As for the economy, it’s hard to hear about any of it. Yes, we are getting older and there will be discrimination. It’s touched my mother and she’s only 56. My step father too. He couldn’t get hired for a while as a basic worker because he had too much management experience and managers felt he’d be after their jobs too soon after he was hired. He couldn’t convince people that all he wanted was to be a 9-5er without a team to manage. He did eventually convince a city government to hire him based on his contacts and resourcefulness from being in government construction for over 20 years.

I agree with you in that we can’t just stay stagnant and expect the world to still love us. However, I think that no matter what you do, when you get old, you get old, and you will inevitable lose opportunities to younger folks based solely on age; not skills. It happened to my dad, one of the most knowledgeable and respected figures of the automotive industry in Colombia. He still gets jobs and people love him, but he did lose a job he deserved because back in Japan they wanted somebody younger. Can you believe it? JAPANESE execs choosing youth over seniority. I was floored by how much that culture has changed!

On the other note… I heard a story yesterday on NPR about a 40 year old family business that is going out of business due to the economy, and, oh yeah, his greedy landlord and the landlord’s lawyer. Just as depressing, though for a different reason. The Story: the biz owner owes back rent due to the landlord upping the rent; the biz owner asked politely to pay the back rent if the landlord would let him out of the rest of the lease; the landlord’s lawyer told landlord to deny the biz owner that option because, should the biz owner file bankruptcy, the landlord could probably make a TON more money off the guy.

I mean, what the hell has the world come to? Especially in this economy, for the landlord to be so greedy. I’m not saying that the biz owner didn’t owe money, but I think there’s a limit that needs to be set, at least in human compassion! Made me so mad.

HOWEVER, as for getting “old”. I think it just all depends on how you position yourself. A lot of “older” people tend to not want to change or do things in a new way and so the stereotype is maintained. But, people like my dad – who is 68 this year – who strive to learn what’s new and keep up with technology, can stay employed. I’m not saying it’s easy – I’m sure it’s harder in most respects. But, I think because we live longer these days that it is up to us to make ourselves as marketable as possible… anyway… :)

On a brighter note, we’re going to Wimberley this weekend to check out the new house!