Retired: September 16, 2008

This is my blog address: http://retire42.blogspot.com/

This is my new website: http://poboy42.free-site-host.com/

This is my campground: http://www.sunshinervresort.net/

Where PoBoy is located: http://www.sunshinervresort.net/images/Sunshine%20RV%20Map2a.jpg

Campground Amenities: http://www.sunshinervresort.net/Amenities.htm

The "Furries" own Blog: http://thefurrys.blogspot.com/

It's the weekend! PoBoy has now been retired since Tuesday, September 16, 2008.

Unfortunately for PoBoy, he came down with a sickness called "Bronchitus" the last Friday of his working career. Basically he has been following not only the advice of his doctors, but also all his many friends, who are watching him, as he nears the last days of his stay in Michigan.

The Bronchitus 10 day antibiotic pack will expire the middle of next week. PoBoy has not had the best of results visiting his doctor's lately. Primary Physician (Family Doctor) diagnosed PoBoy with Bronchitus. Advanced Cardiologist (Heart Doctor) found PoBoy's blood pressure to be much to high at 171/92. PoBoy himself also examined his problem in an objective manner.

After a thorough study of the recent physcial readings, Dr. PoBoy has made the following determination: "Stress is the major contributor to the high blood pressure readings."

PoBoy where are you picking up all this stress? PoBoy got caught up in an office shuffle. His original plan was to retire on October 17, 2008. However, the director called him into the office unexpectedly and announced that "PoBoy could retire on September 15, providing he meant certain specifications." This occurred around the first of September. After the director explained everything, PoBoy was assured that he would have "health" insurance coverage through the end of October. Just a few days after, the director informed PoBoy that they could not cover him with insurance through October but they would insure him through the end of September.

Finally there was the matter of "having to write an office manual." This irritated PoBoy more then anything else. Of all the office personnel, PoBoy ranked the lowest on educational level. There are many "sheepskin" holders within the office arena. There are also secretarial schooled staff as well. So just what did the PoBoy do?

PoBoy, the lowest paid staff person who never complained as he was always thankful for having a chance to work people who were superior to him, was considered a support secretary for the staff. He often considered himself the "gofer" of the group. Normally PoBoy was the second in the office (15 to 20 minutes early) everyday and he was second to leave the office upon the close of any day. PoBoy has many wonderful stories to tell of his early years with this organization.

With the addition of a new director, PoBoy was thrown into positions that he was not prepared for. He was supposed to have received on-the-job training to increase his knowledge of the secretarial trade, but this never panned out. Years earlier, a former director, wanted to show PoBoy his appreciation for all the extras PoBoy had done for the organization and one formerlly called "Secretary Day," made him an "honorary Secretary." This was done so the director could give PoBoy a basket of fruit on "Secretary's Day."

So PoBoy found himself thrown into positions he was unqualified for. Mistakes became his day. When he'd ask for help from the Office Executive Manager, the answer he'd get was simple "Research it!" Why the office manager, who had been with the staff since the last director left, never bothered to tell the new director that PoBoy was not a real trained secretary but only an honorary appointed one, is something that could have saved PoBoy years of stress.

But as PoBoy says "it's over now. He failed to reach two important goals he had when working with the company. First, he had hoped to finally, once in his life, be able to say he had earned $10.00 per hour. That goal never saw fruition. A second, and more important goal to PoBoy, was that he failed to complete his goal of working 10 years without missing a day. However, because his health turned bad, and he suffered a heart attack he ended up missing a total of 30 days in 2008. He was devastated beyond belief for had his health held to June 1, 2008 he would have completed that goal.

Finally there is the matter of writing a front office manual. PoBoy, of course, can write but he is not a technical writer and he is also one of the most disorganized people in this world. PoBoy could have, of course, dictated to one of those professional secretary's all the things he does with the organization but to write it in an organized content was too much to ask of the PoBoy and besides who writes technical manuals who has never earned in a life time -- $10.00 per hour. But PoBoy when he stated publicly that he would retire in October 2008, more then a year ago, offered to teach "hands on" any person the organization so chose to learn the material from him in a "step-by-step" manner. The organization chose otherwise.

Just three weeks before the proposed retirement for PoBoy he was scrambling around trying to write things down to make the job somewhat easier for the person who happens to fall into the same position he found himself in.

Dr PoBoy concluded that it was indeed stress that was causing his resistance to be low. Aging and stress do not make good bed fellas. However, a weekend and two equals a doctor's appointment.

Days! PoBoy has 42 days remaining before the trip begins to Florida.