h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It would seem that I am now unemployable. A silly pump thing in my chest has decided to go wonky, and a cardiologist figures work is a pretty quick road to suicide. Not one that I care to take.

So, now living on a pair of little pensions earned over 37 years of working, and an income from an insurance plan - not a penny given by government supports or hand-outs, I might add - I have many hours on my hands.

Hmmmm ...

The answer to your question is a firm maybe

Not the best way to have to leave the ranks of the working classes, but my brother was in a similar situation and has managed to adapt to a new lifestyle. I hope you will be able to do the same!

I certainly cannot complain, I have been far luckier than a lot of folks. When I left the military (1st retirement) in February of '98, I walked away with a lifetime pension. It is small, but will finally see "indexing" in another 5 years. And then when contracts fell apart, I officially retired (2nd retirement) from a company of 13.5 years in October of '11, I received a lifetime pension (very small, I was a decade early of full rates) and also lifetime medical, dental, vision care and pharmaceutical benefits.

This ending in May of '14, (3rd retirement, 3rd time is the charm?), I find that I am eligible for long term disability benefits from insurance, nearly equal to what I was last earning. It will only run to age 65, but by then, my military pension should have grown by nearly 50% and I will already have been collecting the national pension plan (reduced rates) for 5 years.

So while I will never be rolling in the money, basic needs ought to be met without having to beg or scrounge. The son of a postie that I know, medically ousted from work too and about the same time as me. He qualified for the same 15 weeks of Employment Insurance, and then is entirely on his own.

This post has been removed.

And there we have it. My decision has been made for me.

Cheers and good luck.

Oh wow, even my description of health and financial circumstances is now zapped. From over a week ago. Yeah, definitely not a site to bother with.

Once more, cheers and good luck.

Que Far as I can see only one posting is hidden atm

Same here

Post #4 was removed for 10 or 12 hours. I can guess that a few words were considered possible to offend some. THAT is how tightly I am 'watched'.

Yeah, well, earlier today I was forced to misspell basterds to get a point across

There is atleast one amusing bit ... The effects of Brunel still work well on Personal Spaces and also the INFO page of old.

And 9 times out of 10 that I decide to take a glance, the "eyes" are open. And it certainly isn't because people found this space from any interesting entries.

I just thought of a good way to make a come-back ... An introduction, and maybe FIVE sparse recipes from my Prussian heritage that still go on. A Uni project!

I am looking forward to the recipes... :D

The first trick would be correct spellings, of course. The foods are pretty basic, always simple, but also always filling.

Any and/or in them?

I seem to recall one stew that benefits from some ale, and a certain dark Christmas cake that really does well with the brandy.

Well then, what are you waiting for? Bring it on!

Well you know, getting ideas organized in the head, the wordings, it would require a sub-Ed that knows the current format and shaping, ... It might take a couple of days to assemble.

Not like one that I sub-sub-edited, that was a seriously thought out and worked out affair. And such a lovely compilation when done. It included photos from the author, making it all very sharp

That's okay, because actually I'm in no hurry. Can't have alcohol till Friday at the earliest anyway