The recession, benefits, the safety net, and the learning curve

carolt

Out of interest, is that your real name you give in your blog? It just seemed wrong - I see you as 'Max'.

I was a big fan of Max Headroom - takes me back to my teenage years.....

Max_Headroom_3

Neither are.

I tried to get Max Headroom for the blog (big fan also) but it was taken sadly.

PasturesNew

dopester wrote: »

Haha. I'm thinking aren't I.

I'm deciding whether to throw in one on my whackier self-employed income supporting ideas.

Ideas are 10 a penny, but they still need to be done - and done well...

Take spreadbetting, for example ... I'd s h1t myself before I could do that. Yet it's "safe". Not only did I not understand the "how" (I understand the "how it works", just not the complex rules of "how to DO it", including reading/understanding all the different T&Cs of various casinos etc etc...) I'd surely c0ck it up

dopester wrote: »

I've decided which one I might float on this thread (busy/tired atm) which I believe stands a good chance of decently beating JSA/benefits/council-tax-relief for anyone with a little bit of honest know-how and willing to apply themselves a bit, with minimal outlay/risk to start-up... even if it might get some open ridicule or genuine criticism... but I'm not likely to share my very best ideas. Maybe I might need them myself.

I have many ideas for people. I can sit and come up with ideas for people in any situation ... but it's more than an idea isn't it. It has to be doable by that person and achievable with the knowledge/skills/expertise. Take "start a decorating service" for example.... how many unemployed decorators are out there already door knocking locally and yet finding nobody with a wall that wants painting? Or what about "doing home typing", you still have to find the customers - and I can list 10-20-30 ways to do that, but it still needs effort/time/fingers crossed ..

Max' blog is like that, speculative writing. Maybe he will be offered a future job because the job spec mentions "... update our website blog .." and he'll go mentally to "ah, is that all, I can do that" instead of "Nope, won't apply as I don't even know what that means".

His writing only takes 10 minutes a day, but who knows where it will lead... maybe in researching a future post he will stumble across a job advert that's ideal and get the job. Maybe he'll use it as "evidence/portfolio" to write for an online magazine. Maybe ... well, all sorts.

So, you've no great ideas that will work right here, right now then... typical.

Max_Headroom_3

I think Dopester is still liaising with Alan Sugar and Richard Branson to make sure that he's not in breach of his business advisory roles with them before posting.

PasturesNew

Max_Headroom wrote: »

I think Dopester is still liaising with Alan Sugar and Richard Branson to make sure that he's not in breach of his business advisory roles with them before posting.

I just checked - neither of them have heard from him (or OF him) this morning.

But Del Boy's phone's engaged....

Max_Headroom_3

This time next year Rodney, we'll be miiillyonaires!! :rotfl:

lostinrates

carolt wrote: »

Interesting to see male perspective on the world. Do all men notice women in the same way (eg identified by hair colour and general attractiveness)? Quite possibly they do - I certainly don't notice most men/women at all and I'm sure I'd never describe a male recptionist, say, as "atractive blond" or something, even if he was. Not a criticism - just interesting.
.......

I don't think its necessarily male perspective, to notice attractiveness etc. While I agree men are more visually stimulated, I do notice how attractive people are (or bits of them) I just don't rate them as people or presume their intellect -or by and large ability- is related to that not quite but almost subconscious personal evaluation of the physical.

carolt

I suppose it was the hair colour thing that threw me - can't imagine being identified by my hair colour, or summarising others by theirs - it seems curiously reductive. Also, if I'd gone for a job interview, I can't imagine remembering anything about what the receptionist looked like, any more than I'd remember the wall colour or something.

Am I just deeply unobservant?

PasturesNew

I've spent my life being described in my absence as "You know, small/big tits"


Not "intelligent, witty, fun to be around, dependable, reliable, honest ...." no!

wigglebeena

Max_Headroom wrote: »

Thank you Sue, that's absolutely it.

It seems that some people (who doubtless have never experienced it) see unemployment like a prison sentence, all "privileges" revoked. No TV, no games, no writing, no nothing just the hard graft of job seeking till you've paid your debt to society.

It isn't like that. I look for work every day. I spend a considerable amount of time at it. But it's not actually physically possible to spend every waking moment at it from the instant one wakes up till five minutes before bed, and I should imagine it'd be pretty blimmin soul destroying if you tried.

I can't help but feel that sometimes that there's maybe just a hint of envy involved, especially when advice from the same corner includes getting rid of absoutely anything nice that I own and even the home that I live in, despite almost no knowledge of my circumstances or financial position.

At a rock-bottom fire-sale price, of course, and offered for first refusal to MSE regulars. Certain ones, anyway.