If you are 50, where were you at 25? If you are 60, where were you at 30? What was your dream? Where did you see your life taking you? Did you follow your path? Or did you follow a different path? If you were at half your age, would you make the same choices? And if you deviated from your path, are going to get back on that track in this next stage of your life or do you have a different dream now?
Important notice to Gen Plus subscribers.
We have changed our subscriber service from Bloglet to Feedblitz. For the next few weeks, you may receive double feeds as we phase out of Bloglet. You do not need to do anything as your subscription should automatically transfer over. However, if you are not receiving posts from the Gen Plus blog after this email and continue to hear my views on life, employment and love after 50, please head over to the blog (http://genplus.blogspot.com) and simply resubmit your email address through the Feedblitz subscription box on the right of the blog page.
Thanks!
Wendy
Who needs cute little doggie bones? I'm proud to announce our latest addition to the Gen Plus Shop...Ugly Biscuits! And are they ugly? Well...in fact...yes, indeed, they are. Ugly, bumpy, lumpy...and so natural and doggie delicious that your pets will be begging you for more. In fact...you may find yourself tempted to try them out for a late night snack!
Very reasonably priced and 20% of the proceeds go to support charitable causes. Buy some and try some. Your animal will thank you!
InfoRxMed poses a tough question on my Careers for Boomers and 50 Plus group. I'm looking for resources to answer this dilemma. If you have expertise, please comment -- either here, on the Gen Plus blog (genplus.blogspot.com) or to the topic:
http://community.eons.com/groups/topic/1533-Has-anyone-reached-their-6-s-and-had-to-take-LTD-
Here is the question:
Has anyone reached their 60s and had to take LTD/long-term disability? How did they manage thereafter. The plan I have awards me about $82,500 free of Federal and local State tax. I do also have 401K & IRA investments but would prefer not touching them for about 5 years so as to allow them to grow and get nearer to that amount the gurus say I should have saved at 63 y/o ( but didn't.)
There are job opportunities in Homeland Security. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I had the unfortunate luck to be in the middle of our country last Friday, just one day after the terror alert, wondering how safe it would be for me to actually board a plane and head back to life in sunny California. Always one to look for the glass half full, I took a scan of all the additional TSA staff. I'd say about 60% were over 50 years. And then, today, in a news broadcast (Money 101), host Bob McCormick and Nico Melendez (Pacific Region head of TSA) discussed how the TSA is expanding their screening program called "suspicious passenger observation" while the tech lab in NJ tests new explosive-detecting machines.
"It is 5 years after Sept 11, but it is still only 5 years after Sept 11th," said Melendez.
And that caused some ringing in my head -- because he was right. It is only 5 years and homeland security just isn't where it needs to be, especially in the arena of trained, dedicated screeners (2000 staff alone at LAX with 50 - 100 quitting or leaving each month AND a shortfall of about 400 staff so far this year.)
Then LAWA (the LAX news site) headlined today: MAYOR VILLARAIGOSA OPENS NEW RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING CENTERAT LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. This is the first one in the nation and badly needed in LA, where the population is so dense. A local center is expected to shorten new staff training time by about six months. AND the TSA in LA is looking to fill 50 - 100 new positions every month to the end of the year just to catch up...never mind the shortfall (attrition is one of the largest problems facing TSA right now.) SO, I calculated quickly...4 months to the end of the year x 100 positions = 400 jobs at 60% (of 50 plussers) = 240 potential new jobs for those over 50 just in 2006.
The bottom line: If I lived in an area where TSA was hiring...and I needed a job...I'd head over there.
The long-awaited Eons (by Monster entrepreneur Jeff Taylor) has launched. This online community is catering to the 50 - 100 year old crowd (yes...that's us!) It's a touch challenging to figure your way through on the first go around, but worth the visit. As traffic increases, I suspect that some of the navigational challenges will be cleared up. But there are so few online communities for 50 plus (this is one of them!) that it is wonderful to see this one go live.
I've started a group on Eons, Careers for Boomers and 50 Plus. The user interface is easy. Membership is climbing fast and furious (LOTS of great comments) and I think you'll see many of the issues you face echoed by the posts in the group. Visit the site, sign up for your free Eons membership and comment away. http://community.eons.com/groups/group/careers-for-boomers-and-50-plus
In an article this week in the Washington Post, columnist Steven Barr explores the challenges the government is facing as millions of Boomers retire over the next ten years.
Workforce shortages, national emergency shortfalls, and pension challenges are just a few of the pressing concerns that the Federal government is taking very seriously, looking at a range of options to keep skilled employees in the workplace.
FEMA, part-time options, and critical skills needs are all covered very nicely in this article. For more, click here: Mounting Retirement Worries
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