Next steps in having to grow up to get a real job
I am planning a “year in review” post, so I will try not to cover items that would be listed there right now. Things are busy for me getting ready for winter, trying to make our house, “our home”, fixing all the Murphy’s law issues (leaking dishwasher, range hood microwave died etc), while getting a garage built to winter store so many things (like my motorcycle).
As we approach the culmination of 4 blogging years, this is my 91st blog post. So, I should start planning something big for my 100th blog post.
My first post was January 2nd 2015, and I went back to read some of those early posts, to see what I was thinking, and what I wanted to do with the Blog.
As I have re-read a bunch of those older posts, when it was a “blogspot” on free google software (that now redirects people here) before I started with the proper website, I really wondered what my “growing up and getting a real job” would look like. Well, I can honestly say, that I don’t think I have much more clarity now on how to get to my goals, as I did 4 years ago. I have ideas and goals now, just need to work on the “how to get there from here.
The one thing that I have now, is a retirement date that I need to plan for.
With my Jedi-master procrastination skills, having a deadline probably won’t really help as much as it should. Not having a deadline made it easier to not worry about it as much, although not having a plan still bothers me – just not as much as it used to. I guess I technically have until June 2021 to really get things sorted – well maybe fall 2020 – but reality is, I could retire early, as soon as I get my act together.
When deciding how to start growing up to get a real job, the challenge becomes – what to do?
There is a harsh reality to this question – what can I physically do? And, what am I qualified to do? Which doesn’t actually address the hardest part – what do I want to do?
On the Cancer front –
I had my first cystoscopy with my new oncologist. It went well, so good news there.
It did highlight to me stark differences in the provincial health care systems, and their processes. I will go through it a few more sequences before I produce a post about the differences I have noted.
Also in Nov, Cancer reminders came up – it has been 2 years since Colin passed. I miss our lunches.
I discovered that Cancer has gravely impacted an old friends family. It just continues to impact the world. That saddens me.
There is a milestone that just happened as this post hits the airwaves, the mighty Sea King retirement party happened on the other side of the country. Over 55 years of flying service to Canada, of which my 20 years of flying it was the greatest years of my career. Almost seems fitting that I will be retiring shortly after.
My social media is flooded with photos and memories from many squadronmates and shipmates from years gone by. It made me realize – damn, I didn’t take very many photos. Either way, it was good to follow along through them this weekend, the parade and flypast was livestreamed on the RCAF Facebook page.
Things that I will be changing in the New Year.
I will be putting together a couple different email list style blogs for people who wish to get specific information that I don’t want to put as direct blog posts here. I have been carefully considering what my trilogy of “society sucks” did, the reactions it got etc. I have been intentionally not posting the 4th part, as I have decided that I don’t want that much off topic content on the page – unless I want to change the name (something that I considered as well). So, there will likely be a list to sign up to receive those when they come out.
I have also seen changes in the charity/fundraising arenas – Cancer charity and fundraising info will always get posted here, but I will start a list specific to small group learning and lessons for fundraising event organizers. There will be some connections that recently made me re-read a blog post about charity from earlier this year, because my social media had a minor eruption when one of the less scrupulous “charitable” men resurfaced at another event in Alberta, peddling his wares in the name of Veterans. Having been away from the east coast fundraising scene for 6 years, I can say – the fundraising landscape is very different now. Surprisingly so.
I have been producing content that I want to put out and make available for the last couple months, but I want it best sorted by theme, as there will be more than one. It will cross multiple channels and include videos on my YouTube channels… so keep an eye out for that announcement in the new year.
Other website news – I was finally able to turn off the advertising. The challenge that happened there was that WordPress and google Adsense had completely changed how ads were inputted into the pages after I did the module on installing ads. Then WordPress and Adsense did background software updates so that nobody needed to do anything to transition to the new software. So, in order to undo it, I had to go back to the courseware and find the new lesson on installing ads to a webpage and then go undo it.
Other new year things –
I am hoping to start new courses at a local community college.
I don’t have an exact plan right now, but I have chosen a couple of courses that will start the process of growing up to get a real job, by actually being good continuing education for ideas that I want to try to follow, without closing options or opportunities in other areas. That is where I think I should start – courses that don’t force me away from any other options – for as long as possible.
Mostly rambling this month, but I have a bunch of things in motion. Thanks for following along on the journey.
My next couple of posts will concentrate on some of the specifics of the new content (1 post for each area), I will have a year in review post, and hopefully I get the video editing done.
thanks again, more soon.
Merry Christmas.
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