So where now?

1. Continue plugging away at the IT market hoping against hope that my talents will find recognition and a home?

Positives: in recent weeks, there have been several opportunities, and P&G did actually offer me a position before withdrawing it (on very dubious grounds after 1 day). The others might all have worked out as well.
Negatives: nothing that I really want to do (a permanent position in the Rhein-Main Gebiet remains the objective). Age always tells against me. And my main skillset (EDI/EDIFACT) tends to be very particular and not greatly in demand.

2. Manual labour (including absolute dinge jobs at McDonalds, Burger King and the like): NO WAY!

3. Selling/Promoting/PTCS: NO WAY!

4. Elance / Freelancer.com /ODESK: Been trying this for the last two years. Three short-term jobs (2 proofreading, 1 translating) bringing in 540 Euro. There has to be someone who says "yes", offers me something that I would do well, pays enough (i.e. 1500 Euro a month after stoppages), and offers it fairly long-term. We can keep looking, but to date, pickings are thin and competition is fierce.

5. Writing - you spend a great deal of time, and earn comparatively little. Helium did pay me some 120 Euro before they changed the system, but I am not a competitive writer (does anyone want two to twenty versions of "MacBeth" or "A Tale of Two Cities" anyway?) - it strikes me as far too arbitrary - and that seems to be what they want.
There is, of course, this blog, which is little known and does not attract readers or advertisers (given my views, the latter does not surprise me, and I will not compromise my intellectual honesty!).

6. Translation work. I need certification to work properly here anyway. That still needs investigation - nobody has come up with anything that I can use. Freelance work is providing very little, and again, competition is fierce.

7. Anything else - Forex trading and the like. New ideas? Any practical suggestions (no internet scams, thank you) welcome!

8. Back to the dole queue? UGHHHHH! NO THANKS!

Nothing obvious, nothing promising. I am about as likely to get a night of unbridled passion with the gorgeous Rio Sakaki as I am to get anything positive moving forward.

The curious thing is that I do not want so much from this life - a minimum of 1500 Euro a month after stoppages have been deducted (preferably something like 3000 would be nice), long-term security, my sex drive acting like I was still 25 and the chance to use it regularly, a television service that worked when I want it (if only to watch the Bundesliga highlights), occasional journeys to interesting places (Florence, Helsinki, Sydney, Rio de Janeiro, the Kenyan safari parks) if possible.

Not much else really. Mega-wealth has no appeal with its need for security guards, large dogs and electronic fences, and anyway, enough is good as a feast! There is nothing in my life that would not improve with a degree of certainty, though.