working again

A year ago I was house bound with little to do except for the daily routine that I had established for myself.  The unemployment checks had run the course, and my internet job searches had gone idle. I had put some weight, and my knee joints  were now showing more and more aches and pains.

I have been traveling with the spousal unit on her work travels.  As you know, the bus driver eats free.  I began a search for contract employment that would allow me the freedom to accompany the spousal unit on her travels.

My search led me to a position that was posted on Craig's List.  There was a job posted for an assembly technician.  Being one that doesn't like reading instructions, this might be a challenge.  I applied for the job, got a call, and the next thing I knew, my mouth was being swabbed for a drug test.  I was now an official assembly technician!

My first day I was to meet my trainer at one of the local Home Depots.  We started with the grills.  I removed the contents of the box and grabbed the instruction book.  My trainer said "we ain't got time for that.  Watch me!". A year later, I very rarely open the instruction guide :-).

Now, a year later, I'm a few pounds lighter, and inch or two thinner, and the pains in my knee joints has moved yo all of my muscle groups!  I gave up the tub years ago, but now the soaker tub is my sanctuary, with bubbles, of course!

I have not used an alarm since my separation from my old desk job.  Except for the muscle pains, I wake up ready to attack the day. There is no supervision, and occasionally I have been assigned the task of training the " new guy". The pay is piece work, the more you work, the more you get paid.

I recently received my 1099 from the Company.  The amount was around 10% of what I was making at the old desk job.  At this stage of my life its not about the money.  I'm keeping myself busy, working my muscle groups, and was never this happy in my previous life as a bean counter.

Funny thing, my employer required me to sign a nondisclosure agreement, buying my silence.  All I had to say back then was a silent"thank you" for the freedom it gave me.   Three years later, the terms of the agreement have been fulfilled.  Now, the only thing I have to say is "don't worry, I'm happy.  Have a margarita and I'll be at the beach!"

The biggest regret, was the loss of the relationships with my fellow coworkers and the friendships that were developed over 30 years.  But hey, I now have a whole new set of folks to get to know, and these customers are continually cracking me up with their questions and requests!

Any advise I can offer is to love what you do.  Life is literally far too short to spent it doing something you hate.

Weird

Its weird how some things happen, some for a reason, others that make you go hum?

Yesterday, I starting getting the itch to build another ice chest cooler box.  No particular reason, the process is good therapy for me when my mind gets cluttered.  Then, last night a buddy sends me a FB message.  He needs one of my coolers.  Love how that happens!

Been living life for the last three years as a guy that got put to pasture at the age of 55.  Not my choice.  Had reached the point where, I needed a change.  I was not happy,  taking way too many pills, and hated going to work every day.  Spent two of the past three years looking for employment, with no luck.  Then I find an ad on Craigslist for an assembly technician.  Been doing it for a year now, love it!  Made 10% of what I used to make, but hey, its not about the money, its about doing something you enjoy!  I have become the "preferred technician" at several of the stores I service.  (Helps to have a supportive soulmate.)

I've had to tweak my spending habits a bit.  Trying to stretch my dollars until I reach the ripe old age on 59 and a half.  Lots of less:  less shopping, less eating out, less entertainment.  Monday, I open an envelope, and find a check made out to me, one that would be coming in a few years.  Turns out, a guideline was amended for an early disbursement.  My lucky day!  Still gonna be tweaking that lifestyle til it becomes routine.

I was in Madison last week, doing my contract work at the movie theater.  Decided to get a BBQ sammich.  Ran into my old banker from my working days.  Been work friends for 30 years.  Have not seen him in over three years.  He is not a facebooker, so we had some catching up to do.  His face lit up when he saw me. I think mine was brighter than his!  Lots of small talk, got a reminder of what I used to like about my old job.  He was glad to see that I was the "same old Bill"!

I haven't used an alarm clock since my career change.  I wake up when my body says to, usually around this time of the morning (6 am).  Always early.  Hard to be late when you enjoy what you do!

Hoping to experience a few more " weirds" along this path I'm taking.  Liking them so far.......

Growd Up

Its weird.  How does it happen?  You wake up one morning and discover that all of a sudden your children are all grown up!

The oldest will be 28 next month and yet he is still standing at that fork in the road of life, not knowing which path to take.  Dude, sometimes its one step forward and two steps back, but don't just stand there!  He's been asking for a nudge, one way, or the other.  I learned early with this one, to point him to the mirror.  His decisions will be his own, not gonna blame me for those hickups that come along the way.

The youngest, now 22, snuck up on me.  I thought that we had a good communication pathway.  Turns out I was just hearing myself talk.  He's making adult decisions on his own now.  Some, not so smart, but he gets back up, and moves on.  Last three semesters of college will not phase him.  He will succeed.

Both have girl friends.  Both are very different.  One, I think, has figured out that my bark is way worse than my bite.  The other, no where close.  I have to remind myself that the boys get to pick the girls.  Mom and Dad, here she is, deal with it. God knew what he was doing when he gave me boys.  He forgot to remind me about girl friends and potential daughter in laws.  Yep, I've definitely got work to do on this one.

Funny that there is no user manual for being a human being.  You start off as a son or daughter.  You mature and possibly become a husband or wife.  Then, if you are real lucky, you get an opportunity to be called Momma or Daddy.  So far, I've bent a lot of nails and stripped quite a few screws along this path called life.  Got two more chances, "in-law" and "grandpop".  Hoping the game of life gives me a new set of strikes and outs and maybe some extra innings for these next adventures, assuming those days come my way!