But as a white collar man – or until recently a white collar man – who lost his job and is making do with part-time manual work while our house loses its value and our children’s college bills come due, it’s tough to look at the bright side.

This is not intended as whining on my part. I know very well that there are many, many people who are in my situation – and many are having a much harder time. We do not have serious medical problems, and we are thankful for that.

But the point is that I am not alone, and it is getting worse.

I was a white collar marketing executive, and now I have a part time job driving a delivery truck. During the day, my wife works while I atke care of the kids.

Is it humbling? Of course, but my family has to eat and the bills have to get paid.

Taking off the expensive pinstriped suit, the silk tie, the white shirt and the polished shoes and putting on a green uniform with my name on it, a cap and work boots is not a great experience ( being told that even my black business socks had to go in favor of white ones did make me cringe, I admit; very trivial, but symbolic) but again, I am not alone.

It’s possible to get used to situations that will change eventually. I do have that hope, but it’s tough, I admit. This is the first time that we have collapsing home prices, a collapsing stock market, a credit crunch and a collapsing job market all at the same time.

I am well aware that I was lucky to get the truck driving job; there are now plenty of applicants who just want to work, and who don’t care about being a well-dressed executive. Bills have to be paid.

I hope that Obama does well in his first term, although I don’t agree with his policies; still, I have to be positive because we don’t have the luxury of complaining.

It looks like a long road ahead.