Monday was my last day of work, as I'm using up my last bit of vacation before the official end of August termination date thanks to the good ol' downsize-palooza. I've got a nice two year severance package where those idiots at Head Office pay me to never show up and do anything ever.
Most of us have fantasized about killing our boss...wait, I mean what we'd do once we're deemed redundant by our professional betters and moral superiors.
Today, the first of my enforced retirement, I washed the windows on the front of the house at 7am, fixed a loose rain barrel downspout at 8am, sanded down a couple of "sticky" doorjambs at 10am and vacuumed the house at noon.
What's missing from this scenario? Shaving. On a weekday.
I can't recall the last time I didn't shave on a weekday, vacation or not, during my carts/goop years or the current thing we gents enjoy. Today feels weird on so many levels and not shaving at my usual time is part of that. My Dad shaved everyday, including when he was on vacation and into his retirement. There are a few retired guys on my street and I haven't seen them unshaven. I don't plan on letting Dad or my neighbours down. Tomorrow I'll make the time I once used during my employed years to shave and get back on track. The windows on the back of the house can wait for twenty minutes, and let's face it, there's also just so much damn vacuuming one can do before friends and family begin to question your sanity.
Retirement, voluntary or enforced, can be productive. As long as you start with what you've done for the past thirty-odd years.
A darn good shave.
Most of us have fantasized about killing our boss...wait, I mean what we'd do once we're deemed redundant by our professional betters and moral superiors.
Today, the first of my enforced retirement, I washed the windows on the front of the house at 7am, fixed a loose rain barrel downspout at 8am, sanded down a couple of "sticky" doorjambs at 10am and vacuumed the house at noon.
What's missing from this scenario? Shaving. On a weekday.
I can't recall the last time I didn't shave on a weekday, vacation or not, during my carts/goop years or the current thing we gents enjoy. Today feels weird on so many levels and not shaving at my usual time is part of that. My Dad shaved everyday, including when he was on vacation and into his retirement. There are a few retired guys on my street and I haven't seen them unshaven. I don't plan on letting Dad or my neighbours down. Tomorrow I'll make the time I once used during my employed years to shave and get back on track. The windows on the back of the house can wait for twenty minutes, and let's face it, there's also just so much damn vacuuming one can do before friends and family begin to question your sanity.
Retirement, voluntary or enforced, can be productive. As long as you start with what you've done for the past thirty-odd years.
A darn good shave.