Tag Archives: Retirement

365 Day Photo Challenge 357/365 “New Hobby”

22 Tuesday Dec 2015

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beekeeping

When I was just a kid my dad and I would visit my grandfather on the mountain and I would help my grandfather rob the bees.  I can’t tell you the times I got stung.  My grandfather would have his hood on and long gloves and he would have his smoker to calm the bees.  The bees never seem to bother my grandfather because, as I found out later, the bees were used to him being there.  Since a kid I had always wanted to tend to the bees as my grandfather did but never found the time.

My grandfather never made a lot of money with the honey because he didn’t really try to sell it.  Most of it went to the family.  He even traded some of it for food and clothing.  At one time my grandfather had thirty-five hives.  Most all of which are gone now either by weather or by rot.

I’ve decided sometime ago that I’m going to retire in less than three years.  I have several hobbies already but none of which are profitable.  Beekeeping, if done right, can be very profitable.  I have given myself three years to start this hobby and try to make it a profitable business.  I have several friends already keeping bees and have already offered their help.  So, with all that said, I ordered my first complete hive last night.  Should be here Thursday.  It will be later on before I can get the bees.  I’m looking forward to it.

“Life Goes On!

365 Day Photo Challenge 290/365 “Mismanagement”

16 Friday Oct 2015

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I’m trying so hard to keep a positive attitude but it’s becoming very hard to do so.  We lost one of our guys today due to the management of our department and several more are talking about leaving. I’ve been with the company for nearly 30 years and I’ve never seen it this bad.  I asked on of the guys I work with what he thought we could do to boost the moral in our department.  The response he gave was to somehow obtain a new manager.  As much as I’d like to see that myself I don’t believe that’s going to happen anytime soon.  You see, the upper management likes my manager and believes he can do no wrong.  It doesn’t matter what our opinion is of him because ultimately it’s our fault that we have a problem with him.

My boss never gives one encouraging word.  You can bust your butt for hours and maybe days on end on a project and when you’re done it’s–“You missed a spot” not, Oh, you did a good job and I really appreciate what you’ve done but this is where you didn’t complete the job.  He always sees the negative and never sees the positive.  How can you work with someone like this?

I’ve stated before that I have less than 3 years left before I can retire from this job.  I’m having to bite my tongue on a daily basis not to say something that could get me fired.  I just hope for my families sake that I can hold out to either I can retire or the management sees that our management needs an overhaul.

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 289/365 “The Next Chapter”

15 Thursday Oct 2015

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https://tchphotography.smugmug.com/Luke/n-KLq9NW/i-PDGdCjk/A

It will be a challenging day tomorrow because we’re losing one of our guys.  He’s been with the company for over twelve years and I not only count him as a co worker but also as a dear friend.  He’s had all he can take and he’s found him another job elsewhere.

A little over a year ago our department changed management and to be honest no one likes the new guy.  He’s too strict and so dominating.  He doesn’t believe in camaraderie and everything should be strictly business.  He’s too much of a company man.  I’ve been with this company for nearly thirty years and I’ve never been treated as bad as I have been treated during the last few months and it’s only getting worse.  I don’t blame my friend at all for leaving.  In fact, if I were in the same shoes I’d be right behind him.  However, I’ve only got 34 months before I can retire so I’m going to have to keep biting my tongue and live with it until either my boss gets the message, I get fired or I retire.

I wish you the best my friend.

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 234/365 “Another Day Closer to Retirement”

20 Thursday Aug 2015

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Last year about this time I received an email from my employer stating that there were going to be some changes in our retirement plan.  It’s never good when a large corporation starts messing with your retirement.  For all new employees, the company is going to stop offering the pension plan.  In turn they are going to increase the amount of money the company would match to their 401k plans.  Another change was to increase the age of post retirement insurance from 55 to 62.  Here is where this benefitted me.  If you had already turned 50 before January 2015, which I had, and if your years of service was at least 25 years, which I had, then you could be grandfathered in and still be able to retire at 55 with full insurance.  There is really no way I can afford to retire but with my health the way it is and the fact that the environment at work is not the best in the world I’ve decided to retire at 55 and find something else that I enjoy doing with less stress.

“Life Goes On!”

Can’t Sleep Rant

25 Monday May 2015

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Ever had one of those nights when sleep just will not come?  I’m having one of those nights.  I’ve even taken a couple of night time pain pills but I’m still wide awake.  My mind keeps racing and I keep thinking of things that I need to be doing or things that I have no control over.  I’ve got to get up early in the morning and go to work so Mr. Sandman better come visit real soon or I’m going to be a total wreck tomorrow.

While I’m up I’ll go ahead and mention that I did get a ride in today.  I wanted to do my long route but I got a late start and I wanted to grill out for lunch before my son left at 2pm today.  I was in my second route when I looked down at my watch and noticed that it was already past noon so I took a short cut and headed back home.  Once home and before my shower I got the charcoal in the fire starter and lit the charcoal.  I had just enough time to take a shower and change clothes before the charcoal was ready.

I cooked pork chops and coated them with bbq sauce that is partly homemade with a little bit of store bought sauce.  It’s pretty good actually.  Shortly after we ate my son got all his belongings loaded up and off he went back to college.  He’ll be home in two weeks to do his laundry.  Not to see us mind you but to do his laundry. (His words exactly).  I know he was kidding around.

One thing that is really bugging me and I believe this is what is keeping me awake at night is the fact that I literally hate my job.  It’s not really the job I hate but the new management.  I won’t go into all the details but in short my new boss is exmilitary and everything has got to be rush, rush.  So much so that the whole department is on edge.  When everything is rushed so, mistakes are being made and some of them are actually dangerous.  It’s our fault and lack of knowledge and not the fact that we are being rushed.  We are given tickets for each job and each ticket is given a time limit on how long the job should last.  If you’re not completed with the job in the allotted time then our pay gets docked.  Iv’e been in this department for 29 years and we’ve survived this long without this stupid ticketing system.  More mistakes are being made now than ever before.  We’ve tried to talk to the upper management but they won’t listen.

I retire in 42 months.  That is unless they fire me or they offer an early out.  I turn 55 in three years and three months.  With my health the way it is I may not last till then but my goal is to retire November 22nd after I turn 55 in August of that year.  Why November not August?  They give out Christmas bonuses right before Thanksgiving so I’m staying to receive my bonus then I won’t let the door hit my behind on the way out.

I see that Mr. Sandman is finally knocking on the door so I am going to try and let him do his job.  I hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable weekend.  Thanks for listening and letting me spill my guts.

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 37/365 “Reflections”

06 Friday Feb 2015

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DSC_4234

Well, we’ve made it to Friday.  I spent the day doing what I had to do to get the job done.  I’m 51 years old and I can retire with full post retirement benefits at age 55.  The way things are going right now with my health you had better believe that I won’t let the door hit me on my way out.  It hadn’t always been as stressful as it is now.  I’ve been at this company 29 years and I used to love doing what I do.  Now with new management with a different viewpoints make my job and everyone elses job a lot more stressful.  I’ll be lucky to survive the 3 plus years I have left.

On a much brighter note, the above picture was taken in Chicago at the Giant Bean.  I went on a band trip with my two daughters and we spent a few days there.  We had a great time.  I’ve never been to a city as large as Chicago before and unless something happens I guess I never will again.  The architecture there was simply amazing.

As I said before, today is Friday.  I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend.  I know I am.

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge Day Twenty-Three “Railroad Park”

23 Friday Jan 2015

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A little disappointed tonight as I have just found out the young lady I was to photography tomorrow at Railroad park has to work and will not be able to make it.  The only days she has available for a shoot are the days I’m either booked or have to work.  This is a common problem with trying to work out a photo shoot.  I wished I made enough money at it so I could quit my full time job and be a photographer full time.  I think that we all know that won’t happen at least until I can retire in three years.

Life goes on.