at the job site
Fred was a pretty glum fellow the day that I first met him way back in the mid 70s — before cell phones and most of the other modern communication devices that we take for granted today.
Fred was — and still is — a real go getter.
On his first full day at a new shop, Fred went to the job site to check on the job he had been assigned — before breakfast and before he went to the shop.
After checking the job, he headed to the shop, but found his way blocked. There was no way that he could get through and no practical way that he could let his new boss know what had happened.
That’s when I met Fred.
He told me about his dilema and I did the only thing that I could think of — I took him to breakfast.
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Stop back by for the rest of the story, including how it ties in to where I’m working from today and the picture in the post: What the Heck is it?
My old office in my last week of work in January 2007
On Monday, one of the guys in the group I’m working with came into my office and said, with a puzzled look on his face, “You’ve got a call on my phone.”
When I picked up the phone, the fellow calling said who he was and that we had talked a couple of years ago and that I had been thinking about retiring at the time.
I told him that I had already retired and that I had just come back to work as a contract instructor for six months. When I said that he sounded a little disappointed when he said, “Oh, okay.”
You see, the guy who had called me was an employment recruiter who had called my old phone number in my old office to see if I was available or would be in the very near future.
He had no idea that I retired 2 1/2 years ago. It was just coincidence that I was back to work on contract when he called.
On Wednesday, another retiree — who I’ve known for over 25 years — went back to work on contract, the same day that I did. He’s working in another part of the training organization from the one I’m working in.
It just so happens, though, that his son is an “in-house” employee in that same organization.
Since he has been contracted to work primarily in a support role, there may be times that he’ll be providing support for his son.
He told me today that he didn’t have problem with doing whatever they needed for him to do, but that his son might have a little bit of a problem telling his dad what he wanted done.
Last year, when my contract job was finished, I stopped wearing my watch. (see I don’t wear a watch when…,)
Image shared on Flickr by
fdecomite
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It’s not that I’ve got anything against wearing a watch. I just don’t have need to be so focused on time when I’m not actively employed.
Yesterday was my first day on this new contract job.
I had hoped to be there several weeks ago. The people that I’m working with had wanted me there several weeks ago, too. However, there were some issues with getting the funding, as I understand it.
The office I’m sharing is two doors down in one direction from the one I was in last year. It’s also two doors down in the other direction from the office I shared for over 15 years before I retired — the door in between is the door to the stairs.
After 10 1/2 months of not working an eight hour day of having to be in the same place sure does seem long.
I didn’t look at my watch too many times during the day, though — right…. 
There is quite a bit more certainty in my immediate future than there was a few days ago.
The way things are looking right now, there is a very good probability that I will be working next week, based on a few phone calls with the supervisor of the group I’d be working with and with the contracting company I’ll be working through.
The work that I’ll be providing will be very similar to what I did on the last contract, which means a lot of time in the classroom and a lot of time in the simulator.
The accompanying picture is from just before I retired. I used a art media brush stroke filter to render it to look like a painting.
In a way, it’s ironic to be going back. I’ve been very much involved in every initial license class since 1992, including the one that was conducted after I retired. This will be the second, assuming there is no last minute glitch.
Since work will now be a part of my routine for a while, I will have to be making some adjustments.
I hope to be able to post here on a regular basis. I really want to maintain and improve this habit of posting, commenting and replying to comments.
While I am interested in taking this contract, I don’t need to work, fortunately. This will help us finance some projects and fend off having to withdraw money from our savings to augment my pension.
It’s back to work I go — I think.
We should know something soon as the proposed date to start is June 1st.
The contract schedule will be a little different from last time. I’ll be working about 6 weeks and will then have about 6 to 8 weeks off while the class is involved in activities that do not require my “expertise.” The entire contract for me will be 6 months of actual work.
During the 6 to 8 weeks that I am off — assuming the funding for the contract is actually approved — we’ll be traveling out in the western mountain states. We had originally planned that trip for July and August, so it’ll be a little delayed, unless the funding is not approved.
I really do enjoy the work that I’ll be doing under the contract. It’s the best part of the job that I had before I retired.
The job will help us keep from dipping into our savings for the duration of the contract and we’ll try to pay down a debt or two so that the pension and other income will stretch further when I’m not working.
Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, it’s off to work I go…, probably…, maybe.
We’re leaving Harper’s Ferry this morning, heading for Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
In January, I wrote about a coworker’s suggestion that I apply for unemployment when the contract that I was on was over — even though I didn’t need the job when I took it. Comments on the piece overwhelming supported my decision not to apply for unemployment compensation. (see Applying for Unemployment)
The contract was over at the end of August. In the turbulent economic months since then, I’ve had a few moments where I’ve thought about the extra cushion that unemployment income could provide. However, I’ve never had a moment where I regretted my decision.
A few weeks ago I was at one of our every-other-week retirement breakfasts when I heard some fellows talking about putting in for unemployment benefits after thay had finished a contract job. The nature of the industry that we retired from is that there is a lot of opportunity for contract work for those with the right experience and/or credentials. It wasn’t surprising that the idea of putting in for unemployment had occurred to others.
Apparently a couple of them had actually applied.
They were turned down!
They weren’t qualified because they were making too much money from their pension!
Since I was a contract worker working as an employee and NOT an independent contractor, if I didn’t have any other income, I could have applied for unemployment payments. However, with my pension and other income, it didn’t seem right to apply.
In the end, I was not only morally right, but legally right, as well.
I would not have been able to receive unemployment compensation.
On my last job, one of my coworkers asked me if I was going to put in for unemployment when my contract was finished.
“I hadn’t really thought about it,” I told him.
“You really should, ” he said. “After all, you’ve been paying for it all these years. It’s your right. I’m going to when I do contract work after I retire.”
He went on about it a while longer, but I didn’t have much to say on the subject.
I thought about it for a while, though, and concluded that, no, I was not going to apply for unemployment.
While the extra income would be helpful, I didn’t need it and, after all, it’s supposed to be used to help those who need it bridge the gap between jobs. I wasn’t going to be looking for another job.
For that matter, I didn’t actually need the contract job that I was working. It was helping to pay off some debt and, while I was working, we weren’t having to use any of our investment funds.
So, since I went to work when I didn’t need to, it just didn’t seem right to me to apply for unemployment. It felt like taking advantage of the system. (I’ll have more on this in a later post.)
What do you think? Should I have applied for unemployment?
One of my favorite places in the world is 20 miles from the nearest town and seven miles from the nearest road. Nearly treeless except for those few planted to provide breaks from the harsh winds of winter, it is a broad expanse of lush grass covering the dunes of an ancient desert — land unforgiving of those who tired to break it to the plow — land perfect for ranching.
I never knew the whole story of how the ranch came to be. All I can remember of it is that a farmer in the days of the Great Depression, with no market for his crops and beef, was able to save his land and his herd by being able to buy a large supply of grain at extremely low prices. As a result of taking advantage of an opportunity in an unsettled time, the family was able to make it through the hard times and, a little later, buy 21 square miles of range land where the farmer’s son and his bride settled in 1941.
The ranch hold significant positive memories for me. Experiences associated with the ranch, its owners and their family helped shape who I am. The ranch — a result of a farmer taking advantage of an opportunity in an unsettled time.
The world again faces unsettled times — and opportunities.
What kind of new opportunities might be on your horizon?
When I retired at the beginning of 2007, I stopped wearing my wristwatch.
I didn’t put it back on until I took a short term contract job in February of this year. At the end of the contract, I again stopped wearing the watch.
I guess, in a way, it’s a symbolic gesture.
I’m no longer tied quite so tightly to the clock, to a routine.
If I need to know what time it is, there’s a clock on my cell phone, in my camera, on the dash of my car, truck, and motorhome, on the back wall of my motorhome, on the TV, computer, microwave — you get the drift.
I don’t need the watch for me to be able to keep track of time.
Not wearing it is pretty much symbolic of a little more freedom.
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Is there something you do or don’t do that is symbolic of something?
