Black Box Report

Everyday it seems every newspaper, radio and broadcast report mentions the ever climbing cost of food and gas. Add to mix the housing headaches and you have a trifecta that's both important but predictable.

I understand this because we do it too. The economy is the number one issue, and we all can relate to filling up the car, putting food on the table and paying for the roof over our head. But in giving the hard numbers on our daily realities, we're only telling half the story. Sure we've got catchphrases on the ready like "Pain at the Pump", "Mortgage Meltdown" and, of course, "Middle Class Squeeze," but we all know that the money worries facing America run a lot deeper than our cars, food and even our homes. Put simply, everything costs so damn much, and for many the money coming in can't keep pace with the bills coming due.

I've found myself doing double takes when the cashier tells me the total. Friends openly worry about the how they'll swing college tuition; others worrying about their own jobs and some are simply doing without. Then there are the stories that don't come up in conversation; families stretching the dollar until it screams, but keeping up appearances like nothing has changed; or others already deep in debt, borrowing even more just to stay afloat.

The price of gas is a huge storyline, just like the totals at the checkout line and the worsening housing market. We'll keep reporting it, but this recession runs a lot deeper and you know it. Is you're kid still going to rent a limo for his prom? Are you still planning the same vacation you would have a year ago? How about summer or sports camp for the kids? Are you still telling you're daughter to apply wherever she wants for school or even forking over 50 bucks an application as often as she wants?

In ways big and small, the reality of today and the fear of tomorrow’s unknown, I believe, is a lot tougher and more complicated than my friends in the media would lead you to believe. Just because you haven't lost your job or your home doesn't make you one of the lucky ones. If you're stressed, you're not alone.