A post in which the day doesn't go as badly as I feared

Since there was a conference call between the president of the company, Alan's boss, and the headhunter account yesterday at 5:30pm PST, I figured the fall-out from the call would come today.  Nonetheless, I went to work.  I wasn't tickled about it, but I went.

Jeffrey (my Manila guy), has done surprisingly well this month, despite Alan stacking up reports like freakin' cord-wood.  We finished up the US long and short form today, the weekly reports from month end, and the additional reports ordered as of March 4.  The process wasn't velvet smooth, but it went much better than I thought it would.  Jeffrey has truly had a trial by fire - this is the worst month end I have been through in years.  I sent him an atta-boy email at the end of the day.  I was so grateful he didn't quit!!

I got a started on the quarterly nap/meeting prep today, so I could go ahead and get the whining out of the way and start getting stuff in from people.  What I did not do was work on my self-review.  I freakin' hate doing that.  I pulled out all my goals and numbers, but I haven't been able to actually go in and make myself start it.

On a more personal note, I did something I've been mulling over for a while today.  I went in and decreased my 401k contribution.  I've been debating this for some time.  I'm broke right now from vacation plans and the last of the heater debt, and it will certainly be handy to have a bit more money, but that isn't the real reason.  Objectively, it makes sense.  I have some money put aside, and I didn't stop contributing at all, but I am most likely saving for a retirement I won't live to see. 

The men in my family generally aren't long-lived anyway.  I have arteriosclorosis and heart disease on both sides, along with arthritis (both rheumatoid and osteo).  The men in my family generally pop off from a stroke or heart attack in their mid-to-late sixties.  Plus my life expectancy has been shortened by chemo.  I have been surprised at the complications from treatment that I'm still living with, and which I will apparently live with for the rest of my life.  In some ways I have prematurely become an old man.  So it has really hit home to me lately that things aren't going to be the same.  The retirement age for my generation has moved to 71.  So it makes sense to have some money put aside - that's just prudent.  But I'm not going to live in penury now to put aside for an old age that I'll most likely not live to see. 

My mom's parents saved their whole lives for their retirement.  My mom's dad worked like a dog his whole life; overtime, travelling, really worked hard.  They were going to travel in their retirement.  Then he retired and lost his eyesight.  They lived well, and they both lived a long time, but they were stuck in that house for the last 10-15 years of their lives.  Granny used to say "Go and do while you're young and can do it, because there's no guarantee you'll be able to do it later."  I'm heeding her advice.

I made a date to see Larry this weekend.  I sent him a text because I had been thinking about him, and it turns out his phone had died and he had lost all his contacts.  He was glad to hear from me, and actually gave up on working overtime on Friday to see me on Saturday.  We're planning to drive up to Hendersonville, get some lunch, do some shopping, and come back for a quiet evening.  I'm really looking forward to it.

By the end of the day, it seemed that the axe I had been dreading wasn't going to fall.  I didn't hear anything.  I breathed a sigh of relief, and left.  When I got home Lisa called to check on me.  She had read about the horrible day Tuesday and was a bit worried.  Bless her heart, with her schedule I can't believe she has a spare thought for anyone!  We talked for a while, and she aired some of her latest frustrations with her worthless ex-husband.  I wish she could be done with him, but they still have to sell  the house.

I steamed the green beans Eve had been so worried about for supper.  I dipped them in Caesar dressing, along with the rest of the grape tomatoes I had in the fridge.  I had some nuts.  I made some popcorn.  So I had done pretty well, until I remembered there were cookies in the cabinet from the Aldi run.  So yeah, I pretty much ruined my good dinner with cookies.  There's a reason I usually don't keep that stuff in the house.

There was nothing on TV, and I was wiped (as much from worry as from anything I had actually done), so I went on to bed.  There was an interview with Kim Novak on TCM.  She still looked great, but man she was a terrible interview.  She was made to have someone else write words for her, apparently.