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 Being Retired now, I thought that it was time for a new name to this Blog |
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Talk about perks, my career had one of the best I can think of! I traveled in the course of business, delivering classes for my employer. I was a Senior Training Specialist for Motorola Solutions, and taught classes on a wide variety of subjects centered around 2-way radio communications. I knew that when the time arrived that I would retire, and I have. I've always said that if you can't stand the heat in the kitchen, get out! I can't handle the heat anymore. I was qualified to deliver approximately 32 different classes, but about half of those were 'Legacy' classes, and were not in demand anymore. My students were technicians, those who maintained, programmed, calibrated, and repaired large 2-way radio systems. Some of these systems are statewide, and use TCP-IP networking to allow sites to communicate with others. Some are small, traditional type radio sites. The size doesn't matter, in each case the systems must be kept operational at all times, since many of them are Public Safety Systems. So I traveled, sometimes frequently, 3-4 weeks in a row.... where have I been? Some of the places I've been (I can't list them all here, the list would be toio long) are pretty interesting. 1. Hawaii - Four times, Oahu, Maui (twice), and the Big Island 2. BangkokThailand, twice 3. Frankfurt Germany, twice 4. Algiers, Algeria 5. Melbourne Australia 6. Bismarck North Dakota, Summer & Winter 7. Los Angeles, Too many times to count 8. Washington DC, Too many times to count 9. Seattle three or four times 10. Texas, all over the state 11. Florida, all over the state 12. New Mexico, HOME! Several times  Best Cultural And Regional Honorable Mention |
Retirement Well, it was just time. Time to sit back and relax some. I can't travel as often as I once did. the fun was still there for me, my mind is still alert and able to process class material. My body just can't do it anymore, so it was time. I was hired by Motorola on January 22, 2001. Alex Torres, the man who hired me said, "If you can teach Jim, we'll teach everything you need to know about Radios & their systems." Well, it's been 24 years since then, I either talked a good talk and fooled them all, or I learned. It was the latter, believe me. My first few weeks were filled with sitting in classes. I didn't even have a laptop until my second week there! So I wrote my notes in a notebook, and became a sponge, a learning sponge. It's what I did in the Naval Nuclear Power pipeline, it was just a career move to a different technology in my eyes. By the end of 2001, I was teaching six different classes, and ended the year delivering 68 days of classes. This despite not teaching my first class until late April! I learned, and I grew knowledge wise. It's been a good career. I can deliver over 30 classes now, though half of them are legacy classes, meaning we don't deliver them anymore. Still, 15 classes? Yep. Yesterday, Friday May 2, 2025, our manager gave us (me) a retirement luncheon at a local restaurant in Schaumburg, The Granite City Food & Brewery. https://gcfb.olo.com/menu/schaumburg It was a very nice time together, I met people I haven't seen in almost a year. Yeah, I saw them all last year during Memorial Day week when we had meetings all week. I made sure to shake/hug everyone and thank them for being there. Even those I wouldn't consider a friend.  Yes, there are some co-workers that I don't consider a friend. Still, they arrived for the luncheon. Privately, I said to myself, 'They're here for the food, not me.' I would never say that aloud, that would be so inconsiderate. That thought did enter my mind though.Now I'm unemployed, my first time being unemployed since January 31, 1993 when I retired from the Navy, That lasted a week. Now, I'm taking May off, and we'll see what happens afterwards. Next week we're going to see a close friend in Tennessee, then we'll visit one of my daughters living in Alabama, then see my former Father-In-Law. We are close friends, we served together, my first Submarine, his last. Him & I will always be friends. Now I wait and see what the future holds. I will still work, I'd love a part time job, not a full time one. We'll see what new career (job) I choose, huh! Well, that's it, I'm done. Enjoy yourself, enjoy your life, and love those in your life that really matter! Love To You All, JimD |
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