A Challenge

The last little bit I have been challenging myself. I am a computer programmer by trade. I have to keep current on things to do my job well but nothing says I really need to push myself all that much. That is kind of the way things have been. I may learn new things at work but, off the job, I do not do a lot of anything, especially work related.

Well last week I attended my first meeting with a group of people. They are trying to get certified in several Microsoft technologies. This could eventually lead to more money either on their current job or somewhere else. It is funny but this group is almost over and I am not sure how much I will get from it but it already has made a difference. I looked at how much it would be to get a compiler for home again. I have been doing my homework from the group and finding that interesting. I have been learning.

Now for me I seriously doubt I will be moving on to some other job somewhere else. I am sorry but once you hit 50 that seems to be a real stigma to hiring you. Also, for the most part, things have went decent where I am. There are aspects about it I do not like but how many jobs are “perfect” anyway? Also I am putting together an OK pension that hopefully they will not take away from me. For a place that values education, even if I were to be certified I would not see a raise or and advancement. I guess it is something to the affect why are you more valuable to me now then just 5 minutes ago or something to that affect.

But the real reason I am looking at doing this is just to challenge my mind. That is always a good thing. Who knows, maybe I will write a program to pick the winning lottery numbers. And you never know, maybe if I do end up out of work (Michigan does not have the best economy right now) this training might be of some use to me after all.

Anyway that is where a bit of my time has been being spent as of late. I will try to get things balanced out so I can accomplish things and also blog.

Now if only I could come up with a theme for 55Flash Fiction Friday. Maybe something to do with biker week in honor of G-man heading south for fun and sun. Thinking, thinking, thinking... I got nothing.

Update: Was I surprised today by my special challenge today. My challenge was walking. You see I live in a by-level, a half flight of stairs up from the ground. I was walking down the stairs to take the trash out for trash day. Somehow half way down the half flight of stairs I managed to slip off the stair I was on. Down I went and worse yet, I had stuff in my hands so I could not protect myself. Luckily the stairs are carpeted and the fall went pretty well. I will have a sore leg and foot for a little while but other than that I am fine. I guess I better work on my special challenge for the day before I kill myself.