Retirement is Hard Work

Posted on November 30, 2022November 24, 2022 by Dusty Roads | 4 Comments

Its Hard Being Retired

I thought retirement would be boring. My to do list just keeps getting longer and longer. You’d think once Redfin kicked me out that life would get easier but it hasn’t. Everyday I get another email from them with instructions of things they want me to do to get my severance pay. Sign this separation agreement, agree you won’t sue for age discrimination, send back the lap top and monitors, Health Insurance, Stock plan, 401K. The list goes on. I don’t know why they can’t just send me one email with everything in it and then go away. They aren’t paying me anymore so my time should be mine.

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Unemployment

I’m waiting for my unemployment benefits to kick in. I have to have a list every week of places I’ve contacted for work. That’s a full time job- looking for work since I have to provide the name of the contact person and their phone number so Unemployment can check up on me. Most of the time I’ve been sending in applications via web sites so I don’t have a contact which means digging around on search engines to find out who the HR person is for each company I apply with.

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Old Friends

I have a list of former co workers I can reach out to but haven’t figured out how to approach them yet. How do you call someone that you haven’t seen in 8 years to ask for a job? It makes me uncomfortable just thinking about it.

Doctors Appointments

One of my retired friends told me that when you hit a certain age you have to retire to make time for all the doctor’s appointments. That seems about right. In the 2 weeks I’ve been unemployed I’ve spent an enormous amount of time with various doctors and have more appointments coming up. My health insurance ends Nov. 30 but I can opt for COBRA at Redfin’s expense for 3 months then I need add a Medicare Advantage plan. Just to find that out has been hours on the phone.

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Whew, So much to do. Good thing I don’t have to work anymore!

Reading, Writing and Real Estate?

Posted on May 4, 2013May 4, 2013 by Dusty Roads

They say no news is good news but it makes for boring writing.

That’s kind of where I am at the moment. I did hear back from the magazine publisher. I must admit they were very kind and encouraging. They told me they had decided to go with someone with “proven credentials”. They went on to suggest that I submit ideas and articles as a “Freelancer”. Once I’ve been published a few times doors will open for me or so they say.

So onto the next and that one is a clerical-type work from home position for a real estate firm. The job I applied for required a salesperson license, which I do not have, so I coughed up the $400.00 for the course fee and have been throwing myself into it with single-mindedness. I need to complete the 40 hour course which is being doled out in 4 hour increments to get a certificate that will let me take the state exam. That’s another $100. Then if I pass he exam there will be another fee for the license.

The firm decided to speak to me about another position that would not require the license to start but if I get that job I would still need to get the license eventually so I might as well bite the bullet and do it. Having the license will open up additional opportunities. I actually got in the door for a face- to – face interview for that position. The manager promised I’d hear by May 10. Fingers crossed but at the same time I kind of believe that if it’s meant to be it will be.

Unemployment found a position for me. The only one they had was for a bilingual dispatcher. The only problem is that I am not bilingual. English is my only language and sometimes I wonder about that! 🙂

The weather has been sunny and warm and the air is filled with pollen. Even with allergy pills I’m sneezing, coughing and dealing with itchy, runny eyes. Ah how we suffer for the beauty of flowers!

The 3 cats are doing better together. Smokey still tends to “Mix things up” with Buddy which is stupid on his part.

Buddy is probably 10 years younger and 2 lbs. heavier, which is a lot for a cat, plus Buddy has claws and Smokey does not. (I did not de-claw Smokey, he was that way when I got him). I think you can see that this isn’t going to end well for Smokey so I have been intervening. Rocky holds his own. I think in his case it’s just rough play.

Other than that I’ve done nothing but fret over my weight (but done nothing), read novels, and try to figure out where to go for new material for photos and this little corner. Judging from my lack of posts this week I think you know how that’s been going.

Counting down to the Alaska cruise.

I don’t know how the WIFI connection will be on the ship and I don’t plan to pay an arm and a leg for it so my posts may be spotty then too. But I’m sure the Alaska posts and photos will be worth waiting for.

Well, now you’re up to date with my life. I hadn’t forgotten you. Aroundustyroads is always on my mind. Thanks for hanging in! 🙂

Nothing to See Here

Posted on April 24, 2013April 24, 2013 by Dusty Roads

I stole the title from the phrase Office Barbrady (a South Park Character) always says. “Move along…Nothing too see here”.

It’s been really busy. I never thought I’d be unemployed and complaining that I was too busy to prepare a proper post but there it is. I’m in the middle of 2 online courses. One is about travel writing through a continuing ed web site and the other is the Mass. Real Estate salesman license prep. (40 hours). I also had 2 interviews in 2 weeks, both phone interviews and attended an all day seminar on resume writing.

I think I’ve spent close to 40 hours sitting in the Unemployment Office trying to get that straightened out. Seems my former company didn’t properly report the terms of my layoff. I finally heard from the investigator yesterday.

In between I’ve been setting up Cobra so I’ll have insurance, transferring my homeowners and auto insurance to direct bill from payroll deduction and trying to get my severance from my former employer. After all, I can’t activate Cobra without sending in my premium and with no unemployment or severance coming in I’m not sure where the company expects I get it from. Long days on the phone when I’m not at the Unemployment Office but that finally paid off yesterday too.

And finally I’m trying to move furniture, paint walls and sort through all the stuff that came home with me from the office. I feel like it’s a never ending chore but I really want it done in case I land a work- from- home job. I need a neat, organized work space.

So that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it. I need a day off! And what better day to take than a Wednesday…a mid week break. So this is all there is today. Be back soon.