Eight (7/27)

I didn’t really have anything planned for this one, so I’m going to put up something that I’d written, and didn’t publish a few weeks ago.


I’ve complained, perhaps incessantly, about the stupidity that is LinkedIn.
Late last week, I got a suggestion that I connect with my father.
My dad died nearly eight years ago.
Words fail. Please, please, please shut off your email snooping, you all.
Yes, I’ve got emails dating back years and years; it doesn’t mean that I ever want (or can) speak to those people again.
Still, what’s happening, though, and why LinkedIn is a pond filled with just about only recruiters these days, is that companies are moving almost exclusively to having contract employees.
My new role, I get, at least, paid holidays, and time off. What do I not get? The sacrosanct health insurance, and any 401K match at all.
You know what, though, for most of my life, I’ve not had those things.
Older politicians ran on destruction of the “gig economy” not long ago, while people her age are working forever, and getting rich off reflated housing and equity markets.
So What?
I’m going to point out what I’ve had to deal with as one of the youngest Generation Xers. You will see it on my resume, which will be as long as it needs to be to cover my varied work history. It will not be a two-page Microsoft Word 97 document. Sorry.
To the arts major recruiters, consider your favorite author. How would his/her (yes, I know, that’s sys-gendered…..) works


After I’d bitched about LI on Twitter, they asked me for the link to his profile.  Uhh.  I don’t know?  I didn’t look closely.  He had several addresses, but he’s been dead almost eight years.
Maybe, just maybe, you’re just a little bit fucking overzealous?  Speaking to someone about them, he said that he actually managed to delete his account.  If I had motivation, I might try to find a way to do that, myself.
I did rewrite my resume to separate out my volunteer, part-time, self-employment, and contract work.
Katie Recruiter, you’re quite comely in your LinkedIn profile.  How about you read what I wrote, to find out if I’ve done the things you’re looking for.
Enough with that, though.  There’s not a lot else to say, really.
AT the same time, I”m tiring of all this job search stuff.  I do like where I am, what I’m doing, so why am I even thinking about anything else?
Maybe I’m a little flattered that I’m getting so much attention.
But what’s the career equivalent of scratching my head with my sinister hand to prominently display the ring on one of the fingers?
What else could I write about…..hmmm….
One of the interesting things I’ve recently heard with my marathon podcast sessions while I”m working is that this is kind of another major change in economics going on.
It’s a bit like Feudalism, or the Industrial Revolution.  You now don’t need to actually own/horde much of anything.  This is a big change from what people are accustomed to in Western societies.
I’m thinking of the “All I Need” scene from The Jerk.
No, I actually don’t need much of anything, really.  Yes, there’s a few things which have particular sentimental value, but, if I”m not going to use them anytime soon, why do I keep them?
I have a tuxedo, which I bought in probably 2000, because I had something like five events within about a nine-month period   In the *gasp* eighteen years ensuing, I think I’ve worn it once.
I’m nearly certain that it doesn’t fit anymore;  I’m probably about 30 pounds lighter than I was when I bought it.
So how much have I spent housing that?
The same goes for various tools, kitchen implements, etc.
How much have I spent to keep these things?
Kind of what I”m coming to, and I’m sure my wife doesn’t agree with me on this, so there’s persuading to be done, is four tiers of things.
Tier I:  Immediate use/consumables.  This would be things like pershible food.
Tier II:  Mid-term.  So foods that will store, medications, etc.  90-day retention limit.
Tier III:  Most everything else.  If you haven’t used it in a year, get rid of it.
Tier I :  Sentimental things.  No time limit.
Finalizing this in my scarred brain, and winning others over on it….that’s going to take time.
I’m going to shut up now;  it’s the weekend.