At the end of January, I went back to work at the place I retired from as a contractor. Last Friday was the last day of the contract.
For most of my career, I worked as an operations instructor in nuclear power, both in the Navy (40 months) and at a commercial plant (24 years). As in many jobs, there was more to it than just the teaching. And, unfortunately, as the company went from a moderate sized utility to a corporation operating the 2nd largest nuclear fleet, there was a lot of additional administrative requirements.
By the time I retired, enjoyment of my job was long gone, except for the small percentage of the time that I actually spent in the classroom. That, combined with a number of administrative burdens and other issues, contributed to my decision to retire when I reached 55.
My plan was to take at least a year off before even considering looking for work. By the end of the first six months, I had no intentions of actively seeking work.
Work came seeking me a year after my last real day of work.
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One of the most inane things that Managements do, is to stick specialists with administrative work. Examples are everywhere. Take hospitals, the nurses spend more time on paper work than on nursing, the same with doctors. The same applies in fields like education, research, business and entertainment. Some serious talent gets lost in bureaucratic nightmares leaving the individuals concerned frustrated and not exploiting his potential.
The nice thing about this phenomenon, if you want to call it nice that is, is that universal. Every country, every walk of life and every individual, goes through this. So, Mike, welcome to the club!!
My plan is to die teaching so when the Public School System is done with me, I will take myself to the Universities.
"My plan was to take at least a year off before even considering looking for work. By the end of the first six months, I had no intentions of actively seeking work."
I expected you to say that you were becoming bored after 6 months.
I think it's great that you enjoy being retired.
My husband and I took early retirement, too. Our talents weren’t being used and we were wasting our lives for mere money. I got involved in volunteer work and after a bit worthwhile work came looking for my husband. We turned out all right financially as well as spiritually. Good for you!
Sounds like things worked out well, then and even fell into your time plan! Who knew you had such control over things? 😉
Hi Mike – it doesn't seem long since you first mentioned that you were going to be starting that contract. Time has come round really quickly. It wouldn't surprise me at all if work doesn't come seeking you again quite soon.
I referred to you as a bit left leaning. Hope you agree. I passed on an award and gave a mention to you at Fiery Hearts and Bull Shoals Backyard Habitat. Come and get it.
We were on the road last Thursday when I got a voice-mail from the contract company I was working at. I called them back the next day from Paducah, Kentucky.
The had 2 opportunities for me! One in Florida writing procedures for 6 months or more and another in Louisiana as instructor for a long term contract working as a contract instructor for the same company that the last contract was for and that I retired from.
I told them, “thanks,” and reminded them that I was retired. Told them that I anticipated working again next summer and that if the need came up before that I’d get back in touch with them.
Must have taken some doing that! It is always tempting to go back to work after retirement. At least it was for me.
@rummuser – It was tempting…, for about 30 seconds. Of course, it was tempting for about the same amount of time week before last when my former boss asked me if I would be interested in coming back to work full-time — basically coming out of retirement. He was the manager for the contract I was working under. He was also part of the reason I retired early. For me the temptation was to go back to retirement after I went back to work. There were a few times it was a struggle, but I hung in there and completed the contract.