R got home from work late tonight (Friday) because she hung out in her new town to check out take-out places, the Y, and the knitting stores. Good news to report: her roommates were, in fact, able to move in today, so the place is theirs. Bad news: she stopped at an incredible bakery and brought home the most amazing biscotti ever. I only had a half of one, but still. Anyway, All she has to do now is pack and actually move. All.After I posted just before, I talked to the Sibs on the phone, who is also obsessing over her coming retirement. Trust me, both of these people are dying to go. I guess talking about it constantly is just part of the way they have to make the mental and emotional adjustment to the whole thing. Among other things, they are both women who are relatively happy to spend pretty much all of their time with their husbands, who are also content with this arrangement. The Chum's husband is, as I mentioned, retired, and she figures that when she is too they will do everything together, shopping and such. Well, not everything, but a lot. And she's a pretty independent sort, an artist, with many of her own interests. I don't know, I guess they like each other. As for the Sibs, she's on husband #3 and he is, as I've mentioned before, The Keeper, so I don't begrudge her any time with him because she's got unhappy years to make up for. He still works, but because he's a college professor, he doesn't actually go to work every day of the week, and has long school vacations and the like. She'll have just enough time without him and just enough time with. I guess I need to just let them both talk; that's what friends are for, eh?
Speaking of, I love my dland buddies. I'm just saying.
I keep reading the celebrity sex meme everywhere, but I must have no imagination, because all I can really think of is Patrick Stewart for the whole week. Okay, I could come up with another name or two -- Colin Firth leaps to mind and, of course, Sean Connery -- but not so much the seven scenarios. Oh, and the guy who plays Sawyer on Lost, and his buddy Jin. If I think of anyone else, I'll let you know. (I don't even know who Sean Bean is, although I keep seeing his name everywhere.) And Mr. Eko.
It looks like I'm about to win a copy of Caesar's Commentaries on eBay for $3.99. I have about three minutes to go.
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Outbid! Someone else got it for $4.40! How the hell do you like that? I hate that last second eBay bidding war; it's just not worth it to me to bother. I'll hit Barnes and Noble in my travels tomorrow and see if they have a copy in the used book section.
It's Saturday morning.
Voodoo asked in a comment on yesterday's entry: You can retire over there at 55? The laws vary by state, and of course, by job, but in New Jersey, teachers can retire at 55 if they have 25 years of service, and will receive full pension and medical benefits. So this is a Holy Grail, of sorts. It guarantees an experienced teaching staff for a long time (because you are reluctant to change careers after 20 years) but also encourages older teachers to retire young so that the highest salaries won't have to be paid year after year. (Salaries are negotiated school district by school district, but all of them include a raise, even a small one, for each year of service, up to a maximum number of years. In my district, I think the maximum is 19 or 20, so after that you're at "the top of the pay scale" for as long as you continue in that job. It also varies by how high a degree you have: bachelor's, master's, doctorate)
But 55 is pretty young to be retired and just do nothing. Some people fill up the time with grandchildren or traveling, like my friend E, whose husband is also a retired teacher, but taught from the ages of 22 to 63, so he had 41 years in, which is a lot for a teacher. Some people take other, less stressful jobs. A lot of teachers who are coaches will still coach, or referee, when they've retired from the classroom. Depending on your field, lots of people also tutor, or coach kids for the college entry tests. The real money, if that's what you're looking for, is that you can collect your pension and teach in another state earning your full salary. (This can be especially good for someone who wants to move to a warmer climate, say Florida or Arizona.) Granted, not everyone wants to do that, but some do. We had a principal in my school before the Psycho who was already retired as a high school princial in New York City, so he made out like a bandit, financially, collecting a principal's salary and a principal's pension.
There were no used copies of Caesar at Barnes and Noble. I guess it's back to eBay for me.
So far this morning, I have copied one movie onto a DVD - Longtime Companion - and now I have The African Queen playing while it records. I haven't been able to record something from the DVR onto a tape or DVD without watching it at the same time, although supposedly I can. God, I love The African Queen.
"Mr. Allnut?" (for the sixth or seventh time.)
"I'm still right here, Miss."
and
"Nature, Mr. Allnut, is what we were put in this world to rise above."
The best.
I'm not projecting much for today; it's starting to rain, I've finished what few tasks I needed to do, R has just gone off to work and to hang with her future roomies after, and the Hubs won't be back from work for another couple of hours. Let's see, I could start to gather everything to bring to the accountant, going through a year's papers, or I could play with my movies. What will I do? What WILL I do?
