I was born back in 1951 and I read a lot - believe me - this isn't bad.

Not until you see bodies falling past the office windows is it bad - and even then, it is only the economy.

The US has cheap petrol and cheap food even now - compared with Britain, where the petrol price seems to have topped out at 118 pence per litre. We actually paid less than that this Thursday, only 1 penny, but it was less.

It might be difficult for a while, it could be difficult from now on - but, if you'll take advice - just do the best you can, take a job even if it is not your dream or ideal - employers seem to favour those in work for some reason.

At one time I went from one job to another fairly fast, simply because I was working but looking for something better all the time. I saw aquaintances who were out of work turned down for one job after another.

I did start cleaning factory kitchens and it was not pleasant, but that was only for a few weeks until I found less messy work. I was always being told to do less, not look for things to strip out and clean - by people who were probably still putting on greasy overalls when I'd got an office job.

At another time I worked a factory job which finished at 16:30, so I took a series of evening jobs when I couldn't pay the bills, and that developed into a fulltime job that paid more than the two jobs combined - you just never know who you will meet up with. You do have to be out there meeting people, though.

Things always change, if you just drift along with them the current will almost always put you on the rocks - you have to steer - and paddle hard at times.