank refinance your loan at a lower sales price, or a lower interest rate, or letting you out of your bad deal with no strings attached and no bad credit rating.  After all, you shouldn't really have to pay any penalty for your stupidity or greed.  You're "entitled" to be stupid, and greedy.

But my question is...

What happens when we all finally figure out there is no more money left with which to pay out all of these "entitlements"?

What happens when the money-for-nothing bubble bursts?

What happens when we all choose to be "entitled" to money earned by someone else, only there's no more someone elses?

What happens then?
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