Goodbye 2021

So there we were as a planet and then....2020. It was universally the worst year in living memory and the pandemic was just part of the 2020 mess. 

It was the year of preparing for this year. I had to get 2020 behind me and get through April to get qualified for my pension which I covered in previous posts. 2020 was a stepping stone to 2021 which was my main event year for my professional life. 

Usually when I felt like it I did a year end wrap up but I feel I've documented this year pretty well, at least the high points. So here are a few notes:

Earlier in the year we lost Rush. 

Fast forward to the last day of 2021 and we lost John Madden a couple of days ago and Betty White today, 18 days short of her 100th trip around the Sun. 

The pandemic has not gone away. 

I'm happily retired. 

I've spent a lot of time with my daughters. 

I'm creating a hobby room upstairs for a variety of hobbies.

I've binged so much TV I'm pretty sure if there were an event, I'd be Michael Phelps!

I'm definitely a fan of edibles and not so much flower. It's alright but I like the longer lasting effects of an edible. 

2022 will be a good year! 

One Week

 Today marks my first week of retirement. 

So far it's similar to having a week off of vacation. I did catch myself more than once remembering to wash my uniforms only to remember once again...I didn't have to anymore.

I know that eventually I'll have deal with increasing my income, which again I've prepared for since 2015 through higher education. But for now, I'm content and at peace with my decision. I know that the same stuff at work is happening right now and even if those players were gone, it'd be happening to someone else but it'd be the same stuff. The same problems, the same everything. 

I didn't come back right away and write out this post because I wanted time to assimilate into this new life. I need to feel out what I'm doing, grow in this new found free time. I need to just exist for a while and let things be. 

Made coffee this morning, the past few mornings I've made hot tea but today felt very coffeey. Right now I'm just being still and letting things happen. 

Retirement Day

 Today is the day!

Yeah, Friday was my final full day and all but today is the official last day! I had lots of people show up (Including Thing 1, Thing 2 had been exposed to Covid and chose to be safe) to the Blue Note Friday night and had a great time! 

Today is the end of my career though. I go in for a few hours, clean out my locker, sign my final papers, and say my goodbyes! 

The place I've manned for 30 years is not my place anymore. You all know the story and why I've done this so I probably don't have to rehash it here in this post. 

A new world opens today. The possibilities are endless and they start today!

My Final Friday

 Yes, the time has finally come. This is my final Friday and I'm pretty happy!

Tonight is my retirement get together at The Blue Note and I've waited for this day for years now. Tuesday is my official last day. I go in and out process, clean out my locker, walk around and say my goodbyes. 

When we first found out about the changes in the pension system and how it was ending in its current form, I resigned myself to working until I was 67. Then we had the individual meetings with the pension reps and I learned I was eligible. I'm sure I blogged about that before. 

So this is the best case scenario for me in a "Plan B" situation. "Plan A" was to retire next year after my house was paid off so since that was off the table, I scrambled and prepared myself to leave this year. Hard choices had to be made but I feel I've made the best decisions I could make with the information I had at the time. 

I've prepared as well as I can prepare, arming myself with 1 degree and another one nearly finished. 

I've gotten myself in a good financial position. 

I've got a plan to apply my degrees. 

Now before that happens, I take 90 days to rest. I get used to my new life, build a new routine. 

I'm ready. Yes I'm absolutely nervous, anxious, and afraid of the unknown. But I'm also feeling great about the future. I'm ready for all of the possibility and promise yet to come. I'm as ready as I can be to get my future started.

4 Days Left

 It's a bit after 5:30 this morning and I've already made taco salad and that'll last me a couple of days of great eating! Love me some taco salad! Today will be my final Wednesday at the base. Every Wednesday at noon they run a test of the emergency sirens and it sounds like a tsunami siren. It's got that "whoop" rather than a standard Oklahoma tornado siren. 

Today is it! The last time I'll be at work for that test. I'm good with that. My anxiety is fading away, my excitement is growing!

I'm feeling the excitement that I felt a year ago. I mean it's really easy to feel excited about things that are life changing but still a long ways away. When it gets close then you start to get a bit nervous, then anxious, and then anxiety ridden but I've sucked it up and getting through it. If nothing else I can deal with adversity without melting down.

It's good right now, it'll be good tomorrow, it'll be good next week, and good a year from now.

Day 6 Is Done

 There are personnel changes going on at work now. My replacement won't be in the shop for maybe another month but that triggered other moves as one person with no seniority will get bumped to nights and one on nights will exercise his seniority to move to days. On a temporary basis, until my replacement comes into the shop, the guy on nights will be working in my place on days until that happens.

Yes, I have to drive on base five more times now. October 12th is fast approaching and again I'm filled with mixed emotions on everything. For a fact I know I'm making the right decision. I've put in the time and effort to prepare for this as well as I can. I also know I can't work there until I'm 65, it'll kill my spirit so much that I'll be a shadow of a man before long. 

I've always been an individualist, depending on myself rather than on others unless I have no other choice. This is a true test of my belief I've held since I was a kid, I will be depending on myself now rather than a fairly secure job for my income. 

I have the qualifications, the drive, the education, and the experience to make this happen. Make what happen? Well, that's up in the air right now! But in the next few months I'm going to flesh it out and define the business plan. I guess you could say that's part of the fun!

Last Week of Work

 I just put in my last load of work clothes in the washer. Been wearing uniforms at work for 30 years and my new uniform will be whatever I want to wear. The past week has been filled with a lot of people telling me how lucky I am. How they'd change places with me if they could. 

I don't feel lucky right this moment but I know I will in a year from now. I've got to work through creating a new routine as I've mentioned lots of times. Creature of habit. 

I've been emotionally distancing myself from my work routine for the past few weeks. Changing up my routine a little bit at a time. Driving to work or from work a bit differently each day. Making things feel different, a little bit here and there. There will be some where I work that'll be happy I am gone, others will miss me. Nothing unusual about that, it's like that every place where you work. You'll get along with some, others you won't.

The difference is that October 13th I won't have to deal with that anymore. It brings a certain amount of stress with the job and it'll be over with. All of the union issues that come with the job, the dramas that play out between management and the workers will be a distant memory for me. I do plan on staying on as a retiree union member. It's important for the future of the union and my friends that work there. 

I've got to clean out my locker this week, sort through whatever is there. Throw everything else away. 

8

 8 days working days left and naturally insomnia strikes again. Been awake since 3:30. Normally I'd do homework when this happens but I'm finished with the course. Two of my last three courses don't start until January 3rd. 

So here I am, my furkids are all over because they think it's feeding time and Oscar the elderly chihuahua has been out twice already and also expecting food. If I feed them now then it'll screw up their schedule and it'll take forever to get them back on it. 

This is a problem I hope to cure in a few days when I can use MMJ. Sleeping all night would be awesome and I feel so much better after a full night's sleep. But who doesn't? Right now I'm awake, again, and watching Teen Titans Go! and updating my blog. 

(Future Grandkids Note: You're Granddad has always loved animation, want to hold my attention during boring classes, incorporate animation into it.)

I've got an hour left before I even have to start getting ready for work. I'm drinking hot green tea with a bit of honey. I've never really made coffee or tea at home in the mornings on a consistent basis but soon I'm going to have to form a new routine and I'm going to make hot tea part of it. Maybe a morning round of disc golf. and whatever else I feel like doing.

9

 Day 9 has ended, I'm one day closer to not driving to work anymore. Typical day, fixed a bunch of night shift screwups. When I started there we actually had to have experience in our fields. Now they hire any dumbass with a pulse. 

Now we have three twenty-something, overly sensitive, emotionally immature, and inexperienced kids that can't get along. We also have one thirty-something that's about to move to days because he's done with them. 

I'm done with all of it. 

I'm sick of it. 

I'm finished.

I have to drive there 8 more times. Then I'll be able to take my epic break and plan my new plan! Start utilizing my education I've worked really hard for. I'm excited, anxious, and all of the emotions I've described over the past several posts. 

The world is relatively open to me. I'll have money to live on, money coming in each month, and time to burn!

 

10

 I've got my exit physical this morning. I've fasted since 6 last night and my physical is at 8, I'm getting hungry. They want to make sure you're good physically before you leave to limit liability on their part. It's all good, I'm feeling pretty good all in all! I don't have much if any cancer in my family history so that's good!

Ten working days left! 

Ok, it's time to reveal things about 2019. I got a part time job at a local dispensary called Kush Gardens. I worked from December of 2019 to December of 2020 and I worked nights and weekends. I started off working Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 6 until close at midnight. 

I finally got to work opening to 5 on weekends which is what really helped me. Working those many hours while maintaining my current job and still doing my grad school homework was tough but it set me up financially to make sure my retirement is easier on me. 

I learned everything about MMJ I could. I got over my old prejudices that most of the country grapples with. My first hand experience with customers and their stories on how it helps them was eye opening. 

Federal legalization is a real possibility but the problem will come when it comes to protections for local growers and dispensaries. I'd prefer it to be decriminalized federally and leave it up to the states to make their own laws.

If it were federally legal, it could literally be sold in every place you sell cigarettes. The quality Oklahoma is known for would drop dramatically as the massive tobacco companies would take over and buy out every growing field they can find. Strains would degrade and ultimately federal regulations would be put in place which would kill the industry. 

Let the states figure it out and protect local growers, processors, and dispensaries. When the feds get involved things go bad. 

That's my story on how I got prepared for retirement financially and how my mind was changed on the subject of marijuana. I worked with customers and helped them with their needs. I educated myself on what is known and not on the myths. I talked to my family doctor and asked questions and I advocate it to remain a state's rights issue rather than a federal issue. 

11 Working Days

That's it. That's all there is left. Two weeks from tomorrow and I'm done with the job I've had for so long. It's surreal. It's also very easy to be excited about something when it's a year away and to make grand plans but when it comes down to the wire, it's a big black hole of anxiety. 

I know in a year from now I'll be good, I'll be better than good! This will be a long forgotten memory! I'll be onto my next career, have two degrees, and earning way more than I am now. But I can't fast forward time like that. I'm here and I'm living now and right now I'm riddled with doubts, fears, and the unknown. 

Tonight I have to fast. Tomorrow morning is my exit physical and drug test. Tomorrow evening I can use MMJ if I so choose to do so and have no fear of being fired. Well...how can they fire someone that's already resigned? Ha! 

This past weekend was great. I spent Saturday with Thing 1 and we went dispensary hopping around OKC. I got some good weed.

I got 1/8ths of:

White Widow

Inda Couch

Ewok

Drops of Jupiter

Sage OG

Mango Sherbet

and Garlicane 

Plus I got enough edibles to stop a charging bull elephant for a week. Again this isn't something that I want to use on a recreational basis right now but that might change. If I'm able to stop drinking beer and use this instead, then I'm awesome with the choice. There aren't many people I know that drink and use MMJ. If they use MMJ, they don't drink at all or very rarely. 

It's about to be a brand new era for me in many ways. 

15 Days

 Yes! 15 working days left! 

2 more Mondays

3 Tuesdays

3 Wednesdays

3 Thursdays

and 3 magical Fridays!

I'm feeling great at work right now and excited to leave. I had a lot of anxiety over the weekend but now I'm really excited. I talked to several people on Reddit and a couple of places and they said the same thing, "Once you leave, you'll forget about the anxiety, the former job, and a world will open up for you that is full of freedom!" 

One man told me the story of where he was offered an early retirement package and he was the only one that took it. His coworkers stayed and the company folded a couple of years later. They got heavily discounted packages and he made out really well in the end! My situation isn't like that but his sentiment was about being happy with the opportunities you have been given. They might be diamonds in the making!

Last night I turned in my final paper in this course. I'm done this week and have one wrap up assignment next week and I'm done writing papers until I start school again on January 3rd. I'll have three courses left and I'll be finished in the spring of 2022!

Medical Marijuana Part 2

 When I got my card two years ago I never thought I'd use it other than to possibly learning to grow MMJ and give it to Thing 1. Thing 1 struggled with anxiety, depression, and had debilitating panic attacks. After getting her card, the only thing she was on was antihistamines for asthma and allergies. I talked to our family doctor about her desire to get her card. I was concerned that maybe it was just her wanting to get high but he really set my mind at ease about the genuine uses of MMJ. 

He was familiar with the meds she was on and said that it would help her but he didn't know exactly how much. So I paid for her to get her card and it changed her life. The doctor was amazed that she was able to get off all of her high power meds and only took allergy medicine. She felt better, her conditions went away. She was able to eat, she was able to keep control over her emotions, her panic attacks went away. 

My favorite story from working at the dispensary was from an 82 year old woman. She had had a botched foot surgery and was in constant pain. They gave her high power opioids to treat the pain. She was thin and frail. When she took a pill for pain she often would sleep until the next afternoon, her granddaughter told me she often slept until 3 p.m. she had no appetite, and she was miserable. They started to search for alternatives and came across MMJ and decided to try it.

I got this story as I was putting her in the system with her brand new card. They wanted to try several things as they didn't know exactly what would help her. We had some great hybrids and indicas at the time so I suggested one of each along with some edibles that I recommended they cut in half until they found what would help. 

They came back the next weekend while I was working and told me the amazing results. She was happy, her pain was easily treatable now, she slept normal hours again and got about 8 hours. Her appetite returned and she had experienced a life changing event when she was able to get off opioids for a more natural remedy. This was in mid 2020 and I only saw her one more time before the COVID lockdown hit. 

That is one of many people I helped at the dispensary. Yes, absolutely we had the people that wanted to use it recreationally. The people of Oklahoma voted overwhelmingly to approve it, so the people have spoken and Oklahoma has been reaping the benefits of higher tax revenue. 

I'm 100% all for it, my mind has been changed 180 degrees about marijuana. You're next question is, "Have I?" and the answer is no. I work in a federal enclave in which state laws don't apply. I mentioned before I would be instafired for having a hot test. In less than a month I will be able to get off trazodone and get some peaceful and uninterrupted sleep. 

I prepared for this. You long time readers know me well enough to know I prepare for things all the time! I decided I didn't want to smoke it. I had smoked cigars for about a decade. The next step was edibles and while that's fine, I wanted something better. The next step is vaping. I'm not talking about about vaping concentrates but flower. 

I did my research and decided to go big and I bought the best vaporizer I could find plus a couple of accessories. The Storz and Bickle Volcano Hybrid. It's an amazing device and I've had a couple of friends try it for me so far since I'm not able to. Both of them are veterans of using marijuana for at least ten years. I brought them over one at a time and ground some flower I bought for them to try. I added the Magma Obsidian which adds humidity to the vapor and I added the Grav Glycerine Chiller on top of that. 

Both of them said it was the best experience they had in years. One friend has really bad asthma and hates smoking it but the vapor didn't irritate her throat or lungs. She was able to do one and a half bags of vapor. The second friend only did one bag of vapor before she said she'd was where she wanted to be and felt great. Two high tolerance smokers and one bag was all they needed and raved about it after. Both want to try it again with me when I'm able to. 

As of today I have to go to work 18 more working days. 

Title Change Leading to More Changes

Today I changed the title of my blog to An Average Man's Story from A Filmmaker's Story. Filmmaker doesn't apply anymore and hasn't for many years. That endeavor, although creatively satisfying, was an expensive hobby. I'm glad I spent the time to learn the art and I'm glad I came to know and love so many friends from that experience as well. That part of my life is over though, well except for my friends, still love them!

That is a minor change though. There are a couple of bigger changes on the horizon and they both start on the same day, retirement day. I'll have three months to adjust to my new life, no school, just me learning to adjust to my new life. 

I need to create new daily habits, a new routine. I'm a creature of habit and need to find healthy things to do with my free time. Yes, polishing up my business plan is on the forefront and making my own marketing plan to brand it properly. 

Second is a huge change for me. My insomnia has gotten so bad that I am going to take my family doctor's advice and not stepping up to more powerful sleeping pills. I take trazodone right now, two pills a night which is up from half a pill a few years ago when I started. There are many more options to take but again my family doctor suggested a very effective alternative that is cheaper and now readily available since 2018 in Oklahoma. 

Yes, I am referring to medical marijuana. Since I'm a context guy when I tell a story, here is my context. 

When I grew up it was always in small towns, usually between maybe fifty thousand people down to a few hundred. I've never lived in a metropolis in my life and have no desire to. Why this is important is because I always knew everyone, and so did everyone else. In high school there were twenty people in my graduating class. There were the people that smoked weed and dropped out before our junior year and went on to....nothing. There were one or two that smoked weed and went on to great careers as well!

For me, I've always relied on my work ethic. I always felt that using marijuana would destroy my work ethic and wind up causing more problems than it solved. Plus for the past thirty years I'd be instafired if I got tested and failed a drug test. In which case I would not be able to retire in a few weeks. 

I have had my MMJ card, which is required in Oklahoma in order to walk into a dispensary. I also worked in a dispensary from December 2019 to December 2020. I know a lot about it now, it was a year long education on how it helps people. Everyone from executives to those that collected cans to get a half gram preroll walked through the doors. 

So many people over the course of a year, I talked and got to know them. I learned the strains and what they did and what they treated. I learned the customer's wants and needs and I paired them with a strain they could use. It was a fun job, a really fun job and I learned my misconceptions on weed were real. It was like anything else, it's not inherently addictive but to some people it is just like food, tobacco, alcohol, gambling, it can be. 

This concludes part 1, I'll be back tomorrow morning for part 2. 

20 Working Days

Yep, I have to wake up and go to work 20 more days. The past few nights I've been awake since around 3:30, yesterday I got up and did most of my homework for the week. This is peer review week where we turn in our final paper for our classmates to review. So there's a lot of polishing and rewriting and stuff. I'll have it finished tonight and submitted.

My insomnia feels like it is really getting out of hand again, like when it was in 2013-2015 when it was so bad I went back to school so I'd have something to do. In hindsight that was an amazing thing to do because we didn't know then that we would lose how the pension pays and who can collect it. IF it hadn't been for insomnia and being in such bad shape then, I wouldn't be able to retire like I am now. I probably would have had to stay at the base and work until I turned 65. 

Life is funny sometimes.

Now I'm three courses away from graduating, again, with an advanced degree, having a pension, and having so many options for my next chapter in life that it's insane. 

I know I'm rehashing a lot from previous posts but I don't go back and reread them before I write again and right now I'm writing them a week apart. Besides I have a lot on my mind. 

So, for the insomnia...what do I do? Well my family doctor has strongly suggested that there is a great natural remedy for that condition. Right now I'm taking two Trazodone each night. Have been for a few years now and they aren't working anymore. When I don't take any I'm awake in about three hours, when I take them I'm awake in about five hours. My Dr. doesn't want to change to something more high caliber, the kinds that have a lot of side effects and I told him about my reluctance to do so.

Well the alternative is something I'll discuss in a later post. 

25 Working Days

 I'm posting this at the end of my work day. Today marked 25 working days left in my marathon that has lasted nigh on 30 years. It's hot out, almost 104. The weekend felt good though, the three day weekend. The mornings were in the 60's and almost fall like. 

I'm killing this current course! I started module 7 of 10 yesterday and I did half my homework on the holiday. I haven't missed a grade point and carry an A in this course. This course is a 675, meaning the this is the penultimate course with the capstone being a 700. The three remaining courses are concentration courses in the digital marketing realm. That's my concentration, I had a choice of 3 concentrations and this one seemed to be the best one available for me and my goals for the future. 

Today was a good day at work, I was by myself. Easy day anyway. I can handle my shop by myself with no problems while my large coworker says it can't happen with one person. I told him I handled this shop by myself for around 8 years, doing all of the work myself. He doesn't hear me when I tell him that though.

It's alright, a few short weeks and my life starts a new chapter. I'm not happy where I am. I'm not challenged anymore and haven't been for years. I'm not going to waste this opportunity to take retirement and start a new chapter. It would waste my education I've worked hard for since 2015. Look, I'm going to miss a LOT of people where I work. People I feel genuine affection for. People I've seen day in and day out for almost three decades. But it's time to move on and I've been given the opportunity to do so. I've been planning this. I'm making the right decision. 

I'm going to be good. I can open doors where I'm doing the stuff I want to do, new challenges, new adventures. I'm going to be helping people with their businesses. I won't be stagnate anymore and stay stuck which is how I feel now. 

It's going to be good, scary but good.

30 Working Days

 45 calendar days and 30 working days left! 

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't experiencing some anxiety about this but again, it's a decision that was made for me and I've prepared as well as I can prepare. I have made the absolute best out of the hand I was given. One degree down and on the verge of a second, a lifetime income, relatively low debt that could be knocked out with a full time job plus the pension income in about 36 months total. 

All in all, I'm ready to get on with the next chapter in this spectacular life! 

I made a roast last night in the crockpot before bed:

1 London Broil roast

1 Jar of Pepperocini Peppers

2 packages of Au Jus mix

2 packages of Ranch Dip mix (not the dressing mix)

1/2 stick of butter

Add potatoes if you want.

The result is an amazing roast experience with a thick gravy! Also great to be able to eat on for about three days! So it is laden with value! Roughly a 30 dollar dish depending on how much roast is at that time and if you get six meals out of it, which is easy, then it's about five bucks per! That's great value!

Anyone who knows me knows I love candles. Yankee Candles released their Halloween candles yesterday and I got a deal where you buy two and you get two free! Sweet! Four large jar candles for the price of two! I'm all set for the fall/winter season candle wise now! 

I'm done with Week 5 of my current course, this coming week I'm over halfway done with the hardest course remaining! Other than the capstone I mean which will be next spring. Then I'm finished! I'll be 52 and I should be looking to rejoin the workforce around that time! 

50 Calendar Days

 Yes, no matter what else happens, in 50 calendar days I'm finished with my career as a defense contractor. 50 calendar days boils down to 34 working days! As I've written before there is a strong possibility that the company change happens on October 1st. We have not heard anything but I'm operating on the assumption that there has been a contract protest/appeal and the company swap won't happen until possibly November.

This past Saturday was a great day! For the first time since Thing 2 went to Korea about three years ago I was able to spend a day with both Things at the same time! We went to a really good burger place, a comic book shop, and then had cigars and just talked as adults. It's really something when they turn into adults and you talk about your experiences. 

I can't tell you how much I love them, how proud I am of them other than to say it as simply as I can knowing it isn't what's in my heart.I have such a depth of love, pride, and admiration for my daughters it's unreal. 

I'll be back when I know more about the company swap!

The Final Step

 When I applied for the pension retirement they explained all of the steps involved in the process. There are a lot of them. You have to apply and give a lot of information, then they examine everything and request more information if they need something else. Then that's approved or denied and then it's another step. 

Long story short I had my final step approved and got the official approval in the mail yesterday! It explained what I'll be earning each month, I chose to have taxes taken out of it, and then I got my final estimate. The estimate will go up a little bit because there are still just over two months of pension income going into the fund on my behalf.

Overall though it'll be close to the current estimate which is pretty nice! In other news the current company I work for lost the contract to Dyncorp. Dyncorp was the absolute worst company we ever worked for. They are worse that Vertex Aerospace and that's saying a LOT! Vertex has been very difficult to work for as they pursued an adversarial relationship with the workforce rather than a beneficial relationship. Dyncorp commenced with layoffs, not offering the same jobs to the people that held them, eliminated a lot of positions, and changed everything that has worked forever and kept everything running smoothly. 

Dyncorp did the same thing when they came to the base in 2001. Ultimately Dyncrop sold to CSC and that lead to the worst two weeks of my life in 2009. It's all documented how bad it was if you read back to that year in the blog. 

If there's a protest then Dyncorp will take over sometime later this year, if not then they'll take over October 1st and I'll leave on September 30th rather than October 12th. It won't benefit me to reapply for my job and go through that process only to retire a week later. When a new company takes over everything is set back to zero like your vacation leave. I hope there is a short protest so all of my leave is worth 4% more which happens October 1st. We'll see what happens though. 

Tomorrow marks 50 working days and 73 calendar days if there is a protest and I work to October 12th! That's a big milestone! A 30 year career coming down to driving on base 50 more times! 

60 Days

Today is 60 working days (86 calendar days) left in this massive chapter in my life.  I guess I should say that it's 60 working days left until the next epic chapter in my life begins. Had a great weekend!

Went disc golfing with friends twice. Learned that binge watching is not an actual exercise. However if there is ever a world binge-watching championship league I should be ranked in the top 5! I was binge-watching back in the very early DVD days and before that whenever they had marathons on broadcast TV! 

Saw Thing 2 this weekend. She met me on the disc golf course. Then after the round was over we sat in my car and talked for almost an hour. I love my daughters so much. 

I'm currently planning a possible trip cross country in October. I've got enough money saved up and will not be job hunting for a while. I've been pretty clear I'm not jumping from this job into another one for a while. Yesterday was the official end of this course and now I've got a week off before the next course starts. I've got 4 total courses left now! Yup! 12 hours left and I'll hold a masters degree in marketing. 

That gives me options future gandkids! Pay attention, work hard, don't whine, and be good.

Going To Sleep

 Last night just as I was laying down to sleep, I thought, “what if tomorrow was the day I’d process out? What would that feel like?”

A wave of relief swept over me! It takes about two hours to out process. That means you’re turning in your ID, signing your final papers, and walking the rounds to tell your buds that you’ll see them away from here next time.

I had the most peaceful night’s sleep after those thoughts! That is something hard to come by for me. If I’m able to sleep until 5, I’m fortunate. I don’t even need the alarm anymore. 

Maybe I can change my sleeping pattern once I’m done. I’d love to be able to sleep and wake up naturally. That would feel incredible! I finished this term Tuesday night. I’m off this week and next week and then start what should be the second hardest course with the capstone course being the hardest and most comprehensive. That will be next year though.

With my spare time last night I watched the World of Outlaws sprints at Eldora. They are racing there until Saturday night! Great show! Tonight I’ll do it again!

100 Days

 The time has come, another major milestone in my thirty year journey has been obtained. I have one hundred calendar days and sixty nine working days left. This is also the week in which my final paper is polished up and submitted. The final week is next week but it's just for wrap up and reflection with one assignment due. 

I'll get a one week break and start the next course later this month. After that I'll take a break from school for a couple of months. I've been doing homework every night after work since spring of 2015. I had one six month break and started my graduate degree. I'm burned out. I need a break. I'm taking that break after this upcoming course is over with. 

My two month break starts a week before my final day at work. Then I'll have three courses left! I'll graduate on schedule next year! Hard work, dedication, discipline. Challenging yourself to achieve more! Yes we got dealt a bad hand with how the retirement works but instead of whining about it, I got busy planning for it.

What's going on in my personal life? Really not much, I'm focused on this step alone right now. Once this chapter is closed and I get my bearings, I can focus on my next milestone. That's to finish this degree. I am already confident in my skill level on being able to create a marketing plan. I'm confident I can do really well for myself. The big thing is that I have given myself a lot of options with the work I've put in. 

 

Official Resignation Day

 Today I was able to officially resign my position! October 12th is my official last day as I’ve mentioned here before. What it means is now I’m locked in to this decision and I couldn’t be happier!

It also means they can post my job in a couple of weeks and I have time to train someone. This is a big deal to me, it means the home stretch now. The finish line is near! 

90 Days

 As of today I've got 90 working days left! I'm excited, anxious, and ready. The new chapter will be awesome. I'm not sure what exactly I'm going to do right away but I know I've got time to figure it all out. I had a conversation with a coworker about retiring. He has to wait another two years to retire. He and his brother have a farm and he is looking forward to doing farm stuff.

I'm not planning on farming but I'm sure it'll be fine for him. I'll have plenty of options and time to figure it out. I'll find a passion and work towards that and I'll have the education and qualifications to make a good living. ( Future Grandkids note: I cared about my education much later in life, I wasn't made for college when I was just out of high school. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this before in this very blog. Basically don't let your mom push you into college if you aren't going to learn anything. Learn a skill instead and make a living! It'll be good for you! Don't whine, don't complain, and do your damn job. Yeah it's tough and sucky sometimes but if you stick it out, you won't be a shallow child. You'll grow up faster and be wiser. You'll be children of character and integrity. You'll develop grit, toughness, and you'll have an advantage over anyone else your age.)

We'll see what happens but I'll be here, on this blog, and reporting it!

Five Months

 Today marks five months until I close a large chapter in life and open a brand new one. Five whole months until I retire and I go out on my own. (future grandkids note: I've always been a rugged individualist and a natural non-comformist. Doing things on my own is what I major in kids.) I've been doing a lot of planning on what I'll do first. 

First thing is to unplug my alarm clock. Pretty sure I won't need it anymore anyway, I tend to wake up around 5:30 no matter what. Blah, getting older sucks sometimes. So what am I going to do second? I'm going to drive. I'm taking my pearl white, onyx edition, turbo charged Subaru Outback on the road and I'm seeing whatever it is I feel like doing and seeing. 

Giant ball of twine? Yup! 

Second largest garden gnome? Sign me up!

World's most shapely peanut? I'll GPS it now!

It's all about doing things that I feel like doing after a lifetime of doing things I didn't really want to do. Independence and freedom, that's in an American's DNA. We have a natural born allergy to tyrants, authority, monarchies. Oftentimes we express and exercise that freedom is to travel, sometimes by ourselves. 

Exploring, journeying, finding a new path. Five months from now, that new path will have it's first footsteps on it. 

600 Hours

 This week I hit a major milestone. In order to be eligible to apply for my pension I had to work 600 hours in 2020 and 600 hours in 2021. April 15th, at 4:15 I hit that requirement. A week ago I requested my retirement application and it arrived yesterday. I spent an hour filling it out, I was so excited! This was a huge step on my lifelong goal of freedom. (Future Grandkids Note: Your lifelong goal should be to be free and independent as well. Self sufficiency and preparation are keys to almost anything.) I've chosen October 12, 2021 as my retirement date. I've told Things 1 & 2 that we are going on a road trip, either together or separately depending on their schedules. During the pandemic I haven't seen Thing 1 nearly as much and of course Thing 2 is in Korea still. 

I'm in week 8 of my current course. Once this course is completed I'll have only five more courses left! Yes, I'm well over half way to being finished! Of course my break in October will push my graduation date back to the Fall graduation in 2022 but I'll be finished with my last class in August I believe. I was going to be finished in May so it's not that much different and this break after I'm done will be critical to adjusting to this new life. 

I watched a movie Friday night, Nomadland. It's really good, it's poetry of America, the downtrodden, love, loss, the blue collar worker, and freedom. There is no shame in labor and there is no shame in wanting a better life for yourself and your children. That's not the exact message of the movie but it's true nonetheless. I had a few beers and was feeling very philosophical, it was almost like a preview of what I plan on doing. Well with one exception, I'll have more means than most in the movie. 

With a master's degree I should be able to earn as much or as little as I feel like to supplement my pension. Being able to be free though, that's priceless and I should be able to do what I like when I like and still have a safety net of security supporting me. I'll have so many new options available to me to make a living it's hard to number them! 

Life is good!

Requested My Application

Yesterday was the start of the journey.  I called and requested my application to start the pension paperwork. It is a small step but very important. It takes quite a while to get everything set up so they want you to file about 180 days out. Work was pretty boring yesterday other than that, it's been a pretty slow week. 

Today after work I have a haircut and straight razor shave scheduled. It's about the best man pampering that's acceptable. Grandkids....don't get a mani-pedi unless you're granddaughters. Then knock yourselves out. 

Big Day And Big Month

 Today I turn 51. It occurred to me several weeks ago that my grandparents were younger than I am now. My grandparents in their prime, when I was older than a child but not an adult if that makes sense. They've all been gone for many years now and I've got so many questions for them, sadly those questions will never be answered now. I'll circle back to this in a bit.

April is a big month because it's the month I become officially eligible for my 30 year pension. I've explained this before so I won't elaborate on why I've got to take it this year. I will apply in the first week of May. I'm targeting September 13th because as my paydays fall, I can get a complete cash out of all my leave that next payday and I'll get my first pension check on October 1st. 

April is also big because my oldest and dearest friend, one of my Northern Brothers's birthday is 23 days from now. We plan on celebrating our turn to 51 by going to see The World of Outlaw races in Ames Iowa the last weekend of April. When I return I'll apply for my pension. 

Since that date is getting closer my anxiety has gone straight through the roof about retirement. I understand it's natural, especially at such a young age. Ha! Young! At one time I thought 25 was old! How little did I know! 

Anyway, February 19th I bought a brand new 2021 Subaru Outback Onyx Edition. I needed a car that would last me for years and handle the adventures I plan on taking. Adventures you say? Yes adventures! In October I'm leaving. I called SNHU and asked to have the October through December term off, they said it was great and so we scheduled it. It won't set back graduation very far, either way it'd be a fall graduation next year for my master's degree. 

So yes I'm leaving. I'll have plenty of money. I'll have a new car. I'll have my mom watch my elderly dog, Oscar. I'll have The Most Innocent Girl in the World watch the kitties. I'll have all the utilities paid up two months in advance. and I'll travel where ever I feel like. I've always wanted to see a lot of the country. Now I'm going to take that opportunity and do it. 

What if there's another pandemic?

What if some unforeseen event happens and I can't travel?

There's so many what ifs that I can't count them all but this is for certain, I'm leaving for a few weeks and learning how to take care of myself. Not in the self reliant way, I'm a master at many things and have survival skills to survive almost anything. I can shoot, fish, camp, and get lost and be just fine. I'm talking about taking care of my being, my soul. I've sacrificed so much over the past 30 years and now finally, even though this is sort of forced upon me prematurely, I'm going to take this time for me. 

Here is where I circle back to grandparents. I'm not a grandparent yet, not putting pressure on my daughters or anything it's just not the time yet for them. I am confident in the next few years I will become a grandparent and I want my grandkids to know about me, but what if I'm not around to tell them all of the things they need to know? What if they want to know about Granddad and there's no one to tell them?

Then it dawned on me how long I've written this blog and the record of thoughts it contains. They can know me as if I'm sitting right there telling them all of the stories I've told my readers over the years. I'm going to endeavor to keep a better record than I have over the past few years. I can't guarantee I'll be as prolific as I once was when I posted every single day for over a decade but I'll try to post much more as I get closer to my freedom and my new found journey of self discovery. 

I don't know if you know this or not but earning a master's degree is a lot of reading and writing. So I usually come home, grab a beer, and starting doing homework. Tonight was a bit different, I thought about writing this blog post on the day I officially broke 50. 

Here's to the future!

Home Stretch

 I'm in the home stretch of the job I've held for the last 29 years. In 568 working hours I'll have 30 years of credited service and be eligible to get a lifetime pension. For those of you that know me know that I've been planning this for a long time. It looked as though the pension wasn't an option after changes made in 2019 cut off the 30 and out option. Then after a meeting with the pension fund reps I learned that I was eligible if I worked 600 hours last year and 600 this year. My option is I can get a lifetime pension this year after I'm eligible or I can wait until I'm 65 to sniff a dime. That's a 15 year gap. There are a lot of people in the same boat and I'm sure most of them will go this year and keep the guaranteed income.

Once I'm done with the 600 hour speed bump, I'll be able to fill out the paperwork and pick a date. I believe it takes some time once you submit your paperwork to get things arranged. My final day is up in the air right now. Here is why, it's a double contract year. The contract is up between the company and the military and the contract is up between the company and the union. These years are especially difficult and lead to lots of problems. 

Here is my plan as of right now, I need to wait to see who is awarded the contract. Once I have that then I can plan my final day. I plan on saving up all of my vacation leave and selling it back when I leave, giving me a large final paycheck. Here is the rub, if the current company retains the contract then I'll then it's possible that I can leave in October making my leave worth a lot more since October 1st is when we get a cost of living raise. 

If the current company loses the contract then I'll leave much earlier. When a new company takes over the old company pays off your vacation leave anyway and everyone starts from zero. So there is no incentive to stay longer and I can start utilizing my degree in a new career. Plus you have to go through the rehire process and there is always a layoff so I can save someone's job. They wouldn't be laid off long as I would only turn around and retire anyway. 

That's where I am, 6 days into the year and I'm on the downhill slide to a great retirement!