I'm Not Debbie Downer

Even though I'm writing about something that is unhappy and potentially depressing, I'm not feeling that way at all -- well, sad about the whole thing -- but I guess I'm going to need to keep writing about it because it's what's going on. In some ways, it's not sad at all, but may provide some interesting days to come.

I'm giving serious thought to retiring this year. I may not end up doing it, but if I do, I need to notify my Board of Education by April 30, so that's soon. I'll know more after today; the whole state of New Jersey votes on its local school budgets today. If many budgets pass, it's likely that the governor will be angry -- he's encouraging voters to vote against their local budgets because he's apparently a shithead -- and then there may be retribution in the form of more attacks on the pension system, in which case I will likely retire before they take effect. If budgets fail, it will probably make him happy -- picture Jabba the Hut -- and he may let the other things slide.

Anyway, that's the situation, so I'm thinking somewhat seriously about other work I could do for a few years until Social Security kicks in. I can think of some things that I'd like to do, but the only way to find out if they have openings is to call and ask, and that's still premature. Here's one: I saw an ad for a company that hires "mad scientists" to go around and do little science lessons for elementary age kids. Even I could do that and I think it would be fun, but not too steady, I think. The one I've really settled on (as if it were a real job) is that there's a children's museum very near here that I loved taking kids to when I was a Girl Scout leader and I would love to work there. It's all hands-on and kid-size, aimed at kids maybe four to eight. There's a little supermarket with play food and cash registers, little building sites with HUGE lego-type bricks, all kinds of jobs to pretend to work at, and so on. I don't know how many people they even employ; I'd be happy just to work in an office and schedule stuff.  In fact, that's generally what I think I'd be best at, working in any kind of office doing scheduling, taking messages, and so on. I'd love it to be in a museum or some such place, but I could do it anywhere that would hire me. I'm not even looking for a full-time job, but I'm not quite ready to retire yet, so I think I'd want to do something. I think I could be a very good mad scientist.

In the meantime, I'm just doing what I do, returning stuff to the Gap after school and making fish for dinner. Catfish. I don't know anyone else who likes catfish besides me, so it'll be interesting to see if K goes for it or not.

Well then, I'm going to obsess over some figures I have and try to see again if we can afford to live if I retire. *sigh*