Five days and counting!

That's right boys and girls, five days left at my retail nightmare! I find it really funny that since I am the only full time employee in the entire place, no one seems really interested in who is going to run the show after I leave! I reckon I just leave the keys on my old desk and ride off into the sunset and not worry about it. Just goes to show you how really dumb things are today. The funniest part is that the store still has about three years left on it's lease, and if there had been an inkling of fair treatment shown I would have stayed and helped close the store down. The timeing was good for me because it would put me six months from full Social Security and Medicare, there would have been some closing bonuses paid, and I could start another career just as easily then as now. But the point is that sometimes you have to draw the line, and I have. But enough about what's past, let's look at what's coming up.
About two years ago I spent the time and money taking the classes and passing the state exams to become a licienced Community Association Manager. Since "community living" is sucha big thing in Florida and closely governed by the state it will never go out of style. The research I did showed that there are a number of sides to the business, and I've been slowly exploring them for the past two years. You can operate as a sole practictioner, i.e. go get yourself a couple of clients, charge $25 to $35 per hour for your services and make a living. (Sounds good but usually the "singles" or associations hiring you have been rejected by everyone else becasue they are over-demanding, ignorant of the whole community living thing, but into thier "right to be right" (at your mental health expense), I tried a couple of those and found out they just want a paid "go-for" and really are the cheapest folks walking the planet. Then you have the Management Companys. They employ people like me, pay about the income of two or three properties and expect you to manage at least eight or ten. Good news they have benefits, hours are mostly the monday to friday nine to five, and they have far more weight in terms of getting things done than the sole practitioner. After a few years with then you are generally being wooed by larger more prestigious associations from other places and you break in to the real meat of the business. (That would be the 200 unit association willing to provide you with a $50,000 a year salary, a two bedroom unit on property (value about $150-$250,000), medical and all other form of benefits and life gets far better. I like the concept because as my wife and I grow older we are essentially not going to be able to keep up with the insane cost of living, so if we sell our townhome for the $500,000 it will garner in another five years or so, invest that money wisely, move into a smaller Association provided place, still take in $50,000 a year with benefits life would not be too bad. Well at least that's the plan.
Well got to go and get ready for the final countdown. I expect I'll get a call today or tomorrow when they realize they are left with three part-time people to run a full store by themselves, and try and induce me to stay on for a while til they can find a replacement (not happening unless the "package" is really ripe and irresistable like guaranteed benefits coverage on their nickel for the next four years, no more than twenty hours a week as the manager on a part time basis only, and a nice fat raise to about $18.00 per hour. What do you think would that be considered "extortion", or you couldlhave had me for a lot less a year or two ago, but you were not paying attention boys!
-30-
(for anyone interested in why I always sign off with "-30-", it's an old newspaper writers way of signing off going back years and I l;ike traditions)