No. This is not another rag to riches story. I don't have enough money for that kind of ending. It is also not another riches to rags story either....although that ending always looms as a possibility. No, this is more of a story of hopelessness to hope to....well, I'll check back with that.

I have worked since I was 9 years old (paper route), and have never known what it was like to not be earning an income and having money in my pocket. 'That's the American way', I was taught....to work until you can retire in Florida somewhere.

Well, due to circumstances that need not be mentioned here, I found myself unemployed at 58 years old. First time....EVER! A shocker. But, of course I would find other well-paying employment. Right? I mean, with all of my experience? Well....no, actually.

After two years of countless interviews and thousands of applications, I finally realized what the term 'experienced' meant to most employers. Old. And costly insurance. And no longevity with the company. 'Unemployable'.

I am not a person that gets depressed, but I sure had reason to be. I found myself in a hopeless situation. Approaching 60, unemployment benefits expired, too old to employ, too young for social security benefits. Hopeless. I have a family to support, so I can't 'give up'. I must find hope. But where?!

I had some money saved (for retirement... HA...that's a joke) so I had time. Not a lot of time. It was definitely finite. And running out....quick;y! I checked the usual alternatives (franchises, internet marketing), but, after reading review after review, decided most were scams, the others not very interesting. Hopelessness is firmly setting in at this point.

Then, one day, I read an article. Not sure who wrote it, but I wish I could remember. It seemed quite trivial at the time. It talked about another internet marketing group....Wealthy Affiliate. Sounded interesting, but no more than the countless others that I dismissed for one reason or another. But, I did my due diligence and started to research WA. I looked at every review that I could find. But, this time, I could not find any bad reviews. Not really. Oh, there were a few. But these were complaints from people who did not have the money for the program. A small amount, really. But, in this day and time, I fully understand. I could not find one bad review about the organization. Not one! I tried!

Even then, I thought, it must be a scam. My wife was already sure that every internet marketing firm was a scam, so she was no help.

It took weeks, but finally I decided that I would take a chance....to try to reverse this hopeless situation that I was in. I joined WA. Oh, I really had no vision at the time. I joined with no clear idea of the 'end game'. Like I said....hopelessness!

Well, the first thing that WA stresses is that you should find your 'niche'. 'What's that?' I thought. Now I am hopeless AND clueless!

I found that they were referring to passion. What do you REALLY enjoy doing? Well, I like watching football on TV....can I make a living at that? Yeah....I was a little sarcastic about this concept.

Well, to make a long story short....Yes, you can make a living doing that. Well, not that exactly, but sports in general.

So, I started my own website about sports. At 60, I feel like a child again. I am really doing something I enjoy. And, I believe that it will provide me with an added side effect....income! Thanks to WA, I have something that I haven't had in a long time....HOPE!