What does being middle America mean?

I am in my mid fifties and live in a small upstate NY town. I have found over the years that the things I like, America soon likes: things I don't care for, seem to fall out of favor. If I discover a new product, suddenly I see it everywhere and everyone is talking about it. Usually this process takes about 2 weeks to a month from when I find something really cool.

For instance, I decided to dig a pond ( small) in my backyard... I spent a summer digging and getting the liner, and filling it and lining the edges with found rocks, etc. I added a waterfall and purchased the pump at the only place I could find with the pond supplies... Within a year all gardening magazines, books, etc,. had how to's on back yard ponds...
Another example: when Nokia first came out with their cell phone I fell in love with it and soon it was the most popular phone out there... I didn't even own one, just appreciated it.

I know this sounds absurd, but I have seen it happen so many times that I am now used to it and kind of expect this to happen. I have lately noticed, that it is even more connected then that. I have noticed that when I'm happy and feeling good, the US seems to respond with an upturn in the Dow, and good news about something, and when I am not feeling uplifted, or if I feel worried or depressed, I find the economy is tanking and all hell is breaking loose everywhere. Now given the current economy that could just be a coincidence, but maybe not.

What if, I AM Middle America? What if I truly do represent, to the core, the feelings, the moods, etc. of the US and so that what I feel is what happens? !!!

Kind of a big responsibility, and very scary.

So, I have decided to write a blog to post my thoughts- they will be random and it will be interesting to see what comes out.

So, to start, I usually can spot a new product or improvement to a product that I find is really good, and then everyone else discovers it. I have to admit I haven't really been shopping lately- like I did very little Christmas shopping, and I guess no one else did either, so anyway, I haven't seen anything really great out there to report on.

One change in my life was I got an email from the local animal shelter that they had lots of animals, and although we already had 2 cats and a dog, I thought we could take another dog to help out... We got Samantha on the day after Christmas, and when we were there, lots of people came in to get dogs and cats, so I'm hoping that that was a nationwide trend...

So anyway, as I see new things- or as I do new things, I will post them here and see if they become a trend...