Saturday, November 21, 2009
Don’t trust any one under 30? Oh No, I didn’t mean to start a age war!
Sorry for the delay in posting. I almost started a war of sort over my last ad “Don’t trust any one under 30?” on the social network LinkedIn. Well let me state right here this was an ad, with an attention getting subject line.   Well on to my post for this week (yes I am trying to do post every week coming out by Monday. Since I last posted, I have spread my group (just a little bit) over the Internet. The group is now on FaceBook (as Gray Matters!), Google groups (as GrayMatters!) and webs.com (as Graymatters40). Note, soon to be on MySpace too. You know I never properly introduced my self here and since I will have to do that in my new blogs (soon to appeared in Word Press and Slashdot) as well as the new web groups. I might as well do it here now.
 
I hello I am Ratman of “Gray Matters!” (And yes I did mean to spell “GRAY” that way). Now you’re probably saying “who” of “what” and why should I waste any time reading what he has to say.   Well Ratman is my online name and “Gray Matters!” is group I started on the social network site LinkedIn. A group for the and for the support of the over 40 unemployed. So if you’re feeling alone or over the hill and Job less. Come on and join a group of survivors.   And yep, I know those feelings all to well. I have been unemployed for a year now and at points felt, well really alone and down in the pit of despair.   It has been only faith in the Lord and support of my family that has kept me going. Along with starting the Group Gray Matters, something I think the Lord lead me to do.   “Gray Matters!” and “Gray Matters international” are for the over 40 group (and younger) that feel they have been put on the back burner of HR or even on the stove at all. It is here that we can share info, voice our frustrations and support for one other. 
posted @ Saturday, November 21, 2009 9:44 PM | Feedback (0)  
Friday, October 30, 2009
The Internet is 40. Gee it don’t look that Old
Well yesterday was the 40th birthday of the internet.   The first use of it between two centers (Oct. 29 1969) lasted about 20 seconds before it crash. It has got better (?) sine then.   But, most of you don’t think of it as that old and that’s because prodacalls, that allowed things like email and domain names did show up until the late 80’s.   And the government finally allowed us geeks to use it.   After we were happily playing with it, the rest of world found out about it (Ok who was it that leak it) and it became cool. Gee for the good old days when you had to use a line of code to get on line and on a site. It kind of kept the riffraff out.
posted @ Friday, October 30, 2009 12:00 PM | Feedback (0)  
Don’t trust any one under 30?
If your from the over 50 group, you remember the saying “Don’t trust any one over 30”.  
Well that same group (and some of you 40 something’s), may be now thinking, those young kids (30 something’s and under) wont hire me because I am over 40!   Hmmm, have you heard or though that before?   I don’t know if the current generation is passing us over because we older or not but, I do know that there seems to be a lot of us out here looking for work.  Come on, we survived the last recession (the state I was in was hit real hard and the town I was living at. Well it hit 25% employment).  Granted we were younger but, we are still the same persons.  We have gone thru work, business and personal problems and survived.   How about you joining a group of survivors “Gray Matters!” in LinkedIn and Face Book.
posted @ Friday, October 30, 2009 11:43 AM | Feedback (0)  
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Oh about those missing days
You didn’t miss much. Mostly me, sitting at computer, searching for an IT job.   Had a phone interview with IBM for a job in Iowa (I think I ready said that in an earlier post). Checked out two tech training schools and trust me if you don’t have $50 to throw away for FastTrain’s financial aide interview, don’t bother with them. Hew Horizon the school I picked, did not charge me any thing for that. So it looks like I am going back to school in December.   Will be taking A+ (computer stuff I all ready know, I just don’t have the certificate), Network + (same thing) and CCNA (well I only know that half way sort of). I never though that at 57, I would be going back to school but, I never though I was going to start raising a kid again at 53.   Hmm maybe there is some life left in me yet. Now if I can get an employer to think the same.
posted @ Tuesday, October 27, 2009 10:58 PM | Feedback (0)  
Monday, October 26, 2009
One Year and still out of work.
Well tomorrow is, I believe the one year mark of me being out of work. How do I feel? Well mad yes, self worth low again yes, money problems oh ya.   What am I to do….hmmmm. Well first off self pity does not help me get a job. Hiding from the bill collectors, makes the money problems worse. Praying and self refection, is a start. Trusting in God that cares, gives me hope.   I am stepping out in faith and getting the training I need (A+, Network+ and CCNA) and making the statement here that I will help others in need some way, some how. Maybe through my group “Gray Matters!” in LinkedIn or helping the local bread give away group.   God has plan for me and I just need to feel it out. I think I am now going in the right direction.  
posted @ Monday, October 26, 2009 11:04 PM | Feedback (1)  
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Sorry sorry for the last 22 days of no posts
Well since that last post I have got a free used tire, tried to get CCNA training at FastTrain and try to get a job.    So far no luck on getting a job, thou I did just have phone interview with IBM for a Job in Iowa. They said they may take me on as a first level help desk an.   FastTrain said yes to getting me the classes but, they need $50 to process me thru there financal ade dept.   I don’t have $50 and the other school I was talking to did not ask for money up front to talk their financal ade dept.   So tomorrow I have a apointment with their financal ade guy. Well more on every thing tomorrow. 
posted @ Sunday, October 25, 2009 11:40 PM | Feedback (0)  
Sunday, October 04, 2009
Oh here is something new I posted on LinkedIn for my group.
Feeling alone, over the hill and Job less
 
Yep, I know that feeling all to well. I have been unemployed for a year now and at points felt, well really alone and down in the pit of despair.   It has been only faith in the Lord and support of my family that has kept me going. Along with starting the Group Gray Matters, something I think the Lord lead me to do.   “Gray Matters!” and “Gray Matters international” are for the over 40 group (and younger) that feel they have been put on the back burner of HR or even on the stove at all. It here that we can share info, voice our frustrations and support for one other. So come on to the group here in LinkedIn, with the Gray high lights. Gray Matters!
posted @ Sunday, October 04, 2009 11:02 PM | Feedback (0)  
Well now where was I Oh ya.
Well let’s say my miss-adventures are not endearing to my wife. Well on the 30th Thursday, I put the half sized spare on the truck and went to the Tri-service job fair. After what happen at the pink slip one, I did not have much hope but, was I in for a surprise. There were 65 recruiters there, talk about a target rich site.   I got my resume out to some (at one point I was worried that I might run out) and got a lot of business cards. Also the truck did not over heat and spare held up.  Thursday, Oct 1st, Another job fair, not as many recruiters but, a fair amount. Only got one business card and one recruiter said he would have hired me if I had a CCNA. So I picked up some cards and materials from the schools that were there. I had qualified for a grant so it’s off to school for me it seems. Well that night and Friday, I started sending out email and logging in to business sites from the cards I got. It took me till Saturday the 2nd, before I got through all of them and I still have the hand outs to go through.   I also trying to patch the tire and fix my bow and Monday, I will try once more to get that weed whacker working. Sunday the 3rd, went to same church again and found my self working their sound booth the regular guy was out of town and no one seem to have a idea how to work it. I had volunteered to help in it last Sunday but, I though some one would be there to show me the ropes. Well I managed to work the sound and record the service. How is that for jumping in to deep end, well I think the Lord had lot to do with it. I always seem to be able to deal with things like that. One of the abilities that God gave me. Well that brings us up to date. So until next time….
posted @ Sunday, October 04, 2009 11:00 PM | Feedback (0)  
Saturday, October 03, 2009
Gee has been that long since I bloged
And a lot has happened since the last post (No I havnt got a job yet). September 23th, My little girl’s BF is in the hospital, they don’t know what the problem is yet. For me another empty job search day. The 24th, my group is still growing but, the growft is slowing down. At about 10:00 we were informed by Wifes best friend (Mom of our little girls BFF) that her daughter is going to in to the OR and their still not sure what problem is. My wife left for hospital (25 miles away) as the Mom was all alone with her daughter. She told me she would keep me informed.   About 13:30, she called and informed me that it was her Appendix and they got to it before it ruptured. Thank the Lord!! 25th Me and my daughter mowed the lawn, she is getting better at it. She is driving our riding mower. We were going to weed whack but could not find the power cord (no I have not been able to get gas one to work yet!), so we gave up on that. Found it much later but by that time, we were both too tired. 26th Sunday, We went to that near by church again. The are so friendly.   Later that day, we had a big family talk (not really talk and not really a fight) over, what else the lack of money and my lack of a job. Monday the 27th, another day of coming up empty in my job search. Monday the 28th, well they are widening one of the main roads in to town and have cut down a lot of trees.   So as we have a fire place, I went off and asked if I could have some. One of road workers supervisors said take it. So I, my truck and chain saw went cutting wood that they had cleared by church we have been going to. Got a good load of it and was way tired. Too tired maybe as I drove over one of church’s spot lights and broke it and my trucks wind dam. Called the pastor, informed him and offered to pay/fix it but, he said no. He was more worried that I may have damage my truck.   Well after that I went to get my daughter at school and while waiting in line the truck started to over heat. I though it was due to hot weather and the AC being on but, soon as I picked her up and got on the road. The temp started going down. As soon as, we got home and after she took a shower. We went to visit her BFF in the hospital, with me watching the temp on the truck. Every thing was OK until we got a traffic jam and the temp went up and over heating alarm went off again. Thank fully the traffic started up and temp went down. Well the visit went well and the girls (both big and little) had great visit. It real seem to help her BFF feel better.   On the way back the truck was running a little hot but, not as bad as the way in. Checked the truck after we got home, found that covering around the fan was jammed up against it and fan was not able to turn. Tuesday 29th, had to cut out part of the covering and remove the rest, so fan could turn but, now had another problem the radiator started to leak. So it was off to Auto part store and I got some stop leak. Which seems to fix the leak but, on our way to Wednesday night church, I cut a little too close to curb and slipped one of tires in to the storm drain and cut the side wall on it. Also the radiator started leaking again. This not good…..Well will finish up tomorrow, I hope!!!
posted @ Saturday, October 03, 2009 11:23 PM | Feedback (0)  
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Gray Matters international!
 

Tuesday 22nd.  Wow it has been an interesting 4 days.  Since I posted that those two messages in LinkedIn groups.  My group has taken off, I have had over 100 join in 4 days.  Wow…this is good right?  I mean I love the fact that I seem to be helping others (thank You Lord) but, at the same time, I am still out of work.   Went to pink slip networking expo on the 21st, I cost me 5 dollars to get in and there was only 5 employment vendors there.  Talk about waste of time and money and those vendors were not even hiring for my profession (gee).  Most of the time in last 4 days my job hunting has been from the PC.  At lest I got a new head hunter company interested in me.   O back to Gray Matters, I have a sub group called “Gray Matters international” so we are going world wide.  Here is a posting for it.

 

Gray Matters international, a group for and by the over 40 World wide. I started this sub group after noting that it was not just the voice of the over 40 in the USA that was not being heard or noted, in the matter of getting jobs. It was world wide, people whose wealth of experience should make them on the top of the hire list, were not even on the list. The main reson seem to be that they were over the age of 40. They could not find work, no matter what their qualifications were and believe me some had qualifications that made me look like entry level. Our/my main focus is to help my fellow over qualified job seekers world wide. We have in the main group Job Search Coaches, recruiters and news sources for the over 40 crew. We also have a under used JOB section. Which I urge you to post any jobs, here in the USA or international, your come arross that you think some one in our group could do. I also urge you to post news and helps here too. I don’t know about you but, I AM NOT OVER THE HILL, I AM ON TOP OF THE HILL

 

I know it is almost the same as my main group but, I need to get the same message a cross world wide.

posted @ Tuesday, September 22, 2009 11:27 PM | Feedback (0)