AT THE END OF YOUR WORKING LIFE? SORRY, WORK MAY NOT END UNTIL LIFE ENDS

The Author found two interesting articles in the New York Times Money and Business Section. One is addressed to the new job entrant, the kid out of college.

Nah. At 51 and facing meagre job prospects in New Mexico (or anywhere else, it seems), the new kids can figure it out on their own. Sorry, not unsympathetic. Just not moved to action.

The other is kind of interesting. It is addressed to people closer to their last jobs. The article is entitled "Shifting Careers: Options for those Non-Retiring Boomers".

The message. Big pay cuts, but there are opportunities. It is a matter of perspective and expectations. Expect little, and make provisions for a lot less. There is a reason it is called "work".

More interesting perhaps are the comments:

Since retiring to Maui in 2005, I’ve been busier than any other time in my life... Sorry homes, if you can retire in Maui you would have never had to work again anyway.

After spending 27 years in the public sector as a U.S. Administrative Law Judge, I plan to retire and earn some “real” money. My son will graduate from law school next June and will earn $160,000 to start. [He is getting a one in a thousand shot at a big-law firm job. Most graduating lawyers are on the bum.]That is more than I earn with a total of almost 40 years of legal experience!...

Break out the violins. Here’s my story. In 2003 at the age of fifty I was downsized out of my IT position at a major Wall St. firm (hint: the CEO and COB of this firm resigned last October after presiding over a 9 billion dollar loss, yet he was allowed to exercise his stock options to the tune of 140 million). It took me 3 years before I could find a comparable full time job. But not before I expended my retirement savings fund.

I would love to have the luxury of finding meaningful work but I have to focus on work that improves my bottom line before I reach 65

The last one hits close to home. Too close. But in the Author's case, he has no kids, lives frugally, and never lives long enough in one place to justify buying real estate.

HARD LIFE, HARDER LESSONS IN THE DESERT OF THE REAL!