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

It is ten days until Thanksgiving. This year, my birthday falls on the same day. More about Thanksgiving traditions, later.

Friends and family have been posting on facebook about things for which they are thankful. I would do the same except it doesn't take 24 days to say 'home, family, pets, friends, health, having a job that means I can pay my bills, and the smaller things like getting a ticket to a concert that I want very much to see which I would not have been able to attend until it was rescheduled'.

Sure, there are things I want. I'm thankful that I have things to work towards. I've been looking through online classes. There is a reputable university that offers degree programs and single courses online. The local university offers short courses called 'leisure classes' in the summer. Not sure yet, what I'd like to explore.

Some of my friends have told me about courses that are designed for people who have retired and want to keep their minds active.

I've read that learning a language increases brain longevity.

I was looking at online history, accounting, or French classes. The history and French would be personal interests. The accounting (or similar) would be professional.

Good luck!

You seem to have a good mind. Maybe there's a nice career ahead of you.

Thank you.

I still have a good 20+ years before I can retire. And, I don't think another 20 years of current job would be a good idea.

I gather that your current job drives you crazy at times.

Yes. It's not what I wanted to do. There isn't a lot of room to move up after this long either.

I've never made any bones about the fact that what I really enjoy and want to do is participate in my hobbies and performing groups. My job brought in a paycheck, but I didn't depend on it for creative satisfaction. :-0

This job has an 18 mile commute, one way. The cost of gasoline and then everything else because of that is one negative. The amount of time spent commuting instead of something else is another.

Ideally, I'd like something closer to home that doesn't require so much time and money just to get there. Even if it paid the same instead of more, it would be an improvement.

My choices would be gardening, drawing, writing, and lots of other things if I had the time and money.

Did you say that the chances of advancement to a higher slot in the business were not good?

It is: Owner/Operating Mgr., The other owner who is more of a silent partner as far as the store but is involved in property and investment issues, The store Mgr., Me.

Currently, I'm the Office Mgr. which includes Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Payroll, Opening Mgr., Person who will say 'NO' loudest to unwanted sales people (live or on telephone) and some light book keeping using Quickbooks. I also order books and some of the supplements. Along the way, I have been Kitchen Mgr., Database Mgr. and Receiving Mgr. If I remember right, I was hired 'on a trial basis' in 1991 to bag some stuff (into smaller plastic bags from huge sacks) and help in the kitchen.

That's twenty years. It's a long time.

And it seems like an eternity.

I'm sure it does.