It’s not really in my nature to cast blame, but I’ve been getting pretty sick of this recession and in need of blowing off some steam. So, while talking with John today I decided to unleash the full fury of my anger on…the recession itself, who I’ve dubbed Thurston Horrible Recession, II.

“Screw you, Mr. Recession!” I yelled. “I’ll teach you to cause so much misery…meet me out behind the shed-if you got any guts, that is.”

You know, it really helps to finally have someone to blame. And now that I’ve channeled my anger, I am actually reminded of the many reasons to be optimistic.

Every day when I show up for work there is more bad news to read about the state of our economy—about unemployment, consumer confidence, “walking dead” banks and all the rest. And I’ve been waiting for the other shoe to drop…for orders of Union made, Fair Trade and Green merchandise to dry up along with our supposedly desiccated economy.

But you know what? It hasn’t happened yet. Every day new inquiries come in from folks who are continuing to spend, and continuing to care about what happens to their dollars once their check is in the mail.

Right now I am working on an order of USA made and Union-printed mugs for firefighters in Ellensburg, Washington. They want to give them as a gift to the retired firefighters who come by once a week for coffee.

We’re also printing organic t-shirts for a company that wants to spend the extra money to ensure that everything they touch meets with the high ethical standards on which they run their business.

I’m working with a large Jewish summer camp in Los Angeles who have been burned by a sweatshop free operation in the past, yet who consider it a worst-case scenario for their young campers to be playing and growing in garments stitched in deplorable conditions by workers no older than they.

So f-you, Mr. Recession! Excuse us if we just go on about our business, along with our brothers and sisters in arms. We were here before you started, and we’ll be alive and kicking long after you’re gone. So do your best. With “Honest O” in the White House and the Ellensburg firefighters hot on your trail, your days are numbered.