Okay, This Feels More Like It!

Wow .... writing this page is starting to feel like a job!  But wait, that's a good thing, it's forcing me into Semi-Retirement .... and now I'm only bored half the time!  I must admit, that all the years I taught English Composition to my students, I didn't realize the pressure they were under .... especially with my imposed deadlines. I am now the victim of my own lesson plans. Okay, in my first post I mentioned that my retirement was unexpected, much like when you wake up one morning and realize that you forgot to buy tooth paste the night before, and you are now faced with the prospect of slithering through the day with your mouth closed so as not to offend too many people. See .... most people can relate to feelings they have for their job .... feelings i.e. .... I work too hard .... I do more than anyone else around here .... I wish I didn't have to go in today.... I could have been an athlete/politician/actor/ writer etc. ..... okay, you get the picture! But fact is, most of us are doing exactly what is right for us, and what we like. Basically, we're just complaining, mostly to ourselves. I know personally I said, "I can't wait to retire and get out of this rat race."....  and then it happens .... they make you an offer you can't refuse .... and just like Mario Puzo's novel, there are strings attached! These strings are emotional strings .... afraid to stay .... afraid to go .... 'Oh Rhett, what is a soul to do' ....  Margaret Mitchell made it clear in 'Gone With the Wind', you finally get to a point where you have to do something! Alright, you're starting to get my mind set at the initial point of retirement. The good thing was that I still had to work four months .... in a career that I  wanted and worked hard to get for nearly twenty-five years, and now I was about to walk away. Of course I rationalized it, that's what we humans do when we're unsure of things. I told myself that education wasn't what it used to be .... thank God it's not! .... and that I have done all I can, it's time to let someone younger shoulder the educational responsibilities to our youth. Politically correct words, but really not what I believed. But it was done and time to plan for the future .... 'these were going to be the first days of the rest of my life' .... and I was starting to look forward to those days! Now that you know some of the process I went through, my future posts will detail some of the early trials and tribulations of my Retirement!