It’s no secret times are tough and  family budgets all over Metro Detoit have been slashed, just like many company’s payrolls. There won’t be as much for Christmas this year to be sure.  What shopping we do will be done carefully. If you’re like me, you get 20 billion catalogues in the mail–especially around the holidays.  I pitch 99% of mine, but my husband was looking through an LL Bean catalogue the other day.  After telling him that I really liked that retailer, I thought about it for a moment and suggested we toss that too.  “If we’re going to buy anything”, I said, “we’re going to buy it here”.  Nothing against LL Bean or any other company–but for now, I think my days of online shopping with out of state companies are on hold. As much as I can, I want to patronize people and companies who make their living here.

I got an email from a friend who moved to Germany.  She said the media there is talking about Detroit right now and none of it is good.  We also can tune into our own national media to hear the latest bashing. But while the country–and the  world–may be pointing out what they think is wrong here; we know there are many great things!  Let’s stick together and do what we can to help our fellow citizens.  I’m not from here, but have lived in the area  for almost 20 years.  I have family and friends here –not to mention my smooth jazz family of colleagues and listeners– and don’t want to leave.  There is so much to love about being here (ok, maybe not the weather!).  So let’s hang on, do what we can to make things better, try to stay positive and help and support one another!  If you are financially able, contribute to local charities, shop at local stores, go to local events–we can get through this!

I don’t know about you, but I’ve beening singing “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas” qui