Recession Losses

You may have wondered why I haven't posted Fiona's sixteenth birthday pictures yet. We got truly heartbreaking news a couple weeks ago: the studio that has taken our family's pictures for the past ten years, including all the girls portraits and the family Christmas pictures, has closed, due to the recession, I assume. This was Ritz/Proex Photography. They still had a few studios left in town, so I called around to see if the photographer we've used all these years, Gary, had simply moved to another location. We had always specifically requested him whenever we booked a sitting. He had quite a bit of seniority, so I was hoping. He called me back that night, and told me that he didn't know his status yet, but yes, he may move to one of the other stores. I told him that if he left and went with another company, we'd follow him, so to please keep in touch, because we want him to continue doing our family's pictures. I'm hoping we won't have to wait too long to know.

There have been others: a couple favorite restaurants and stores. But the possibility of losing Gary is a blow to the heart.

What have you lost from the recession: stores you've patronized, or favorite service people you don't see any more because they lost their job?

Here's one my favorite pictures that Gary took, one of Fiona's fourteenth birthday portraits. He really has just a wonderful knack at bringing out the beauty in the girls:



(And actually, I think that was my decrease worldsuck contribution for Tuesday.)

Susan Boyle's only recording: Cry Me a River

Here's the only song that Susan Boyle ever recorded: "Cry Me A River," which was done for a charity CD in 1999. Only 1000 copies were pressed (and boy, they're worth a gazillion bucks today). Her voice was just as striking and heartfelt back then. Full story here.

Hankies?

Investigating another possible green decision: Anyone use hankies instead of Kleenexes? Do you have a brand to recommend?

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( Cut to spare the uninterested )