When we leave the bosom of education, whether it is university, technical or high school, we enter the real world – employment. Some of us use what we have learned, some of us explore vocations unrelated to our education and some of us slide by not knowing what to do with our employment life.
During our career, climbing the ladder in the corporate world or forgoing the gray flannel suit to enter the entrepreneurial world, we reach for the gold ring, stretching to find a pension or gambling that we will make enough green to see ourselves through our golden years.
Changing a career can be a difficult choice, sometimes increasing income or moving to something more important than money – doing a job you love.
I found it interesting when I read an article about state Sen. Steve Martin, bellying up to the Uber craze.
His job is listed on the state’s LIS (Legislative Information System) as Insurance Consultant and Securities Dealer but Uber could be a good supplement. It has been reported that he likes to drive and talk with people.
He has had a bumpy ride recently, getting national attention after posting to Facebook that pregnant women are “hosts” (…referring to the child’s mother as host as in so many Sci-fi movies…)
Martin got into another fender bender after a property firm alleged Martin owed them $118,000 for leasing space for a dry cleaning/laundry business in Henrico.
The final nail in the tire was his loss to Amanda Chase in the Republican primary in June.
Sen. Martin now drives for Uber. Not a bad part-time job. I think many of us wonder what we will do in retirement, that is if we have a chance to retire.
I’ve often wondered what I would do if I were to retire or lose my job – I could be fired any day now.
Uber is an option, a small Social Security check and a few hours of picking up drunks in my Uber taxi could work. Maybe it’s and option if I could drive. But I think I will be relegated to standing on my feet all day as a food sample specialist at Costco, a greeter at Walmart or turning people away who don’t have a receipt for purchases at Home Depot.
At my age options are few. When I get fired I will not be moving on to a management job or something that requires a lot of physical activity. The most difficult thing I will have to do is hang around the back of Home Depot and snatch up a couple of refrigerator boxes to keep me warm under the Interstate 95 bridge over Route 10. Wave from your Uber ride when you go by.
