No, this isn't about failed New Year’s Resolutions. It’s about deadlines – something that most
retirees, me included – strive to avoid.
But it seems that the end-of-January deadlines have bit me ever since I
retired.
First deadline – my Certified Information Systems Security
Professional certification requires about 25 hours of continuing education
every year. I know – I’m retired. Why am I maintaining this certification? Two reasons:
1) to keep my mind active, and 2) to keep my options open. Until we are completely out of debt I want to
be able to keep my job skills relevant.
But back to the deadline.
Every year I start with the resolve of doing one online
webinar a week. This would get my 25
hours in well before we leave for camp.
Of course, inevitably something comes up and I head for camp missing
several hours of training. No worries, I
think. When I get home from camp I’ll
just pick it up and have the training done by the end of October. Of course, inevitably something comes up; say
for example, the holidays. And once
again I find myself scrambling for those last few hours – in January. This year I finished on January 9 – a new
record and well ahead of the deadline.
But wait – there’s another deadline. My husband and I volunteer for VITA
(Volunteer Income Tax Assistance). This service
is sponsored by the Community Action Program and the IRS, and provides free
income tax preparation for low-income individuals and families. This year we’re starting on January 27. And guess who hasn't passed her annual
certification test yet?
So I am now officially letting go of my self-imposed guilt
for not blogging once a week in January (or any other month, for that
matter). I’ll be back after I pass the
VITA test. Talk to you then!
