Monday, July 11, 2011

Mom Turned Seventy Today

Today is my mother's 70th birthday. She's as healthy as a horse, extremely active, and looks twenty years younger than her age. She still works, but will be receiving her first Social Security check this month. I had a heart-to-heart with her on Saturday, and she mentioned that she is eligible for a retirement package if she leaves her job by 1 September. Like most Americans, she puts in long hours, and her workplace isn't the place it was when she started. American companies have figured out how to get blood from a turnip, and seem to enjoy running "stress" experiments.

I told her to take the offer- work shouldn't feel like a kick in the belly. She excels at her job, and has a lot of friends on the job, but she's paid her dues. I advised her to take the offer, and, should she feel bored, take a job no more than a ten minute drive from home, or to do volunteer work.

She's got quite a bit to mull over this summer, but I think she should give a "Sayanora, mofos!" to the workplace. Obviously, I'm going to give her a call later, and I wonder if she'll bring up the subject again. Sure, she'll miss certain things about the place, but she can always keep in touch with her friends, without the attendant nonsense so typical of the American workplace in this post-prosperity age.

So, happy birthday to mom, from her workplace "devil's advocate".

9 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday, BBBB's Mom!

    And listen to your son, he's smart.

    P.S. Did you notice that Obama had a hike in Medicare age of eligibility on the table? Wouldn't affect your mom, and the Republicans (so far) haven't bitten. But this president tries to find new ways to piss me off just about every day.
    ~

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  2. But, he's just playing 11 dimensional chess... HONEST!!!

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  3. What? I thought one had to be 72 to collect SS while still working full-time.

    Do they lower the limit? When? Can we change that? (To never?)

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  4. Mother B^4, Happy B-day and congrats on making such a lovely son.

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  5. Happy Birthday 4B's Mother. That's a fine boy you have there. I hope you have had a good day

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  6. Sounds like she has more than enough to pay for her crime of bringing a big bad bald bastard into the world. May she have many more birthdays.

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  7. Happy (belated) Birthday to B4's mom!! You raised an awesome human!

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  8. Congrats and happy birthday to your mom. And YES, she should take them up on the offer. Lucky lady!

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