Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Mikey on the radio

Saturday, I got a last minute call from a friend looking for a wingman (co-host) for his jobs oriented radio show on a local Long Island station. He said it is the Internet audience that makes it worthwhile.

When he called, I was in the back yard shoveling mulch into my tree and shrub beds and I thought, what a great metaphor for Wall Street. Spread some manure nice and thick and what does not suffocate grows nicely. But the smell!

Anyway, you all know me as negative on the market despite the recent HUGE run higher. To make matters worse, the chief call-in guest to the show was Peter Schiff - a vociferous snarling bear on the economy thanks to government spending gone wild. Yes, Peter Schiff, senatorial candidate from Connecticut locked in a primary battle with Mrs. World Wrestling Federation (it will always be WWF to me) Linda McMahon. I look like a kool-aid drinking Henry Paulson disciple next to this guy! 

Anyway, despite what I think about stocks and the economy, the point of the show was helping regular people get back to work. I told my own story of being laid off around the time of 9/11 (not from the attacks but from stupid management of the company that employed me sending it into bankruptcy).  I moved 1/3 of my work over to another firm at 1/3 salary and decided to start my newsletter. Some of my subscribers are still with me after 8 1/2 years.

The secret? Write and network. While I work in a profession where this helps I still told listeners to get out there, volunteer, intern, write magazine articles for free, act like an expert in your chosen field and don't give up.

This market bear is a raving lunatic bull on the concept of America and pulling yourself up by your bootstraps.

You know something? I feel underemployed even with all the outlets I serve. I will take my own advice and resurrect my radio station speaking "tour" (that is a generous term, for sure) and look for more customers. Whether you are unemployed or underemployed, keep plugging. What choice is there? A sixpack, cheetos and watching the tube all day is not my style.

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