I've never thought that one should have the same career for 40 or 50 years. That's why they invented retirement. Give it up! And then re-invent yourself, I say.
In fact, a guy I know up in Asheville did a movie about people who have re-invented themselves...a socialite who now does Tupperware-like parties, but she sells sex toys...a computer guy who now uses spare parts to make into artwork. It's amazing really.
I personally worked very hard in my primary career in order to quit early. I didn't want to retire. I just wanted to try some other things without being under the pressure of making money from it. I was eager to re-invent myself. I became, among other things, a newspaper publisher, a custom home builder, an antiques dealer (open only on Saturday, whether I felt like it or not), art dealer, a public speaker, a portrait photographer specializing in tongue portraits (more on this at another time), an award-winning playwright, a newspaper humor columnist, an ordained minister (so I got my ordination through the mail...so what! I didn't have to study for 8 years...I mean, everything you need to know is in The Book).
The list goes on. I enjoyed all of the new careers although some of them were short-lived due mainly to a lack of interest on the part of the buying public. It's true of most inventors. Edison invented hundreds and hundreds of items,
but we remember him most for the lightbulb and his movie projector. (I like Edison. Although he was the first person to
have an inground swimming pool, he never exercised. Well, he exercised his brain. He rarely slept;he would have ten minute naps on a cot in his lab.)
As I minister I did unusual weddings. One in particular was called JUMPING THE BROOM. In early days here in the Sea Islands, black slaves weren't allowed to marry. But they did and it was signified by the couple whooping it up and then jumping across a broom. My part of the ceremony was simply bringing The Broom. The Broom was decorated with
various voodoo symbols.
For a short while I was also a pornographeer of sorts. This was way before the internet made it easy to find risque material. I have this information by heresay understand.
My career in porno was more than 50 years ago when I was a struggling college student with a wife and child to support.
One day I was getting a haircut in a real barbershop. The barber had a couple of deer heads mounted to the wall. I
was reading a magazine for men...popular mechanics or
something similar. I came upon the idea of advertising and selling "wild stag photos. Send $3 cash." I got myself a post office box and I was in business. Money came rolling in! I was true to my promise...I sent each respondent three
black and white photos of deer in the wild. I never had any
complaints, although I started thinking that someone would
be at the post office waiting for me so they could beat the tar out of me. But I stopped selling the wild stag photos for a different reason. I was afraid St. Peter would question me about it when I got to the Pearly Gates. I'm not sure he has a sense of humor.
Oh, yeah. I was a fortune teller. And I also wrote resumes by mail. My motto was: I Can Make Anyone Look Good. Even Attilla the Hun. My first rule was: Never put your picture on your resume if you are ugly. Save it for the interview.
