My NexT Career
NEXT CAREER
Sometimes I think I know what I want to be when I grow up, and then slam dunk, I am off on another tangent.
I have done the wife bit well, and the parent bit, still a work in progress and the career search, mes ah mes. I have loved it all and have a fairly good tract record. Now let’s see what lies ahead.
I was thinking of being the creative designer for T-Shirt slogans, then bumper stickers, political sound bites and lipstick color names. I am pushing an IPO named NowOrNever, stock symbol, NON. Looks sharp in Helvetica 14 pts.
How about smashing and recycling family china, mine, yours and the neighbor who always says, ”We must get together.” but you never do. I assure you Ikea would buy up the chips and pieces and create 3 million must have pot trivets assembled in China for the Foodies.
Forget about these, lend your ear to the best one yet. I am getting in early on Fan Clubs for binge-worthy video characters. I could have a side gig selling costume jewelry for the Period shows I enjoy, and maybe some Dick Tracy rings for the espionage crowd. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but, now they do shows with actors discussing the dreams and aspirations of the characters they play, as if they really exist. It’s an inside outside world, not to be mistaken for our own.
The actors from Downton Abbey discuss teaching etiquette and proper menu selection to their “children”, in character. I think of some of mine with their farm to table pursuits, eating obscure grains and tree bark.
There always were groupies for authors and actors, such as Jane Austin, Agatha Christie, Hitchcock, Frannkie, but did we have fan clubs for Myrna Loy and William Powell’s characters?(Nick And Nora Charles in the Thim Man) Did they tell us how to buy our clothes, wave our hair, or how they trained their dog Asta? Did we really need to know or want to? I would think we are at the point where we don’t want to tell anyone anything; two footed or four footed. Some still try and maybe there is a niche for it.
Can anyone teach manners to politicians and journalists? let alone police and protesters. Clearly I don’t think so. Simple tactics were for simple times, but who knows.
However, our need for escapism is running rampant. Entertainment platforms are growing daily as we are exposed to the harsh realities of real time. There are so many: Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Peacock etc. The programing is incredible, and I could really be happy watching all day.
Back in the day, Madison Ave. locked account managers in closets until they came up with a brand name, an iconic image, or a product we did not know we needed. Then we bought it. I guess that’s capitalism or Bill Gates or the Apple guy, Jobs.
Today, pause, is gone already, tomorrow there will be millions of cell phones clicking images of the next meme to swamp us. Apps and streaming, clouds and devices??? Come on, its too much to deal with.
Meme, I pretend to know what it means. But clearly I don’t. My grand kids say, “Just look at Instagram, it’s all there for you.” But clearly I don’t want to. I want to watch North By NorthWest for the 19th time. I am obsessed with it and Cary Grant. I am obsessed with screens. I spend too much valuable time in front of the computer and the TV. It takes me back to happier times. Falling off Mount Rushmore is an easy fix, after a quick glance at todays news channels.
I know you don’t care what I am obsessed with and why should you. But Please tell me your obsession, as I am needy for a new interest, that maybe we could monetize. My IPO just tanked. The biggest and grandest flop ever. By the way, NowOrNever was a company that made ON/OFF Switches. I thought it was a great idea. At least you didn’t have to Log In.
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