What do you do when the regular paycheck comes to a
screeching halt, and the illusion of security that comes from a steady job vanishes? What if you are to young (and broke) to retire, and employers think you are to old work? You get creative, you reinvent yourself, you launch a never ending learning curve, and you saddle up for one hell of a wild ride!
The Johnson Canyon tunnel was deemed an engineering marvel when completed in the early 1880’s.
Writing in various forms worked well as a second job. It was always the day job, however, that supported the writing habit and that paid the bills. Two years and four months ago everything changed. No paycheck, no job, and employers that worked very, very hard to avoid hiring someone of my age. Now what?
Well, my dearest friend proposed something daring; transform the second job into the full time job, and enjoy life in the process. Fast forward to January of 2108. Fortune has proven elusive but life has seldom been more enjoyable. As an added bonus we are providing a needed service by developing Jim Hinckley’s America as a multifaceted marketing and promotional network for small business owners, artists, and communities, and an educational resource. It is the latter that I would like to address today.
Photo courtesy Mohave Museum of History & Arts.
Currently my presentations fall into three primary categories; Route 66 and American southwest tourism and history, tourism as a component in economic development, and the infancy of the American auto industry. These are all linked. As an example, a presentation on Route 66 will often touch on the National Old Trails Road and the trip Edesl Ford, son of Edsel made in 1915. It is is an impossibility to talk about the economic impact of Route 66 on rural communities, and not touch on the foundations of the renaissance.
This year I will add a fourth linked component, education. People my age and bit older have an array of skill sets, attributes, and talents that can be utilized for community revitalization initiatives, to assist in the preservation of Route 66 and historic automotive sites, and to assist in the development of promotional networks. Many, however, are in need of a bit of encouragement, and a whole lot of information needed to apply their skill sets and talents in a very technological world. So, expect my presentations, blog posts, and live programs to take on a more educational angle soon. I will also be making this a focus for some of the exclusive content provided on the crowdfunding platform.
