Something pretty cool was offered to me today. I was interviewed for a piece on ABC’s World News with Diane Sawyer.
Pretty Awesome, right?
Thanks to the internet, Dawn, and Heather, I was interviewed as a part of a week-long story on the downturn in the US economy and its affect on the Middle Class.
Seeing as I live in the Middle Class and the economy has affected me and my family negatively fuck you George Bush, my “story” was chosen to be a part of the ABC broadcast.
Dudes, I was nervous. And excited. And thrilled. And nervous.
I gussied myself up (the top-half, at least) and cleared away the crap around me (just out of camera shot), and I was interviewed via Skype by Sharyn Alfonsi, an ABC reporter.
She asked me questions about how my family has been affected by the downturn in the economy, whether we are struggling, and what specifically has been a financial issue for us. I answered in my nicest, sweetest, no-fear professional voice, and I thought I did a great job being honest, yet not giving too many specifics away about my financials.
Then, she asked the kicker.
“When you lay your head down on your pillow at night, what really bothers you about your situation.”
Ohhhh shits.
That’s the one that got me crying. Crying in a national TV news interview. National TV news with the news goddess, Diane Sawyer.
(I’m about 2:30 in if you want to skip ahead of the couple who lives in the shadows.)
And, of course, the 3 second clip of me that they show? Is of me crying and whining about not “being about to recover” from the downturn in our economy.
Yeah. Crying. On the national news.
But I did look cute and skinny, so there’s that.
That, however, was not the embarrassing part of being in the news piece.
The embarrassing part? The story was about “Living in Secret and Hiding Your Struggles from Your Neighbors.”
I don’t live in secret. I don’t hide my struggles.
At least I thought I didn’t until I thought about writing this post and I thought about my authenticity. And I also thought about the droves of kind words people extended me on Twitter, and IM, and Skype, and texts.
THANK YOU. From the bottom of my snarky, black heart. Thank you.
_______________________________________________________________
I don’t really have a reason to come here online to talk about all of our monetary struggles.
No one wants to really hear about how we don’t have enough money to pay our bills.
No one wants to really hear about how Patrick still has a job, but last year he had to take a significant cut in pay to keep his job.
No one wants to really hear about how I spent endless hours and charged up thousands of dollars on credit cards to build my business.
That business that was doing really well until the economy ended up in the shitter.
That business that we depended on doing really well for us to afford to pay our bills and credit cards.
That business that is now struggling to make IRS payments and thousands of dollars in credit card bills.
That business that has tremendous potential in a strong economy.
That business that started in a strong economy that is now close to failing in the depressed economy.
And that? Is embarrassing.
Yes, I created the mess we are currently living within.
Yes, it was my decisions that put is in the situation of deciding whether or not to pay the IRS or the credit cards or the power bill.
Yes, it was my apparently careless decisions to grow the business faster than the economy could handle.
But when my business was doing well, the economy was doing well. People were spending money. People were spending money in MY store.og
(Updated: many of you have asked to put my store’s badge on your blog. YES, PLEASE if you want to put it on your site, I’d love it. The code is over —–> there. Thank you!)
Then, George Bush the shitter happened.
I’m now out of the closet.
Now, my business is not making money.
It receives a fraction of the traffic it was receiving 18 months ago.
Sales are down over 20% from 18 months ago.
Sales and traffic were steadily rising during the first 2 good years of the business.
I had confidence in what I was doing. I knew what I had created was something I could be proud of putting my name on.
Now, because of my bad decisions, and the bad decisions of George Bush bankers and economists, my once-promising business is failing.
I guess I’ve kept that a secret from everyone. So I guess that’s why my little quip on ABC’s World News was put into the story about neighbors living secret lives.
I am living a secret life of failure.
And I need help.
{ 95 comments… read them below or add one }
You were so pretty. Talking about money is such a touchy subject to many people. Thank you for sharing.
.-= Mandi Bone´s last blog ..Sick =-.
*blush*
thank you
I understand COMPLETELY. I am in the same situation and know exactly what you are going through.
Chin up.
sucks nuts.
YOU are still doing well.
Keep that in your heart. YOU and YOUR family are making it….for better or for worse…
Which is just the way the rest of us are as well…
AND…you gave us a voice.
I thought you looked fantabulous. and I cried with you, because you were brave enough to stand up–the rest of us stood on the sides and watched.
We–for shame–are worse off.
.-= Heather´s last blog ..The Truth Hurts =-.
damn. you totally made me *tear*.
and thanks
I love your store and have shopped there several times over the last couple of years. I am in the process of switching my blog from blogger and have never had ads before so I’m pretty damn clueless about how to put them up properly. But if you’d like I’d be happy to put one on my site for free if you send me the code for the button. I don’t get much traffic but any exposure helps right? This is the second time today I’ve had to offer to kick the universe in the shins for someone. Enough already universe!
*shakes both fists* at the universe.
well, until i win the lotto.
thanks for commenting
Oh sweetie, I’m so sorry. It’s so hard sometimes. I’m really, really sorry.
.-= Aunt Becky´s last blog ..Fear and Loathing in Urgent Care =-.
i love ya for reals.
That was so brave of you to write about this. And for what it’s worth, you look beautiful, even when you’re crying. Hang in there!
thank you
really, thanks.
I’m glad you showed your face (Uh, hello people if you don’t want to be SEEN, go get interviewed for the newspaper or a magazine)… And I think you’re pretty damn amazing. And you’re not a failure.
.-= sarah´s last blog ..Weekly Winners – Spring is Coming Edition =-.
i know, right? why go on TV and be a shadow person?
weird.
and thanks
Can I pay you in hugs? Because that’s the about the best I can do. The economy wasn’t so great for us folks in the mortgage business either. I can also pimp your store, because I’m good at pimping. Wait…
Also, if you start selling Ambien, let me know.
i would totally sell patrick’s ambien, but then i’d have to deal with his nasty attitude after he doesn’t sleep for 2 days. so, that’s a no.
and yes, i take money in the form of MOMO hugs.
and thanks
I’m so sorry, Angie. You did look stunning though, you sexy minx you. You are a beautiful, strong, witty, funny, intelligent woman. I know it must seem like you’re stuck in Sucksville City right now, but it will get better. I wish I could buy every freaking thing in your online store. I will, in fact, send every single person I know to your store and demand that they buy stuff, or else I will not be their friend anymore. And trust me, the threat of awesome me not associating myself with them anymore is enough to get them THROWING money in your direction, honey. I will totally put your online store button on my blog, too. Although my followers are not many, it might help some. Anything I can do, at all, to help….I’m here. You deserve every good and wonderful thing this world has to offer. Remember that. Please take me seriously here, if you need ANY help, let me know.
.-= Tricia´s last undefined ..Response cached until Thu 18 @ 1:15 GMT (Refreshes in 23.27 Hours) =-.
crack the whip and make people buy stuff! i’ll love you forever.
i put up the code for my badge on my sidebar if you want it. IF you want it…
thanks
So, you took a risk when others won’t. It paid off for a while, but none of us have a crystal ball. You did not know (ahead of time) this horrible thing would happen. And yes… we do want to know. We want to know so we can be there for you to lean on and be supportive. You would probably do the same for one of us. Continue to thrive as best you can. A stronger person you will be.
.-= lisa´s last blog ..And More on Scooby-Doo… =-.
thank you
thank you
thank you
Oh lordy, I just put this link up at the ABC site – hopefully I don’t bring more cray cray trolls like from the Southwest Debacle of ought ten.
.-= Dawn´s last blog ..Going Green In Your Vajayjay by @mrsflinger =-.
“SW debacle ought ten” made me laugh. i needed that.
Aw. Hugs, like, a million of them. I wish I could help, I wish I knew what could, really. So all I have to say is that I care really deeply and I almost cried, reading about you almost crying. Thank god I don’t have cable, or I could’ve seen it. More hugs, again.
.-= Zoeyjane´s last blog ..On a cure for what ails =-.
do not cry at me. that would make me cry knowing you were crying over me.
sheesh.
and thanks
I live pay check to pay check. I’m usually broke leading up to pay day and then broke again on pay day after paying bills & such. Sure, these bills are all luxuries and I could totally give things up, but I’m stubborn & spoiled and I like my “things”. Can we just win the lottery already?
You looked great, even if you were crying! Love you and your struggling self. Most all of us are struggling, it’s hard, but we all understand and are here if you need a friend to vent to. XOXO
.-= AmazingGreis´s last blog ..Top Ten {Tuesday} – Random News =-.
i’m ready for my lotto win and i’d totally share it with you.
and thanks
I can relate on many levels. As a matter of fact, for the 2nd time in a few months, your entry has motivated me to write about this very topic…sort-of.
.-= Robin´s last blog ..You Think You Know…. =-.
i’m all tony robbins and shit!
thanks
My heart goes out to you once in a while a gal just needs to let the yucky stuff out You are a wonderful example of generosity and the good that is going on in the world. Keep the faith
.-= habanerogal´s last blog ..January grins at the Cheshire Cheese =-.
just like george michael & bon jovi.
awesome.
and thanks
I love you. I have neither help nor advice to offer, but I do have my friendship. And a fierce squeeze.
.-= Miss Grace´s last blog ..Life List – Hair =-.
lady, you know i love ya.
thanks
My business is struggling mightily in this economy as well. I haven’t gotten paychecks, I’ve had to take away employee benefits and I’ve cashed in my retirement and kids’ college funds.
So I know how it feels, I really, really do. if you need an ear or shoulder or whatever, I’m here.
Also, I’d love to put a badge on my not very high traffic site if you’d let me!
.-= pgoodness´s last blog ..Protected: Just venting =-.
sucks big donkey balls. i’m sorry for you too.
i put the code up for my badge on the sidebar if you want it.
thanks
National tv! Awesome. Tears…okay that stinks. Would totally happen to me.
Wish there was something I could do. Badge sounds like a good start. Count me in too if you have one.
i just put the code for the badge up on the sidebar if you want it.
thanks, mama
You looked great! Thank you so much for sharing. I am also self employed and have definitely felt things slowing down the last few months. I thought we had managed to avoid this downturn but it was just delayed for us. I am very worried about our financial situation and haven’t really talked to anyone about it. It is a very touch topic. Good luck Angie. I don’t have kids but I have sent your site to everyone I know who does have kids.
thank you SO much for your support
We aren’t in the same position as a lot of people because we don’t have children to support, but we are about a week away from not being able to pay our bills. I was unexpectedly laid off, I’m fighting with my previous employer in order to receive unemployment benefits, and my husband’s job as a paramedic pays less than what I made in high school.
I barely make enough blogging and freelancing to keep our head above water. It’s the first time we’ve ever had to decide which bills get paid first. It’s scary, because if it gets any worse, we will potentially ruin our financial lives forever and put ourselves in a position where having kids is not an option.
We’re hopeful and optimistic and working our asses off, but yeah – scary.
.-= Corrin´s last blog ..My Proposal to Spanx =-.
i’m always optimistic, which is probably what got me in this mess.
as someone who poured her savings into starting her own buisness i know how you feel. i went from having sales to NONE!! love your site! i love nuby products and now know just were to buy them!! yay!!! imm gonna link you on my blog and if i remember tomorrow ill even write abpout ur site!!! http://mamaof3cuties.blogspot.com/
p.s i twittered the link to your site too!!!
thank you so so so so so much. truly.
You looked a lot cuter than the “shadow” lady! Love you…
at least i have a face.
Ah, honey. I’m sorry.
Money is tough. Money is scary. Money? Is an asshole. We’re on month eight of Chebbar not working. If we hadn’t been able to remortgage (last week), we’d be looking at a huge short-fall every month: my income isn’t enough to support two people (and I’m grateful at times like this that it IS only two people – I can’t imagine how much scarier and more stressful it is with children).
You *did* look smokin’, though.
.-= Chibi Jeebs´s last blog ..Crisis: averted =-.
kids make everything harder. frackin kids…
and yeah, i WAS hot. SMOKIN.
Still ARE smokin’ hot, silly. <3
.-= Chibi Jeebs´s last blog ..Crisis: averted =-.
I think you’ve got guts, and I admire your resiliency and your sense of humor. It’s not easy to maintain that when things aren’t going well, as I’ve learned very painfully myself recently.
And kudos on showing yourself in the interview…it’s sure as hell not anything to be ashamed of to have money issues.
If I had a blog going, I’d put your badge up for sure.
You and Patrick will come through this. I absolutely believe that. Hang in there.
i depend on heavy doses of zoloft to keep me humorful.
and thanks so much.
I’m sad now, mostly because I wanted to be the one to make you cry.
All that shit about ‘being the one who caused it’ is bullshit. You’ve had the balls to give it a go, which I never ever had, & probably never will.
No one said you had to get it right the first time. Deep breaths, dust yourself down, and try again.
Oh, and I think you had snot on your sweater.
.-= Martin´s last blog ..Sometimes late at night… =-.
you’re right, i DO have balls!
so why can’t i be a drag queen? hrumph.
You don’t have the legs
.-= Martin´s last blog ..Side effects =-.
Big hug. xxx And let’s hope things get better.
.-= Mwa´s last blog ..I think I might be a nice-smelling troll =-.
backatcha.
Hey, guess what? I just threw your code up against the wall of my blog, and IT STUCK!
xoxo
.-= Melisa with one S´s last blog ..How Justin Timberlake and Lady Gaga Saved The Jewish People =-.
just like boogers!
not that i’d know…
thanks
I so get this. I don’t hide the fact I got laid off last fall, but I’m still feel embarrassed by it… and it wasn’t anything I did wrong. My salary wasn’t huge, but we are feeling the loss.
I really hope this economy picks up, for everyone’s sake.
.-= Tara R.´s last blog ..Cry me a river =-.
even when it’s not your fault, it’s still hard.
thanks, mama
I hate that money controls the world like this and although I don’t know you personally, I’m really sorry for what you are going through. You took a risk and put a business together to provide for your family and be there for your girls. The “American Dream” right. It sucks and you are right, so does George Bush.
i have hope that it comes back, and my teensy bit of exposure helps me and others.
thanks so much
You looked beautiful and sounded very articulate. I think it was extremely brave to be so open and honest about your struggles w/the business. Thank you for sharing – it’s always helpful to know you’re not alone in the struggle.
2010 will definitely be better than 2009. I, for one, am going to go do all of my kid birthday party shopping for the YEAR on your site. I love the selection of toys. Hmm…feel a blog post coming on about the need to get your gift closet buttoned up w/a recco to fill it up w/toys that are: Good for the Kids.
We’re behind you 10,000%. The crappy part about being an entrepreneur is that life will throw you 10 million reasons to throw in the towel. The good part about being an entrepreneur is that if you keep at it and keep learning from what you did that works/doesn’t work – you’ll be a 10-15 year overnight success story.
XOXOXO
S
thank you SO SO SO very much. truly.
you’re not alone…there are days when i wonder how in the world i’m going to pay ALL the bills, because i’m lucky if i can pay half of the crap we’ve got ourselves into…you looked great by the way
sucks, right? GAH.
at least we have good looking husband and kids.
thanks, mama
I HAD to leave a comment bc I am right there with you. The past two years have financially been horrible for us….not a struggle, but we damn near lost everything.
My husband’s job was in the housing market, so he got hit really hard. He is self-employed and had no business – at all – for over 6 months. He finally went to work for his brother cleaning up houses he was flipping. We lived off of our income tax to help. Finally, he started another business in which he was contracted with a company, and business is good once again.
My web design business started off nicely and then I stopped getting inquiries after several months.
It’s all because people really do not have the money or they are focusing on paying off bills to relieve themselves of debt before they have no money or job.
It sucks, but it will get better….hopefully sooner than later. Don’t worry about how you look. I commend you for being brave enough to get on national television and show how you truly feel. Maybe you’ll twist at the hearts of all these cold lenders who refuse to help people out.
.-= A Jill of All Trades´s last blog ..Love you pappaw! =-.
i know the web design/dev businesses are suffering just because i know i’m not spending what i was 2 years ago, and i’m just one person.
we can hope it gets better.
thank you
We are right there with you Angie. And good for you for putting a face to all of us struggling.
After I lost my job in PA, we moved to Florida, but couldn’t sell our house. Long story short (and lots of frustration with the banks), we lost the house to foreclosure. Now we’re in debt up to our eyeballs and just trying to make it week to week. Believe me, you are not alone!
Here’s hoping for good things to come through for all of us!
like sisters in debt. sucky sisters in debt.
thanks
You are very brave for saying things all of us feel, but don’t want others to know.
My hubs works for the State of CA & has been hit with the stupid furlough program. Due to the type of job my hubs has, he doesn’t get days off, he just gets his pay cut. Right now he has 3 furlough days a month, with talks about possible 4 or even 5 days. Having a single income family it’s been hard, but we try & that’s all we can do.
I hope things improve soon.
Even if your clip was short, you looked good! Oprah would be proud, you didn’t do the ugly cry.
i only HOPE mama oprah sees my tears!
thanks
You looked beautiful. You were doing the pretty cry, not the ugly cry. So it’s totally fine.
Your badge on my site = done.
.-= cindy w´s last blog ..couch-to-5 wha? =-.
awww, shucks. thanks
I’m right there with ya. Barely squeeking by. And sadly, yes, having to pass on the purchases I so want to make.
As soon as I figure out how to mess with my wp theme, yours will be one of the badges that goes there.
Mwah!
.-= La Primera´s last blog ..check myself =-.
money totally sucks until i have some.
thanks
Oh how I can relate to this. The middle class family that’s slowly but surely losing things as we go. I can relate. And i feel for you. Hugs and I hope things get better.
thank you, truly.
You are amazing. And freaking brave. Sheesh woman.
I’m going to put the button for your store on my site. I’m also seeing some gift ideas right now.
I had no idea you had a store. YAY. I love to shop.
.-= Issa´s last blog ..Issa makes a cake…also see: Issa has lost her mind =-.
*blush*
thank you thank you
You are amazing. Thank you for coming out of the closet.
PS. Ya looked hot!!! And you do a good cry, no Tammy Faye for you!
thanks so much for saying so.
I’m so proud of you. XO
.-= Mishi´s last blog ..Of the Earth =-.
backatcha hard.
If your business is failing because of the economy and shitty government decisions, this doesn’t make YOU personally the failure here. You had a good idea, and it was thriving. You can’t predict things going to shit. I think you need to cut yourself just a little slack. We’re all just trying to do what’s best for your family. You know?
.-= statia´s last blog ..Under things, tumbling =-.
really, thank you.
You put yourself out there and you made a go of it. It might still work one day. And you will have tons of support when that happens. Hell, that’s braver than anything I’ve ever done. Hang in there.
warm fuzzies,
Tina
P.S. At least it wasn’t the Oprah “ugly cry”.
i SO hope oprah calls.
I’m very sorry you guys are struggling. Obviously, I think there were many factors that contributed to the situation our country was in & don’t blame any one individual (except FDR); still love W) for the demise. I’m actually considerably more worried about the coming months – especially the next week. Government spending has not helped our country at all in the last 75 years & it certainly will not help now – esp with 2/3 of the country screaming NO at the top of their lungs. I think we’ve all felt the crunch. And, sadly, I am convinced the American Dream is over. (can’t leave a Twitter addy – I’m a Plurk only gal)
thanks for coming by
(((hugs))) to you and being open and honest and letting people know they aren’t alone.
thank you.
.-= Heather @ Domestic Extraordinaire´s last blog ..Flashback Friday-The Closet Edition =-.
no, thank YOU.
You looked great, tears and all! And you are really brave for sharing your struggles here.
danka, mama!
I can’t see the video for some reason, but that doesn’t matter. I love you. I love you. I love you.
Can I tell you how brave you are for putting this out there? You’re inspiring and most of all? NOT ALONE. We hear you, my friend. We do. And we will do whatever we can to help you!
(That’s why I buy all my toys and stuffies from you! LOL)
You know I’m always here, right? ALWAYS.
.-= sam {temptingmama}´s last blog ..Alive =-.
it should work now.
and i love you back hard.
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