I've never been very good with my finances. We can debate all of the psychological reasons why, but it's moot. I'm getting back on track now. I have a job that I'm working hard at and don't anticipate losing (but do we ever?), I have a savings account now, I paid off my old credit card debt, and I pack a lunch most days. I don't have a 401k, but having one would just flush money down the toilet anyway.

But is it for naught? According to this Fortune magazine article, I'm fucked. In order to retire comfortably, I should have $50,000 in savings by the time I'm 32. I turn 28 next week, and I have $48,000 to go. That's not including the student loans I'm racking up now. The dot-com boom was a bust and didn't do much for the economy anyway. The middle class is bifurcating and disappearing. Social security will be depleted before I'm 50. And our current president wants to spend what little money we have to avenge his daddy and steal some oil.

I'm having a difficult time wrapping my brain around all of this. Yes, captialism is failing and I'm screwed, but I still want a DVD player and a nice house and a car. I was raised with the American dream, and now I know that, for my generation at least, it was just a dream.

I'm trying now, but perhaps I'm too late. Should I stop worrying about the home theater and worry more about being able to eat when I'm 70? Would it make a difference?

All I can say is thank God my office has free coffee. I'm going to get another cup, in lieu of some booze to drink this depression away.