It's Thursday, 12/29/2011, and I am unofficially a former FAA employee. I worked for the best manager in the agency and today, after giving me my final performance appraisal, he took my ID card, keys, cell phone, computer and sundry other FAA-owned tidbits and sent me home early. With tomorrow off, too.
Nice way to start retirement!
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Saturday, December 24, 2011
12/24/2011
Today is Saturday, December 24, 2011. Christmas Eve Day, and the last Saturday I have as an FAA employee. This past week has been miserable in that it has been extremely slow and boring for me. The last couple of weeks in December are always slow, what with government employees on what is called "use or lose" leave and the stakeholders we serve - the aviation community in Western Michigan - is preparing for bad weather and the holidays themselves.
Of course, for me, this particular week has been even worse because of my imminent retirement plans. I have completed all the projects I have and am left with managing whatever day-to-day activity or fire pops up. And there aren't many of them because most of the workforce is on holiday leave. My desk drawers are cleaned out, the paperwork properly filed, and so I sit. I did get confirmation from both our Human Resources department and the Office of Personnel Management, the dreaded OPM, that everything is moving forward at the proper pace. My retirement will happen less than one week from today.
Next week, however, the last week of what I call my "full-time" employment, will be even worse than this past one was. Almost nobody will be in the office and whatever piddly things I had to do are already done. So I will have to sit for eight hours a day, four remaining workdays. On the bright side, however, I do have to make two calls to the Stevens Transport recruiter with whom I have been working, Wendy. She promises to send me many pre-hire questions to answer and to bring with me when I start on January 9. I am looking forward to all that; hopefully, it will keep me somewhat busy.
So, Dear Reader, take solace in knowing that I am ending one career and starting what I have begun to call my "bucket list" employment. Driving a truck over the road has been on my bucket list since long before that movie made that phrase popular.
One more boring week then it's up to my ears in an entirely different language. I am excited! In the meantime, Dear Reader - not to be confused with Dear Leader, please! - have yourselves a very Merry Christmas and a safe and enjoyable Happy New Year.
Of course, for me, this particular week has been even worse because of my imminent retirement plans. I have completed all the projects I have and am left with managing whatever day-to-day activity or fire pops up. And there aren't many of them because most of the workforce is on holiday leave. My desk drawers are cleaned out, the paperwork properly filed, and so I sit. I did get confirmation from both our Human Resources department and the Office of Personnel Management, the dreaded OPM, that everything is moving forward at the proper pace. My retirement will happen less than one week from today.
Next week, however, the last week of what I call my "full-time" employment, will be even worse than this past one was. Almost nobody will be in the office and whatever piddly things I had to do are already done. So I will have to sit for eight hours a day, four remaining workdays. On the bright side, however, I do have to make two calls to the Stevens Transport recruiter with whom I have been working, Wendy. She promises to send me many pre-hire questions to answer and to bring with me when I start on January 9. I am looking forward to all that; hopefully, it will keep me somewhat busy.
So, Dear Reader, take solace in knowing that I am ending one career and starting what I have begun to call my "bucket list" employment. Driving a truck over the road has been on my bucket list since long before that movie made that phrase popular.
One more boring week then it's up to my ears in an entirely different language. I am excited! In the meantime, Dear Reader - not to be confused with Dear Leader, please! - have yourselves a very Merry Christmas and a safe and enjoyable Happy New Year.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Less than two weeks more
Today is December 17, 2011. As of yesterday, I have two weeks of full-time federal employment remaining and I am as happy as I hoped I would be. Seeing the end of a pretty long career, with all the stability such a condition holds, could have been stressful and filled with negative anticipation and worry. But my decision to retire from federal employment was conscious and made with the right thoughts in mind.
Besides, very soon after retirement from one career, I will hopefully start on the last one of my life. I have been accepted into the Stevens Transport Driver Academy and will being training as the driver of an 18-wheeler on January 9, 2012. Becoming a truck driver is one of those "bucket list" items that I've had for a long time and am happy to begin the process soon. Of course, there are some worries, not the least of which is my blood pressure. The Department of Transportation'a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations state a maximum BP for a full 2-year medical card and Stevens Transport uses that maximum as a hard standard. So if when I get there my BP exceeds 140/90, I will be returning home until it is at or below the max. I have been working on it since July by eating right, watching my sodium intake, and walking 30 minutes each day. I hope my "numbers" play out right.
I plan to keep this blog active so a reader will get a picture of what I am doing as I transition from full-time "career" employment to full-time "bucket list" employment. The nice thing about this is I will have a pretty good pension to pay for the mortgage and other expenses, so my trucking income doesn't have to be the same as others for whom it will be their primary income.
It will be tough and stressful. An over-the-road driver's life is not easy and is definitely not one of a set schedule. I have been doing that for the 45 years of my previous work life and I know the transition will not be all fun all the time. But it is a conscious choice and I do have a pretty good cushion, so I hope those factors will make the journey a bit easier.
Stay with me, readers. I promise you open, honest thoughts and words. I might - no, probably will - miss days or even weeks at first, so don't expect daily updates. I do promise you enough to have the picture of my journey into the last part of my life. I hope you enjoy reading.
Besides, very soon after retirement from one career, I will hopefully start on the last one of my life. I have been accepted into the Stevens Transport Driver Academy and will being training as the driver of an 18-wheeler on January 9, 2012. Becoming a truck driver is one of those "bucket list" items that I've had for a long time and am happy to begin the process soon. Of course, there are some worries, not the least of which is my blood pressure. The Department of Transportation'a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations state a maximum BP for a full 2-year medical card and Stevens Transport uses that maximum as a hard standard. So if when I get there my BP exceeds 140/90, I will be returning home until it is at or below the max. I have been working on it since July by eating right, watching my sodium intake, and walking 30 minutes each day. I hope my "numbers" play out right.
I plan to keep this blog active so a reader will get a picture of what I am doing as I transition from full-time "career" employment to full-time "bucket list" employment. The nice thing about this is I will have a pretty good pension to pay for the mortgage and other expenses, so my trucking income doesn't have to be the same as others for whom it will be their primary income.
It will be tough and stressful. An over-the-road driver's life is not easy and is definitely not one of a set schedule. I have been doing that for the 45 years of my previous work life and I know the transition will not be all fun all the time. But it is a conscious choice and I do have a pretty good cushion, so I hope those factors will make the journey a bit easier.
Stay with me, readers. I promise you open, honest thoughts and words. I might - no, probably will - miss days or even weeks at first, so don't expect daily updates. I do promise you enough to have the picture of my journey into the last part of my life. I hope you enjoy reading.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Decision made!
Since the information is now known by people who did not know it before, it is fair to write of my retirement from federal service at the end of this month. As of December 30, 2011, I will be a non-employed civilian for a while. I say "non-employed" to differentiate from "unemployed" because that connotes something bad. After 27 years in service to the flying public, I will call it quits and become what is called an "annuitant," meaning I will be drawing my retirement pay for the rest of my life.
But I am not finished working. In fact, at age 62, I am 3 years away from being eligible for Social Security and my plan is to work at least until I am 65, perhaps even 67. But I will not be doing what I have done for the past 40+ years, aviation. No, I will not be doing anything related to aircraft at all. I am going to do something I have wanted to do for a very long time, something that many men want to do.
I am going to drive a big rig.
Yes, after retirement, I will enter a local commercial driving license, CDL, training school. After three weeks of training, I will take a road test here in Michigan and receive the CDL. After that, I will use it. In fact, I have already been accepted as a prewire with Stevens Transportation, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and will begin training with them probably early in February.
I want to use this blog as the vehicle to share my thoughts and progress as I move into retirement and my new career. Well, actually, I should probably call what I will start on December 31, 2011, "semi-retirement," since I will really go from one job to another and will stay as long as I want to.
The only negative in my future relates to that person to whom I alluded in the first paragraph. I hope I can put all that in the "right" place so I am not too distracted or stressed. I do have to pass a DOT physical to drive a truck, after all.
But I am not finished working. In fact, at age 62, I am 3 years away from being eligible for Social Security and my plan is to work at least until I am 65, perhaps even 67. But I will not be doing what I have done for the past 40+ years, aviation. No, I will not be doing anything related to aircraft at all. I am going to do something I have wanted to do for a very long time, something that many men want to do.
I am going to drive a big rig.
Yes, after retirement, I will enter a local commercial driving license, CDL, training school. After three weeks of training, I will take a road test here in Michigan and receive the CDL. After that, I will use it. In fact, I have already been accepted as a prewire with Stevens Transportation, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and will begin training with them probably early in February.
I want to use this blog as the vehicle to share my thoughts and progress as I move into retirement and my new career. Well, actually, I should probably call what I will start on December 31, 2011, "semi-retirement," since I will really go from one job to another and will stay as long as I want to.
The only negative in my future relates to that person to whom I alluded in the first paragraph. I hope I can put all that in the "right" place so I am not too distracted or stressed. I do have to pass a DOT physical to drive a truck, after all.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Much-needed update
Well, Dear Reader, this blog did not turn out to be what I thought it was going to be--an answer to my beloved daughter's China blog. Alas, she stopped doing hers and has returned to the United States for a while and I, too, have changes in store for me.
In 40 days, as I write this, I will retire from the Federal Aviation Administration after 25+ years working for them. To be honest - and few-worded - the fun has been taken out of the air and the job. Working for the government isn't what it used to be and I need a change, so I have decided to retire, begin collecting an annuity, and, yes, finally doing something I have wanted to do for a long time.
I am going to become an over-the-road (OTR) truck driver. I have not picked the company yet, though it is really down to two: Swift Transportation, the largest in the U.S., and Stevens Transport, about the third largest. Hopefully, this Single Guy With Random Thoughts blog will include progress and thoughts about my progress.
Look for more and regular posts from me!
In 40 days, as I write this, I will retire from the Federal Aviation Administration after 25+ years working for them. To be honest - and few-worded - the fun has been taken out of the air and the job. Working for the government isn't what it used to be and I need a change, so I have decided to retire, begin collecting an annuity, and, yes, finally doing something I have wanted to do for a long time.
I am going to become an over-the-road (OTR) truck driver. I have not picked the company yet, though it is really down to two: Swift Transportation, the largest in the U.S., and Stevens Transport, about the third largest. Hopefully, this Single Guy With Random Thoughts blog will include progress and thoughts about my progress.
Look for more and regular posts from me!
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