Sorry I havent been around. I really love this group here, and was looking forward to contributing a lot, but we decided to finally make the much talked about move from Florida to my home state of Kentucky. My wife is adjusting fairly well, and my kids were in fully after their first snow day canceled school 

I haven't been able to do anything puppet related for months, except lurk here, work thru watching 5 seasons of The Muppet Show with my youngest, and some Crash and Bernstein(fun show on Disney XD). And sadly, I was borrowing my sewing machine, so I feel like a logger without a chainsaw.

That being said, I learned the hard way that I really need to go to school and make something of myself before I hit 50. Ten years in a job I could do in my sleep set me up for an ugly wakeup call. Im a blue collar guy with factory/warehouse background and starting over back near the bottom of the ladder is way too much for this old body. So my goal is to take all of my self taught computer skills and try to parlay that into a poloshirt/white collar career path. Or at least a job that won't physically kill me
Fortunately for me I have an awesome wife. I worked for years so she could go to school, so she suggested it was my turn. I've never been to anything past high school other than Navy boot and truck driver school, so this will be an interesting ride.

Our house has a big finished basement that my kids see as a game area, my wife sees as an office. Funny, I see it as a tiny Pinewood Studios for puppet projects.

Anyway, thanks to everyone here for all the great posts, and keeping me compny during a very uncertain time. I will slowly be getting back into the felt and fleece here soon.
And glad you're back home Philip!

Wow, good luck with your change in career. There's a whole shirtload of freelance jobs out there for people with computer skills, which might help you get started. I really hope you and your family enjoy living in your new home and that you get to take back some space for your puppets

Oh Wow, that does explain your silence for a while. Yep, can totally understand where you are at. Hope it all goes well for you. Pinewood studios...hmm sounds good. He, we came back with only two children, and so... (yippee) I have permission now to use the music room as a second studio!... (glee)

Yep, Good Luck. Done the mature student stint meself; had a blast at 'varsity, got the pieces of paper at the end of 5 years ... and promptly went off in an entirely different direction altogether.

He, we came back with only two children, and so... (yippee)

Now, I have one very twisted sense of humor, but I ain't gonna touch that one with a ten foot barge pole ...

From where I sit experience is more useful than education, but I don't know that employers have that view point.  They seem to want any degree as if the point is that you are able to finish something you started.  I am constantly training and retraining new folks in my job and I have wondered how some of those folks got their degree.  When I was in college years ago I took tests to get credit for 18 hours so maybe you can find some courses that you can test out of to save some money, my school gave me those hours at half the cost. I really like the new online classes because you can go at your own pace and look over something again until you get it right, start and stop when it fits your family schedule too. I learn a lot more in that format.  I went back to work after 12 years of staying home with sons I feel your pain.  When I quit to stay home with sons my husband and I made the same amount and when I came back I had to start back at the bottom and work my way up, but I showed those youngsters how to work hard and my bosses saw my value.  Good luck to you, hope you find a job you can't wait to get to each day.