Starting Over At 50

It's been 3 months since I was let go and found myself out of what I had thought was my forever job.  I'm excited to report that as of Monday morning, I'm back on the ladder and excited about my new opportunity with a massive global company! I know that many folks are finding the job market slimmer by the day.  Big companies are starting to watch their bottom lines as earning season ramps up.  2nd quarter closes out in just a couple days and the numbers are not looking good.  But I'm hearing on the street that people are looking for more mature workers now.  They have hired young people who pick up and leave after a year or two always chasing the almight dollar... or taking part in the great resignation. I'm sure many of them are starting to question their participation in that now as well. I can't say enough about my team of friends and former co-workers who put in a good word for me, provided references, or my career coach from the Hanah Group. Thanks Kim! For each of you who is

It's been a month of so since our last chat.  I caught some kind of cold that messed up my voice and I've been chaotically getting things back to normal here in the new house. I have been working with a career coach from the Hanna Group who has helped out tremendously.  She's in HR and has provided insight into my resume and my overall job search.  It's been very helpful and I will be posting my new resume and cover letter on the Facebook Page later today. I hope you all are doing well and finding your next steps as we start over...with the next phase of our working life.

We sold the house and we're moving.  Less than a month from start to finish!  Moving all our stuff from one house, to a smaller house has taught me all about the "carrying cost" of the stuff we keep in our lives. Take a moment to listen, learn, and perhaps go through that bin of receipts in the bottom of your filing cabinet!

Do we go through the cycles of grief or something similar when we lose our jobs...and are faced with the unknown?  I think so.  I have just completed my first week of being un-employed... again.   And with the sale of our home, the move to our rental home and all sorts of univeral chaos going on.  Perhaps it's best if I take a breath and evaluate what it will take to move me forward. I appreciate each and every one of you who are on this journey with me.  Is there anything I can do to help?  Ask away....

So after just a few weeks more than a year at what I believed to be my forever home, I'm back in the dog shelter.  Corporate structural changes, an ignorant and incapable new manager and a failure to see the flashing red lights have left me back out on the street. This time, I'm leaving with a new skill set, new contacts, and a hope for new and exciting opportunities.  Additionally, as a sales rep, remote work is now more popular than ever, so our hope of moving to Florida and starting over is higher than ever. At the end of the day, its just a job, its just a paycheck... so on to the next opportunity!

Been gone for a couple weeks.  Just an update to let everyone know whats going on in Vegas...and Florida! Some times the next chapter is in the next book... Time to start wrapping up our time in Las Vegas and searching for our next adventure in Sunny, Friendly, Freedom loving Florida!

I've been working tradeshows for the last two week...not Virtual shows, not remote viewing opportunities, but real hand shaking, elbow bumping and... oh my gosh, I'm not wearing a mask Tradeshows. So many of us believed that we didn't lose much when the world went virtual.  Rest assured, when you get that opportunity to emerge from the cavern and share connectedness with other human beings that are not your family, you'll understand why person to person communication is NOT going away. So spend a few minutes with me.  I'll be your canary in the coal mine.  It's ok to get back out there.

This weeks marks my third episode for 2022...matching my total for 2021. At the end of February, I'll hit 1 year back as an employed person.  I admit that once the day to day desperation ended...I am finding it harder to get motivated for achievement. The binge watching of #yellowstone and #TedLasso not to mention those IPhone games that we tell ourselves we will only play when we go to the restroom.  They all turn us into couch potatoes and waste our quasi-valuable time. I'm committed to starting the process of taking back time.  Setting limits and making the hours in my day more beneficial and meaningful.  At 54, its time to live with more purpose, drive and determination. Hoping I still feel this way at the end of the month...or the end of the week....or by noon Monday.

I was fortunate enough to attend the CES (Consumer Electronics Show) this past week here in Las Vegas.  While attendance was down it was interesting to compare the "tech heavy" CES show to some of the other shows we've hosted over the past several months.   Why did other shows "Show Up" when CES decided it was too dangerous?  Don't ask me, you likely wont take kindly to the answer, but I'll go ahead and spend a few minutes on it anyway. Finally, as a dyed in the wool Georgia Bulldog (Class of '90) I'm excited to be cheering on my Georgia Bulldog Football Team during the College Football National Championship Game tonight!  I'm so excited. So, I checked the audio and I did get it recorded.  If you're able to stand another 10 minutes, then head over to my facebook page and start asking questions or suggestion topics you'd like my opinion on. clickee the linkee right here. https://www.facebook.com/StartingOverAt50

For some of you who tuned in yesterday for the start of our weekly 2022 podcasts...you heard NOTHING!  Yup, apparently my microphone was not plugged in correctly and I was out of practice.  I promise you only missed out on the answer to life the universe and everything... (42) Back in the saddle for 2022, we're turning things around and focusing on how to make progress as a seasoned professional starting over in mid life.  We've got new plans, new guests and exicting new ways to follows our dreams! So spend a few minutes with me/us each week, and perhaps you'll laugh a little, think a little....and in the end we'll all grow together.. And yeah...again...sorry about that podcast that I posted yesterday...nothing more exciting than 10 minutes of dead air!

So I'm back working in 'corporate'....for what that means in the age of covid...that's anyone's guess.  What's it like having a boss after being the boss?  What happens when you are back playing the political game at work?  Well, that's what I'm finding out right now. Come back and check out our new direction...

Its been over a month since my last new years update.  So much has happened that every time I sat down to record something...something else happened.  Look..SQUIRELL! Lots of changes going on here, hope for the future and strength for today!  I look forward to be back online on a regular basis more.  Thanks for hanging in there. Go out and make a connection.  It's important!

It's my 53rd birthday today.  Am I where I expected to be?  Certainly not.  Am I where I'm going to end up?  Certainly not.  Time to take stock and start working to focus on where I want to be next year, next month, next week, and tomorrow. If you're interested in my daily journal, I'm going to be starting over on MeWe. https://mewe.com/p/startingoverat502/show/5fb2c2cd17aa905a845580c1 Let's get this show on the ROAD!

As we close out 2020, a trying year for all to be certain, some reflection is needed to put things in perspective.  What are you dwelling on?  What has happened to your life in the past 9 months?  What is your focus? As we look forward to a new year which is really just another day on the calendar, can we take steps to focus on what is important and valuable to us as individuals and as a community.  Spend a few minutes with me as I go over what we should be focused on. Happy holidays to each and every one of us.

So we had to talk about it at some point.  Yes, this episode is about the election and what I see as real issues moving forward.  Democrat or Republican, Anarchist or Libertarian, we're all in this mess tegether. I know many of us are feeling uncomfortable right now, but perhaps that means its time to make some serious changes to preserve our republic and start rebuilding some sense of unity. On the other hand, stocking up on guns and ammo might also be a good idea.

No, there are no recipies here about what to do with left overs, its more a compilation of topics and thoughts that have been building up for a while. Now don't you worry, not a single word about the election, we're an election discussion free zone here.  Not because I didn't want to say anything about it, but want to perhaps spend more time putting thoughts together on that. So...without further delay, we'll be talking about football, cars, insurance and getting up on the right side of the dirt. Have an amazing day and if you're interested in following me on Parler @chbenton or Curtis Benton on MeWe.   Be Blessed and go out and grab that brass ring!

When your favorite team takes the field, you hope that both sides are competitive and its a fair match.  Unfortunately, our media and Big Tech are putting their sizable fingers on the scale today.   Know your rights, respect the rights of those around you, and get out and enjoy the fall...and while you're at it Go Vote! As to my pick for the Georgia v Alabama contest this weekend... I believe you're going to see Alabama struggle against the intense defense of the UGA Bulldawgs.  I believe that Najee Harris is going to put up some points, but the Dawgs will hold him to under 150 yards in total offense.   My pick is the Dawgs over the Tide 23-17  (current Vegas line is 4.5pts) ** If the Dawgs defense is able to get to Mac Jones (Bama QB), I think it could get ugly...28-10 **

When you're out there on your own its easy to get side tracked.... in a good way or a bad way.  But then you still have to get back up on the horse.  Today is Monday and Day 1 of this week.  We are going to go out and kill it this week... going to give it big effort and hope for big results! If you're wondering why things aren't happening for you...perhaps its a matter of consistent effort.  The effort comes before the payoff. Be blessed!  Go Vote and have a wonderful week!

Have you wondered why your spirits fail?  Why you feel alone and isolated? Perhaps because we ARE ALONE AND ISOLATED! Our generation was not brought up on facebook updates and instagram or twitter posts.  We grew up as part of a social community.  That group of boys we played cowboys and indians with, that group of friends who played kick the can and rode bikes with through local trails. We have accepted a life of self isolation and virtual community.  This is simply not how we were designed by our creator.  We are designed to be social, to assist and care for others... And this just doens't really work in an online world. Get out there this week and make a connection.  Have a beer with friends, go bowling or see a movie.  We need to take back our society and re-establish our human connections.

We all know where we were 19 years ago today.  We still feel that wound in our hearts and cry at the images that will never leave our minds.  In 19 years we've gone from a country united together as Americans to something that resembles a third world country in some of our cities. A special podcast this week to celebrate perhaps the one thing that can start bringing us back together.... Gratitude. I'm an American and I will never understand the depths of the price that has been paid by the millions of soliders, military members, first responders, law enforcement officers, and everyday heros who have given all to preseve the freedom and opportunities that we enjoy. It's time we say THANK YOU...to everyone.  We have so much to be thankful for in this country, and if you're not an American, you can still be thankful for all the little and big things that makes your life what it is. #NeverForget