Never work again!

    Never work again, that appears to be the ideal to some people.  To some of us it is a sentence that may be for life.  Many like myself, are in a situation that we had never dreamed of. Laid off, out of unemployment and drawing on what meager social security we can get. Ten years ago the experts were hoping that many of us would continue working after 65 because there were going to be too many jobs and too few people to take them.  How strange it is how the tables have switched. Too many people chasing too few jobs. Many of us over 50 may never work again for a variety of reasons.
     I for one thought I would be selling cruises and tours until I could no longer drag myself to work.  I never saw retirement as a real option.  With the closure of my business, I was sure I would find work somewhere. Never did I dream I would be taking any part time job I could find. When I did find a job,I hung on.  I thought if I keep showing up they would never fire me.  How wrong I was!  After my obvious great skills didn't land another job right away, I even went to school to learn new skills to no avail. I became one of the unemployable. Out of work so long that no one will even interview me or old enough that they are sure I am untrainable.  There are a variety of reasons for this but the end result is that I will most likely never work a paid job again. 
     I hear many others talking.  Some are happy they have all the time to themselves they want and others are lost and spending days and nights job hunting even though they know it is hopeless.  I hear them wondering why is it that we are able to discard a whole generation of workers.  What has happened to the standards we were taught to believe in? What is going to happen the our "retirement income"? I will give you some opinions on those topics in the future.  One last thought "never working again" is that a curse or a blessing?  Let me know what you think!

Things to learn from everyday contacts.

     I was at the VA medical Clinic today. (BTW what a blessing to only have to drive 10 minutes to the clinic rather than several hours) I met some more of the older vets and their care givers.  What would these guys and gals do without the folks who love them taking care of them. One lady talked about how after she raised her kids she started taking care of her Dad. Her father is a Korean War vet in his 80's and she is in her 60's.  whats going to happen when she can no longer care for him?  She is as old as I am and I know I couldn't care for an older person now. There appears to be some opportunities out there for folks who can do this work.  Self employment in the care field is limited only by your imagination.  Small chores, driving, guiding or shopping for housebound people are just some ideas.  Use your imagination and localize it for yourself.

Business planning is essential

     Just a few thoughts about business plans.  There are plenty of places to get stock business plans. Chose one a start developing your own basis for your business. When you've done that,  you can start to ask questions and test assumptions. You need to find people of experience in your field and collateral fields, to give you feedback. You must remember you HAVE to have a business plan.  Be it as simple as below.

1) Develop a blog on an interesting subject.
2) Develop a way to make money from said blog.
3) Develop a marketing plan.

     Once you do this you are starting on the basic plan for your business.

Making the decision to become self employed

    I have spent most of my work life as a self employed person.  It is really like have the worst taskmaster but the best boss.  When I finally gave up my business and tried to work again as an employee.  I learned alot about the modern workplace and what does and does not go on, what the quality of employees is like and how the modern corporation deals with their lower level employees.  While being unemployed and job hunting I discovered the truth about many job openings, they don't exist!  Jobs are posted for many reasons most of which have nothing to do with really hiring someone.
     I would also recommend that you go to  http://www.pinkslipmyass.com/  for a fun read. Contact me with any questions or comments.