I always thought if I worked hard, I’d be employable. Back when I was twenty, it never occurred to me that by age 47 the world would consider me washed up. But it did. The work-a-holic hours and the “valuable” experience didn’t ensure me a place in the workforce. Unemployed for six months, I finally decided to just give myself the lofty title “Internet Mogul.” At this point, that’s a complete fantasy; I’m not even remotely qualified to call myself that, but it sure sounds nice. Much better than “workplace-reject-beggar.” Besides, I have faith in myself even if no one else seems to.
So I cleaned the softball-sized dust bunny from my computer and typed “how to make money on the Internet” into Google. Holy Crap. A mountain of information was now at my fingertips. Too bad most of it wasn’t worth the electricity it sucked up.
But a Mogul (with a capital M!) doesn’t give up. So I plodded through, sorting the scams from the hype from the just plain crazy. Somehow or another, I have to make this work. The dog’s hungry…and so am I.
The definition of “being hungry” changes with age.
We’re born, and it means, “give me milk so I can survive.”
We reach adolescence and it means, “bring me a hot dog…and lots of friends, status, dates, cool clothes, a hot car…”
We enter the job market and being hungry translates into, “bring me challenges and riches, excitement way beyond the need for mere nourishment. Challenge my creative spirit, reward me with expensive toys, giving me tangible proof so I can flaunt my talents on the world stage.”
Geez, it’s embarrassing to admit, but after my “distinguished” career, (translation: twenty-five years as a cog in the wage-slave wheel) the phrase reverts back to just the basics. I’m hungry to fill the cupboard with food so I can survive. I’m not worried about satisfying a creative drive and I don’t require riches, just enough to keep a sturdy roof over my head. The same basic needs my dog has. Luckily for her, she’s clueless that the piece of lunch meat I’m sharing is getting harder and harder to replenish.
It’s now been nearly a year without a paycheck.
Survival in the economic world. Remember the TV commercial for the large financial institution that praised the American spirit by claiming, “most people want to succeed, not just survive.” True, true. But how exactly do you define success? Unfortunately, reality forces many hardworking people into being grateful for mere survival and realizing that to survive IS to succeed.
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