Mad Macedonian

Geezer Con, or I've joined the 50+ Set, So Now What? - Part 4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 As a new day dawns in my life I must find the strength, courage, knowledge, and heart to take those neccessary steps to change my life for the better.

In America, these days, it is not the best of times, but the worst of times, for many.

I have been unemployed for over a year, and am recovering from a badly broken ankle.

However, I choose not to march in the streets, and blame the world for my situation, instead taking the time to gain new knowledge, and inspiration, for the challenges I know are ahead, as I find a new life, and even a new place, for myself in the world.

I choose to believe that it will, once again, be Morning in America, and our nation will, once again, take its rightful place as the freeist, most exceptional, most powerful, most productive, nation on the planet, leading the world to a better, more prosperous, future.

 I took a slew of computer classes, and while I grateful for support, and encouragement, from several friends, I have also done, and plan to still do, plenty of reading, for inspiration, and ideas, moving forward.

I have read, and plan to read, a variety of books from the Bible (& books by Diarmand MacCulloch on the History of Christianity, & the Reformation), to inspirational self-help by Norman Vincent Peale, Glenn Beck, Dale Carnegie, Seth Grodin, Tim Sanders, Richard Carlson, Dan Miller, Julia Cameron (On Creative Writing), Richard Leider, and Chris Gardner.

In my last post I wrote about one of my favortite session at The Life @ 50+ Convention ( This series actually begins with a Prelude ), the Tim Leider session.

The other session I really enjoyed was by Chris Gardner, the guy Will Smith played in the film about his life, The Pursuit of Happyness.

These 2 men are behind The Life Reimagined Project:

This Movement is "a special project with a laudable goal: to forge a vibrant and supportive peer-to-peer network of people seeking to discover “what's next” in their lives. Life Reimagined provides guidance, connections and resources for people who are navigating the shifting world of work, forging new relationships and planning the next steps to their goals and dreams."

I've never seen the film, or read the autobiography but the description of his talk on "Reimagining your life" interested me.

I love the American Republic, I Love Freedom, I Love Capitalism, and I'm with Hank!

 

 

Occupy THIS!!! 

All you Commies, Socialists, and your delusional, gullable, Useful Idiots?

KEEP THE CHANGE!!!

THE JABBERLIBERAL (Updated from 2006, this is a Fall 2011 Edition.)

'Twas brobby, and the flizzy wotes
Did ziffle and wapple in the yillie;
All ninsle were the jorigives,
And the rume taths ingrobie.

'Beware the Jabberliberal, my friend!
The pen that writes, the mouth that talks!
Beware the Jubleftie Snake, and the wind
Out the rear of the Occupy Wall St. Squawks!'

He took his verpil Microphone in hand:
So long the tinzeme enemy he hunted--
Finally rested he by the BumBum stand,
Then stood awhile and grunted.

And, as in deep contemplation he stood,
The Jabberliberal, with nostrils flaring,
Came shuffling  through the neighborhood,
And screeched loudly without caring!

"I am Occupy America!!" And, calmly and truly
The microphone spoke Conservative!
He left it hoarse, its voice gone Blooey
He then let loose with a happy expletive!

'And, Glenn Beck, did you silence the Jabberliberal?
Come out of my radio, my voice of reason!
O dribjous day! Yeehaw! Yaziberal!'
I chortled and tried to keep from sneezin'.

'Twas brobby, and the flizzy wotes
Did ziffle and wapple in the yillie;
All ninsle were the jorigives,
And the rume taths ingrobie.

Geezer Con, or I've joined the 50+ Set, So Now What? - Part 3

 

Off to the sessions, at The Life @ 50+ Convention ( This series actually begins with a Prelude ), I went. 

The Tips from the Money Coach session was full of advice about such things as...

1. Pay yourself first w/a savings account.

2. Include a Savings Category in your Budget.

3. Include something in your Budget that you like.

4. Don't spend more than you earn.

5. Evaluate the people, places, & products, in your life.

6. Adjust your w-4 to tweak it so fewer taxes are taken out of your paycheck.

7. Try to have an Emergency Fund with a 3 month cushion.

8. Try to have a Rainy Day Fund of $500 - $1500.

9. See if your Credit Card Co. will lower the intereat rate, & ask for a payment date change if it would help you out.

10. Try to pay 2 - 3 times the monthly minimum on your Credit Cards.

The Turning Your Passion into a career on You Tube session talked about earning $$ thru partnering with You Tube.

I have a You Tube Channel, though it's been a while since I last posted anything, and I still have a lot to learn.

MadMacedonian Broadcast Network

What do ya think? do the Cats, & I, have any potential? I have some ideas, and plan to get back in action, soon, I hope. ;-D

 

Geezer Con, or I've joined the 50+ Set, So Now What? - Part 2

 

Throughout each day, at The Life @ 50+ Convention ( This series actually begins with a Prelude ), there were lots of sessions for attendees to sit in on, on a variety of  subjects, from lifestyle related to health, travel, career, and finances.

Some were better attended than others based on my own experience.

While wandering the exhibit hall was fun, and interesting, I was mainly interested in several of the sessions, & I found each one that I attended interesting, and valuable, a couple especially so.

 

Geezer Con, or I've joined the 50+ Set, So Now What?

It's just after Noon, on a beautiful Sunday in early October, and my statcounter says the 40,000th visitor to take a look at this blog since it began 4 years ago this very weekend (The Coming of the Mad Macedonian - A 3 Part story, with pictures, too! - if you think you understand this blog, or me, let this series be a lesson to ya, hee, hee!)

Reading that series, for the first time in years, made me smile at the appropriateness of it in relation to where I'm at today, and hope to head in the future, and as an introduction to this blog. ;-D

The Maceyugoserbulgarigreekadonian Compound is not something easily squeezed onto the back of a T-Shirt, and certainly wouldn't fit on a business card, but it suits my peculiar sense of humor, and my pride in my European heritage. ;-D

What did I see in this county when I came here in 2002, and began my first blog?

I saw a chance to start over, re-invent myself, and build a new, and better, life.

 

A lot has happened in my life, in almost a decade, most of it positive, but California has long since ceased being the great state that my parents came to in the 40's, & 50's and, this past year of unemployment has led me to do some things to try to improve myself, and inspire myself, and attending the AARP Life @ 50+ Convention was another step along that road.

On Sept. 22-23 I attended this "Geezer Con" (This series actually begins with a Prelude), intent on attending some sessions on subjects that I hoped would give me food for thought, and inspiration, as I plan for the future.

I had a great time, from the moment I arrived, and had to explain to a couple of young Hispanic volunteers at an entrance doot just what a "Geezer" was, to the silliness I indulged in towards the end of my visit the next afternoon, and learned a lot, coming away with much to think about.

 

Prelude to Geezer Con (The AARP Life At 50+ Convention)

Sometimes, over the past year, the future has looked very cloudy, to me, making it hard to see very far ahead, or think clearly about a new direction in my life.

In the weeks since I attended the AARP Life @ 50+ Convention, in Los Angeles, I've walked along the beach, at sunset, in Newport Beach, and stood at dawn on the cliff overlooking the Newport Bay Nature Preserve, occassionally resting, and working on the story of my 2 days at the Convention, what I learned from it, the sessions attended, & 1 book I've been reading since that I believe will help guide me toward the rest of my life.

Yesterday was a clear day &, just as the sun was setting on this cool evening, and I stood on the highest point of land in all of Orange County, I couldn't help but believe that the sun was setting on the first half of my life (Below I look toward the distant Mt. Baldy, Pomona, Claremont, and Forest Lawn whre my parents are buried)...

 

and just as change is, I believe, in store for America, & the world, this coming Election Season (Below I am looking at the tall buildings of Downtown Los Angeles where some bizarre "Happening", called Occupy LA, has been busily disrupting the lives of ordinary Americans who work downtown, or are just passing thru, on whtever task they are engaged in.)...

 

my life is due for a change, maybe several changes, all for the better.