9% in Florida, 8.6% in Pinellas County, 8.5% in St. Petersburg. But I think it is much worse than that, and I’m seeing a rampant increase in domestic violence, drug abuse and crime around the docks along the waterfront where I live. According to state economists, it is not expected to improve until around 2016. When things starting going to hell in 2008, I was laid off as a clinical research coordinator, sold everything and went sailing. I did some disaster work in Haiti after the earthquake, then went sailing some more—basically living on a subsistence level for the past three years lately delivering other people’s vessels to repair docks, etc., even doing unlicensed “sunset cruises” on my own vessel. I take fish from the sea, fruit from the trees. Until a month ago, I used whatever ambient wifi I found within reach to go online. Recently, I had to come in for a badly needed overhaul and I took a job as a floor nurse in a private psychiatric facility. I was surprised at how many hoops I had to jump through to get this job for which I am way over-qualified. I feel lucky to be working, especially at my age and during these economic times. The plan is to work, make the needed repairs over the summer and fall, then head back out next winter. If I get torpedoed by a hurricane or whatever, Plan B is to go back to school, which is what I did during the recession of the ‘70s. It worked out well.