Unemployed

Or as I like to call it, temporarily semi-retired. Hey, I have enough grey hair in my beard now to get away with it.

Yesterday was the big day. Actually, it was a bit of an anticlimax. I spent the morning doing pretty much what I've been doing for the past month, reading, looking at job ads and courses, and playing solitaire and pinball on the computer. Then at noon a group of us went up the pub for two hours, the same as we did on Tuesday when one of our colleagues, Larry, had his last day.

After a final pee back at the office in preparation for a ninety minute bus ride, I just shook hands with everyone (and hugged one), said my goodbyes and was gone.

Because I've had a few big holidays and residentials in the last couple of years, it doesn't seem like I've left the job, I just feel like I'm on holidays again. Every now and then I think of something at work and I realise I won't be in that office ever again. I don't think it will really sink in properly until I start getting a wage from another employer, or until Donna starts nagging me to get a job.

Because I need time off for uni residentials and exams, I'm mainly looking for a casual job. Having said that, some employers openly advertise the fact that they will give you study leave, so if I can get a job like that it'll be great. One such job is as a ranger with the EPA, as soon as one gets advertised in this area I'll be applying for it.

Until then, I'm going to do a few courses. I've already got a first aid course booked in a couple of weeks. Donna wants to do a chainsaw course, so we'll be doing that one together. Part of my redundancy package was a lump sum payment for training purposes, so I'll be putting that to good use, even if most of it goes toward my uni fees.

I guess now I'll have to change the picture at the top of my blog, I don't think I'll change the name of the blog though.