So this is what having a "life" is like...

     Well, the schedule is in at work...Thursday, Friday, and Saturday I work 12 hour shifts.  I then have off Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  At first it was a little daunting...what to do with that much time off.  I have been working so much in the last few years (workaholic that I am) that having time off is a little strange...(and pretty damn good!).  I need to fill my time off with new hobbies and pursuits and perhaps a little travel?  We'll see where we go from here, but it sure is a great problem to have...

     Work continues to be great...it took me a long time to find my niche in the workforce, but to be able to do what you like to do at this stage of the game is a blessing I don't take for granted.  My advice to all (especially to the youngsters entering the workforce for the first time) is to find a job that you love and hold onto to it for dear life.  All of us have had crappy jobs growing up, but those should be used as motivation to continue the search for the job you look forward to going to every day.  You're going to spend a majority of your life (God Willing) working and if it's something you love to do it will enhance every other part of your life.  Too often we give up going for the dream job for obvious reasons (money, food, shelter, transportation, etc.) but as I have learned over the years it isn't the quantity of life (material things) it's about the quality of life and that includes the struggles to get that quality.  I have now reached the quality portion of my life...(took me long enough, eh?).  I have a job I love and am good at, I live in a beautiful place, I am in decent health and my work schedule is not the dominant thing in my life. 

     My further advice to anyone willing to read this blog is to start saving for retirement as soon as you can.  It's money taken out pre-tax or after tax but money you can't touch and when you get to be my age you can actually think about not having to work anymore.  My boss at the Goodyear store I started working at in 1984 got me to start an IRA and it is was the smartest thing I ever did for myself (except for the quitting drinking and drugging thing).  I can honestly say that I can now see the end of the work cycle coming in the near future.  But for now, I going to enjoy this new chapter on my journey.  I'm going to enjoy having a "life"...  Ciao for now, my faithful readers.