Well folks, that’s it. The Screw You Recession blog is over. Donezo. Finito.

I can’t believe it has been three months; the summer just flew by. And now the recession is dead. Without engaging in too much hyperbole, I think it is safe to say that this very blog is what drove the final nail in the coffin of the recession. With our humour and extremely high level of intellect, we quite simply outsmarted and out-funnied the recession.

The bigwigs running the financial markets took notice that those crazy kids writing the Virgin blog had the recession firmly by the testicles. And when they realized it, they pretty much gave everyone their jobs back. And everyone who had lost money received a reimbursement cheque in the mail. I am pretty sure that’s what transpired.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to read our posts and watch our videos. We all had a blast creating content. I hope you had a good chuckle from time to time and that you learned some stuff along the way.

A big thank you goes out to Virgin Mobile for bring us on board. Winning the contest to become Virgin’s summer intern totally changed my summer and dare I say my life as well? Another shout out goes to the rest of the crew. It was an amazing experience working with all of the contributors on this blog, except for George.

I kid, I kid.

If you want more DJ in your life, add me on Twitter and subscribe to my YouTube channel. I’ve also just started a blog that will chronicle my experience as I try to make it big in the comedy world. If you want to check it out, that would be awesome.

Once again, thanks to all of you who read the Screw You Recession blog this summer. It was an absolute blast.

Keep on keepin’ on,

DJ

My Myspace page...in another part of the galaxy

In a cab; screaming down the road like a black and orange missile. No bang, or shattering glass, or dust falling from the brickwork.  A blog fades  just like a star whose twinkling existence is ignorant to most, but whose light offers a welcome illumination in the darkness. But there are other stars and new ones are always being born and some just grow so large that they swallow whole solar systems. This is what I think about everytime a good thing comes to an end…but does it ever really end? I like to think not. Particles–that’s what it’s all about. Atoms shift and take on new forms; things inhabit other existences, other realms, but they never truly fade. It’s too late for them once they become memories; etched in our minds. “Hey, you were the guy that did such-and-such”; “Yes”, I’ll say, “and now I’m doing such-and-such”. It never ends. How can it?

Follow me on my other page if you feel so inclined. But you never know, I may just pop into existence in the solar system that is Virgin once again. It was good knowing you.

I think that you should all give yourselves a nice hearty pat on the back. And then give one to whoever is sitting beside you. Unless you are on the bus or in a lecture, because that might seem weird.

Since I am all about saving, I am going to continue on that trend and save myself sometime and cut to the point: goodbye, dear friends.

I leave with you with my favourite Hollywood goodbye moment to date. Thank you, Mr. Willis.

In light of our departure, we thought we’d give you time to read/watch some of the posts that you may have missed. Although our work here is technically done, there is still much to benefit from the site. Recession or no recession, managing your finances and not spending money frivolously are important skills to have so use this blog as a resource for an economical self-transformation.

I’ve rounded up the troops to give you our personal faves from the blog. It’s your chance to play catch-up.

But first, a musical interlude:

Here’s what your lovely blogger pals think you should check out before we check out:

Thaddeus

Cheapskate Boyfriend—This is the favorite post that I did myself because I had so much fun making it.  I just really enjoyed the topic as well as the special effects. It was a lot of fun and who doesn’t love to be a good boyfriend on the cheap.

Well said Thade, just don’t tell the ladies that.

Melissa

She just couldn’t pick between Guerilla Fitness in a Concrete Jungle and Stayin’ Cool At School: Finding your discount doppelganger. Rightfully so. Both are so funny AND helpful. I’m a Vintage Vixen, what are you?

Andrea

Since she’s a huge perv (who isn’t?), Andrea decided to pick A Gay Ole Time: Pride Festival On The Cheap on the grounds that there was so much nudity that day. How could she have not shared it with all of you lovely people? Definitely one of her most entertaining vids to date! GP is always a fun time and parades aren’t meant to cost money so budget indeed!

George

Our master videographer has picked one of my all time favourite SYR creations (how convenient). That means I have more options to choose from. Then again, this IS my post so I can pick as many as I want, right? I’m kind of the king of the castle. Anyways, George wanted to remind you that Two Guys Living Together and its sequel are pretty awesome.

Lucas

The Toilet Paper Wrap And More. Lucas feels that it is very important to inform you about practical wiping techniques in this post. He also claims that “YOUR BUTT IS [HIS]” meaning you have an obligation to read this. It’s a funny one, enjoy!

Me

So I guess it’s my turn since SOMEBODY didn’t send me his favourite posts. Your loss, person whose name rhymes with VJ. If I had to pick a post I’ve written / created, it would be the interview series with Jeremy Kroll of A. Farber. Not because it’s super funny, but because it’s REALLY helpful. Here are parts one, two, and three.

I’ll throw in The Good, The Bad, And The Budget to add some more humour to my selection. A cinematic masterpiece, I tell you.

And that’s that!

Feel free to post your favourites in the comments section so we can reminisce on the good times.

I hope we turned you all into major cheapskates. You’ll thank us when you have enough change saved up to buy a premium 24 at the beer store. You’re welcome.

Romi OUT

This is not going to be easy for me.

I’m writing you this because I think our relationship has run its course. I also really need more space, I don’t like feeling like an elephant in a telephone booth. I hope you understand. I don’t know how to break it to you, but I had to find something else. You know what they say: out with the old, in with the new! The wise Righteous Brothers wrote a song called “You’ve lost that lovin’ feeling.” You might want to listen to it a few times, because I’ve lost that loving feeling.

Sometimes you need to take things a bit slower, and just have fun. Unfortunately, this relationship is becoming too serious for my tastes. It’s not you, it’s me (and the recession ending). Really. It may be a typical line, but it’s true: we just aren’t meant for each other. I may love you, but I’m definitely not in love with you. You’re gonna have to learn to accept that. I’m not sure whether we can see each other again, or if I will blog in the future but, for now at least, I definitely need my own space. I think you get the idea: this relationship is over.

Wish it could have worked out, but please leave me one last comment below to remember you by. The people here who wrote this for me really captured what I was feeling. I mean every word.

Just kidding, but seriously.

I won't really miss you though. But goodbye.

Bonjour…or Salut?

Sadly, all good things must come to an end and your favourite writer is logging in his last post. Romi is putting together a best of SYR for tomorrow, so today I’m gonna give you my best lessons from my (our) favourite posts and projects as you guys start getting through September.

SHOPPING-Buy after big holidays. If you want to save, wait a couple days and go nuts!

MUSIC-Make your own video and get noticed. Be the next Soulja Boy…or the first you.

TRAVEL-Look for discounts for trains, buses and planes. A travel agent is a strong thing to have and it’s not that expensive to get a good one.

CLEANSING-Toilet paper wrap. You know what it is and it will save you hugely.

DRIVING-Don’t spend more than 45 seconds warming up your car, don’t fill up during the day and actually follow the speed limits. Stop being reckless, you’ll never drive like Travolta in Grease or Cage in 60 seconds so stop trying to look cool in your jetta.

EATING-Reuse sandwich bags, just rinse them out and let them dry.

HANGING OUT-Don’t spend money to be accepted by rich kids. Rich kids can tell when you’re rich or not and if you’re doing it to be accepted by them, you’re not accepted.

DRINKING-You only need 2-3 cups of coffee a day, so don’t waste money on an extra latte if you don’t have to. Drink some water.

EASY SAVING-Get a friend to cut your hair and more friends to wash your car. The first is simple and the second is every guy’s dream because by friends I mean hot people with soap.

EATING OUT-Don’t waste your food. If you can’t finish a meal, save it for later to eat! Hell, take other people’s meals. You not gonna finish that? I’ll take it.

READING-Read “How to Save Money Every Day” by Ellie Kay, 2001. The title says it all. If you can read this, you can read the book.

BACK TO SCHOOL-Don’t buy things you don’t need, especially a laptop lock. Be creative, make your own art instead of posters like Scarface…be creative!

ENTERTAINMENT-If you want to know about money, just watch Wall Street, Godfather: Part 2 and It’s a Wonderful Life. You’ll know everything you’ll need to know about the value or non-value of money.

NO MATTER WHAT—MAKE LISTS AND STICK TO THEM, DON’T BUY STUPID CRAP FOR NO REASON!

Finally, I want to thank everyone. I had a great time writing with all you guys and I want to thank Mandi and Jer for giving me this opportunity. So thanks to everyone for reading and keep screwing the recession!

And a special shout-out to my boo/girlfriend/shorty/shawty/lover/farting machine/hot thang Shawna! More than 10 Months!

Have a great fall everyone!

(FADE TO BLACK)

Hmmm...I wonder what this post is about

Fortunately, the recession is lifting; unfortunately, that eliminates the need for Screw You Recession. That is definitely not something to look forward to this week but the show must go on!

I’ve helped you fill your schedules with cheap awesomeness all summer long but now it’s your turn to do the searching. Look back to TTLFT 6 for a guide to finding really cool happenings nationwide all on your lonesome.

I love you too much to leave you empty handed so here are some super duper fall guides to keep you busy over the next little while:

Montreal—Martini Boys has the fall entertainment line up. Concerts and festivals galore!

Toronto—The Toronto.com fall arts guide gives you the down low for this fall’s must sees. For students, there is also a student discount guide for Toronto attractions.

Newfoundland—Check out the Scope’s list of events for this month. Keep checking to stay in the know!

PEI—the provincial government provides a comprehensive guide to all things fall on the island.

Edmonton—Vue Weekly’s website is a great source for all fall event listings.

Kitchener/Waterloo—Some things to do in the tri-city region this season. I have one event on my mind. It starts with an O and ends with ktoberfest.

Vancouver—Here are the top ten things to do this fall in the city.

Okay, that’s all!

You’ll have to start telling me what to do every week. (romi.syr@gmail.com)

Have a fabulous turkey/bulk candy-filled season!

Well now that you fully understand that the recession is over, now what do you do? Well, unlike those of you who hated the recession because you had no job, I had a particular job speaking about the recession. So guess what? Recession is over and I must move on. Yes tomorrow will be my, as well as the others, last post. On the bright side, we have learned so much from the recession and it is time to dust ourselves off, take a nice shower (now that you can afford hot water) and move on with our lives. We have learned some great lessons that we can take with us for the future of mankind to build a greater society and a greater world…. or at least buy those expensive pair of shoes you’ve been eyeing for four months. Articlesbase.com has an article giving some lessons and tips on what to do from now on, so when I leave you, you will still be able to survive.

Don’t Scream “Charge It!”- Just because the recession is over don’t go bringing out your credit cards from your top drawer and go on a shopping spree. Keep those cards hidden and continue to pay off debt that you still have. Interest is a killer.

Saving Lesson Learned-Think of how many Canadians would have been able to fend off the recession better if they had some savings. Now is your chance! Start to save, and I’m not talking about saving for your 3 month anniversary, I’m talking about saving for the day those aliens come from space and blow the hell out of your neighborhood.

Why Pay Full Price?- During the recession I’m sure you were constantly looking for deals or bundle savings. Why stop now that the recession is over, keep looking for them, it’s only going to be more money in your pocket.

Don’t Over Indulge- Don’t go back to your $5 triple strong, French mint chocolate latte with whipped cream ( can you tell I don’t drink coffee) just because you can. Stick with that homemade pot from home!

Seek a Private Lender- Banks are being hesitant on loans still because they too have learned from this recession. If you can borrow money (if you need to) from a private lender or even another source, don’t be afraid to utilize them.

“If there’s anything to be learned from the former recession, it’s that saving your money really does matter. Also, keep in mind that an economist’s recession ending reasoning is one thing, while the Canadian reality is quite another.”

So take this to heart and remember to save your money. I hope that everyone is so happy that the recession is over and hopefully available jobs will be increasing. Because as your leaving the unemployment line for the last time, because of the recession ending, I will be walking right in.

Just kidding, but seriously.

Then I went over to the MuchMusic website and found their VJ Search 2.0. There was no question about it:  I need to be the next MuchMusic VJ.  It’s a job I’ve wanted since I was a kid. I made an audition tape to be a VJ when I was seventeen. I never sent it in because I realized I didn’t yet have the experience or qualifications.  In short, my video sucked. Hard.

But now I am older, wiser, and funnier (I hope).  It is time for me to show MuchMusic what I can do.  If you like what I’ve done on the blog, go check out my audition page and let MuchMusic know how hot and cool you think I am.  If you don’t like what I’ve done, go leave nasty comments on my YouTube video. Go ahead. Let off a little steam.

“DJ the VJ“. It just feels so right, doesn’t it?  And just like my Dad told me before I went on my first date, “If it feels right, do it.”

Thanks friends!

Last week I talked about GOOD’s Harmony Ecosystem chart and its efforts to better the world on a micro and macro scale. It turns out GOOD is not the only organization concerned with putting global concerns into perspective.

The NewScientist site features Blueprint For A Better World. The Blueprint begs the question “Are we getting better or worse?” and seeks to answer it through a series of charts representing different global issues over time. Each chart includes a thumbs up or a thumbs down symbol indicating whether or not a situation has improved internationally.

Looking at the big picture, it seems as though quality of life is improving even in developing countries. Less people are dying young, during childbirth, or of infectious diseases. Food, water, and education are also becoming more accessible and hunger and poverty have lessened slightly. We can thank, in part, the numerous charitable organizations striving to improve life in substandard living conditions for the decline in death rates and the improvement in quality of life. It’s nice to know that international efforts that promote change are fostering change as well.

Where do you think the people of planet earth are getting thumbs down?

The environment of course! Surprise, surprise.

Guess what country has the largest ecological footprint?

It’s the United States (shocking!) with around 9.5 hectares per person of consumption (the chart also suggests that 2.1 hectares is a “fair share of the world’s natural resources”). While other countries are still harming the environment, the US is making a King Kong sized footprint. Where is Captain Planet when we need him?

Along the same lines, the amount of deforestation has increased and so has CO₂ emissions.

Although there are efforts attempting to slow down environmental decay, not enough people are jumping on the bandwagon. Is there a lack of hard evidence that people can personally interact with regarding climate change? Or are people more willing to support the humanitarian causes over the environmental?

Also on the thumbs-down list is war, military spending, displaced persons, and natural disasters joining the environment on the global to-do list of improvements.

My suggestion is look at these charts in relation to the Harmony Ecosystem. This way you can address each issue first on the Blueprint by seeing how much it has improved or worsened and then on the Harmony chart where you can browse through current up-to-date issues, links, organizations and information about said issue.

That’s your homework for today ladies and gents.

And now, some CP goodness: