Return to work after holidays-time to reassess

**skippa1** · 13th January 2017, 20:51

Well, been off since the 24th of December and go back to work this Monday the 16th of Jan.

Have had some good time to look back at 2016....shit year. Wrecked bike, lost leg, busted back, pushing and striving to get "back to normal"....whatever that is. Cant help but find myself thinking that working in a job that pays really really well but requires super long hours, worry and responsibility and impinges on my downtime with constant emails and phone calls is wasting valuable time that I have been given a second chance to enjoy. Debit by way of mortgages dictate the current level of earnings required......current level of equity doesnt mean cashing up will make any real tangible difference, particularly as the new tax regs around investment properties would negate any capital gain......my timing was impeccable.....

so who out there has mad a sea change decision and how did it pan out?

**Katman** · 13th January 2017, 20:53

There's no harm in lowered expectations bro.

**skippa1** · 13th January 2017, 21:11

Originally Posted by Katman

There's no harm in lowered expectations bro.

Agreed......the decision sort of destabilises what stability there is though.......feel a bit backed into a corner though at the moment. Not sure the better half could deal with too much more at the moment either

**Akzle** · 14th January 2017, 05:38

i'm fucken baws.

your human experience is a one way thing, why waste it playing the jewgame™

**Voltaire** · 14th January 2017, 06:54

Originally Posted by Akzle

i'm fucken baws.

your human experience is a one way thing, why waste it playing the jewgame™

Tell us more about your off grid, self sufficient lifestyle, we might all give up the race and go feral too.

**Katman** · 14th January 2017, 07:11

Originally Posted by Voltaire

Tell us more about your off grid, self sufficient lifestyle, we might all give up the race and go feral too.

You almost sound proud to live in Auckland.

**Voltaire** · 14th January 2017, 07:25

Originally Posted by Katman

You almost sound proud to live in Auckland.

Whats not to like?

**Woodman** · 14th January 2017, 08:25

I would love to be one of those guys that is happy just pottering around in the garden growing my own veges and stuff but I would get bored out of my tiny mind inside a week.

**Oakie** · 14th January 2017, 08:27

Originally Posted by skippa1

...wasting valuable time that I have been given a second chance to enjoy.

Had similar cause to reflect earlier this week when the woman I work with had a seizure at work which has been shown to be due to a brain tumour. It is benign so she will return to work but she cannot drive for a year now which at age 69 leaves her at the good graces of others to transport her around and she does go out quite a bit. Make time to enjoy stuff while you still can. I was pretty determined that I was going to work until I am 68 but just reviewing that now.

**pritch** · 14th January 2017, 08:30

Originally Posted by Voltaire

Whats not to like?

Enough to convince me to make a largely successful effort to avoid the place. OK I was born there, I couldn't do much about that, and I did go to high school there. My sporting interests required visits to South Auckland but other than that my visits have been rare.

Auckland is foreign territory, in parts it doesn't even resemble New Zealand. Aucklanders should have to apply for a passport to travel south of the Bombays.

**pritch** · 14th January 2017, 08:41

I didn't want to be still working at 70 but there is always the temptation to work just a little longer, to pay for one more thing for the house or whatever. I managed to retire at 69. There is still stuff needs doing to the house but... One woman I worked with died suddenly and I thought bugger working all your life. My income is modest enough but I can still run the bike and afford the odd toy - fingers crossed.

Skippa your situation is different but I wish you well.

**mossy1200** · 14th January 2017, 08:43

Originally Posted by pritch

Aucklanders should have to apply for a passport to travel south of the Bombays.

If you do that they will think travelling South has become trendy. Perhaps not a good idea.

**ellipsis** · 14th January 2017, 09:45

...With a medical situation suddenly thrust on me at the, just about 60 year, when a few weeks prior things were looking like running to the 'plan', has had my head a bit fucked up, pissed off and angry-ish at the situation...can't do a thing apart from change a lot of stuff in life, listen to medics who don't really know fuck all themselves, it seems and try a formulate a new plan for the future...I have a couple of other strings to my bow that I can fall back on, which is fortunate, as many others in similar situations may not have any alternate options...but some things that seemed do-able in the future are now out the window and that thing that has been 'in the future' and further off than I had anticipated has arrived a decade or two too early and I am completely unprepared for it...I'm having to go back to work next week, ready or not, half incapacitated and wondering if I can actually do it...wisdom doesn't always come with age but you can guarantee, pain, change and falling apart...

**nzspokes** · 14th January 2017, 09:54

Originally Posted by skippa1

Well, been off since the 24th of December and go back to work this Monday the 16th of Jan.

Have had some good time to look back at 2016....shit year. Wrecked bike, lost leg, busted back, pushing and striving to get "back to normal"....whatever that is. Cant help but find myself thinking that working in a job that pays really really well but requires super long hours, worry and responsibility and impinges on my downtime with constant emails and phone calls is wasting valuable time that I have been given a second chance to enjoy. Debit by way of mortgages dictate the current level of earnings required......current level of equity doesnt mean cashing up will make any real tangible difference, particularly as the new tax regs around investment properties would negate any capital gain......my timing was impeccable.....

so who out there has mad a sea change decision and how did it pan out?

Im a little in the same boat apart from the losing the leg thing and we pretty much own the house now. But I dont want to be doing the same thing in 10 years time. Being 50 this year Ive decided to go back to study and upskill. Be the guy handing the shit down not the guy doing the shit.

Any chance to upskill?