I've downloaded the whole story of The Silent Sub. I'm going to convert it into an ebook and publish it soon. There will have to be a lot of changes though and not just in spelling or grammar. The story will have to be modified somewhat. I'm also going to depart from my usual practice of deleting the blog version when the ebook is published. I did that with my other stories and my blog looks like it's been neglected.
In addition to writing, I've been working part-time at my old place of work. Many of my friends tell me that it must be like old times, coming to work everyday. In some ways, yes, and in some ways, no. What's the difference?
When I was an employee, I could bring my cellphone into the factory. As long as we don't use them in the production areas, this was allowed. Now, however, I have to leave my phone at the guardhouse and pick it up when I go home.
I also have to wear my ID while I'm inside the factory. I never liked having anything hanging from my neck because it sometimes gets in the way. Fortunately, I don't have to work on any machines that may snag the ID and pull me down toward something deadly. The biggest inconvenience is when I brush my teeth. The ID swings into the path of my spit. I have to insert it into my shirt to prevent that.
The better difference from before I retired and today is that I'm working on one thing at a time. Back when I was an employee, I had to juggle several activities, some of which I wasn't fond of.
Many of the things that haven't changed don't involve me, however. It's the environment inside. I'm talking about things like having to come up with a budget and seeing it get used by someone else; requests that take months to resolve; and people's seeming acceptance of the situation they're in but still unhappy. I'm not exposed to these anymore but my friends are. I made the decision to get out but they don't have that option, unfortunately.
