According to Geraldine...........

And, Phoenix with your talent, if anyone deserves a 2nd career, it's you.

Geraldine says "I was really making a plea - given the massive shift that is going on - for us to think more imaginatively about how we structure work over a lifetime.

Only the likes of the pope, the queen and Alex Ferguson can afford to think imaginatively - the rest of us have little or no say in how we 'structure work over a lifetime'.

I never structured anything in my life - more sort of lurched.

Galen Atta girl.

Well said, Riverwalk!

Riverwalk Respect!

graces thanks for the recognition,I need to work to support E 5 job applications,this week all different types of work a Jill of all trades master of none ,wondering how many interviews out of that lot,my return to work advisor trainer as nice as she is has no idea of the living in the real world.....she actually believes I have a choice of wether I take first one offered ...well you tell Atos and DWP that one then!! I am finding the voluntary work very rewarding and interesting,and getting involved in community events enjoyable....mum used to say put the broom up my b*m and I will sweep the floor as I go..

NellieSmol Your mum must have been one wonderful lady.

In my lifetime I've kept several balls in the air. We women can do that sort of thing [with panache]. I've worked as a civil servant, proof reader, accounts clerk, managed a retail outlet x2, a pharmacy assistant, nanny/hosekeeper, live-in general assistant in a hotel, cashier in a night club, cleaning lady for several families, moved furniture/tended gardens/, sold my own artwork from a small gallery, reproduced my artwork into greeting cards and sold to local shops. From time to time, I still do piles of ironing for a good friend. I've never been work-shy. A thing called old age is slowing me down and preventing me from being the busy person of yesteryear. Just saying...

She was soop ......she had me

Exactly! NellieSmol

soop, you make me feel tired just reading your CV! You make me feel very one-dimensional!

...but very interesting just the same, anno

During the busiest time of my life, I worked as a proof reader until 5:30...walked two miles home, had a shower and a bite to eat and left for job as bar person/cashier on the gambling table of a night club at 8:30. Job started 9:00 until 3:00 A.M. Harry, the doorman, took the girls home after the club closed. Bed by 4-ish and back to proof reading by 9:00. Slept under knee-hole desk during coffee/lunch breaks. On one occasion a prof gambler from the States played blackjack until I made a steak sandwich for him at breakfast-time. He tipped me £20...a lot in the mid sixties.

This is where I leave you lovely lot and wish you a very pleasant weekend.

That sounds like Radio 4 closing down for the night.

Oh yes...and I was a receptionist in a photographic studio, after which, I became the photographer's on-the-road rep...calling on businesses in order to introduce his portfolio and secure possible brochure work.
I'm dismayed to find that even though I earned a living as a proof reader [almost 50 years ago] I now struggle to punctuate my own threads.

The sorts of examples given - queen, pope, Alex Ferguson, Ben Fogle, etc., are not in run-of-the-mill jobs. Many people, including myself, have done jobs that they don't particularly like or that are very physically taxing. They may well be thoroughly relieved to retire. That's not to say that people shouldn't pursue other careers if they wish and are able to. And, let's face it, many retirees are doing other unpaid jobs looking after grandchildren (and elderly parents).