Distracted & conflicted

Today Clare & I met with the person on campus who notarizes and accepts retirement papers. She confirmed that there is a great deal of uncertainty surrounding recent legislative and legal developments concerning state employees’ pensions. The uncertainty about how the courts will rule and what the legislature will do leaves many people like me who are at the brink of retiring with a more difficult decision.

If I work-and-teach another year, we’ll have about half my salary more than if I retire now. With a garage expansion (for boat storage among other goals) and new windows as large & looming expenditures, it would be nice to have the extra money, but — and this is how we economists think — I would essentially be working for half-pay. Not sure I want to — in some sense — take a 50% pay cut for my last year of employment…

So as I was continuing to ponder the immediate employment decision, I shot only one frame today. An iris in our garden at 6:22 p.m. Not in sharp, sharp focus, but when there’s only one frame from which to choose, there’s no choice.

1 year ago (“Cat’s-eye view”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2013-05-15
2 years ago (“After the ‘pyrite’”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2012-05-15
3 years ago (“Finis!”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2011-05-15

[Danette Thompson]

Pretty iris. Maybe it represents the "unfocused" future.

[Thom Mitchell]

@danette Interesting observation, Danette! Thank you! I can't leave the future unfocused for long; I must decide soon. Failing to decide is, in itself, a decision. As Jason Mraz ( http://www.vh1.com/video/misc/768816/i-wont-give-up-vh1-storytellers.jhtml) and others recommend, "choose powerfully." Don't let a default decision be made for you. I need to give myself and my department chairperson a decision soon…

[Lindy]

Good luck with your choice. Pretty iris shot.

[Rick Schies]

Not an easy decision as one analyzes it all, but the gain, even though it may appear small for what you will do in that extra year, will you feel a little better knowing that you managed to get a little more in the end, squeezed a little more juice out of the lemon. A feeling of greater security may be well worth it. That is how a psychology major thinks. It's not always in the material aspect that one gains rewards.

[Thom Mitchell]

@digitalrn Ah, but the economist views it as working for a low wage. The *extra* income for the extra year of work is approximately 33%, so the extra year would be for a 67% pay cut. I'm waiting on a couple additional pieces of information … but I think I'm going to retire. We'll see!