FML, I am striking the 29th too.

On September 29th there is a call for a general strike in Spain. Everywhere you look there is publicity calling for people to stand together in solidarity to make a point, or in other words to take the day off work (okay, I´m in, really no need for more explanations). From what I gather from the posters Spanish workers have had enough (sobran razones apparently) of something and I am assuming what they have had enough of is the economic crisis. Want to know what I have had enough of? Hearing about the crisis here in Spain. Every day on the news (which is on the TV 24/7) they talk about the crisis and how slow Spain is at coming out of it compared to elsewhere in Europe. (Maybe this has something to do with the fact that somewhere near 30% of students don´t finish what would be our equivalent to high school here, I am just saying). In any case, it is always crisis this and bad economy that. Blah, blah, blah. So the logic(?) of this strike is that due to a lack of jobs and money, people should not go to work. Huh? So let me get this straight. In order to show the government (the man or hombre if you will) that there needs to be more job creation, Spaniards are going to strike and not work. When life goes on that day, as I imagine it just might won´t that prove that a lot of what the strikers do for a living is unnecessary? Isn´t not going to work when you very well could sort of a slap in the face to those who are unemployed? What I find interesting about this idea of a general strike is that the government guarantees that there will be basic services. So the buses and trains will still run (manned by the poor suckers who draw the short straw and have to go in that day). And the people who want to go to work will be able to get there. I am not one of those people. If I am immersed in this culture, well dammit, I am not going half way. I am striking too. Just imagine all the fun things I might be able to do on a free day. I can go to the movies, out to eat, shopping, to a museum, more shopping, to the bar (because you know those will be open), all the while spending money (see contributing to the economy). I can´t wait because gosh I really need a day off. I hope the people who work at all these places are Chinese because those people are hardworking and they are always open, otherwise my free day is going to be a complete drag. I might as well just go to work if everything is closed. So maybe instead of a general strike it should be a ´Spain needs a mental health day´where you get to sleep in and only do fun things. Oh wait, that´s what weekends are for.