We’re glad you’re here. This space is for creators 40+ who want to explore AI as a partner in writing, storytelling, and business. Take a moment to share: - Who you are - What you’re working on (big or small) - One way you’d like AI to support your creative work - share a picture of your workspace! No pressure—keep it short and simple. This is just a place to start the conversation. Looking forward to meeting you,Jason

Dear Group: I wish everyone a good Martin Luther King Day! We had an interesting concept come up in yesterday's coffee hour: the idea that many of us are introverts, so that may be a challenge for us. I imagine that, if some of us want to become influencers and post videos, or maybe even engage in public speaking events, that may also be an issue. I would like to offer a thought, in case it is helpful. Back in high school, some people were surprised that I used to act in middle school. They thought that I was too shy and quiet to perform on stage. What they did not realize was that acting on stage felt, paradoxically, like one of the most private things I ever did - because I felt like I was not exposing myself. I was playing a role, acting as a character. So, I wonder if that might help us if we want to do presentations or engage in public speaking? What if we were to play a role, present a character, instead of exposing ourselves? Having said that - I wonder if some people might want to rebel against what I am saying - and make an effort to be as authentic and themselves as much as possible! Thank you very much for your time and attention.

Thank you very much to Jason for adding these new categories, including 'preparing for retirement'! Now, I suppose some of you may be thinking, 'John, you ding-dong, I can't afford to prepare for retirement - I'm still stuck contracting/temping and looking for something permanent!' However, I have to say - I'm afraid that we may not be able to afford NOT to prepare for retirement. :-( I have heard that, for about an estimated 60% of Americans (apologies to those of you who may be living elsewhere), retirement is not a choice. :-( We may be forced into retirement by factors such as ill health, caregiving responsibilities, or corporate restructuring. :-( So, what to do about it? I am no financial expert, so I would have to default to the classic advice. Even if we are just scraping by, try to set aside 1 out of every 10 dollars for the future. More to add later; please anyone else jump in. Thank you very much for your time. PS: Again, I am no expert - but I have gotten the strong impression that preparing for retirement is one of those things that are easier to do the earlier you start - even if retirement may feel like a distant concern. This is in part simply because, in general, the earlier one begins to invest, the longer one's money has the time to compound. I think Albert Einstein is alleged to have said that the most powerful force in the universe is compound interest.

If you're here, you're probably over 40 and fighting the same fight I am. Sending out resumes that disappear into the void. Getting ghosted by recruiters. Watching younger people get hired for jobs you're overqualified for. Wondering if you're unemployable or if the entire system just broke while you weren't looking. You're not imagining it. The job market is brutal right now. Especially for us. I'm 57. I've been freelancing for over 20 years. I have a degree. I use AI tools every day. I'm faster and better at my work than I've ever been. And I still can't get hired. Not because I'm not good enough. Because companies don't want to invest in people like us anymore. We're too expensive. Too experienced. Too likely to know our worth and not accept garbage wages. This group exists because we're all dealing with the same thing. And most of us are doing it alone. Scrolling LinkedIn at 2am wondering what we're doing wrong. Applying to jobs we're overqualified for and still not getting callbacks. Trying to figure out how to rebuild a career in a market that decided we're disposable. You're not alone. That's why we're here. Drop a comment and introduce yourself. Where are you? What kind of work are you looking for? What's your biggest struggle right now? Let's actually talk about this. Let's help each other. Let's stop pretending this is normal and start figuring out how to survive it together. Welcome. I'm glad you're here.

I got my start in IT the 1990s. I learned and grew into bigger roles. I ran endpoint security for a fortune 500 company. And then I moved up to a Fortune one company consulting to their endpoint security architectural update for 320,000 nodes. But then two years working for the world’s largest dedicated security company broke me. I sustained a serious back injury from working 100 hours a week to meet a deadline. Then that company got bought out by private equity and started laying off in droves. Luckily a friend of mine dusted me off and put me back to work and I got debt free. However that consulting work would end badly when I was terminated illegally. I had no idea how bad the white collar recession was until I had to try to find a job in it. 1000 applications and counting. The whole time I was working in IT I was also accumulating real estate. After my injury (that insurance would not cover) and workers comp had expired (in just one year in Texas), I was scared because I couldn’t take care of the buildings myself and with 25 units and having a property manager in each of three states was unwieldy. Especially when they steal from you. So I sold all of the real estate and luckily I have a small income. Still it’s not enough to properly provide for my wife and I which is embarrassing. So I’m probably leaving IT security for more passive income source. I found a property near me that is actually a six unit RV park. The price is right and since it is USDA rural I can get it with no money down. My banker was out on Friday because his wife is having a baby and it will be their third child. I think this approach is going to work better for me because sitting at a computer(standing, yoga ball) for so long has taken its toll. Thankfully I have the real estate investment experience and luckily somehow my credit is still quite good. So here’s to hoping. I think after expenses this property should bring in about $2000 per month. And that plus my small residual income should be enough for my wife and I to live comfortably in Bali if we want to. Absolutely fell in love with that place… And then with her :)