Dawn of a New Year's Plan
Even though it's
politically incorrect, (friends have always advised me that any
job is better than no job), I decided it was time I stop the
temporary job at the Royal Mail; it was supposed to be until the
29th December after all...
The job has lead me to lose weight, beginning at just over 80kg
down to 74kg this morning.
Exercise is good for one's health but excess exercise is very
wearing on the body, and so I am worn out every day. I have just
done twelve days continuous duty delivering parcels, parking the
van where I can, and running up streets carrying parcels to
addressses in all sorts of winter weather.
My skin is dry, my fingers cracked, and there are a few other
complaints in my body right now. It's time for me to heal.
"As long as you have
your health..." people say.
For me health is everything, I must pass my Class 1 Pilot Medical
every six months and so I take good care of my health. When I
detect a negative effect through what I am doing I stop!
In Buddhism the human being takes responsibility for his/her
actions, and I extend this idea to taking responsibility for my
health.
I do not invest responsibility in some God, or in a Doctor. I am
very lucky that, unlike many people of my age, so far I do not
have any prescriptions!
This might change... I need to register with a Doctor if I am to
get the Covid vaccination. Now I have time to take care of such
life actions.
While in Vancouver it is very difficult to find a GP able to take
on new patients (go to a clinic), here the NHS is better served.
Recent loads were overloads
After loading the parcels from more than three different routes
the DO Senior Manager said "You're still here Michael!"
It was 12:20 and I had started at 10:00. I took time to arrange
all of the parcels in order of delivery as by now I knew the
routes
I always went the extra mile for my customers
Happy customers are very important to me, whatever job I am doing
There's no point in doing any job badly
The customers who live in
the cottage by the canal locks had been waiting for the item I
delivered for several weeks
It had been sent by private courier with no success and so it was
given to the Royal Mail and me!
The manager gave me 'mis-directions' as to where to go... No
wonder these people often do not get their mail!
I located the access to the canal cottage which was not where
anyone would think, but anyone can use Google Maps®
right?
Once in a while I had a van without any
dents in its bodywork
Many drivers were not brought up well; leaving sweet wrappers,
the remains of their lunches, cans, bottles, and banana skins in
the cab
I hate filth and so I never left any rubbish in the van, and
sometimes I had to clean the cockpit before I departed
Yes, of course I gave him a few treats!
Barney is an outside cat who makes full use of his woolly fur in
all kinds of winter weather
His sister Lily is smarter, she stays in the warm, and sometimes
comes around for a snuggle and a treat inside
The managers at Guildford
Delivery Office asked me what am I going to do now? The answer is
to "think".
When I immerse myself in a job I do it to the best of my
abilities, perhaps I overdo it! So I arrive back in the evening
too tired to think, make myself a pot of tea, make something to
eat if I can be bothered (I've eaten hot porridge at night a few
times), rested in front of the television paying little notice to
it as there's emails, and Facebook to deal with, a long phone
call, and then I go to bed early; sometimes at 21:00 or before.
What I think I will do is
to make use of the Lesson Plans I have, and perhaps market my
knowledge on the Web.
I may or may not renew my Class II Instructor Rating which
expires 1st April if I am able to during this pandemic, but my
medical and a flight test will need to be completed together with
the expense if by then travel is possible.
A few years ago I put
together Power Point lessons to be used for teaching instructors
(Class I stuff), and these are on this computer.
I also have all of my lesson plans in Word on this computer, so
maybe I can develop some online income from publishing the
material I have. As a side benefit it will provide review for me
in preparation for any future flight test.
In the mid '90s I worked in Computer Based Training, developing
lessons for airlines and for the British Aerospace-Swissair
collaboration for the JAA/JAR Wings Course, from PPL to ATPL.
The work I have done would be a help to those who would be instructors, especially in Canada where student instructors have to create their own lesson plans.
After a long wait I received post from Vancouver
Amy sent me this card well before Christmas, she is very crafty,
creating all sorts of art as well as being a flying instructor at
Pitt Meadows (CYPK)