Finally pulled the plug

[Jim]

I went in to my construction job this morning and by 10:30, my knees hurt so bad, I had to go home. I told the foreman I just couldn't do this anymore and I threw in the towel.
I knew this was coming, I just didn't know when and I didn't expect it to come this soon. In a strange sort of way, I'm OK with it. It's time now to change gears and ease up a bit.

Besides, I got a ton of old ammo that needs to be shot up and more than a few calibers that need loads developed for.

Engine room, this is the bridge. All engines back to one half.

[ARKANSAS PACKRAT]

Jim; Now you went and done it........six months and you'll wonder how you had time for a job, I still havn't figured out how I had time to work![smilie=1:
Nick

[Moose]

Yuh done the right thing- nothing noble about crash and burn. First thing give those knees a rest. Get a nice bar stool so you don't have to stand at the loading bench. And like the Packrat says, you will not have enough time to do all the things you didn't do, so enjoy what you have.

[Scrounger]

Good on you! It'll work out. You were only making half as much money there as you thought anyway, with taxes and other expenses.

[standles]

While finally getting to the point you can do what and when you want is nice I lament the other side.

sounds like you had a nice long haul at your job. The sad part about someone like you eaving is they knowledge that goes with you. I ca only hope that the management at your company saw this coming and got one or two folks trained under you.


Some of the most useful knowledge I ever acquired was passed along and NOT out of a book. My degree got me my job but it is the gift of knowledge from my peers that keeps it for me.


Grats and at least write a set of memoirs or something. Heck maybe ya can get back part time as a trainer/consultant or something.

Steven

[montana_charlie]

I quit the Post Office a few years ago, after fifteen years with them. I wasn't the guy in the window selling stamps, or the dude walking through your peonies. I was out on the dock, in the middle of the night, loading and unloading trucks...and humpin' those flat rate boxes full of lead you guys like to pass around just for kicks.

It seemed like I always had some little ache or pain that bugged me, but I thought I was tough enough to handle it.

When I quit, it was not for health reasons. It was to keep from 'going Postal' due to the insanity of the P.O. system.

But, after a year, I found myself all healed up...and now nothing hurts unless I do something really stupid.

I advise 'retirement' for anybody who has reached the point where he can make it work. Hanging on another three years (or whatever), for an extra twenty-per-month in the retirement check (or 401K annuity), is just foolish in my book.
CM

[testhop]

jim there is always a place for a good man but take from one who went through ithere is a few things i learned
1 the first thing to learn is to say NO
noi wont watch the kids no i wont do you a favor
no i wont help
2get a hobby or several it dont take long for retirement to get borring
you have worked long and hard (i think you worked concrece(excuse the spelling)
and thats hard a job so lay back and have fun

[Jim]

Last in, first out.

Testhop,
GET A HOBBY!? Hell's bells, man! I got a closet FULL of hobby! From .223 up to .45-70!

Charlie,
Actually, I quit 'cause I hurt like hell, but I did figure out I can make it on my P/T job which is nowhere near as strenuous.

Standles,
I did train a few fellas along the way. Two of them are now field supts.

Scrounger,
AIN'T THAT TH' TRUTH!!

Moose,
I got one o' them hydraulic adjustable doctor's exam stools in front of my bench. I flatly REFUSE to load standin' up. Man, that's as bad as eatin' standin' up.

Packrat,
I got a P/T job that'll keep me outa' trouble.

Thanks, guys. Y'all are a great bunch of fellas.

[kodiak1]

jim after 26 years of working on them damn Highway Tractors I got to the point where I didn't have a joint that didn't hurt and many other parts to go with the joints, So I got myself a job in the oilfield looking after the producing wells. The manual labor is minimal and the job is out in the country driving around all day I just love it haven't had a job I liked this much since I was 20 years old working on the drilling rigs. That was slave labor now that I think about it.
Have fun and enjoy what ever you do for how long you do it. It is your choice when to punch the time clock now.
Ken.

[bishopgrandpa]

My knees hurt so bad at the end of the day I had to stop and rest before I got out the gate and to my car. The doctor said there was nothing wrong with my knees, it was my hip. Had a titanium and ceramic replacement and was walking so good I said goodbye to work last November and haven't looked back once. Titanium for the hip and lead for --- Well, I'll figure it out.

[crowbeaner]

Between diabetes, stress and burnout I've been on the disabled list for 4 years now. I started casting again just to get out of the chair and reduce the drain bamage the TV was causing. Now between the honeydo list, 3 cars to fix, and shooting, hunting and fishing with the odd day at the bench I figure I can deal with the disability. Glad to hear I'm not the only one. CB.