Patchwork

The sum of my experiences leading to this day could best be described as a sort of crazy quilt. Events planned often lead to unexpected consequences or rewards. My very last paycheck arrived in the mail today. Probably the last one I will ever receive. From this time on, my endeavers will either be volunteer or non-productive. This last round of employment was actually one I didn't plan to even begin. Ol' Abner had a bout with cancer and began circulating rumors of his impending demise. Strangely enough, I had a call from my most recent employer the day after his diagnosis. Insurance, good health insurance, was my new unexpected need. Should he die sooner than later, I would be left bereft of his company sponsored insurance plan. Mind you, it isn't the best of coverage with its huge deductible and relatively high premiums, but without a living retiree to sponsor me, I would even lose that. He is a disabled veteran with service connected disablity so all his ailments are treated by the big healthcare system from the government. Having resigned from my job in Amarillo, TX because it was just too far to commute to the house in the Ozarks, the call to let me know about an opening in the Springfield, MO office (only a two hour commute) had unexpectedly moved that last paycheck out from sometime back in 2005 until today. I planned to be a teacher, majored in elementary education and never taught a day. Discovered that parents had less than reasonable expectations for those being paid to educate their children...that was in the early seventies...today's teachers deserve combat pay. It just seemed better to follow my nose and work where the jobs appeared and somehow they always came, whether I was looking or not. Volunteer work with children was much better suited to my somewhat free spirit. If they weren't nice, I sent them home. If their parents aggravated me, they weren't invited to return. Before giving birth to my own children, I could generally count on one of my friends to loan me a couple of theirs if I wanted to see a Disney movie or play in the park or some other less than grown up activity (I loved climbing trees back then). When my own urchins came along the best way to keep a view of them was through ongoing interaction with their peers. Meanwhile I sometimes needed to supplement the family income. I always enjoyed the job interview process. It was a fun way to learn about a company and just what they produced. Usually after couple of those and I had a job offer. I really would like to have just been a professional applicant, but there seemed to be little demand for that. Healthcare billing and collection was the paying work I followed for many years as Ol' Abners career moved us from city to city. Daughter and Son had needs that often influenced my choice to work for pay or not. Moving to Midland TX in the oil boom of the late eighties funneled me into a sales job and I found that to be a good fit for my curious nature. Eventually, sales experience landed me in a job for a major telecom company selling yellow page advertising. Now how is all this relevant? The realization that no more paychecks will be forthcoming means I will need free entertainment. Having observed blogging from a distance, I enlisted the aid of Daughter to set up a sort of diary/blog. She took me an extra step into Facebook and I don't have to explain that several adults who should still be carefree children are turning up on my wall. Wow...stich another section of the crazy quilt!