T2K Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 Come on down to Alabama Cal. It seems I remember Boeing needing a few good men here. Taxes are low, cost of living is low, we have a Bold but Fair Guvnuh that's getting divorced and some of the best college football in the country. For later on retirement is not taxed, property taxes are low and we're close to the best beaches in the country. The downside is fashion is low on our priority list. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cal Blacksmith Posted September 4, 2015 Author Share Posted September 4, 2015 Hey if that pic is any indication of the fashion of the locals, that is a very tempting idea indeed! The down side is that it would take 2 semi truck/trailers to move just my shop! That is much less appealing The notion of going back to work on my terms is tempting too, how many jobs are there that pay over $100K a year and you can work from home with the occasional trip to a sub vendor to check up on them? Ya, I thought so, not many Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Travis In Austin Posted September 13, 2015 Moderators Share Posted September 13, 2015 Hey if that pic is any indication of the fashion of the locals, that is a very tempting idea indeed! The down side is that it would take 2 semi truck/trailers to move just my shop! That is much less appealing The notion of going back to work on my terms is tempting too, how many jobs are there that pay over $100K a year and you can work from home with the occasional trip to a sub vendor to check up on them? Ya, I thought so, not many Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Travis In Austin Posted September 13, 2015 Moderators Share Posted September 13, 2015 So sorry to hear about that Cal. Now you can be a consultant for those subs and make the really big bucks. You can make the rounds, Seal Beach, Long Beach, El Segundo, OR, just kick back and enjoy. Travis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cal Blacksmith Posted September 17, 2015 Author Share Posted September 17, 2015 (edited) OK, just over 2 weeks into this. OMG, I love not waking up at 3AM, I often stay UP till 3AM LOL! Once I finish working out the budget, getting insurances lined up, changing my 401 account management etc, it will slow down even more. I have not used 1/2 a tank of gas in both the truck and the Challenger since I last worked. I used to fill at least 2 x a week. I have set the air conditioning higher than would be comfortable alone but with fans, it is tolerable at 80 (many days were over 100 outside, in the last 2 weeks) That cut the cost of AC quite a bit, like nearly half vs keeping the house at 70. I have been in the 2ch room a bit and those tubes tend to heat things up a lot! Again, ceiling fan to the rescue. Do I wish I had more money? well sure, my income is just over 1/3 of what it used to be but my expenses went down quite a bit too. I have car detailing, blacksmithing, shop fab to fall back on and even use the Bobcat and attachments to pull in some extra coin. I am looking for another job and have applied for unemployment but my legal status and uh, ethnic stats are not correct for the system and because I took my pension to maintain our health insurance, it looks like I don't qualify for ANY unemployment at all even though I have been paying into the system for 36 years and was let go due to no fault of my own and would still be working if I had a choice. My real status is unemployed with a pension, NOT retired! I can't even qualify for SS for 3 more years yet. Edited September 17, 2015 by Cal Blacksmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkane Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 Surprised you can't collect unemployment if you're actively searching for work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rummy Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 So they did not give you a "package" for being laid off, so sorry, then you could have collected the unemployment and maintained the insurance till the package pay and unemployment ran out, then start the pension with the insurance. You get used to having the AC at 80 with the fans, and hopefully maybe another two weeks till this heat is over for this year. Staying busy keeps your health better, which I am finding out now on the bad side of that situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cal Blacksmith Posted September 18, 2015 Author Share Posted September 18, 2015 yes, I don't think it is fair about unemployment, they say it counts as income just like as if I did day labor, it is subtracted from what I would be paid by unemployment. The company paid one month of health insurance and the union got us a lump sum payment as a parting gift and that was it. If I had not started the pension before I was gone, I would have had to wait 4 years until I was older. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnA Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 I have found retirement to liberating and fun. It's too bad I had to work so long to get there! I have spent as much as 3 weeks on the road on my sport-tourer, I volunteer for the Health Dept., I have found some pick-up work doing coal quality testing and as a sound man for small local bands. I took my lady friend to TX for BBQ brisket and to NM to see the Trinity site. I never had time for that sort of stuff before. Look into riding Amtrak to Seattle with the wife. That should be a relaxing, easy way to travel. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2K Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 I have found retirement to liberating and fun. It's too bad I had to work so long to get there! I have spent as much as 3 weeks on the road on my sport-tourer, I volunteer for the Health Dept., I have found some pick-up work doing coal quality testing and as a sound man for small local bands. I took my lady friend to TX for BBQ brisket and to NM to see the Trinity site. I never had time for that sort of stuff before. Look into riding Amtrak to Seattle with the wife. That should be a relaxing, easy way to travel. Glad to hear you're adjusting John. The Amtrak trip would be nice, don't forget the camera. The coal testing sounds interesting. Could you say more about that? Unless you'd rather not of course. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnA Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 I was working with 2 old co-workers doing sampler bias tests at coal-fired plants near Amarillo and Lubbock, TX. It is hard work. Fifty 40 pound samples, handled many times, each night for a week. I worked below my pay grade as a tech, but it's an adventure. Found some excellent Mexican food, and brisket. Bought whiskey from Waylon Jennings' sister. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2K Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 I didn't think before asking. Steam coal. For fun I hung around places at the other end of the equation, underground and surface mines that shipped coal to coal fired steam plants in the southeast. While loading the product onto rail for shipment the coal was sampled and tested by both the producer and later by the buyer. It was my understanding that the producer was paid according to the results of the tests (moisture, ash content, btu's, etc). The mines had a lab and a tech for the testing. A shipment of product would run from 8000 to 12000 tons and yield 3 to 4 ~50 lb bags of sample. Apparently, by my question, I've done a really good job of forgetting all about that. Oh yeah, I rang up literally hundreds of thousands of rail miles too. The scenery is nice. Sometimes it was fun, sometimes not so much. Now I spend as much time as possible stationary near water. Keith 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted October 31, 2015 Moderators Share Posted October 31, 2015 Now I spend as much time as possible stationary near water. Don't blame you at all. I know exactly where you are, nice beach. Once we had to go under that building for a storm, winds were blowing probably 50 mph through the building. not the stormy day......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted October 31, 2015 Moderators Share Posted October 31, 2015 I have car detailing, blacksmithing, shop fab to fall back on and even use the Bobcat and attachments to pull in some extra coin. That could easily give you enough to stay busy, it will just take a little time to get it going. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2K Posted October 31, 2015 Share Posted October 31, 2015 (edited) Now I spend as much time as possible stationary near water. Don't blame you at all. I know exactly where you are, nice beach. Once we had to go under that building for a storm, winds were blowing probably 50 mph through the building. not the stormy day......... Yep, that's it alright. Gulf State Park, Gulf Shores Al. We went the 2nd week of Oct. and it was still pretty warm there. Checked out the area from the mouth of Mobile Bay to Orange Beach. Got plenty of exercise. Still like Florida panhandle better myself. I would live there if I could talk the boss into it. Mobile Bay Edited October 31, 2015 by T2K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islander Posted October 31, 2015 Share Posted October 31, 2015 Over time, you'll find you spend less, maybe even a lot less, than when you were working, since you won't be paying for the daily commute (gas, wear and tear, etc.), for just one example. Other examples of how it used to cost you to go to work every day will become noticeable as time goes by. The main thing is that now you own your time, and you can use it every day as you see fit. Try to find an identity for yourself. "Unemployed guy" is not how you want to think of yourself, or how you want to describe yourself. "Blacksmith at large" might suit you better, for just one idea. Best of luck in your new adventures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnA Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 I didn't think before asking. Steam coal. For fun I hung around places at the other end of the equation, underground and surface mines that shipped coal to coal fired steam plants in the southeast. While loading the product onto rail for shipment the coal was sampled and tested by both the producer and later by the buyer. It was my understanding that the producer was paid according to the results of the tests (moisture, ash content, btu's, etc). ........................................................... Keith Exactly. We were testing the buyer's systems to see if they were getting representative samples. Could be a couple of million dollars a year riding on sampling errors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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