The other day I had the disturbing thought that if unnecessary spending is supporting the economy, those of us who practice thrift and restraint are not doing our share. We reap the benefits of an expanding economy while avoiding debt, dependence on two incomes per family, and other consequences of rampant consumerism. These thoughts were in response to an article in the Hartford Courant on financial “dieting” as a New Year’s resolution, in which one financial analyst stated that if everyone were suddenly to wake up thrifty, we’d be in deep trouble. I realize he’s probably right — but am convinced thrift and financial responsibility is still the only sane and right approach. Change will have to happen slowly, however, to allow the economy to adjust without imploding. It can happen — the remarkable change in attitudes towards smoking over the past 30 years or so (more so in the U.S. than in Europe, apparently) has shown me that significant societal changes are indeed possible without coercion. But in the meantime, I don’t think there’s any fear we will all suddenly shred our credit cards.

Fujisan was a “she” to you? I rarely saw the mountain from where I lived – only on clear winter days or right after a typhoon passed through. But when I did, seeing it from that far away never failed to impress.

Every morning I lived in Japan I woke up, then looked out my window to see how Fuji-san was looking that day. She looked different everyday and was always inspiring.