Too Old To Hire... At 53

I worked in disability insurance from 1998 until 2004, then was laid off. Not wanting to face the same 'torture' for a $10,000.00 cut in pay, I steered away from insurance. I thought that, with my MS Office experience, [at one time] Excel 'Guru' status and IT work, I would be able to land a job with little or no problem. Boy, was I mistaken! What I did not take into consideration was that I was now 53, going on 54. No one even had the common courtesy to interview me or even respond to my resume.

A temporary hiring service told me that I should remove the dates from my resume. I was told by my daughter in human resources that a company would just 'trash' a resume with no dates on it.

In desperation, I went back to working in a carpet mill.

If anyone knows of a legitimate online business that is worthwhile, please e-mail me - No multi-level marketing please. Everyone there just sits around waiting for someone else to do something. I have been involved with them for over twenty years now. And NO, I am NOT paying for info or start-up kits! If it is legitimate and a money-maker, the company will pay me to work for them - not the other way around... Thanks!

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Higher Education - One of my 'pet peeves'

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I am trying to help my younger daughter get through college. We have borrowed around $20,000.00 so far, and she may go for another couple of years. We will be paying back loans long after it is all over.
Recently, a friend of her's graduated college with a four-year degree. Top of the class, I believe. The job she landed in her field was for around $7.00 an hour. She had to leave that for a newspaper job to make ends meet.
I feel that there should be some kind of guarantee when someone graduates that they could land a job that would enable them to [at least] pay off the debt they accumulated from their education, don't you? Unfortunately, it seems that higher education is, in most cases, just another legal-racket to take the money of America's citizens who want a better life for their children... What do you think?
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The Scary, Old Man Who Lived Next Door

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The Scary, Old Man Who Lived Next Door

We were just kids and didn’t know then that you shouldn't judge a book by its’ cover…
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I don’t quite remember who knocked the ball into his yard, but my brother, Glenn, and I both refused to go get it this time. Usually Glenn would take the lead and run ahead of me when any action was to take place. This time we had difficulty deciding who was standing in front of whom!

We had both seen him and we were certain he must have been a monster out of a Frankenstein movie. He was walking around in the back yard over there and neither of us was brave enough to look him in the face. We decided to run inside and ask mother for help! She wasn’t scared of anything!

Mother laughed at our predicament and went outside to confront our ‘monster’ for us!

It turned out that he was one of the nicest people I have ever met in this life. He told mother that we were always welcome to come get any balls that might end up in his yard.

His wife was just as friendly and they invited us over often. When she learned that Glenn and I loved to sing, Mrs. Allen began inviting us over to sing our versions of songs like “Sweet Violets”, “The Choo Choo Train” and others for her guests. What a delightful couple!

One day, after I had grown into my late teen-age years, I learned his wife had died [I believe of cancer]. I still remember the last time I saw him walking down the street… so alone… God only knows how much I wish now that I had stopped and talked with him, if only for a few minutes… God blessed our lives with you, Lon and Mrs. Allen.
~by Billy Allen, Jr.~
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SOME OF MY FAVORITE LINKS !

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Please go to this page and click on the pink button that says: FUND FREE MAMMOGRAMS

BA's Corner [Be sure to listen to Go Ask... I wish I could take credit for writing it, but I am only singing it]

Friends In Prayer We need more Prayer Warriors ... please send an e-mail and join us! Prayer requests are welcome, too!

Lakeview Wesleyan Church, Rossville, GA

Hardy Jr High, Chattanooga, Tennessee

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SOME POETRY I HAVE WRITTEN

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Candle In My Heart

Inside this weary heart of mine there burns an open flame.
My minds' eye sees a candle imprinted with her name.
When I gaze into her eyes, the flame rages like a fire;
I can scarcely stand it, I'm filled with such desire!
Sometimes she grows cold toward me;
the flame flickers and almost dies-
But it regains its' strength again when I look into her eyes.
I know I can't be with her, but I still love her so.
I wish that I could hold her, but she must never know.
She can sense I care for her, and so, she turns away.
I try hard to be her friend, but don't know what to say.
Why is it she can't care for me?
How can it be that wrong?
She is here inside my heart; that's why the
flame stays strong!
I must never speak my heart, though I'll always wonder why-
I can only hope the flame will flicker
out and die...

Billy Allen Jr

Copyright ©2002 Billy Allen Jr

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The words to my first song written and sung in 1968...

Don't Give My Love Away

One heart, my lips are all I need to say
"I love only you; please don't go away-"
I'll miss you while you're gone-
I wish that you could stay...
Be kind, stay true; don't give my love away.

You left me here and just what could I say?
Please come back to me; I can't wait another day-
You know I love you; don't do me this way.
Be kind, stay true; don't give my love away.

We parted yesterday, but I want you to know
You can't stop my love 'cause my heart's all aglow!
You know I love you; don't do me this way.
Be kind, stay true; don't give my love away.

Billy Allen Jr

Copyright ©1971 Billy Allen Jr

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My poem for Donna; written in 1972...

Parting In Love

Now, you go your way,
And I, mine.
As we dream, and each embrace
The reality of our dreams;
Though we walk down our own,
Separate paths, let us walk together
In love...


Billy Allen Jr

Copyright ©1972 Billy Allen Jr

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Unspoken Admonition

From the mountains came a thundering sound,
Like was never heard before!
All the people ran for shelter
At the church; their faith to restore-
The people were all praying now-
Begging on their knees...
Asking for God's forgiveness;
The mountains echoed their pleas.
Soon, the frightening noise ended-
There was the usual calm again.
The people sighed their great relief
And went back, to live in sin!

Billy Allen Jr

Copyright ©2005 Billy Allen Jr

GOOD SERVICE/BAD SERVICE

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In May of 2005, I had to have an eye checkup for my new job. I stopped by WalMart's optical department in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, to get it done on my way home from the interview.
The service was really good! However, the next day I was called by someone in that department who told me she could find no record of me paying for the services I received [as if I had walked out without paying]. I told her I would find the receipt and call her back.
Before I could locate it, she called back again and told me that I would need to come in and take care of the payment today! I found the receipt and called her back with the information she needed. She thanked me, but did not offer any apology for her accusations. If you go there for service, be certain to save your receipt!
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In early June of 2005 our freezer frosted over and the refrigerator stopped cooling. I called a local dealership and he referred Mike Martin of Scenic City Appliance Service in East Ridge, Tennessee. His service was excellent with a fair price and I would recommend his company to anyone needing that type repairs.
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TCFPA in Ringgold, Georgia, cost me over $17,000.00 in 2005 due to pure negligence!
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Hopefully Helpful Stuff!

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COPY AND PASTE FROM THE INTERNET INTO ANOTHER DOCUMENT

Q - How do I copy & paste from the internet into a document? -CJ, Arkansas

A - With your mouse, place your cursor at the beginning of the text you wish to copy, then click and hold the left mouse button, while pulling your mouse over the text. This should highlight the text. Now release the left mouse button. Next, with the cursor over the highlighted text, right click the mouse for options, and select 'copy'.Then, in a new document such as, Word or Word Pad, right click your mouse again, and select 'paste' and you will have copied and pasted the text. Note: [The 'Alt' and 'Tab' buttons can be used to 'toggle' back and forth between the two programs you are using making the 'copy & paste' much quicker!]
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Q - HOW DO I ORDER AVON ONLINE? -Samantha, Louisana

A - CLICK ON THIS LINK, then just follow the instructions!
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Q - HOW DO I FIND A COMPLETELY 'FREE' BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY ONLINE? Or is there such a thing? -K Jones, W. Virginia

A - Yes, there is, but I have only found one over the last several years that NEVER requires any investment. Just click here!
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I have heard that life on earth is given to us so that we can either choose to go to heaven or hell when we die. Is this true? If it is,
Q - HOW DO I FIND OUT HOW TO GET TO HEAVEN? -Rusty G, Memphis

A - CLICK HERE and follow directions...
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Q - HOW DO I INSTALL A PLASTIC CURBSIDE MAILBOX I BOUGHT AT LOWE'S? -Shirley J, Georgia



A - First, get a 4x4 treated wood post 48" long. Dig a hole 30" deep with post hole diggers [18 inches is normally deep enough, but this project requires the post to be 24" in the ground and 24" above ground]. Pour in 6 inches of gravel. Set the post on top of this.Two feet of the post should be left above ground. Mix the quick dry cement with water and pour it down in the hole around the post [mix in some gravel with the concrete if you wish]. Leave a couple of inches at the top of the hole to be finished filling in with dirt. The bottom of the mailbox itself should be 42" in height from the ground; post about 2' from the curb/street. Allow the concrete to cure at least overnight. Slide the mailbox over the post and attach the strip to the back of the post.
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Q - ARE THERE ANY HOSTING SITES THAT WILL ALLOW SOMEONE TO BUILD A FREE WEBSITE? -JKent, Atlanta, GA

A - The best I have found is Tripod.com click here to go there now. I have had a website there since 2000 and it is still standing. They do put adds on your site, but that is how they keep their sites free. All I have seen are in good taste. Also, they have Frontpage extensions if you are planning on using the MS Frontpage program to build your website which make uploading to the site so much easier. Please let me know what you think!
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My 54th Birthday

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Today is my 54th birthday… WOW! Seems like only yesterday I was walking home from school behind Brenda and wondering how in the world she learned to walk that way [4th grade]! Haha
I send out over 100 birthday wishes per year online and only the TUT Adventurers Club, Pepsi Cola, my online friend, Kool Kat, in Mississippi, and my cuz, Peggy, in Ohio, remembered me… geesh!
BUT! Not only did my cuz, Peggy, in Ohio, remember me online... she mailed me a DVD of my favorite all-time show and a Howdy-ornament to hang on the Christmas tree! Many think they may have designed him from an old picture of me... hmmmmm? You know, Howdy Doody!


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User-Friendly Blogs

I have tested many of the Blogs online and, so far, the easiest to upload pics, etc. to is blogger.com If you know of a better [more user-friendly] one, please tell me. Thanks! -Billy A