I’m really trying to get my proper rest but its difficult at best and impossible on some days. Kind of always been that way for me. When I was younger it was fun and work. Middle age was kids and work. Now its pain and work. You know, looking back I could have had a lot more fun, seen my kids grow up and be in a lot less pain if I just dropped that work part.
But then, I wouldn’t have had the pleasure of meeting and working with so many brilliant and wonderful people, many of whom are good and best friends today because of decades of effort together professionally and now personally. I wouldn’t have been able to help my children have a normal upbringing and the opportunity to go to college and get a decent start in life. I wouldn’t have the roof over our heads today and a few crumbs to live on into our senior years if not for the work part.
Formation in fog.
Photo by Mike Hartley
So maybe I did what was needed. I know what I did in the first 3 decades of work was some physical stuff and that has part has a bit to do with the pain. For any hard work, takes a toll on the human body. But Companies are not sports franchises where the players/workers get treatments and have days off in between and off seasons and personal trainers. You come in every day no matter how you feel. You work hurt. You work in situations where you push beyond 100% and don’t have the rest cycle needed to recover and you do that every day of every month of every year. I have one very close friend who has been at it (very physical work) for almost 5 decades and his body is a shell of the hardened steel beast it once was. The mind and knowledge and desire and signals to move and do are given but the reply from Scotty in engineering is “Captain, She canna take any more, captain. She’s gonna blow!
The same can be said for the mental part of some of the jobs. Pressure, stress, deadlines, the bosses guarantee that something bad will NEVER happen. And then there are the positions where you are not only responsible for a team or group or a division or a branch but a VP or owner and responsible for many lives because they rely on your leadership, drive and knowledge. I know one well and I can tell you the mental part can be just as draining and dangerous and tough to recover from as the highly physical job.
Having two examples like that close to me and many more variations, combined with my own ways and history has taught me balance is what you strive for but seldom achieve along the way but if your lucky to live a long life and learn when you have put in your hard time and can start to appreciate other things besides a long day at the job, then that is the reward for the many decades of dedication. And if you haven’t screwed up too bad along the way getting there you might be blessed to still have your family and friends by your side.
I’ve never been one to sleep long periods anyway. In some ways I always felt like I was coming up short and had to do more to just stay even. Probably because I never applied myself in school and had to buck up along the way. Regardless, there might be a few things I change along the way. I needed to put more effort into my marriage. I needed to do more with my children. And I needed to do more for others.
Time isn’t managed, it’s what you make of it. Some days I do well, some not so much. Guess it all depends on how you look at it. Because what might be important depends on the perspective. For instance being a good father and husband is always job 1. Some days though, I’ve got so busy at work that I do nothing towards that end. Now my job might think that’s great, that I have good initiative and effort.
It all boils down to choices. I used to work my behind off. 60-80 hours weeks were the norm. Those days are behind me. I don’t even want those hours, even if I was getting paid for each one. It just isn’t my priority. Yes I like my job. Yes I like my paycheck. I just like life more. Kind of a dangerous thing to say out loud. You never know when someone might take the exception to that type of attitude.
But what the hell, its how I feel, and last time I checked I can express that freely. And I guess they can fire me freely also.
So its time to really turn up the volume on those things that I now find important.
Random Thoughts of the Day
I miss the original members of Lynyrd Skynyrd. The sweet sound of Billy Powell’s keyboards. That hard voice of Ronnie and those guitars of Steve and Alan.
Brackets, so many choices, so much fun. You got to love it.
I finally found something I agree with Trump on. I also think Rex will be much happier now. And I also agree with Rex, that Trump is a moron.
Can you imagine getting fired by Twitter. I would make sure to still have a face to face with the gutless boss. That is one bridge worth setting ablaze.
I’ve got to spend more time organizing a post or keeping it to one topic or thought instead of these long run on rants.
