Ironic

The last (5) paragraphs

http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/349580.html



"Job growth has slowed down quite a bit in the first months of 2007," said Howard Roth, chief economist at the California Department of Finance. "Construction, home sales -- it's all going down."

Which is not news to Rachel Brandon of Sacramento. She shook an emphatic "no" when asked Tuesday if she is better off than she was in 2005.

"My career for the past 10 years was in the mortgage industry," said Brandon, who is 39. "I have a license to do loans. Two years ago I was making lots of money -- I was making deals in my pajamas from home. Now I'm waiting tables at Denny's for $8 an hour."

Still, she's optimistic.

"I really like my job at Denny's," she said. "I'm learning quite a bit, and someday I'd like to have my own cafe. But, two years ago if you asked me if I'd be working for $8 an hour today, I'd have said 'God, no way.' "