My brief return to the football world

Following the loss of football professional Gary Speed, I came across this sensitive tribute on David Connor's Coethica blog My comment on David's blog was as follows

Even though I never met Gary Speed, he always struck me as a very genuine, grounded professional in a sport which I have turned away from due to what I consider to be obscene amounts of money and over-inflated self-importance of most of its participants. I was surprised at how shocked I was when I heard the news and even more so hearing the cause. 

At a much lower level, I have experienced the lonely darkness of separation, running a struggling business, the spiralling, deepening abyss of its failure and the consequences which continue today 2 years later. If I’d had a heart attack or a stroke, I’m sure those around me would have found it easier to deal with. And maybe I too would have found it easier to ask for and obtain ongoing support. 

But the fact is that, being of a certain social and educational background, the expectation (from others and possibly from myself) is to “just get on with it”. It is this expectation which turns most of us into “human doings” rather than “human beings”, all for the sake of surviving in a monetary-based system in which sensitivity, empathy and co-operation are diminishing values.

RIP Gary Speed

Expat Explorer Survey

Not completely related to business but veeerryyy interesting seeing how your place of residence matches up to your values in HSBC's Expat Explorer Survey

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Ch, ch, ch, changes...Turn and face the strain

Part of the problem I have faced is knowing what to do next. With a zig-zagging work history in the years before setting up my business, I find myself not only facing the financial abyss but also a career abyss.

Besides making and waiting on phone calls for banks, creditors etc, I'm trying to find a way through to some sort of new start. Finding out how to sell myself is proving a challenge as I haven't got enough recent experience on the one hand but have too many years experience on the other. I'm currently trying to find a way of phrasing the fact that I'm prepared to start at the bottom of my previous career ladder to get back up to speed, as, until I can find the time and money to give myself the luxury of re-inventing myself, a route back into my previous career seems to be the only way to pay the rent,

InternsOver40 seems to reflect pretty much where I'm at although much of the material is aimed at those who have the resources to take some time. However, it does put out some good stuff for when I'm feeling in a positive mood.

In this Career Change Tips & Tricks video, the one tip that stuck out for me was to find 3 to 5 other people who have gone through a significant career change - hey, that sounds familiar! A career change buddy system!!