Was the job you had most of your working life the one you thought you'd have or something else entirely?

The SAME job for the SAME company for 57 years? Gee L that is worth a medal or something. It speaks well for the company and even weller of you. I think loyalty to a company is a good thing providing it is reciprocal and it is loyal to you. I started out as a file clerk. Then secretary. Ended up much to my surprise becoming an in-house accountant and then an internal auditor. Who'd have thunk it? It was an adventurous journey little of which I can take any credit for. I was so lucky. Things just dropped in my lap unsought through recommendations of others. I was never competitive or ambitious. I still am neither of those things. I just wanted to be happy doing whatever I did and I have been that. Happy! Thank you for your reply L. Oh I took Liberal Arts and got an AA Degree in LIberal Arts. Had no wish to be a teacher. What do you do with a Liberal Aarts degree? Besides becoming a progressive liberal politically? Kinda joking here! :)

No, not all that time with the same firm.  I've been with the same boss for almost 30 of those years, but before that, it was several firms.  As you climb the ladder of success, you have to keep changing jobs to get paid more - you rarely make it bust with annual increases.  If you don't ask for the big bucks going in, they don't come to you.  These past years, it has not been about the money any longer, but bein happy with the person with whom I work most closely.  He is a gem.

I'm POSITIVE he feels the same way about you. For me it was always mostly about the work. I wanted more money but I have a problem with asking for money. I never try to get anything cheaper. Never ever. I do not bargain. If I can afford it I buy it. NO HAGGLING. It makes me very uncomfortable to haggle over money. I don't know why. In fact I'll tell you how weird I am. I looked at a microwave decades ago when they first came out. They were the top of the line at that time. They were on sale for $400. Regular price $500! I went in to buy one and was told the sale had ended the day before. So I said thank you very much and started to leave. The salesperson said I will sell it to you for $400! Know what I said? "I don't want to get you in trouble. Rules are rules. I don't expect you to bend them for me." I kid you not. I think she was shocked. I got it for $400 after she assured me that she would not get into any trouble. I don't like bending rules. I don't like to be treated differently. I am not one to seek special privilege. At the bank years ago there was a line for the "special" customers. Those  who had a certain amount of money in the bank in various accounts. I NEVER STOOD IN IT. One of the tellers asked me why and I said I'm not special. I'll wait my turn. WEIRD right? SIGH. Thank you for your reply L! Apologies for the eyestrain and if I've already told you once upon a time apologies for repeating myself! :)

I don't haggle either.  If I don't think the item is worth the price, I just don't buy it.  There are folks who think that's the only way to shop - makes them feel like they got a real bargain.  There are some things I buy only when they go on sale.  Yarn is one of them.  Yesterday, I had a $20.00 rewards coupon because I've been buying so much yarn from Michael's, so I went to the store while th4ey had a buy one/get one half off, used the coupon and all it cost me was $17 for  $50 worth or merchandise.  I've been ordering on line, but lately, they're out of so much of what I want, that it's frustrating, so I went to the store and this time, they were fully stocked.  

((hugs)) Ditto! I'm an inveterate coupon user and sale looker forer if you get my drift. Sometimes I happen on closeouts and boy are those awesome!. Walmart was closing out DIAMOND brand Walnuts. They were not close to expiration at all. Don't know if you use them but they were on closeout for $1.70/lb bag. Usually they're about $6! I bought every bag and froze them. There were about a dozen bags. We eat walnuts every day and almonds too. I put them in any grains that I serve. We put them on cereal. We eat them with fruit and cheese. Sometimes I eat a handful with CRAISINS among them and boy is that ever good! Thank you for your reply. Boy you're my gal for sure. $17 out of pocket for $50 of value? We gotta be blood relatives somewhere along the line back in time! Thank you for your reply L! :)

LOL ... I cut coupons, but only if they're really worth something.  I don't do the 10 cent ones.  It has to be 50 cents or more and preferably not to have to buy two to get the benefit unless it's something I use a lot.  I love walnuts.  I chop them and add them to chicken sale along with Craisins.  I love most nuts.  They've gotten expensive, but they're worth it.  The cereal I buy has slivered almonds already in it.  What I have started to do is put raspberries and blackberries in my cereal and I put them on my yogurt too.  They have been very available for a reasonable price and they are really sweet.  I have even frozen some in case I can't get to the store.  I will definitely stock up on the coffee I like when it goes on sale.  It's usually about $7 a can, but every 5-6 weeks, it goes on sale for $5 and I buy enough to hold me until the next sale.

We love walnuts too and eat them every day. As for CRAISINS I buy the 50% reduced sugar ones and toss them in cereal or grab a handful to eat with the walnuts. You know walnuts are very HEART HEALTHY so you are doing your body much good. Also DARK CHOCOLATE and red wine. Not in excess but moderation. Daily. No kidding. Thank you for your reply L!  Eating healthy is easy. All you have to do is care enough to investigate and make healthier choices. You can't do that if you don't know and you can't know until you research/investigate! Eating healthy doesn't mean cardboard food that is tasteless. :)

I have been buying fresh blackberries and raspberries to put in my morning cereal.  I buy enough to freeze individual portions for two weeks.  I like the reduced sugar Craisins to put in my salads along with pecans and when I make chicken salad, I put the Craisins and walnuts in that.  

Well m'dear you are definitely my kinda gal foodwise as well as elsewise otherwise! But fresh black berries/raspberries this time of year? Where are they grown? Anyhoo I bet we could get together and fix stuff we'd love and so would Jim and so would your best friend! Wouldn't it be great if at some future date that could actually happen?Methinks that train has left the station but isn't it nifty to think about that WHAT IF? Thank you for your reply L! :)

The blackberries in Walmart are usually from Mexico and the raspberries are Dole, from Mexico as well.  They aren't as sweet as they are in the summer, but they're still good.  I always think of "what if."  :)

Me too and ditto sweetie. As you well know by now!  The avocados I buy are always only from Mexico. The HAAS variety. Walmart has been selling them for under $4...3 in a bag. They are always perfect! The ones grown domestically I haven't had such good luck with even though they are HAAS too! Last time we went to Sprouts I bought a gorgeous PAPAYA..HAWAIIAN. Kinda pricey but boy was it worth it! Beyond delicious. Of course in Hawaii where the papayas grow they aren't expensive at all. SIGH. Thank you for your reply! :)

I buy the Haas avocados, too.  My Walmart sells them individually, not in a bag, which is good because I don't use them fast enough to use three before at least one goes brown.  I haven't seen papayas yet, but I think the mangos have arrived. :)

Ours has choices. Individually, or smaller ones bagged in a bag of about six as well as the ones I get bagged in a bag of 3 or sometimes 4  which are larger. Only from Mexico though. The domestic ones for whatever reason we've gotten badly stung on. Thank you for your reply L! :)