Unemployed in a recession - what to do?

I left a company I was employed with for a dozen years back in June. I knew I wouldn't starve to death. I had taken early retirement and I thought I would be taking on a new career (teaching middle school science). I did the whole transition to teaching thing and was ready for my placement.

I lasted 6 days in front of the "little darlings." This was an inner city middle school. I never gained control of the classroom. After two weeks (6 days in front of students), I resigned rather than have a nervous breakdown.

I was out of work just as the worst economic downturn in 70 years was just hitting its stride. I started looking for a job, and I also started looking for a way to supplement a very meager early-retirement stipend. I explored many make money online (MMO) schemes. Some seemed better than others. One scheme that looked promising was "Site Build It." They offered to hold your hand and walk you through the whole process of creating a site and earning money online. However, I'm the world's greatest procrastinator, and a cheap bastard to boot. I decided to investigate a lot of other options before shelling out any money.

Here is what I believe from my research. "To thine own self be true." If you need the level of hand holding Site Build It offers, go for it. But understand, you are paying $300 per site, and if you are willing to do some homework, you can accomplish the same thing for much less. Several recent on-line reviews of "Site Build It" put things in better perspective than I ever could. One of these, Site Build It Scam Review, asked a number of important questions about this product. If this is such a great product, why are the people using it in such a snit about a negative review. If your site is making money (enough to offset the $300 per your paying), why do you care about a negative review. Unless, of course, the money you are making is from the "Site Build It" affiliate program.

For those, like me, who have been investigating other means of making money online, there are a number of sites that provide quality info for free, and the resources you need cost less than $300 per site. For those really willing to make a go of it, try Court's make money site the "Keyword Academy," or Griz's make money and adsense for beginners sites.

If you need hand holding, and don't have the cash, another possibility is the "Thirty Day Challenge." They tell you how to get started with minimal (or no) investment, and the support, in the way of forums, etc., is impressive.

All I'm saying, is don't shell out a lot of cash without doing your homework.

Surviving your office cubicle, revisited

I have been very negligent about updating this blog. It is hard to write about office cubicle survival when you are not actually in a cubicle, or even in an office. I was out of work between the middle of September 2008 and mid-January 2009. Happily, I am now gainfully re-employed. Something to really cheer about in this economy.

In my new position, I actually have an office. It is actually not much bigger than my old cubicle, and the air circulation is worse. However, IT IS MINE.

I still appreciate some of the sites that helped me survive cubicle life in the past. I still enjoy Dilbert and Kim at Cube News 1. Of course, if any of the very few readers of this blog have suggestions on surviving cubicle life, they would be greatly appreciated. PLEASE COMMENT.

I will try to be more diligent about posting. Any suggestions for this blog?

When pigs fly!

This is an expression that I use too much. I was playing around with Squidoo and decided to create a lens about the expression "when pigs fly." I thought it would be fun, and might even help a worthy charity.

Fred Hill's Dream Team

Is this scary or funny? You tell me!

Great advice for cubicle survival

NetEffects' tips for surviving in a cubicle world.

Some people have waaaay too much time on their hands.

Take a look!

I'm baaaaaaaaaack! and What was I thinking?

OK, I got the whole teacher thing out of my system. With the minimal amount of training I received and a huge pair of blinders that I was wearing that prevented me from seeing even myself, I found I was totally unsuited for teaching in an inner-city middle school. I couldn't handle the disrespect, the violence (not students on me, but students on each other), the outright hostility. I was intellectually prepared for major difficulties but not emotionally or psychologically ready. I lasted 6 days in front of 4 classrooms of 7th and 8th graders (~110 students).

Now, I am 55 and without a plan. What do I want to be if and when I ever grow up?

This particular experiment in my life is now in my file cabinet in a folder labeled "What the hell was I thinking?"