My 2004 plan for Goth House has given me a dilemma. Because I am doing an ongoing series that may last a long time, I'm left with less material for the commentary. Percival and Ophelia are still drinking. Terra isn't drinking, but she's there now. Everybody is unemployed, which seems very topical right now.

For the last couple of years, news on the economy has been sort of like this:

Monday: Good news! The economy is improving! We're out of the recession! Woo-hoo, let's throw a party! Bush in ought-four!

Wednesday: Um. Sorry, there still aren't any jobs. No, we're not sure why. It could be outsourcing to foreign countries with cheaper labor, but we don't want to entertain that notion because it violates all our economic theories. And it could be the deficit, but...no, we don't want to entertain that notion either. We're just baffled. Keep spending and it'll all work out.

Friday: Here are some jobs! A couple, anyway. They don't pay what the job you had in 2000 paid, but...it's a job! What are ya, some kind of prima donna? Too good to cashier at Wal-Mart just 'cos you got a BA? Whine, whine. Be sure to vote Republican in the next election.

Repeat every couple of weeks.

I can only hope that, by the time the series finishes, all the unemployment and misery will seem quaintly nostalgic. Like movies set in the 1930s.