| Thomas Day |
The annual review. |
2010 |
Willful Unemployment Initiated
Too young to be retired,
too independent to be a beggar at the corporate gate,
too principled to particpate in deceit,
too analytical to be deceived,
too low on the corporate totem pole to command change,
too remote to insinuate a conspiracy;
what's a person to do?
Complain, Complain, Complain; It May Help
Complaining can be fun, don't ever doubt it.
Complaining can also be useful,
when it sharpens our view of a situation,
communicates a difficulty,
or increases our resolve to correct a problem.
Once, when working at a previous job,
I pulled out a peanut butter sandwich
from my lunch bag only to find it was made
from uncut full slices of bread,
far too large and floppy for easy eating.
I wish,
I complained rather too loudly,
that the person who makes my sandwiches
would cut them in half before putting them
in my lunch!
One of my colleagues looked at me strangely
and said, Don't you make your own lunch?
I answered, Yes, but if I don't complain
about the problem it will never be fixed.
My sandwiches have been cut in half ever since.
Complaining can be useful.
As you all know, the first response
to such a situation is to complain!
Sometimes a well-placed complaint can resolve
an entire situation. (See the box.)
Distancing is the next response.
Don't ever let them get dependent on you,
a college custodian once advised me.
Some people think job security is a desideratum
of all employment situations, but that is not so.
This custodian felt he was not able to walk away
without being unfairly disruptive to others;
he was morally trapped in his position.
I certainly did not want to feel trapped
in a job which didn't seem to be contributing
to improving the world at a company
which appeared to be comfortable in tricking clients
into buying services that could not be delivered.
Therefore, I was assiduous in delimiting my services,
solicitous about documenting products and process,
vigorous in establishing other interests,
and relentless, since 2006,
in reducing my hours at work.
By this summer, it was time to walk away.
But I am too young to be retired;
I can only get the old guys' discounts
at about half the places I go.
If you are not retired, and you are not working,
and you are not a full-time student,
and you are not under 18 years old,
then you are unemployed.
But it seems that most unemployed people
today are in that state unwillingly.
In contrast, I am willfully
unemployed.
So far, willfull unemployment has been great.
Certainly I haven't missed that corporation
to which I would never have applied
for employment (and didn't).
My days have been sufficiently full.
(The classic question – how did I ever have time
to go to work? – has come to mind occasionally.)
I highly recommend the experience.1
1
I highly recommend willful unemployment
provided that there are adequate
financial resources to meet long-term
expectations and adequate connectivity to cover
the transition from workplace social structures
and adequate will to insure that the phrase
isn't just a gloss on involuntary unemployment.
Half Birthday Celebrated
August was the month of departure.
August is 6 months from February.
With this nice coincidence, it was easy
to plan a half-birthday party
which smoothly morphed
into a half-retirement party.
The place was the National RailRoad Museum.
They host many birthday parties there,
albeit often for shorter guests.
My guests were …
too many for me to count.
I didn't intend to leave anybody out,
given that retirement only happens
2 or 3 times per person per lifetime, at most.
Then again the guest list expanded
to 2 or 3 times the number
that my social skills can comprehend.
Fortunately for me, the guests talked
to each other.
Spring's Returned Promised
Thomas Day is the moment of spring's return.
Thomas the Apostle was the one who,
as the evening metaphorically began to fall
on the promise of the Kingdom of Heaven,
said to his companions,
Let us go with him and die with him.
They did go back to Judea with Jesus,
and there they saw the promise of life
in the resurrection of Lazarus.
How appropriate that on the darkest of days
we remember Thomas the Apostle.
With Thomas, we follow brave the darkness
and find the promise of life.
Unemployed Keep Busy, Fill Days With Activity
What does he do all day? I can hear you asking.
Well, here's a quick overview of my activities
for the past few months.
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I nap a lot more.
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I volunteer most weeks
helping the curator
at the RailRoad museum.
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I bike at least as much
as I did before.
Until cometh the ice.
|
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I took pictures of Brown County's
historic markers.
All of them, I suspect.
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I'm helping to build a new website
for the RailRoad museum.
This is a project that may take forever.
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I'm writing the history of some
of Green Bay's public parks.
I've got a good start on
Fisk Park.
Beaver Dam
and Cooke Parks
are pretty well completed.
There are a lot more parks that can be documented.
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I continue to take pictures of
special events
for the RailRoad museum.
Same events each year, but the photographer is better.
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As you see, not a lot has changed in my life
by omitting the most boring part.
