Showing posts with label bad economy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bad economy. Show all posts

Friday, October 23, 2015

Where are the jobs? SERIOUSLY.... Where are the jobs??

I guess I'm going to ramble on today and lament about the lack of opportunities for experienced Baby Boomers.   If you're like me, you've completed 'Kool-aid Rehab' .... you're helping others stay far away from that fantasy and at the same time, trying to figure out what to do with your life.  It is odd, having a direction for years and years to suddenly find yourself with a 'what will I be when I grow up' thought.  You're waaaaay too young to 'retire' and who (really) wants to do THAT anyway?  I'm just not ready to play shuffle board and 'pickleball' !    oh, almost forgot, because I'm an older Mom I now have 2 children in college!  (eek!!)   Looking for projects!  Ideas are welcome! www.RetainMyBrain.com



Need to work doing something....not sure what it is;  The 'New' .... 'Public Relations' is and can be 'phone cold-calling work'.... and 'Events' are now defined as 'sampling' products at a grocery store.  All the past terms that I have experienced in a grand way have been reduced to vocations suited for non-trained and non-skilled workers.  What has happened to the real meaning of such a profession?  So odd that Public Relations has now changed into a career that is quite different from the old days. Back when I was winning awards it started with a unique bold creative idea and culminated with needed meaningful content (broadcast or printed) appropriate for mainstream audiences this would then lead to awareness and sales results.   Now the world is fragmented and 'mentions' are fully entwined with product placements and behind-the-scenes advertising/editorial content.  There really is no distinction anymore.... if your product or brand is mentioned there is a deliberate plan.....another motive. (period). and the motive is usually GREEN to the outlet which is 'interested'.   Talk shows and all the yapping are highly directed.... (hmm?)



For 'Event Production' work .... 'Events' can be anything!  The term has been bastardized to interacting with people at a car wash.  The definition now has no meaning....the reduction in status for both of these previous career categories now just cater to the inexperienced.  It's all entry-level semantics they don't even know the difference!



What is left are the fragments of this previous line of work.  Back in the hey-day of business practices.....reputable firms did nothing but produce real events ..... now because of our miserable economy it's much more sporadic resulting with very scaled down staffs utilizing 'freelancers'.  AND.....Those who are lucky enough to land something which remotely looks like a real event are not willing to 'share' the business they are holding onto by their fingernails.  They certainly do not want anyone who could be perceived as more capable than they are.   The idea of helpfulness is long lost in the competitive world of business today.  Helpfulness to the client and helpfulness to the people offering to help.  OVER.... Having experience IS the liability here.



So that's my crabby rant for the day..... Here I sit, talented in 12 different directions with not even an opportunity to interview for positions which I am more than qualified to do.   It is apparently too much of a risk.   I am however available and cheap for freelance gigs.

let's connect!  sarahb579@aol.com 

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Kool-aid Rehab - some ass kick'in is needed!



Weekend…. Kool-aid Rehab.... Recess!


Funny, offensive …. I really don’t care



Since this blog is my opinion and my opinion alone – I raise my glass of Kool-aid to the 1st amendment!


With that, I am reflecting on life from my own vantage point (a fox hole) and it’s not very pretty.  

As many of you know, thanks to our rotten economy, the job market sucks for the over +50.  Opportunities today are now few and very far between Most people I know have been in a bad mood for years, chronically depressed and fully stressed-out. 




Age-discrimination is rampant for anyone over the magical age of 50. People like me know even as a modern-day 'organ donor', it’s still not a good-enough match to be seriously considered for a 'real' job with benefitsFor that reason, experienced hard-working talent is struggling and starting over – trying to figure out what to do when they ‘grow-up’ and being 'a greeter' at Walmart is not on their short list.    Too young to retire, can’t downsize because home equity is gone….it's a pathetic quagmire.


When you are older and kicked off the proverbial job-carousel under labels like ‘position elimination’ … you’re toast – crispy and burned!   For some odd reason, this paradigm seems to exempt politicians and the Catholic Church hierarchy.



The only older ‘talent’ I see ‘working’ on a regular basis looks like this;  usually a guy in a dark suit, driven around in an ominous black unmarked vehicle -- some with security, some without, young people scurrying around behind them.... most are pasty color- gray hair, wire glasses and puffy faced…. Some are tan-sprayed and many are in need of ‘getting off their asses’ (!!!)  I’ll bet you’ve already figured this out …. Yes, it’s our elected officials …. great at talking -  fabulous on spending and amazing at programs that benefit themselves.  What a gig!  talk, talk, talk.....sound bites and photo opps!...... they all need to be fired!



They fight like children in a sandbox – grabbing toys for themselves ($$$) - give speeches with the mentality of ‘Look-at- me!, ‘Look-at-me!’(like kids in a pool)  making sure everyone knows just how brilliant they are.

 
It reminds me of a really bad reality show only you can’t turn it off because their decisions ultimately affect everyone.   

If you happen to be someone who is selling something (a product or a service) this crazy uncertainty flows downward in the way of consumer confidenceWhen people feel bad or uncertain of their future.... consumers cut back on spending --- which then cuts back on demand for things, then everything is discounted.....and SURPRISE jobs are eliminated can we all say 'DUH!'??!!  Have the experienced learned nothing along the way?  


Americans need to know that the people they have elected have their backs rather than their faces in a trough feeding themselves with money and so-called influence.
  

In the latest debacle of ‘leadership’ under the fancy term 'budget sequestrestion'  - where everyone needs to be impounded .... here’s a suggestion; and it’s not even a divine intervention--- We need a system where an elected official's pay is immediately cut (like ours) by 75% and where they too, can get ‘ww.shi**y insurance.com’.  If that were to happen, they would have a stampede to a conclave to get the job done – like quick.  


Speaking of conclaves (and a wider view of our world)... While many humans are literally starving on our sad planet, this is what I am observing, again with another group of mature males;

I’m seeing a bunch of old dudes in long black robes with wide colorful sashes.... embellished with red and gold finery wearing matching red yamakas playing dress-up. .... and I'm not making this up!
.... don't mean to be offensive to religious-types.... but come on!  really! if you give this just a second of thought....it's crazier than politics today and that's say'n something. 


They are all shuffling quietly to be in the presence of another really old dude sitting on a throne wearing designer red shoes (Prada, of course), in a white yamaka wearing a fancy gold ring and other fashion accessories.  

What a gig!  And this stuff has been going on for three millenniums!….. wouldn’t Jesus be proud?   No holy water here! Must be blessed Kool-aid.    

Now, this guy, (the really old dude) who I know is keeping a big secret (shhh...)  is gracefully bowing out of his gig  for retirement …. Hmm?  gold watch?   and this is his departure; ... leaves work in a custom-made Mercedes ‘Pope mobile’…. To then board his private helicopter to be whisked away to his hillside private castle overlooking a beautiful lake surrounded by villas and lush gardens.   (ok, I’m jealous – who wouldn’t be?!) 

Now everyone is waiting to see the 'smoke' signal  (powdered Kool-aid) for the grand announcement of the next old dude - it will probably be pinky-red-colored-smoke to match their yamakas.    As luck would have it, the guilty (Cardinal O'Brien) has decided to not be 'a distraction' to this process- so it won't be long!  So honorable is he.  

Cardinal O'Brien, British Cardinal, Admits to Sexual Misbehavior
Do tell me though, ....  what has the ‘really old dude’ accomplished as a leader in the past 8 years which has made a profound difference in our world?   and more importantly, what’s under those big full robes… let’s hope not little boys? 
 I'll bet Cardinal O'Brien knows for sure!  what a cover up!

If women were given a chance to contribute to this old archaic thinking and fanatical protocol I have to conclude without thought:  a lot of flabby old asses would be kicked!  And there would be change - and it would be for the better - no red shoes would be needed either. 

xo
SARAH
sarahbwhp@gmail.com   

                                                                  

About Me- I'm everywhere!

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anywhere and everywhere, USA, Illinois, United States
I'm a sassy, very distracted older mom...with lots of wild stories (and rants) about my family and life...Daughter 20, college student, sassy, unpredictable, violin playing, animal enthusiast...Son, 17 video addict, Chess playing-star / trombone player...husband (old, tired, chronically stressed and impatient, but a good sport nonetheless) The underbelly of life for me; I’m a bright eyed ‘entrepreneur’ – just now completing Kool-aid Rehab a frightening 12 step process to figure out what I am doing with my life. On the home front, we have a gang of animals that keep the place lively too! 'Emma', dirty ungroomed Sheepdog, 'Lollipop' a smart Border Collie/Chow Chow also referred to as 'Daddy's Little Fatty', 2 cats; one eyed 'Winky' and emotionally disturbed- beyond crabby ....'Babycakes' (it's complicated,) 1 bird 'Tutu', and finally 'Templeton' (a.k.a. Little Shit)- a teeny dog who loves to 'run' .... more trouble than all put together and dumb as a stick. but we love him! :)