Reply
Tue 26 May, 2009 05:58 am
Well, no financial aid for my college studies. ....so plan B. I have been thinking about getting out of the games and rides business. I am aging out of it, not as much as being unable to do the physical work, although it is harder for me than it was when I started 20 years ago, but as in I'm just not enjoying it and the profit on it has steadily declined as the price of admission to the game has declined and so many amateurs have gotten in, which always drives down the price. It's happened even more markedly to karaoke and dj work, but at least that's not as physically demanding, doesn't require huge liability insurance premiums, big trucks for transport and is not expensive or difficult to maintain. Add to that I'm in the Southeast where people would rather have chicken **** than chicken salad if it's cheaper and generally are not discerning enough to know the difference.
so anyway, yesterday squinney, seth-cub and I are on an event and at 5 minutes before events end it rained for 40 minutes biblically and that ws the last push I needed. I got on the phone and in one call, sold my entire inventory to a friend of mine at a pretty good price. went straight from the event to his place and dropped off what I had and will take the rest later this week. I have one more large event on the books in a couple of weeks and made it clear that part of the deal was I use the equipment at no charge for that event.
Between that event and the money I'm getting for selling the equipment I am paying off every one of my bills except my truck and one rather large hospital bill I pay monthly on....but other than that and my basic living expenses I will be completely debt free. My basic expenses will also reduce because I can give up one of my storage units, my business phone line, (my KDJ and live work is almost all word of mouth at this point), yellow pages ads, liability premiums, I may even trade my truck in on a fuel efficient car.
I can order and pay for all the study materials and the proctored exam to be certified as a trainer as well. this is not as comprehensive a study as the college courses and I'll be completely on my own to learn the material and prep for the exam... but I will end up with the exact same certification and can then take specific courses in as many specialized areas as I may decide to pursue through home study as well. In any case, I'll be certified by the fall.
I should be able to make enough money with my kdj and live playing income to keep my bills up while i do this, although money will be tight.
So anyway, I've totally committed now. I better not **** up.
Starting over at 60....why the hell not. Life's not for pussies.
@Bi-Polar Bear,
Very brave to go for it like that. Best of luck to you and the family.
Good luck with this and all your endeavours, Bear!!
DAmn Bear.
I could have written that.
Just this morning, I have dismantled all of my photography work , no more websites, business cards, blah blah blah blah blah.
Its cleaning business. Restaurants to be precise.
No "education" in it. I just happened to have a job at a very popular local restaurant here and I love it.
Apparently there is a big market for this kind of cleaning.
****, I dont even know health regulations about this. Im diving in blindly expecting to swim.
Cheers.
You will do just fine. Get your panties out of a wad.
@Bi-Polar Bear,
Quote:So anyway, I've totally committed now. I better not **** up.
Starting over at 60....why the hell not. Life's not for pussies.
Best of luck with it, Bear!
@Bi-Polar Bear,
Bear, if I did it, you can do it. I made career changes at age 46 and at 56. Both times, people said it was not possible. I surprised them and succeeded at both jobs. The first job for 10 years. The second for 14 years (and disabled), from which I retired at age 72.
You can do it---so get moving.
BBB
Bear and shewolf, I wish you both success in your new ventures. It's tough out there to make a buck these days. I'm still looking for "something better" myself these days, and I just turned 58 last month.
Keep us posted, you two. I would love to hear of your experiences.
@shewolfnm,
I do wish you had stayed with it. You've got a talent that can't be taught or bought.
@roger,
roger wrote:
I do wish you had stayed with it. You've got a talent that can't be taught or bought.
She'll go back to it when she's 60.
Good luck to both of you. I'll be watching.
@roger,
I agree. Although I believe shewolf's talent is mostly wasted doing commercial portrait photography. She should be doing fine art photography and exhibiting in galleries. And of course, she could still pursue that while cleaning (hint, hint)...
Good for you, BPB! A very gutsy move, but I have no doubt you'll make an excellent personal trainer.
@Reyn,
Reyn wrote:
Bear and shewolf, I wish you both success in your new ventures. It's tough out there to make a buck these days. I'm still looking for "something better" myself these days, and I just turned 58 last month.
Keep us posted, you two. I would love to hear of your experiences.
I'm not doing this to make a buck. I'll make less bucks. I'm doing what I've always done...what I'm passionate about. the only thing i was ever passionate about my whole life was singing and performing ( aside from my wife and children...an entirely different kind of passion). Now I've found something else. I've been dirt piss poor and real well off in my life and all points in between and all that has always been secondary.
@Bi-Polar Bear,
Bi-Polar Bear wrote:I'm doing what I've always done...what I'm passionate about.
Then, I wish much success in that, too. It's nice to have the opportunity to be able to do what one enjoys doing.
For me, my prospects are along the lines of being something like a dishwasher somewheres. It's something I'm passionate about.
@Eva,
Agree with you on that, Eva. In fact, the decision may be freeing, re chance to do fine art photography.
Yes, good luck to both Bear and Shewolf. And Reyn.
@Bi-Polar Bear,
Gosh, BPB, I have far fewer doubts about your ability to succeed at this than others.
For one thing, you've already gone to Plan B, practically without batting an eye.
For another, you ain't some teenager who's going to run off and sulk if Plan B, C, or D doesn't work out. You will simply keep at it, and MAKE it work any way you must.
Plus you've been self-employed practically your whole life, right? It's not like these are untested waters for you & yours.
I'd wish you "luck," but you don't need it, and it ain't about luck anyways. I will send a long a fuzzy kitten hug.
@BorisKitten,
Thanks for the kind words. My study materials will arrive this week. I can work at my own pace and could take the exam and be certified as early as September. And, the course I'm taking is paid for. Immediately after receiving certification I plan to take two more courses, a nutrition course and a specialty course in Senior Training. All these courses are accredited by the National Board of Education.
I've been spending a couple of hours a day getting all my records and record keeping, my desk and my schedule all in order and clearing my plate to focus on the things I do with as little distraction as possible.
I also treated myself to a singer's course of exercises, techniques and strategies to further develop my singing voice. Even after all these years it's never too late to improve.
I also continue to work out almost every day and have set myself an 8% bodyfat goal.
Eventually I will bow to the inevitable and accept the limitations time will bring.
Today is not that day.
Stumble It!
Tweet This
Bookmark on Delicious
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace