Calendar of Events

Perhaps one of the biggest events I am facing at the moment is my impending retirement.  It would be nice to be in a position to be able to just say "That's it,... I'm outta here,...". But, I have to consider the financial side of my retirement.

Highlights

• Painting Training
  I am currently re-training myself in oil painting.  It's a bit difficult as my eyesight is not good at the best of times but thanks to Glaucoma, I'm going blind in the right eye. 
  
  Why is it that when you get old and lose the use of some of your senses, you lose the ones you want, not the ones you could do without? 
  
  Being artistic, I'd much rather lose my hearing than my sight.  Honestly, I wouldn't mind not hearing some of the crap I have to listen to!
  
  
• Redundancy
  The New South Wales Government are currently considering massive staff cuts and are offering redundancy packages.
  
  I'm waiting to see if I qualify for one of the packages.  The first thing they need to do is see if my position is required or if it can be done away with.  My thoughts are, it can easily be done away with so I'm hoping they see it the same way.
  
  
• UPDATE: 
  It happened! I was made redundant in December 2013 and finished my 40 years in the NSW Public Service.
  
  
• Retirement
  See Above,...
  I think that's fairly self-explanatory.
  
• UPDATE:
  I retired, if you could call it that.  I'm not on a CenterLink pension or any Federal Government handout for that matter but doing the "right (?)" thing and living on my self funded super scheme.
  
  I seem to be busier now than I was when I was working.  From what I understand, that is normal.  Most of it is because I bought a home that needs renovations, a complete garden landscape and I have a shed that full of old motorcycles that need to be done up.
  
  When you consider all of that and the fact I am retraining myself in my art (painting), there is not much time left at the end of the day.  Luckily most things are patient and will wait until I get to them.

Upcoming Events

• Completion of Certificate IV - Training and Assessment
  It will be great to get this completed and out of the way.  My work is putting a few of us through this course and, with the redundancy coming up and about 350 people (including me) looking at losing our jobs, this training could come in handy.