BE RELEVANT

Make new skill sets. Never stop training your self and staying current. Ever.

You can’t. You’re “old”. Without skills? You have ... “experience”...in something.

Be knowledgeable about what you need to know for the job you want. There’s a laundry list of software, I should know if I want to progress and make more money. So I learn. On my own. I go to Meetup(s) to network and meet others doing the same as me. And when I think I’m “dumb” or unqualified? Someone tells me otherwise because of my knowledge. But I never stop now. It’s 3 am and I’m learning Drupal. Don’t know what Drupal is? Either did I til I had to -- or at least to myself -- learn about it

Don’t make it harder on yourselves.

Bring some of your swagger to the job interview with feaking knowledge. You know how there’s always some older freak with the brainiacs in every stereotype of Silicon Valley or the modern workplace? I am that guy.

And I am because of what I know.

You have to. It’s the only way to be relevant.

ANOTHER TIP -- IF YOU OUTWARDLY LOOK AND DRESS OLD -- NOT STUPIDLY TRYING TO BE YOUNG -- BUT JUST...”OLD”?

Guess what? You will be treated that way.

Lose those pounds, get a haircut. Haven’t bought clothes in years? Go do so. And I don’t want to hear about money. There’s cheap clothes everywhere.

People around you will react in kind.

My lunch hour? I walk 3 miles to offset the donuts I just got handed in the break room grabbing coffee. It’d be real easy to just wolf some pastries down and surf the internet. But no, I switch shoes and hit the pavement and when I come back, I’m relaxed, feel good about myself and got some sun. I love working in the city again, because everyone walks. No cars to go across the street. My life has not been easy.

The past year has been ridiculously trying. At times, I wonder how I do it. AND I KNOW WHY...

I’m a survivor.

If you’re Godzilla, you better eat me because I will get up and keep coming. EVEN WHEN MY HEAD IS SAYING -- DONT BOTHER -- I GE T UP AND I KEEP COMING;

HAPPY NEW YEAR

#age #discrimination