BEANERY ONLINE LITERARY MAGAZINE
IN DEFENSE OF THE OLDER EMPLOYEE
LOIS
Years ago I ran a blind post office ad for a graphic artist. I worked for a small publishing company and we needed someone for freelance artwork and design. I received about eight responses to the ad. They were from artists/designers with varying degrees of experience.
One response was from a woman in her 50s. She frankly admitted that she had been out of the workforce while she was raising her son. She did have experience prior to that, and had just received an associate degree in graphic art as preparation to re-enter the workforce. Her letter was sincere and honest, and we hired her. She was just as I expected: mature, hardworking, uncomplaining, and grateful for the opportunity to work again. Her experience with my company lead her to a full time, more lucrative position with an established regional newspaper. It was gratifying to hear her say, “The fact that I had done something recent really helped.”
I didn’t post this article to discourage the hiring of younger employees. I was in that position once (hey, we all were), and everyone has to start somewhere. But the topic of older vs. younger workers recently came up between a few of us at the Beanery Writers, and I wanted to relay this experience.
ADDITIONAL READING
PENNSYLVANIA WEDDING, (LAMOINE) MAINE ROOTS
ARE YOU LIVING IMPAIRED?
BEANERY ONLINE LITERARY MAGAZINE
HEIDI
Dana
Heidi was a chocolate Lab and her eyes were green. Her tail had barely any hair on it, her sides had barely any hair on them. This was when she was older.
We got her when I was just a little baby (I’m 8 1/2 now) and we had her almost eight years. My dad got her from a day care center. I’m not sure why she was left the day care center, but I think the kids were roughhousing with her. Her real owner fed her nothing but table scraps. They never gave her one little bit of dog food. We always gave her dog food but sometimes we gave her a little bacon. Other times she would eat our cat’s food.
She always followed my mom wherever she went. She never bit me, I never pulled her tail or ears, and I was never afraid of her.
When Heidi was a little puppy she liked to play ball a whole lot.
Heidi was thirteen years old when we had to put her to sleep. She wouldn’t get up, she kept on throwing up and she wouldn’t eat, and that’s when we knew we had to take her to the vet. She stayed overnight there, and she kept on throwing up in the night.
My mom was terrified when the vet said Heidi had to be put to sleep, so my grandma drove her to the vet. My mom cried the whole way there.
I felt sad when she was put to sleep and I miss her a whole lot.
ADDITIONAL READING:
MUSTANG SALLY’S GUIDE TO WORLD BICYCLE TOURING
SHOULD I REVEAL OR BURY THE FAMILY SECRET?
BEANERY ONLINE LITERARY MAGAZINE
DIANA: BIO
Diana R. Hunt resides in Ligonier, She joined the Beanery Writers to relearn how to write while recuperating from a serious automobile accident, and to associate with intelligent people who appreciate the art of communication.
As a child she lived in Germany, where she listened to European folktales, and read stories that were ultimately animated by Walt Disney (stories which most people now believe are his!}. She discovered the magic of art at a young age. Her goal is to combine her love of writing and art to see what happens…
ADDITIONAL READING
LOVER BUBBLE
LOSS AND LOVE
THE RING
REACH OUT
BEANERY ONLINE LITERARY MAGAZINE
ON THE EVE OF 27
Philip Letizia
Disappointment in your life is hard to manage and extremely distracting. Disappointment in the lives of others, though, your friends, has begun to sting a little more. Maybe it’s moving on in life. Moving up in the world. More responsibility, more at risk.
Relationships coming and going—some stepping out wondering and hoping, others are cautious and practical. There’s more money to spend, but there’s fewer to spend it on.
Looking into the TV late at night, you flip through your mind’s Rolodex of feelings, but you can’t see or feel someone else’s end of the day.
I’ve spent most of the last week trying to sort in my own mind what it means to decide. The process we all go through to make our way in life.
We’re all in the labyrinth, the maze turning from clear and free, to cloudy and restricted. This is the time they tell you (more…)
BEANERY ONLINE LITERARY MAGAZINE
JASMINE & JEWEL — A DOVE STORY Part 2
JEWEL (Little J) (2)
Kathleen
To read JASMINE & JEWEL — A DOVE STORY in two parts: JASMINE (Jazzie) (1), click on JASMINE & JEWEL — A DOVE STORY Part 1
Little J, my Jewel, was smaller, fragile
yet alert; she toddled in the dirt and tried to fly.
Weaker, for reasons (more…)
BEANERY ONLINE LITERARY MAGAZINE
I HAVE A PERMIT TO CARRY…
Mustang Sally
Why, you will ask, would I need to carry a weapon?
Well, my mind is going a bit and I don’t exactly remember. There was a time when home invasions seemed threatening. However if you produce the “Permit” as picture identification, people (more…)
BEANERY ONLINE LITERARY MAGAZINE
MOONSTONE RHYMES
written by Diane
For Marty
looking
searching
seeking err
attention
turning
now I’m here (more…)
LABOR AND LABOR DAY
Tags: Commentary, Culture, Holidays, Labor, Labor day, Latest post, Life, Lifestyle, Meaning of labor, Meaning of work, Money, Musings, Opinion, The true value of labor, Thoughts, Value of labor, Value of work, Work
BEANERY ONLINE LITERARY MAGAZINE
LABOR AND LABOR DAY
JOSEPH F. STIERHEIM
I asked two friends to define the word “Labor.” One simply said it had a negative connotation. The other gave a more complete definition. “Labor,” she said, “is something that one doesn’t like but has to do in order to make money and/or for survival.” My second question was harder to answer. “Then why,” I asked, “do we have (more…)