Brett’s Got a JOB :)

Apologies to all my readers, all two of you but a darn job got in the way. My retirement plan has always included some sort of part time work.  The original plan was to work a bit to help the pension go a little further and feed our desire for travel. Find below, my very first posting on February 3, 2008 where I laid out my retirement plans for all to see/read.                                                 


Five Months To Go 

When I picked our (my) retirement date ten years ago, it was a simple decision, June 30, 2008. Actually I picked June 31 but that date was going to be a bit of a problem. I was still 55 but turned 56 the next day. Freedom 55!

But as we (I) get closer (five months) the decision has taken on complexities that were not realized ten years ago. Will we have enough to live on? Good question. What does it take per month? (I have put the current 2014 costs in brackets)

Rent/Mortgage/Strata Fees $220                   ($250)              
Taxes $125                                                       ($110)
Utilities $ 80                                                     ($45)
Insurance $ 50                                                 ($60)
Telephone $ 60                                                ($80)
Cable $ 70                                                        ($110)
Vehicle $200                                                     ($150)
Medical Plan $120                                            ($120)
Food/Incidentals $420                                      ($500)
Entertainment $400                                          ($400)                                      
Miscellaneous $100                                          ($150)
Total $1845

Travel $ 700
Golf $ 200
Hobbies $ 100
Contingency $ 155
Total with a Life $3000

Have I forgotten anything. If I have, then let me know. Too often I hear, I won't have enough money to live. I always ignored those statements, but as the day draws near, it takes on a greater importance. Well the verdict is in and we (I) will have to continue to work a little bit after June 30, 2008.

Not a problem as the plan was always to work a little bit. My dream job was to become a barista at the Hogs Breath Coffee Company. They sold out to Starbucks. Not sure I'm a corporate coffee guy so the plan is now to be the go to guy at Canadian Tire but only if it is low stress.

What ever happens, we will be fine so bring it on! June 30, 2008 here we (I) come.

Well, I didn’t become the go to guy at Canadian Tire but I did find plenty of interesting ways to supplement the pension while still having the opportunity to see the world. Six years have passed since R Day and the need or perhaps the desire to continue to work has found me working in a Winery. Not a job that was on my radar in 2008.  

The initial job description was to work in the wine shop and schlep wines to visitors while waxing eloquently on the bouquet, nose, colour, yada yada yada. Actually it is a lot like teaching English, but replacing “weakened form” with “toasted oak”.

But the job has slowly morphed into something different, something that kind of resembles my old JOB. You know; the stressful, 24/7 one I retired from. Some of you are probably saying ‘what took you so long”, while others of you are saying “give your head a shake, Brett”.  So after giving my head a shake, I have come to accept that “you can take the boy out of the job, but you can’t take the job out of the boy”.

Thankfully, over the last six years, my outlook to work has taken a decided shift in my approach to the JOB. The JOB no longer consumes me, I only embrace it. I still have the desire to deliver 100 percent but on my schedule, not someone else’s. Wish I had taken this approach 30 years ago. But then, I may have had to revise my retirement schedule.

No regrets, so for the next 2 or 3 years, I will be on the lookout for JOBS that I can embrace while leaving plenty of time to enjoy retirement. So if you hear of anything, don’t hesitate to drop me a line.

I should put a plug in here, for my latest JOB so drop into Perseus Wines. See the web address below. I get a staff discount of 30% on all wine purchases and the coffee breaks are pretty sweet.  

http://perseuswinery.com/