To old to work to young to retire

It was interesting to listen to the news last weekend where a man had been sacked for being to old to be  a salesman at 53. It is likely that he was actually not meeting his targets for which the company let him go. His manager, whom I presume was inexperienced in these matters, said they were letting him go due to his age and of course as we all know you cannot do that.
 I know that while I was looking for work,  I found that people judged me because of my age but they were usually more discrete about it and used another excuse for me not getting the job. However I have recently got myself a new job and I have to say that age was, this time, in my favour as it is a job that a young, inexperienced person would struggle with.

Any freebies for the over 50's

Tuesday 2 July 2013 - Well I have not posted anything for a couple of weeks as it has been very busy here. I have actually had nearly two full weeks at work which, when you have been out of the workforce for so long, is very tiring. I have also been working at three different places so my head is somewhat buzzing. When I leave in the morning I am thinking which direction I am going to travel in as they are all in different places. Anyway I have actually managed to get myself a part time job in the village where I live and I am really looking forward to working there on a regular basis.
 I was, however, talking to one of the ladies in one of my other places of work and she was saying how different she is finding working now that she is about to turn 50. She finds that others in her team who are younger look at her more as a "Mum" figure rather than a colleague to go out with and it had surprised her in the different ways things are changing. It was a very interesting chat.
I have also been looking around to see what is available to those over 50 and to be honest there is very little. Some websites offer things for over 50's but when you look into it they are for those over 60 and beyond for example bus passes, free TV licences (not that I think we should be paying for Tv lincence anyway). You can get better insurance deals if you shop around and they do a dating service for anyone who is interested but not a lot of anything else. Please do let me know if you find anything else. Thats all for now have a good week.

Never to old to take up new things.

Sunday 9th June 2013 - At 53 years old I have just run my very first Half Marathon at St Albans. I have been training since February and including today, I have been out 50 times. This adds up to 229 miles run in total and over 25,580 calories burnt off. I am so pleased with today, if you had told me 3 years ago that I would be taking part in a half marathon I would probably have laughed at you but never the less I have completed one so it just goes to prove you are never to old to take up new Hobbies or to run a half marathon. Now I need to think what to do next! 

Camping weekend of fun

Tuesday 4 June 2013 - Phew what a busy week. Well I started off the week going to Manchester for a 50's make over and a photo shoot at a seam railway station, for a hen party. It was really busy but fun and the photo's have come out fab.
Anyway following that we had arranged to go camping for the weekend with friends. I really enjoy camping (unless its raining of course)  but our unit is very big and now the kids are no longer with us it takes a while to put it up on our own. Anyway we went and had a wonderful time. The sun came out which I hadn't expected it to.The company was good there were 6 groups in total, some with children, some without. Needless to say we were the oldest couple there but it didn't matter. There was lots of laughter, lots of drinking (although no one was to silly) and lots of good food so a good time was had by all. It was so good that 3 sets of us decided to stay another night and didn't come home until Monday. Well if you are going to be redundant in a month we didn't think one day would  really matter.

Another one bites the dust!

Sunday 26 May 2013 - Well we are not yet half way through the year and we have had yet more life changing news that we are going to have to deal with. Last week my husband was advised that he is to be made redundant at the end of June 2013. I was made redundant 18 months ago so now neither of us will have a proper job. Today we had a bbq with some family members, there were 8 of us all together and out of that 8 only one person is a tax payer! 2 are retired, 3 have been made redundant, one is on long term sick and will never work again, one is not earning enough to pay tax despite having a full time job and one is actually paying tax. I guess we should be worried however I think we will look at this as an opportunity to make some changes to our lives and perhaps fit in more of the things we would like to do rather than worrying about the things we should be doing. Non of us know what is around the corner and I think at times you do have to ask yourself what it is you want out of life, it is after all shorter than you think........................

Is exercise good for you when you are over 50!

Saturday 18th May 2013 - I have just posted a log on my running blog and thought I would have a look at what the advise is on taking up running when you are over 50. Most people will tell you that "they cannot run" and  "it would be bad for their joints". Well if you have never run or not run for a while it will take time to build up your time and distance. It will also be affected by how fit you are and how fat you are. I have always said I could not run (couldn't do it at school) but with a little help and encouragement from friends I started to run and I am about to take part in a half marathon.

I became very unfit and fat in my 40's and when I realised I needed to  do something about it I had to look at what exercise to do and I started with swimming and Tia Chi as these fitted in with my life at the time. I have lost weight (but still need to loose a stone)  and feel a lot better for the exercise I do it certainly helps with the "sad moods" as you get that feel good factor. I try and exercise about 5 days out of 7 and as well as running I go to yoga, go walking, swimming or just go on my exercise cycle for 30 minutes. I don't go to the gym as for me they are to expensive and I like being out in the fresh air (not in the rain though).

Why not give exercising a go what have you got to loose. Be practical about what you take up, take advise from the experts if you are unsure and have fun fun fun.

Having fun at 50

I think that a generation ago things were very different for those who reached their 50s, people very often went from being parents to becoming grandparents on reaching 50 but now that couples are choosing to have families later on in life there is a little bit of time when you get to 50 that you have to yourselves. We have been "kid free" for the last few years and this has given us the opportunity to reflect on what we have done and what we would still like to do. It is also nice to be able to say "yes" when friends ask  you  to go to the pub instead of thinking who you have to pick up/drop off for what event.  I have started running and I am now a lot fitter and slimmer than I have been for years. I have time to got out to lunch with friends. We have thought about what travelling we still want to do so have been on safari in Africa and to Egypt and are now looking at where to go next.

At 50 you realise that life is much bigger than you every knew and you see that time has the ability to heal and what you think is really dreadful may sometimes turn out to be a blessing. I think you realise that you need to take every opportunity that is given to you and make the most of it. You can still let your inner child out but now you can put it down to age! You do not have to look old, feel old or act old you can still have fun.

Volunteering do you have any spare time

Having been unemployed for 18 months you tend to have a bit of spare time on your hands so I thought I would do some volunteering and give some of my time back to the community. Firstly I was surprised to find out that if you are seeking unemployment benefit then you are not allowed to carry out voluntary work as you are not actively seeking paid work and you may get your benefit stopped is it just me or does this seem ludicrous!!

Did you know that more females volunteer than males and it is mainly students or those over 50 who volunteer. Over 20 million people volunteer each year in England and they donate over 100 million hours of their time.

I used to do some volunteering work when the children were small and they used to come with me on fund raising events. They are now grown up and have themselves got involved in volunteering projects.  I now go into a local primary school to help with children's reading and I have just started helping out with the children's 100 word challenge project.  I would recommend anyone who has time on their hands to give some time back to your local community, it gives you a sense of worth and pride.
There is a volunteering week from the 1st to 7th June 2013perhaps you too have time on your hands and would like to give something back to your community give it a go what have you got to loose.

What to do when you are over 50

Sunday 28 April 2013 - Last week we had a leaflet through the door asking if we wanted to go to the over 50's activity day that was being held in the village the following week. I have seen these advertised before and have always wondered what the deal was behind them as most people are still at work in their 50's and if they are not they are more than capable of getting out and about anyway. I was going to go and have a look but in the end I didn't have time however it got me thinking about the AGE thing again.

I think we would all agree we are not at energetic as we were in our 20's and that our joints create from time to time but as someone who took up running at 49 years old I am a lot fitter now that I was in my 40's (and a bit slimmer). I think we need to change the perception of younger people on how we feel when we are heading  towards the best years of our lives.

Having a looked on line there is a website that offers "Gap years for the over 50's" how good is that and there are all sorts of other things you can do; wine tasting, helping honey bees survive and taking up blogging are just a few. So lets change peoples perception of us slightly mature peeps who don't always want to knit (I was doing that in my 20s).

Bucket or wish list.

I know I haven't posted anything for a week I seem to be so busy. You think that being unemployed you have all the time in the world but I have so much on I wounder how I will fit work in again when I do get a job.

Today has been lovely, very warm although a little windy. Anyway I though it was about time I had the roof down on the car this year so I pulled into a la by and took the roof down it was lovely to be driving with fresh air flying around you.

I was going to buy a soft top car in my twenties it was going to by the next car I bought after I had had my new one (also on my bucket list to buy my own brand new car). Anyway I didn't get the chance to buy one as I got married and with children soon after it would not have been practical.

After reviewing my bucket list a couple of years ago I said I was going to take it off my list however now with my children flying the nest I  treat myself to one. It is only a small one, and it has hard, fold away top, but I have really loved using it. It is very impractical as it only has two seats and very little boot space but it is lovely on a sunny day to drive with the top down.

Other things on my list that I have achieved are: Fly in a helicopter, travel in a hot air balloon, visit Disney Land and lots more travelling. Do you have a list?

50 years old how do you find it.

Last weekend I was having a conversation with a gentleman whom I see occasionally but do not know that well. We have always got on and I thought this was because he saw me as an equal but it turns out he sees me as a lady of his mothers age  and someone who should be respected. It was, for me, another one of those jaw dropping moments however he was actually being very respectful to me.

So this week I decided to see how other people get on and I have been asking friends how they found it when they got to their 50th birthday and if they have noticed any difference at all. This has been very interesting and on the whole most people have actually noticed a difference.

One friend said it is her family who now see her differently, having just retiried early from work she is enjoying some free time and spending time with her very first grand child. She said that if there is something she doesn't quite get they just say "ah bless" and imply it is her age.....

Another friend said she has noticed she gets a lot of respect at work as she is now an older person in her profession. This is nice to have a very positive note about being older.

One of my running partners said she has noticed a difference at work but it is mixed with some negative and some positive feed back. She herself decided when she got to 50 that is was time for a change and  she took up running in a big way. She is taking part in the London Marathon this year. We wish you good luck with this venture go girl...

Lastly I asked this question to two other friends who are nearer 70 years old rather than 50 and they really couldn't remember anything that had changed when they got to 50 but did admin it was a while ago and they are feeling older now anyway. Both have been  retired for some time and I love the times I get together for a catch up with them.

Our Changing world

 

The top ten in demand jobs in 2010 did not exist in 2004

Today's learners will have 10 to 14 jobs by the time they reach 38

1 in 4 workers have been with their current employer less than a year

1 - 2 workers have been with them less than 5 years.

These are some fascinating statistics and it is amazing to think that we are actually teaching children who will be applying for jobs that do not yet exist and I thought deciding on a career was difficult! 

In all my time of working I have only had 3 employers  but clearly this is not the way the world is working anymore. It seems as  though there is no such thing as rewarding loyalty any more. We have seen this with insurance companies if you stay with the same company, year after year, you will pay a lot more than if you shop around and change companies, as we all know it is the same with energy companies but is this a good thing we will have to wait and see?

I know that kids today would not be able to live without a mobile phone or a computer but it would be interesting to try it for a while to see how they got on,  after all we managed to live without them for a number of years very successfully. I wonder what will be the "must have, cannot live without "  gadget that we will be using in 10 or 15 years time  and will I want to learn how to use it!

Do we ever stop learning.

Do we ever stop learning I think not. If you asked my Mum  this question she would say that she is to old to learn anything but in her 80's she has a mobile phone and has learnt to text so that she can keep in touch with us all. Sometimes she gets it wrong or looses the text and has to start again but never the less she can usually manage to send us all a text on a regular basis.

In my last job I took on a role that was a very steep learning curve and, at times, I did feel as though I was very much outside my comfort zone.At the same time it was all good experience and I am pleased I was given the opportunity to try new things. Since I was made redundant I have had more time to try things that I just didn't have time to do with a busy job and other commitments. For example I have started blogging and I am loving it, this is my second blog and I might even look at starting another one. I am looking into Twitter but this I find more of a challenge to understand why I would need to use it. I have dabbled with making and selling my own crafts on line, by craft fairs and by party selling this did not work well however it was worth a try.  I have also had time to spend a bit more time in the kitchen and try different recipe's using different foods, herbs and ingredients. Some meals have turned out very yummy but others have not been so good and we will not try again. Well time for me to go and see what else I can look into learning.

What is good about being 50

So is there anything that is good about being 50. If you were to ask a teenager this question they would probably tell you that you were old and that you will soon die. However when all of a sudden you get to 50 you do wonder where all those years went. I may have had my 50th birthday a while ago but I don't feel old, I feel wiser, I still like having fun and I don't see any reason why I shouldn't be silly when I want to.

The last 20 or so years were spent raising a family and watching them grow into adults and finding their own way in the world, letting them make their own mistakes but being their to guide them if they need you. I am so proud of them.

I have to confess I do have a bucket list that I am working through. I started the list when I was very young  and then it was a "wish list". I was going to write to "Jim will fix it" (pleased I didn't) On my list was to go on an aeroplane, to go abroad, to go in a hot air balloon. Although these things seem very small now, to a child growing up in the 60's, these were things that other people did and we did not.  The name of my list was changed to a Bucket List  after the film came out and my daughter renamed it (she has her own list and is also working her way through hers too). I am steadily working through it and I have to confess that as I tick off somethings I also still add others, its fun to look at what you have achieved and when.

Getting a job when you are over 50's

Things have changed a lot in 50 years but you would expect them to really we don't want to be staying the same but how do you keep up!

After 17 years working for a local authority I was made redundant, 3 years before I could take my pension. I am looking for work but almost a year and a half later I am still looking.

So what is the difference between me looking for work at 50 and me looking for work at 30. I have far more experience in life and have covered a variety of jobs during my time at work. I have had a few interviews but most of the time I have had no reply at all.  What has been interesting  with the few interviews I have had is that I have been asked if " I am set in my ways after spending 17 years working in one job" and "what new things have I tried recently" I am sure that neither of these questions were asked of the other candidates.

The only difference I can see between getting a job now and getting one 20 years ago is that I am over 50 and I cannot change that I am still me. I like to have a laugh, love spending time with my family and friends, like being creative with crafts and enjoy travelling does that make me an odd person I don't think so.

Welcome to my new blog "Is there life after you are 50"

It is a couple of years,well nearly 3 actually, since my 50 birthday and I have noticed little changes in the way people view me and to start with I found it difficult to accept.

For example a couple of years ago I bumped into a work colleague who was on maternity leave at the time and we were discussing the cute new baby when I was asked if I had any grandchildren! It was one of those moments when you feel as though someone has just slapped you hard. My mind went into overdrive; oh my goodness do I look that old, I am not that old I am only 50! My response was "I am still trying to get my children to leave home let alone think about grandchildren".  It was an innocent remark but to me it was very important comment and has stayed with me.

When I actually had my 50th birthday I was not worried at all and I had a really nice party to celebrate with family and friends. It is only as the last 3 years have progressed that I have noticed how differently I am now treated. Another example is when we were on holiday last year in Africa we were addressed as "Mama and Papa". People were not being unkind they were actually being respectful but it was a noticeable difference that we are now seen as the older generation. We  met various people on holiday (as you do) but one young couple keep referring to her Mum when we were in conversation and what she would do rather than talking to me about her life as she didn't see me as an equal to her generation.

So where has 50 taken me so far? I will leave this for my next entry I think.