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New South Lumber ComPanies, 3700 Clay Pond Road, Myrtle Beach, sc 29s79-7330

I'm on the "happy pills"-how'bout you?

I've received several letters and emails asking me how my happy pills were doing and where you could get them (see last month's column).1 can only say that I am still on the double dose, but I can already see the sign of a smile, fewer lines on my brow, and I believe I will soon be down to a single dose for the next few months-and weaning off them totally in the last part ofthe year or early 2010.

I would like a few more to join with me, though. As I travel around, the pain everywhere is clear to see. I landed in Boston the other day to see a deserted airport. Was in Las Vegas the other week, and it didn't take more than a few steps off the plane and not hearing the ching-changing of coins in the slots to realize how bad it was there (although when they are still trying to push $200-$300 show tickets my sympathy is a little less). It does not matter whom you talk with: there is a frenzy of fear, sadness and apprehension about what has happened. And while it is understandable, and it is real easy to blame the c.e.o.s of the financial industry, the end of the world is not nigh. In fact, I would argue that it is time to become American again. What do I mean? I have been here for 32 years now, and in that time I have never seen anything faze the people of this country. Whether it be an earthquake. an attack. a recession, we face the challenge head on and beat it. When we as individuals or as a country face problems, by nature we always lead the world with an overwhelming confidence and ingenuity. But, this time it has been different and you have to question what has been happening to us. From my perspective.

I feel that most of us (including myself) have been wallowing in self pity and a tornado of worry perhaps fueled by the constant repetition of the same news over and over again. Do I really need to see the same news feed every l5 minutes throughout the day? This constant barrage of bad news only leads to a clinical depression, fuels the fire, and in itself can make the worst happen.

As individuals, we are as much responsible for what has happened as thc financial institutions. It is our fiscal irresponsibility and greed as a nation that has fueled where we are today (as well as the rest of the world), with too many people having bought the house they know they could not afford-in some cases two or three homes, credit card overspending, and plainly spending what we don't have. While there are many of us who have not done that, those ofus that can need to start doing things that will positive- ly effect the economy(local and national)-a vacation here, a restaurant charge there, mending the fence, buying furniture, a needed car repair-whatever it is that will help to kick our economy back into gear, start cutting unemployment, and, by extension, stop the number of foreclosures. Again, I am not advocating spending what we do not have and living outside of our means, but life has to go on and all of us -responsible or notwill pay the price if we don't start revving the economy up.

I also believe there is no rule that says we should not enjoy ourselves even when times are tough. It is time to get out of the house and out of the office and start enjoying life again. And to support that thought, I think that the great adjustment in our economy is now underway. The adjustments that households and businesses have already taken to cut out excesses of the past are starting to kick in and will start normalizing our economy soon. The stock market will continue its seesaw, but it is already on an upward swing and that is one of the keys to us all feeling a bit better. And, the impact of the stimulus package (although I have my doubts about a lot of what is in it) will also contribute to the uptick we are all looking for.

Again, I would say, it is time to be American and get back to who we are as a nation and a people. Let us count the good things we have in our lives and use our strength to get our lives and our country back on track again.

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