You can tell...

[JoyceCarter]

There's NO WAY I would be a full-time teacher again, having got out 10 years ago.  It wasn't the teaching that bothered me, but the increasingly intrusive regulations and the bloody silly paperwork.  We were being robbed of the means to tame the animals - most of whom are at heart potentially very nice, but also potentially dangerous, as we all are.  It's very sad that the whole profession didn't turn round at that time and tell the government experts (ha ha ha) where to stick their theories.  Once I'd got the 'why am I doing this?' feeling, I realized it was get out, or be eroded.  The two hours a week music that I've just taken on is fine - in and out, not under anyone's thumb. 

My pension won't be as much as it would have been if I'd gone on paying into it for another x years, obviously, but such as it is, it'll be there for me when I'm 60.  I discovered (by doing it) that it's perfectly possible to survive on a lot less money than you've been accustomed to.   

[Ed]

My main problem is dealing with a succession of ordinary days, in my job, which isn't much of a problem on the scale of things to complain about, but dear God it's boring.  I'm sorely tempted to take a year off and do a busman's holiday, working for a few months in several different countries.  Change of scene, change of pace, have some fun for a change.  Kind of difficult when you've got kids, though.  Quite probable that the dream would turn out to be much better than the reality, too

[JoyceCarter]

Sympathies.  At least I can see some kind of end - or at least, easing off - in sight, when that pension cuts in.  My son has the same kind of feelings as you do, and also has a pretty successful business of his own.  He once said, 'You know, I never knew what I wanted to do.  Still don't, for that matter.'

[Ed]

That's bizarre, Joyce - I've always said the exact same thing as your son did. 

Although I've always fancied having a R&D type job, too.  I like problem solving tasks - I suppose it's because there's variety and it means you have to stir the grey matter and actually 'think', for a change. 

It came to the stage, a long time ago, where I was trapped into my profession by the money I'm earning - it would take me years to reach the same earnings potential in another job, if it was possible at all.  Bloody annoying

[JoyceCarter]

trapped into my profession by the money I'm earning - it would take me years to reach the same earnings potential in another job

That's my son, too!  He sometimes quite likes what he does, and at least it involves him in quite a lot of travelling and meeting some interesting people - and then there are the prats, too.  But there's no question of just folding his tents and amusing himself, with his wife and little boy (and a second baby very, very shortly) to support.

[doolols]

It's been a while since I checked in. Lots and lots of discussions, but basically, we've got estate agents coming over to our seaside flat on Saturday to give us valuations with a view to selling ASAP.  Mrs. D. has signalled her intentions to step down in the summer, and she'll be taken back on a 3 day a week basis as maybe class teacher, or cover for teachers who are absent, and she'll retain some of her nicer duties.

Big smiles all round. Her head just has to clear it with the governors, and agree a pay rate, and she'll officially hand in her notice. Oh, and we're looking at motorhomes this weekend to give us the weekend getaway we've enjoyed over the past couple of years.

Thanks for the nice comments. It's surprising how many people there are associated with the teaching profession.

Blunt - before all this, I stepped down from my technical director's job to try to give Mrs. D. more support in her job. For over twenty years, I've been involved in the design of industrial electronics and computer-based systems for the factory floor. I loved the ability to create things. My special favourite was using computers to control machine tools. I loved writing software that moved bits of machinery around. <sigh> The downside of it was there was even less time (i.e. no time) for writing, so the stepping down started me on the road to be a writer.

It's a bloody long road, though  :cry:

[SharonBell]

Doolols--

Sorry about all the stressors in your life and my sympathies to you and Mrs D. Teaching is an incredibly difficult profession. I'm at the University level and consider myself lucky, but today (as in many days of late, it seems) I've come home with a migraine. And it's not the students doing it to me. It's the bloody system!

Good luck with all your real estate transactions. I know you loved the seaside place.

Sharon

[Ed]

Hard times all round then

Sorry to hear you're going to have to sell your seaside place, Gerald - that must be a wrench, but then if it'll make everyday life easier, it's the sensible thing to do.  Bloody annoying though, isn't it?  You work all those years to get ahead, get along, taxed to the hilt at every step, and then it seems to slowly get eroded away.  I was watching something on TV about a week ago, and this guy (can't remember which country it was) built this huge, wonderful house, with a swimming pool, lovely view, etc., etc., bliss, heaven.  He'd practically made it his life's work, and this was what he was retiring to, which is great.  Then it struck me - if that was in this country, he would have finally finished the thing, only to find he couldn't afford to pay the sodding council tax on it!   It would have been band Z, or something ridiculous, meaning he would be lumbered with a huge ongoing cost just to keep it, let alone run it.

I think that's wrong.  What should happen is you work until you're 60, and then that's it - what you've got, you keep, what you earn is your own, and you shouldn't have to pay another penny of tax for the rest of your life!  Let's face it, most of us will have paid taxes for around 44 years by that point, and it's about time the government gave us a break, don't you think?

/rant

[SharonBell]

In Florida, if you go bankrupt, they can't take your house away. It's a Homestead state. Very protective of the old folks. I think I saw that show, Blunt, the guy got sick and his wife is working at Wal-Mart and they can't enjoy their retirement. It sucks!

[doolols]

At least this way, she should be happier with her life, which means I will too! Thanks for the nice comments.

Got my imagination going for a place in France, though, which is what I've always wanted to do. We're on the lookout for a patch of land near the sea. We'll stick a manky old static caravan on there for the moment, and I'll build me a house on it in a couple of years.

Maybe I might run some writing courses from there. A bit of freelance teaching, anyone? Free holiday for all tutors 

[SharonBell]

Mais, oui Monsieur Doolols! Tres bien! 

[doolols]

You'll do!   

[Ed]

It's good to have a positive plan in mind - something to focus your energies on.  Bon chance avec le maison sur la mer, Gggerald (hear the phlegm?)

[doolols]

I thought the phlegms were in Belgium? Merci beaucoup, monsieur Bleeuurrrnt.  :lol:

[SharonBell]

Occasionally, the Phlegm Phamily likes to trrrravel to Italia, and stay a la l'alberrrrgggghi.  Incognito, of course. Va bennnne!