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Aging ROCKSTAR

Category: Corporate World

  • The Smallest Trash Can, the Heaviest Moment

    Job searching just hit a one‑year anniversary for me after a full year of being unemployed or underemployed. I’m still working part‑time in retail because it’s the only thing, I’ve been able to get. And it’s not just stocking shelves, helping customers, or running a register. It’s everything right down to hauling out the trash.…

  • STILL ROCKING RETAIL AND WAITING FOR MY NEXT ACT

    I’m still holding down retail until the next corporate opportunity finally breaks through. My trek continues at the local liquor store, now as a permanent part‑time Associate, navigating a world where every minute is tracked, breaks are timed by law, and micromanagement is a sport. And yes, I’m a cashier again. Shopping carts? Still collecting…

  • I Almost Survived Dry January… and I Don’t Even Participate

    I almost made it through Dry January and not because I stopped drinking or participate. No, no. This is about something far more dramatic:The liquor store is a ghost town.I’m talking tumbleweeds rolling past the tequila aisle.Crickets echoing off the bourbon shelves.Me, standing there like the last survivor in a post‑apocalyptic world of glass bottles…

  • Marketing: “They Live”

    I continue my unexpected second act as a stockboy and no, a stockman at a liquor store. And if there’s one thing that jumps out at me every shift, it’s this: The liquor industry has become a full‑blown marketing circus. After decades in corporate America, I thought I’d seen every branding gimmick imaginable. But stepping…

  • “Workplace Tinder: Invisible in the Numbers, Swiped Left in the Job Market”

    Invisible in the NumbersThe government will release new labor statistics this week. But here’s the truth: I won’t be counted. On paper, I’m employed. In reality, I’m underemployed, temporary, and hanging on by a thread. My current gig as a holiday liquor stockman ends January 1st. Minimum wage. Seasonal. Disposable. So when the numbers come…

  • FULL CIRCLE — From Corporate America to Stockboy Swagger

    There’s a scene in the 1991 movie Career Opportunities that sums up my career life right now. No, not the part with the horse. It’s the moment when Jim, the main character, talks with Josie. They converse: “I set my sights on something and go for it. Like janitor?” “It’s a beginning, no it’s an…

  • Money Pit 2025

    Here is a summary of my job search in 2025. I am the bathtub. I still keep showing up. Rock on!

  • Good Jeans or Slacks?

    It’s Been a While… But I’m Still Showing Up It’s been a minute since I last posted—and even longer since I suited up for an onsite interview. But this week, I did just that. Tie, jacket, the whole deal. And you know what? It felt good to step back into that space. Reflecting on my…

  • Four Months Later: Finding Grace in the Grind

    It’s been four months since I lost my job, as of July 20th, 2025. There’s something surreal about saying that out loud. Time can move both too fast and too slow when you’re in transition. The truth is—I didn’t just lose a job. I lost routine, identity, structure, momentum. For a while, I felt like…

  • Job Searching 2025: “Faith”

    Stay Connected & Take Control of Your Career! The latest report shows 139,000 jobs were added in May 2025. While market conditions remain uncertain, one thing is clear—your network can make all the difference in landing your next opportunity. If you’re in a job search, stay persistent! It takes time, but every connection, conversation, and…