My desktop automatically flashes a slideshow after my computer has sat dormant for 10 minutes. Since I have ten years of fulltime travel on it I sometimes watch my past life flash past—envious. Like the lead-in photo. In it we were sitting camped along a northern CA beach free boondocking spot which has since closed down (on New Year’s Day 2000). I remember the weak winter sunshine, needing a jacket, but oh so happy to be ocean side in the sunshine after leaving Bend’s snowy weather behind. My daughter Rachael took the pictures and caught me sublimely happy.
In some photos I look so much younger. Or so happy. And I remember what those times were like when the world still seemed out in front of us as it always does when one is productive. There are things to be accomplished and time is almost meaningless. It no longer does. I guess aging does that to ya.
I listen daily or worse yet, read, the reports about how this depression is just going to go on and on and on for the unemployed. They are still predicting 8.6% unemployment in 2012 and 2013 for Christ’s sake! Those of you who are employed have much less to worry about; at this point probably most of you will keep your jobs. But the prognosis for getting back to work for those unemployed is the worst it has ever been since 1934. We’re among that listing.
Even though my body says nearly 60, my mind says I am still capable of being a contributing member of society. After all, I hold a B.A. degree plus another two years beyond that in college credits—everything from teacher, to real estate, to medical terminology and I can get around on a computer and many folks tell me I can write! I’m dependable and I’m prompt. I have integrity. I can’t run a marathon like my friend Mark, but I’m not so out of shape that I can’t contribute a hard day’s physical work as I just proved with the WalMart remodel, keeping up with the 25 year olds I worked with. I like to think I keep conversant with world affairs—as a geography and travel aficionado I can probably name many more countries, capitals, rulers, and their internal strife than the average college student. I can drive a car fairly well, having traversed thousands of miles myself since I was 19 years old on long road trips, all I might add, without one single ticket in my entire life! My health, as far as I know, is still fine.
So why can’t I get a job? Why can’t I even be called to interview?
