Author Archives: alifeofmentalillness

Remote Work and AI: Shaping the Next Decade of Office Jobs

Posted on by
1

As we look toward the next decade, the landscape of white-collar office work in the U.S. is poised to undergo significant transformation. The factors influencing this shift are varied, from technological advancements like artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, to changing demographic trends, economic fluctuations, and evolving workplace expectations. This essay will explore how these elements, collectively, will shape the future of office jobs requiring bachelor’s degrees in the period from 2025 to 2035.

Technological Advancements: AI, Chatbots, and Automation

At the heart of the future of white-collar work lies technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and chatbots. Over the next decade, AI will continue to evolve, becoming more sophisticated and integrated into daily business operations. For white-collar workers, AI will perform increasingly complex tasks, particularly those involving data analysis, report generation, and routine administrative functions. Industries such as finance, healthcare, law, and marketing will rely heavily on AI tools to streamline processes, optimize decision-making, and enhance customer service.

Chatbots and AI-powered virtual assistants are likely to handle more interactions that were once reserved for human employees, particularly in customer service and sales roles. By 2035, it’s conceivable that many customer service departments in large organizations will consist almost entirely of AI systems, capable of addressing inquiries, troubleshooting issues, and processing transactions without the need for human intervention. While this shift will create efficiencies, it also poses a significant challenge for many white-collar workers, as positions related to routine data entry, customer support, and even some project management tasks could see considerable job displacement.

Automation, already making inroads in manufacturing and logistics, will also impact office settings. Routine clerical jobs—such as scheduling meetings, managing calendars, and processing forms—will be increasingly automated, freeing up employees to focus on higher-value work. However, this also means fewer opportunities for entry-level workers to gain experience in office environments, a reality that could reshape career trajectories for younger generations.

The Work-From-Anywhere Era and Telecommuting

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of remote work, and this shift is expected to persist well into the next decade. The idea of working from anywhere has gained significant traction, and by 2025, many companies will have fully embraced hybrid or fully remote models. The technology to support remote work—cloud computing, video conferencing, and real-time collaboration tools—will continue to improve, making it easier for white-collar workers to contribute from any location with a reliable internet connection.

As remote work becomes more ubiquitous, office spaces themselves may no longer be as necessary. The traditional office as a centralized hub could become obsolete, especially for jobs that do not require physical presence, such as those in finance, marketing, consulting, and IT. This will have far-reaching implications for how office space is designed, leased, and utilized. The growing trend of coworking spaces and flexible office environments will likely continue as employees seek out places to work outside of their homes without the commitments of a traditional office lease.

Furthermore, as remote work becomes more accepted, the boundaries between work and home life will blur, potentially leading to changes in how employees structure their workdays and interact with colleagues. The work-from-anywhere model also brings the possibility of expanding the talent pool to a global scale, allowing employers to hire top talent from anywhere, rather than being limited by geographic constraints. This will have implications for recruitment practices, as employers will need to adjust their hiring strategies to accommodate workers in different time zones, cultures, and legal environments.

Economic and Demographic Shifts: A Changing Workforce

As we enter the 2025–2035 period, the U.S. workforce will experience significant demographic changes. The Baby Boomer generation is retiring in large numbers, leading to a shift in corporate leadership. This transition opens the door for Millennials—who are already the largest generational cohort in the workforce—to take on more prominent roles in management and executive positions. By 2035, Millennials will likely dominate corporate leadership, with their values and approaches shaping business strategies. Millennial leadership tends to prioritize flexibility, work-life balance, and diversity, influencing workplace culture and expectations for white-collar employees.

Generation X, currently in their 40s and 50s, will increasingly hold political power during this period, and their influence could have a substantial impact on policy decisions affecting white-collar work. For example, Generation X may push for labor laws and policies that support work flexibility, such as expanding paid leave or offering tax incentives for remote work, as well as greater emphasis on diversity and inclusion.

At the same time, the aging of the Baby Boomers will create talent shortages in certain industries, which may give younger workers a strategic advantage. However, the incoming wave of retirements could also place a burden on social services and healthcare systems, potentially diverting attention away from white-collar work issues and creating an economic environment fraught with uncertainty.

The prospect of a major recession within this time frame could further alter the landscape of white-collar work. Recessions often lead to job cuts, particularly in non-essential areas, and companies may be more hesitant to hire new employees, focusing instead on automation and AI solutions to fill gaps. White-collar workers may also face wage stagnation or reduction in job benefits during economic downturns, leading to shifts in employee expectations and workplace loyalty.

Changes in Office Space and Hiring Practices

The cost of office space has risen significantly in many U.S. cities, making it increasingly difficult for companies to justify large, centralized office buildings. As a result, many organizations are opting for remote work or hybrid models, reducing their need for expensive office space. The future of white-collar office jobs may, therefore, depend on companies adopting flexible office arrangements or coworking spaces that allow employees to collaborate when needed but do not require a permanent physical location.

In addition to the rise of flexible office environments, hiring practices are likely to evolve as technology and shifting workforce expectations influence how candidates are selected for roles. Virtual recruitment processes, AI-powered job matching systems, and online assessments will become more widespread. Additionally, companies may place greater emphasis on skills and experience rather than formal education, allowing for a more diversified workforce. The increasing prevalence of gig and freelance work, along with part-time employment opportunities, will also influence white-collar employment, offering workers more flexibility but also less stability.

Conclusion

The near future of white-collar office work in the U.S. is a story of rapid change driven by technological advancements, demographic shifts, economic factors, and evolving workplace norms. AI, automation, and chatbots will reshape traditional office jobs, reducing the demand for certain roles while creating new opportunities in tech-driven sectors. The expansion of remote work and telecommuting will change how, when, and where employees work, while the retiring Baby Boomer generation and the rise of Millennials in leadership positions will redefine corporate culture. Economic challenges, including the possibility of a recession, will likely force companies to adapt their strategies, relying on technology and cost-cutting measures. As the future unfolds, the ability of workers and employers to adapt to these changes will ultimately determine the success and sustainability of white-collar office work in the U.S.

Future of Manufacturing: Trends Shaping 2025-2035

Posted on by
1

The landscape of manufacturing in the United States is poised for significant transformation over the next decade. As we look ahead to 2025-2035, key factors such as the continued implementation of tariffs under the Trump administration, the rise of automation, the advent of 3D printing, the expansion of dark factories, and the introduction of humanoid robots will shape the nature of manufacturing jobs. These developments will fundamentally alter the workforce, the economy, and the very structure of the industry. However, the effects on manufacturing jobs will be complex, with both positive and negative outcomes for workers.

The Influence of Tariffs

The Trump administration’s tariffs on foreign-made goods, a policy set to persist under future administrations, will continue to exert pressure on global supply chains. These tariffs are designed to incentivize American companies to shift their production back to the U.S., potentially reviving some manufacturing jobs that had previously been outsourced to countries with lower labor costs. On the surface, this “reshoring” effort might create new employment opportunities in certain sectors, particularly for industries like steel, textiles, and electronics.

However, the impact of these tariffs on jobs will be tempered by the need for companies to maintain competitiveness. Higher tariffs may increase production costs, which could lead to price hikes or force manufacturers to find ways to remain competitive without expanding their workforce. This may result in a shift toward more advanced manufacturing technologies, including automation and artificial intelligence (AI), to keep costs down and output efficient.

The Rise of Automation

Automation has already made significant inroads into U.S. manufacturing, and this trend will only accelerate in the coming decade. Robots are increasingly taking over repetitive and dangerous tasks, from assembling parts to packaging products. By 2035, many factory floors may operate with minimal human intervention, with robots performing the majority of labor-intensive work. While this may seem like a threat to traditional manufacturing jobs, it also opens up new opportunities for skilled workers who can design, program, maintain, and oversee these automated systems.

However, the shift toward automation will likely lead to the elimination of many low-skill, manual labor jobs in factories. For workers without the skills to transition into new roles, automation presents a significant challenge. The U.S. will need to focus on reskilling and upskilling initiatives to help these workers move into the technology-driven jobs that will emerge. The growing demand for workers with expertise in robotics, data analytics, and AI could offset some of the job losses, but a large-scale retraining effort will be required.

3D Printing and Customization

3D printing is poised to revolutionize manufacturing in ways that are already visible in industries like aerospace, automotive, and healthcare. The ability to produce customized parts on-demand and locally will reduce reliance on large factories and international supply chains. By 2035, we may see decentralized manufacturing hubs, where smaller, localized 3D printers are used to produce everything from medical implants to consumer electronics.

This decentralization of manufacturing could reduce the number of traditional factory jobs in centralized industrial hubs, but it will also create new opportunities. Small-scale 3D printing operations could give rise to a new breed of entrepreneurs and workers who specialize in customizing and producing parts locally. This shift may also spur the creation of jobs in design, quality control, and machine maintenance for these advanced printers.

Dark Factories: The Shift to 24/7 Production

The concept of dark factories, where production runs 24/7 without human workers on-site, is another crucial development for the future of manufacturing. In these fully automated factories, AI, robotics, and sensors manage all aspects of production. While human presence is limited to overseeing operations remotely, these facilities allow manufacturers to operate around the clock with minimal downtime.

Dark factories will likely lead to a reduction in the overall number of human jobs needed for physical production. However, there will still be a demand for skilled workers to design, manage, and troubleshoot these systems. Jobs in system monitoring, AI training, and remote maintenance will likely increase. Furthermore, the need for cybersecurity specialists to safeguard these highly automated operations will be crucial as factories become more dependent on digital infrastructure.

Humanoid Robots: A New Era of Human-Robot Collaboration

Perhaps one of the most fascinating prospects for manufacturing in the coming decade is the use of humanoid robots. Unlike traditional industrial robots that operate in fixed, predefined ways, humanoid robots will be designed to work alongside human employees, collaborating in real-time to complete complex tasks. These robots will be able to handle delicate tasks that require dexterity and adaptability, such as assembly, inspection, or packaging in industries where human workers traditionally excelled.

The integration of humanoid robots into manufacturing will redefine job roles. Workers will likely transition into supervisory, coordination, or design roles, where their expertise will complement the abilities of these robots. While the rise of humanoid robots may reduce the need for certain low-skill manual labor positions, it could also generate new opportunities in robot development, programming, and management.

Conclusion

The manufacturing jobs of 2025 to 2035 will look vastly different from those of today. Tariffs and reshoring efforts may help revitalize some industries, but the increasing reliance on automation, 3D printing, dark factories, and humanoid robots will reduce the demand for traditional manual labor. As jobs evolve, so too must the workforce, which will require investment in education and reskilling programs. While the future holds the promise of greater efficiency and innovation in manufacturing, it also presents significant challenges in terms of job displacement and the need for workers to adapt to a new technological landscape. If managed correctly, however, this transformation could lead to a more dynamic, tech-driven manufacturing sector in the United States, providing new opportunities for those ready to embrace the future.

More Mobile, Losing Weight, Spring Storms, and New Books by Zach Foster

Posted on by
2

Updates are in order. I can now transfer from my recliner to the bed to the wheelchair on a daily basis. I no longer have knee pain, but I do have some ankle pain. I have to stand up and sit down a few times over the span of several minutes before I can easily get rolling, especially if I have been laying down all night in bed.

In short, the knee pain that has been the bane of my existence for the past seven years is gone. Now I have to work on my ankle strength. To this end I’m starting an exercise routine I learned from a physical therapist to rebuild my ankles.

I haven’t weighed myself for a few months, but I think I’ve lost weight. I’m carrying less fat, especially around my stomach and thighs. My arms no longer jiggle. My shirts fit a lot better. The swelling in my crotch has gone down considerably. I know my apatite is smaller than it used to be.

One of the reasons for the fat loss in spite of the little physical activity, is for the strict diet I have. I limit when I eat and how much I eat. I still occasionally eat pizza, burgers, and friend fish. But I have cut back on portions. I large pizza can make at minimum two meals for me, more often three. I do like Long John Silver’s for their fish and corn balls. But it’s only a once-a-month tradition when my dad brings it home after he visits his doctor at the VA.

The weather is warming up and definitely feels like spring. We are having wildfires here in Oklahoma. Won’t be too long before we have thunderstorms and tornadoes every few days. The storms down here are really bad, especially the spring storms. Winter storms are more bearable even if they bring more ice than what I’m used to growing up in Nebraska. Whatever snow and ice we get in Oklahoma is gone within a couple of days. But 500 miles north in Nebraska, the snow can stay around all winter and it’s usually too cold for just rain turning to ice most of the times. Snowstorms dumping over a foot of snow are an annual occurrence back in Nebraska.

I recently uploaded an e-book to Amazon in addition to the Hillbilly Scholar one I already have. It’s called Blasting Mental Illness Myths by Zach Foster. It’s not up just yet as I loaded it only a few days ago.

This is the link to the Hillbilly Scholar e-book

https://www.amazon.com/Wisdom-Hillbilly-Scholar-Zach-Foster-ebook/dp/B005ESFWNI/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3BR1YVX065QOH&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.uACjiqLKg7iYywHEerIRWw.oEkfijpANSjGwxPnP5W80vUEWYv8vkD3FHYTL6VTGsg&dib_tag=se&keywords=wisdom+of+a+hillbilly+scholar&qid=1742162715&sprefix=%2Caps%2C94&sr=8-1

My Amazon Book, Wisdom of A Hillbilly Scholar

Posted on by
1

Wisdom of A Hillbilly Scholar – Kindle edition by Foster, Zach . Self-Help Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Zoom Meeting with my Psych Doctor

Posted on by
1

Had a Zoom meeting my Psych Doctor this morning. I was introduced to telemedicine during the pandemic. My doctor has agreed to do Zoom meetings every three months after I met her in her office in the downtown a couple of times.

I’m feeling better the last several days. The weather is starting to warm up and spring officially arrives in a few days. I put away my long coats and fleece blankets as it looks like winter is behind us, at least here in Oklahoma City.

For some reason, I’ve had a spike in traffic over the last several days. Apparently, I have been getting some traction these past few days. This is especially true in Germany.

At first, I thought the increase in traffic was a fluke or due to bots or hackers or something. It very well could be. I haven’t regularly written on this site since Christmas as I was taking some time off from writing.

After thirteen years of blogging, I may have found an audience. Too early to tell. I have decided that I’m uploading a lot of my old writings into Amazon to be published on Kindle. I uploaded a 46-page book on there today. Should be ready for sale in a few days. Years ago, I uploaded a book called Wisdom of a Hillbilly Scholar on Amazon.

March 11 2025

Posted on by
1

It’s been a few months since I last posted. Updates are in order. I spent my winter at home trying to regain my strength and mobility. I can easily transfer from the bed to the recliner and back.

I have been feeling kind of depressed. My health progress is going slow. I’m still losing weight, but my mobility is coming along slowly. My knee and ankle pains are more manageable. I still have to take Tylenol a couple times a day.

I sleep a great deal. Most nights I’m asleep by 11:30 pm and don’t wake until 8 am. And I will usually sleep two hours in the afternoon. I just feel my happiest when I sleep. I can still easily walk in my dreams.

My dreams aren’t very scary anymore. Most of my dreams are about my childhood hometown and I have the same looks and build I had in my early 20s. I guess I dream about my physical prime. Most of my dreams aren’t scary, but they don’t make much sense. And I can affect the outcome of these dreams and the dialog sometimes. Most of my dreams I play the role of the hero rather than the victim anymore. Far cry from 20 years ago.

I still have my investment and collecting hobby. I buy mostly old silver coins and bitcoin. Bitcoin is volatile enough that I don’t want to add to it, but I don’t want to cash out either.

My blood is under control. Some days it’s quite low. So the doctor is talking about reducing some of the doses. I recently took a cheek swab test to see how I was metabolizing my medications and to see which types of other meds would work well in the future. It’ll be weeks before I get the results of that test back.

The Future of Home Care: Robots and Independence

Posted on by
1

My caseworker and my parents are trying to get me into a long-term care facility. I really don’t want to go back to one of those. I despise the idea of losing my freedom and finances. I just as well be sent to prison as far as I’m concerned.

I live in a house with no stairs. But the doors aren’t wide enough for a wheelchair. Any suggestions I make to widen the doors fall on deaf ears. It burns me that I still have all of my intelligence but might still have to go to a long-term care facility because of lack of handicap access.

I would like to get a home health aide that comes in once a day to help with things. I had to fire my cleaning lady a few months because she wanted me to sign off on her billing her company for time she didn’t work. Can you say disability fraud? Glad I got rid of her.

I watch a lot of videos and news programs talking about the possibility of humanoid robot assistants becoming available to the public within a few years. Yet about the only people who don’t think I’m totally full of crap when I talk about this are some friends online and my older brother.

My thinking is that I hold on for a few more years and get a home health robot to help around the house since none seem to be available for me. Hell, it took a miracle for me to get onto a service where a doctor comes to see me in my house every six weeks. We found out about this, not through my case workers, but from a friend in my mom’s church.

I’m afraid that I will get sent off to a nursing home due to lack of mobility, lose my freedom, lose my money, and lose the family house just right before EVERYTHING changes with home robots, automation, AI, improved personalized healthcare, and possibly even Medicare for All.

One thing I despise about being on disability is that my earnings are limited before I’m totally thrown out of the system. And since the USA refuses to act like a civilized nation and institute Universal Healthcare, I’m stuck in poverty just so I can get my treatments. And I’m damn sick of it.

I lived in a long-term care facility once for eight months. Hated damn near every second of it. Had no freedom. Had no privacy. I was chastised for not socializing with the other residents even though most were senile and or nearly deaf. The only thing worse would have being in prison.

I don’t really tell my parents how much I despise the idea of going to a home. In the first damn place, I don’t think I would need one if the house was more wheelchair accessible. But they won’t entertain the thoughts of making the house more wheelchair accessible. All they would have to do is widen the doors to my bedroom, the bathroom, the front door, and the back door.

As far as transportation goes, that is being solved already in spite of the run around I get from social services. My brother bought a Tesla with self-driving capabilities back in the spring. Just the other day he and my niece had to go to Kansas City (which is about six hours from our town). During the trip up and trip back, the car did over 98 percent of the driving on autopilot. I was calling this almost ten years ago. Now it’s pretty well mainstream.

I had a car accident in late 2015 that really screwed up my back and knees. I was talking about how nice self-driving cars would be when they become available. I remember one of my Facebook “friends” said, and I quote, “It will be a cold day in Hell before self-driving becomes a thing.” That was less than 10 years ago. Bust out the parka and long johns, because it’s getting awful damn chilly these days.

I’m seeing the same attitude towards robotics that I saw against driverless cars about 7 to 9 years ago. I have given up on trying to convince people that humanoid robot assistants will be a bigger game changer than even smart phones, military drones, or even the internet itself. Most people don’t want to listen, let alone people of my parents’ generation.

Once during the pandemic, I joked in one of my futurists’ groups on Facebook about having a goal of riding in a self-driving electric car with a robot friend, smoking a marijuana cigar, while driving past a police station before June 14, 2030 (my 50th birthday). If I can hold out for long enough to get a home help robot and I don’t get sent to a home before then, I’m going to make that dream come true, so help me God.

Even if my parents go get too impatient and send me to a nursing home before I can make my dream of robot assisted independence come true, I’m going to do everything within my power to get well enough that I can leave. If my parents don’t want to make our house wheelchair accessible, well that’s their hangups. Sucks to be elderly and not see the possibilities that probably will come by the end of the decade.

Hell, I want them to fight me on this. I want people to tell me what can and can’t be done/ I want people to throw up roadblocks. I want to be told I’m a liar and I’m full of shit. I have made an entire life of coming back from setbacks and proving people wrong. Their hatred and nay saying will just make my story telling even more interesting than it already is.

After surviving 25 years of schizophrenia, 16 years of Section 8 Housing, 3 years of congestive heart failure and being wheelchair bound, I’ve lost most of my fears. I don’t want things to be fair or easy for me. Life isn’t fair. I figured that out when that I was six years old. I figured out that life isn’t fair before I figured out Santa Claus was fake. I’ve been fighting my entire life. Why should the next few years before some major breakthroughs be any different? I have nowhere to go but up. And I’ll be damned to let even family stand in the way of my freedom and independence.

The Impact of Change: Christmas Musings on Life and Health

Posted on by
Reply

I’m having a good Christmas season so far. Got to talk with some old friends over the phone for over an hour today. She found a new job a few weeks ago that pays more than any job she ever had. Her husband (also a friend of mine) is still working 60+ hours a week as a delivery driver. They think he will try to find something in academics soon now that they aren’t living paycheck to paycheck anymore.

Our conversation covered mostly history and geopolitics. I don’t have many friends I can talk about those things with anymore. Most of my friends are having tough times with mid life crisis kind of things. I miss those conversations about history and current events. It was like being back in college, if just for only one hour.

I sleep most of the daylight hours anymore. I think part of it is depression and part of it is anemia. I’m not looking forward to probably having to go back to a long term care facility. But my mobility isn’t coming back and my house isn’t handicap accessible. My parents aren’t in good health and probably have only a few years, at best, left. Part of me all three of us won’t make it to see 2030.

It really breaks my heart to be in decline just right as things are really changing science and tech wise. I am convinced that we as a society will make more scientific progress in the next 20 years than we made in the previous 300. That is, if the politicians and voters quit screwing up.

Dealing With My Physical Decline and My Friends Who Refuse to Acknowledge Decline

Posted on by
1

Saw my home health nurse today. My mobility isn’t coming back like I had hoped at all. I’m still angry about physical therapy giving up on me after only one month. I’m angry that no long term care facility had a place for me.

It’s pretty damn obvious at this point that I am wheelchair bound and need accommodations. My case worker sees it. My home health nurse sees it. My doctor sees it. My parents see it. Hell, I saw it long before anyone. About the only people who are still in denial are my friends about my age. People can be awful stupid about some things.

My friends are the type of people who believe anything is probable, not possible, through positive thought and hard work. Hell, the believe if I don’t achieve mobility and good health again, it’s all my doing. With friends like that, who needs enemies?

I think my friends are in denial because it would force them to reflect on their own mortality and that they aren’t young anymore. It would also force them to reflect on the fact that one can do everything right and still lose big. Sometimes things just happen for no reason. My life is a prime example of this.

Adapting to Change: Mental Health and the Future of Work

Posted on by
2

Even though I don’t go out or socialize in person much anymore, I still keep busy. I was recently demonetized on Medium. No explanation and no way to appeal. Really irritated me as I was making some decent money.

In some ways, they did me a favor forcing me back into Word Press on a regular basis. Even though I haven’t been posting much over the past year or so, I was still getting a decent amount of audience. Some days I would check, and I would have 40 or so views on a single day even though I hadn’t posted in weeks. Maybe the word is getting out there.

Sure, I made more money on Medium. But I got better audiences on Word Press. But I guess nothing lasts forever. There were also a lot of complainers and whiners on Medium. I don’t miss them. First World problems in most cases. I swear people like that never had to deal with bullies and setbacks as kids.

I was bullied a lot as a kid. Ended up in several fights, most of which I lost. But I’m glad I went through it. Made me confident in my ability to survive and adapt, especially as I got older. No I didn’t enjoy it at the time. But I thank God every day I dealt with some hardship as a kid during prosperous times.

I was born in 1980 and spent most of my formative years in the 1990s. We still had the latch key kind of things. I had my freedom, like most small-town kids. And the grownups usually let the kids solve their own problems unless we got too destructive or violent. Much of that behavior would be considered child abuse these days.

Personally, I think real abuse is sheltering kids from the consequences of their actions, not teaching them how to cook or do basic repairs to household items or never letting them solve their own problems. Hitting your kids isn’t the only form of child abuse out there. I think not preparing them for adulthood and its ups and downs is every bit as abusive as punching them in the face.

In some ways I’m glad I didn’t have kids or get married. But that is mostly because of the schizophrenia. While I don’t particularly enjoy living with my elderly parents, I know I would enjoy living in a nursing home (been there, done that) or being homeless would be even worse. It’s a blow to my pride that I live with my parents after being on my own for seventeen years. But I try not to complain, at least publicly, because I know it could a lot worse.

I’ve always taken mental health seriously. Even more so now with everything changing so rapidly. I’m under no delusion that I’ll ever make enough money to support myself off writing. Vast majority of even paid writers don’t make above poverty level wages off writing alone.

I’m kind of burned out on computer games. And almost every time I try to socialize with anyone outside of immediate family, these people are in awful moods all the time. Nothing can make most people happy.

These people are going to be really unhappy in a few years when AI and automation take more and more jobs, especially since we have almost nothing for social safety nets. Rest assured; it will happen. A lot of people will eventually lose their jobs to AI and automation. I’ve been trying to tell people this for over a dozen years. About the only people who listened are my retired elderly parents and my best friend. She’s always grumpy and grouchy now, it’ll only get worse when she loses her good paying job she’s complains about almost daily.

I know it sounds like I don’t sympathize with these people whose jobs are on the robot chopping block. But you would be wrong. I lost my career and everything I worked for many years ago due to my mental illness. I did everything right; worked hard in school, stayed away from drugs, stayed away from credit cards, stayed out of trouble, etc. And I still lost everything.

Millions of people will find themselves in the same boat within several years. Not their fault a machine can probably do their jobs better than they ever could. Soon they will be cheaper too. In my case I lost my career in my twenties rather than my forties when I would have had a mortgage, a couple kids to send to college, and a retirement to save for.

In spite being surrounded by grouches, I’m looking forward to Christmas. I didn’t ask for any special gifts. I think a large dinner of spiral ham, stuffing, green bean casserole, etc. is enough of a gift. Don’t know how many Christmases I have left, but I intend to really enjoy this one. It’s just too bad that it doesn’t snow much down here in Oklahoma City.