Objectives reached !

 

I recently left my job as Financial Director of a registered charity.  Let us say that the crashing waves of my enthusiasm, driven by the winds of 10 to 14 hour working days, had too long been dashed on the sea-wall of inertia, sheer laziness and incompetence.  Ten years was enough  ; )

I reasoned it was also time to move on from the world of finances in general.  There were three reasons for that : I had been in it for 20+ years; was a bit fed up of having to justify my work to about ten layers of controllers (even if I appreciate why that is necessary); I am more interested in the social aspects of finance than making money for shareholders, which reduces options; and I had reached the deadly 50-odd years old doom trap where any change in career, already difficult, was about to become impossible.

That is four reasons, which is another reason I needed to leave. 

So off I went, and with a combination of a decent CV, a lot of searching, and a rather huge stroke of luck* that avoided me having to rely on my good looks, I managed to navigate the choppy waters of change.  I am now doing grassroots work with elderly people, and not a balance sheet or a state financial controller in sight.

Anyway, why I am boring you with this ?  Well, because I have discovered anew the joys of free time, anxiety-free evenings and hassle-free weekends and holidays.  Which means for the first time EVER, I have reached both my first semester objectives : I have played more than 26 games, and I have painted more than 26 "figure equivalents".

Yessssssss !!!!!!!!!!!  Come on 2nd semester, I'll take you to the cleaners !

 

*  If you want to know more : went to the unemployment office (for the first time ever, hated that !), they said they had a presentation in four days time about careers working with the elderly - what a coincidence already - with an employer present; went there, and the employer happened to be the Managing Director of a registered charity, that the one I had left had nearly merged with **.  So he knew me, as we had worked together on the possible merger, and gotten on very well.  He was surprised to see me, but more than willing to give me a shot !

**  Of course, the merger should have happened but never did, see above (inertia, sheer laziness, incompetence, etc....)