Recently I was at a cocktail party chatting with a woman who was not charmed by my presence or my scintillating chatter.

According to the Harford Business Journal, the work benies and perks of yester-yore are well on their way out. With the economy looking, well, a bit grim, they note, "lavish perks like country club memberships, pet insurance and free Lady Gaga concert tickets won’t be making a comeback any time soon."

Though on the serious side (for those of us who've never received those sorts of perks), the effects are being felt in the 401K and health insurance departments as well.

But, alas, there is a silver lining: Flexibility.

Says the author of the article, Becky Bergman, "Even in a depressed job market, benefits play a crucial role when it comes to recruiting top talent and maintaining worker productivity. Among the common, inexpensive perks are those that promote work-life balance and cheaper rates for insurance, event tickets and merchandise..."

According to the Harford Business Journal, the work benies and perks of yester-yore are well on their way out. With the economy looking, well, a bit grim, they note, "lavish perks like country club memberships, pet insurance and free Lady Gaga concert tickets won’t be making a comeback any time soon".

Though on the serious side (for those of us who never got those sorts of perks), the effects are being felt in the 401K and health insurance departments as well.

But, alas, there is a silver lining: Flexibility.

It's sort of a double-edged sword, I suppose. Now we have the flexibility to really live our lives...but, alas, no country club membership to give us access to the golf course.