[lbo-talk] Dropping out in middle age ...

[B.]

Jordan, the part of that NYT article you quoted
reminds me of this old piece from The Onion, 2001:


Out-Of-Work P.R. Exec Has Great Things To Say About
Unemployment

August 1, 2001

IRVINE, CA–Calling his current jobless status "an
exciting, much-needed opportunity to reassess my
direction in life," former Porter Novelli
public-relations executive Josh Wallace has great
things to say about unemployment.

[...]

Unemployment, Wallace said, has enabled him to do many
things he'd never found time for while working 40
hours a week.

"For one thing, I've had the opportunity to see some
top-flight daytime programming I never knew existed,"
Wallace said. "I also went out jogging several times,
and I plan to go more, now that I've discovered how
great it makes me feel."

"I've really rediscovered the simpler things in life,"
Wallace continued. "Who knew the pleasures to be found
in just taking a walk around the city? Or walking
around the mall for a few hours? Or driving down to
the gas station for a sandwich? That's what I did
earlier today, and it was great, absolutely great.
There's lots of tremendous stuff to see at the gas
station, if you just take the time to notice."

Recently, Wallace took advantage of his "freed-up
schedule" by visiting his parents in Bakersfield.

"Josh just showed up in the middle of the day and
surprised us," Wallace's mother Elaine said. "He kept
saying something about wanting to 'touch base and make
sure the whole family's all on the same page,' which I
didn't really understand, but other than that it was a
nice visit."

Added Elaine: "A full week was maybe a little long for
him to stay, just sitting up there in his old room
like that. But I wasn't going to say anything. Not
when he's having such a terrible time of it."


-------------



Jordan Hayes wrote:

July 31, 2006
Men Not Working, and Not Wanting Just Any Job

By LOUIS UCHITELLE and DAVID LEONHARDT

[...]

"I have come to realize that my free time is worth a
lot to me," he said. To make ends meet, he has tapped
the equity in his home through a $30,000 second
mortgage, and he is drawing down the family's savings,
at the rate of $7,500 a year. About $60,000 is left.
His wife's income helps them scrape by. "If things
really get tight," Mr. Beggerow said, "I might have to
take a low-wage job, but I don't want to do that."

[ ... ]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/31/business/31men.html