I have probably had more ‘careers’ than most have had jobs. Not bombastic, just some reflection of the lost opportunities; not a specialist in any one thing, more the “jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none” kind of guy. More than 1 marriage. This one has sustained 18 years together.
I joined the Navy, instead of slogging through a jungle, and drank my way out of their Nuclear Power Training program and off of the “Rusty Rosie”, CVA 42-a WWII aircraft carrier-before a year had passed. One of my best opportunities came when selling insurance door-to-door for Combined Insurance Company of America, owned by W.Clement Stone. There I learned about practical, applied faith, and the power of P.M.A. (Positive Mental Attitude). I began to read his books along with Napoleon Hill, Zig Zigler and others. I went on to direct sales with advertising, marketing, security systems and pre-need cemetery property and services. (One of the most satisfying jobs I ever held. I helped many people save much grief because we had spent some time at the kitchen tables.) I worked for a couple of years selling print advertising and designed promotional materials. I managed to land a couple of national contracts like Godfathers Pizza; some promotions with Proctor & Gamble, Pepsi and Coke. (Ever heard of the New Coke? Might be partly my fault you haven’t!) I also have spent several years as an over-the-road truck driver. Eight years with my wife in the jump seat with our two doxies, all of us, fat and happy. I have worked several years in the mental health field as an addictions counselor, mental health tech and did a year in a group home for Developmentally Disabled adolescents. (See about them here, they can always use support: AngelsUnaware.com.
I have come to love the power of words.
I also have had success in one of the toughest and most satisfying fields going, direct sales. Belly-to-belly-eye-to-eye-I-come-out-with-their-money-or-there’s-blood-on-the-walls type of sales. Nothing moves in this world until something is sold. I was taught not to fear anyone or anything, if I believed I had something that would benefit them. I passed no door. I was no respecter of persons or titles. I take rejection in stride, not personally. I will apply that same attitude to my online experiences.
I volunteered as an advocate with an abused women’s program, and their rape program for over one year. I was an E.M.T. (emergency medical tech), and moved into the emergency room at the State Prison in Southern Michigan. I leaned a lot about man’s inhumanity to man, and the creative genius of hate and fear, in my short stint there. I also have had success in one of the toughest and most satisfying fields going, direct sales. Belly-to-belly, eye-to-eye, I-come-out-with-their-money-or-there’s-blood-on-the-walls type of sales. Nothing moves in this world until something is sold. I was taught not to fear anyone or anything; if I believed I had something that would benefit them. I passed no door. I was no respecter of persons or titles. I take rejection in stride, not personally. I will apply that same attitude to my online experiences.
My first computer was the late, great TI-99-with the speech synthesizer and several software programs specifically for children from Scholastic Book Services. I started a company in Florida selling them, delivering to homes and giving our customers some hands-on training. I learned some very important marketing principles. First, watch your partners. One wanted out after a few months, another joined him, so I bought them out rather than fold. Second thing was a lot about marketing can be learned from Texas Instruments’ goof-ups. It seems that they were one of the first with LCD watches in the U.S. many years ago. However, by the time they geared up production for the Christmas demand, other companies had out-paced them. TI is believed to have lost untold profits. In my case, we were buying the computers we ’sold’ from K-Mart and Wal-Mart. You see, we got a better price, and the promotional offers and passed them on to our customers. Doing it that way was for some un-Godly reason, not available directly from the company. Again, they found themselves in a tight spot with a high-demand product and unable to meet that demand. It was very disappointing and we all lost money.
Consider me a ‘personal shopper’ of sorts. I love research. I have tried many marketing programs, to my wife’s chagrin. I have learned. I have yet to make my fortune (the promised “A Million-Dollars-Working-10-Minutes-A-Day!”). I will do what I can to offer support and suggestions. I will seek answers, products, services you may not necessarily have time to get on your own. I will share strengths, hopes and experiences. I have a couple of years of formal study in Computer Sciences and Programming, with much more self-taught. I learned quickly I was not one to be in a cubicle for very long. I will still get hit with a strong case of ‘White-Line-Fever.” I am hardly some internet-marketing-guru. (More like a mushroom.) Today I seek to join with many others in our shared personal and financial growth.
Let us “live long and prosper” and have some fun along the way.
About Grateful Al
What It Was Like
I joined the Navy, instead of slogging through a jungle, and drank my way out of their Nuclear Power Training program and off of the “Rusty Rosie”, CVA 42-a WWII aircraft carrier-before a year had passed. One of my best opportunities came when selling insurance door-to-door for Combined Insurance Company of America, owned by W.Clement Stone. There I learned about practical, applied faith, and the power of P.M.A. (Positive Mental Attitude). I began to read his books along with Napoleon Hill, Zig Zigler and others. I went on to direct sales with advertising, marketing, security systems and pre-need cemetery property and services. (One of the most satisfying jobs I ever held. I helped many people save much grief because we had spent some time at the kitchen tables.) I worked for a couple of years selling print advertising and designed promotional materials. I managed to land a couple of national contracts like Godfathers Pizza; some promotions with Proctor & Gamble, Pepsi and Coke. (Ever heard of the New Coke? Might be partly my fault you haven’t!) I also have spent several years as an over-the-road truck driver. Eight years with my wife in the jump seat with our two doxies, all of us, fat and happy. I have worked several years in the mental health field as an addictions counselor, mental health tech and did a year in a group home for Developmentally Disabled adolescents. (See about them here, they can always use support: AngelsUnaware.com.
I have come to love the power of words.
I also have had success in one of the toughest and most satisfying fields going, direct sales. Belly-to-belly-eye-to-eye-I-come-out-with-their-money-or-there’s-blood-on-the-walls type of sales. Nothing moves in this world until something is sold. I was taught not to fear anyone or anything, if I believed I had something that would benefit them. I passed no door. I was no respecter of persons or titles. I take rejection in stride, not personally. I will apply that same attitude to my online experiences.
I volunteered as an advocate with an abused women’s program, and their rape program for over one year. I was an E.M.T. (emergency medical tech), and moved into the emergency room at the State Prison in Southern Michigan. I leaned a lot about man’s inhumanity to man, and the creative genius of hate and fear, in my short stint there. I also have had success in one of the toughest and most satisfying fields going, direct sales. Belly-to-belly, eye-to-eye, I-come-out-with-their-money-or-there’s-blood-on-the-walls type of sales. Nothing moves in this world until something is sold. I was taught not to fear anyone or anything; if I believed I had something that would benefit them. I passed no door. I was no respecter of persons or titles. I take rejection in stride, not personally. I will apply that same attitude to my online experiences.
My first computer was the late, great TI-99-with the speech synthesizer and several software programs specifically for children from Scholastic Book Services. I started a company in Florida selling them, delivering to homes and giving our customers some hands-on training. I learned some very important marketing principles. First, watch your partners. One wanted out after a few months, another joined him, so I bought them out rather than fold. Second thing was a lot about marketing can be learned from Texas Instruments’ goof-ups. It seems that they were one of the first with LCD watches in the U.S. many years ago. However, by the time they geared up production for the Christmas demand, other companies had out-paced them. TI is believed to have lost untold profits. In my case, we were buying the computers we ’sold’ from K-Mart and Wal-Mart. You see, we got a better price, and the promotional offers and passed them on to our customers. Doing it that way was for some un-Godly reason, not available directly from the company. Again, they found themselves in a tight spot with a high-demand product and unable to meet that demand. It was very disappointing and we all lost money.
Consider me a ‘personal shopper’ of sorts. I love research. I have tried many marketing programs, to my wife’s chagrin. I have learned. I have yet to make my fortune (the promised “A Million-Dollars-Working-10-Minutes-A-Day!”). I will do what I can to offer support and suggestions. I will seek answers, products, services you may not necessarily have time to get on your own. I will share strengths, hopes and experiences. I have a couple of years of formal study in Computer Sciences and Programming, with much more self-taught. I learned quickly I was not one to be in a cubicle for very long. I will still get hit with a strong case of ‘White-Line-Fever.” I am hardly some internet-marketing-guru. (More like a mushroom.) Today I seek to join with many others in our shared personal and financial growth.
Let us “live long and prosper” and have some fun along the way.