Words like "recession" and "economic crisis" have been tossed around a lot lately, and to be honest with you, I've often felt weird for not thinking it was a bigger deal. It just hasn't affected me. I had taken my RRSPs out to buy a condo months before trouble started; a low Canadian dollar means more American productions coming to Canada; and low interest rates mean my student loans are getting paid off faster. Sure, I'm unemployed, but that's my own damn fault, not the economy's. And yes, arts funding is getting cut again, some more, but my theatre company has managed so far without government funding, I know we will still make it work if we don't get anything this time around. So in the midst of all financial turmoil, I was feeling out of place for not worrying properly or something until I came across this blog post by Adam Thurman:

As an artist the most potent weapon you have in your arsenal right now is this:Your willingness to embrace uncertainty...The so called "stable" world, the world of doctors, lawyers, banker is falling apart. All the assumptions that people have built their lives on are being shattered. That's uncertainty. But since they haven't been dealing with that state of being as long as you have, you can imagine that they are a bit panicked. This is actually good news for you. Because in an unstable world, those who are able to deal with ambiguity and uncertainty best become the ones mostly likely to succeed. Your skills as an artist, your nature as an artist is more valuable now then ever.

Read his whole post, Moving in our direction.

I don't have a routine anymore. I don't know where I'm going to be in a month, next week, hell, two days from now. I don't know if the script I'm writing is going to be a hit and make me lots of money, or if the one I already wrote and will see staged is even any good. I don't know, and I'm OK with that.

I feel better now.