Cyclone139

We're well overdue for a new Off Topic thread, so here it is.

Kim - I'm glad your surgery went well. Take it easy!

PREVIOUS THREAD: The Garage (Off Topic) #11

FoxPhile

TFTNT, Tiff. I am so bad at the 300 post rule.

WeBuiltThePyramids

WHOOPS thanks

FoxPhile

My boss sent me a bunch of nice things with my company's logo and slogan on it as a retirement gift. I got an umbrella and a blanket and a thermos mug and several other little things. It's awesome.

WeBuiltThePyramids

Awww I love that. Blankets are one of my favorite gifts.

FoxPhile

It's a nice, snuggly one, too. Perfect for curling up under on the couch.

WeBuiltThePyramids

I love that.

I captained my swim team senior year of high school - that season ended in 2010. I still have the blanket the team made me for senior night.

FoxPhile

Once I retire, I'll still be working a few hours each week as a contractor. I've been getting all these e-mails thanking me for my application and welcoming me to the company. It's a bit odd after over 40 years.

WeBuiltThePyramids

Ha, I bet.

I know when I got my current job, it was weird, because I did an interview for the farm at age 14, then my two hotel jobs basically offered them to me without a formal interview, so when I interviewed for this office job at 27, it had literally been almost half my life since I'd done one.

FoxPhile

Things have certainly changed in 42 years. I've never had to get a drug test; I've never had to sign an employment contract and I've never written a resume for myself. I got this job when I was 21 and back then, while some jobs required a resume, the one I was applying for did not and very few jobs required drug screening or contracts. I've talked to some of the younger folks I work with and they've all gone through all that. It was also common when I was younger to get a job with a company and stay with that company for life, like I did. There are people I work with who are in their late 20s and have had 4 or 5 jobs already - in their professional field. Constantly changing jobs like that would drive me nuts.

WeBuiltThePyramids

I don't think I ever had to have a drug test; I think that's more field or position specific than anything else.

Of my parents' entire families - in terms of siblings - not a single one stayed at the same job their entire lives. My aunt stayed with the DNR, but changed offices/positions multiple times. My dad's been in 5 jobs in his industry, and my mom was in 2 jobs in hers before she left it for the farm 14 years ago. And my dad's brothers have job hopped like mad. Then going back farther, my grandpa had 7 or 8 different jobs after leaving the Navy; I think the longest he stayed anywhere was 12 years. So from my family experience it wasn't at all common to have one job your whole life back then They're all impressed my sister is 25 and has "only" had 2 field-relevant jobs. Most of my aunts and uncles are probably younger than you, but not by much.

FoxPhile

My dad was in the Army for 20 years, after which he started his own practice - he was a doctor. My uncle started with an electric company out of high school, shoveling coal. He used the money he earned to go to college for 2 years, after which he came back to the same electric company, still shoveling coal. But those 2 years of college quickly got him a supervisory job, and then a desk job and he stayed with the same company until he retired. My grandfather also worked for the same electric company his entire career and my grandmother taught second and third graders at the same school her entire career. The only job-hopper in my family is my brother. He was a truck driver and then a truck safety manager for several companies. Then he became an auditor for a few years until he retired. My cousins both started with companies right after college that they stayed with for over 20 years. Both of them job hopped late in life, but only once each so far.

FoxPhile

I got my 2nd shot yesterday. I don't know if it's the shot or the tree pollen, but today I woke up with a slight headache and fuzzy feeling that has hung around all day. I hope a good night's sleep will kick it.

WeBuiltThePyramids

I got my first dose on Monday - and whew, it kicked my butt. I ha(ve)(d) fever/chills, body aches, barely able to move my arm, headache, fatigue, etc. My sister's fiance says if you've already had covid you're more likely to have a reaction to the first dose since that would be your body's second exposure to it, whereas if you haven't, the second shot is the second exposure. So now I'm wondering if the 'bad flu/bronchitis' I thought I had in December 2019 was actually the virus.

FoxPhile

Ugh. That sounds nasty. My side effects pretty much cleared up after the first day, except for a little bit of soreness that I still have in my arm.

Today was my first day of semi-retirement. I'm still working under contract, but just 15 hours a week. Considering that I worked pretty much 7 days a week, including vacations, tomorrow will be my first real day off in years.

I have no idea what I'll do with myself.