12 Weeks to a Book Deal -- WEEK FOUR

I have always been something of an optimist -- but in a pessimistic way. As tempting as it is to just write off the future of the world and everyone in it, it seems almost impossible to take this approach and still maintain some semblance of a good mood. So, though I'm no Polyanna, I think, in the end, my hope does ultimately spring eternal. All of which is fodder for this week's book proposal:

"Blessings in Disguise: The Upsides of E. Coli, Inflated Gas Prices and the Housing Slump" is a book about how the flushing down the toilet of most everything that was once great about this country is actually something to celebrate -- in the long run. Problem is, most American's don't think in terms of "the long run," which may seem like a whole other story, but it's actually part of the same story. But we won't go there at the moment.

Just in case you're still with me, the book is about all the good things that will eventually come from all the crises we face right now. E. coli/Contaminated Food = paying more attention to what we are actually eating and where it comes from. High Gas Prices = paying more attention to the process behind the fuel by which most of us locomote, and thinking about alternative solutions. Case in point: Gas prices have dropped about a dollar over the past month, ostensibly because demand was down because people were collectively driving millions, even billions of miles fewer than before. The Housing Slump = examining our grossly overconsumptive ways, looking ourselves square in the mirror and asking, "do i really need a 3,o00 square foot house for four people, and why is that the American dream, and why is that my dream?

In an edemame shell, the book is about the reexamining of priorities that has been spawned -- and will continue to be -- by the absolute craphole that our nation is in right now, and the future renaissance of conscientious, connected, culturally-aware, educated, under-consumptive Americanism we are destined to experience. In other words, the book is about how to look on the bright side when it comes to seemingly insurmountable global, geopolitical, environmental, economic, and health issues. We can all dream can't we? Not only that, we all should.

Have a nice day!