Day 11 - Mask mandate is rescinded in California
CalSTRS Webinar today…
Friday. 6/25/21
8:00-L. leaves for Art Camp.
8:30 - 2:00 - I get up a few minutes later and go downstairs to greet the animal. She’s awake, probably because L. just left. I rub her tummy three times, she grabs her toy, and we go outside. She’s distracted by birds or maybe it’s pigeons and won’t go potty. I take this time to water my zucchini seedlings and my potted jasmine plants while she runs around the yard. She finally finishes and we go inside: cheese for her, coffee for me. I weigh 97 pounds today.
I enter my office and continue working on re-curating my Ipad, but I alternate between logging items into the 4 categories I created, updating my monthly budget for May and June, and listening to my favorite film podcast so I can add movies to my “Film” category if something strikes my fancy. Essentially, I’m multi-tasking, which means I’m moving slowly and not getting enough done. I should focus on one thing at a time for maximum results, but I don’t want to.
I have a few bites of an Insomnia cookie that L. brought home last night.
I’m consumed with this re-curating project so I work until 2:00.
2:00-3:00 – Shower. Shampoo. Lotion. Covid-19 uniform.
3:00-5:00 – I signed up for a CalSTRS webinar earlier in the week and it starts at 3:00 so I log in and braid my hair while I listen.
It appears that the research I conducted previously is sound, but I found a more accurate way to determine my service credit [part of the retirement formula] by logging into MY CalSTRS and accessing the “Reports” section. Apparently, the substitute teaching I’ve done over the past several years increased my service credit somewhat significantly. Of note, if I understood correctly:
1) Teachers do not appear to have a benefits package through CalSTRS upon retirement;
2) If I retire, but decide I’d like to pick up one or two classes while in retirement, I must wait 180 days before I start teaching again; otherwise, I will forfeit my retirement benefit. I find this policy problematic. Waiting 6 months is suicide and will 100% guarantee I will NOT be hired by any of my previous employers after that period of time. My Department will have forgotten my name by the end of the first week…
3) I confirmed that the retirement formula is based on my salary received during my highest consecutive 36 months, which happen to be occurring right now (I’m at month 18). So, I will revisit my feelings on retirement in 2022, when I’ve completed the requisite 36 months.
5:00-5:30 – Kitchen duty - there is not much to do today.
6:00-7:00 – Continue re-curating my Ipad. I might be a little obsessed with this project…
7:00–8:00 – I do an Insanity Max Recovery workout.
8:15-9:00- I go to Whole Foods to buy some snacks for the upcoming beach trip with my family, as well as some produce (cherries, apples, and spinach). I grab some sushi for dinner. The store closes at 9:00 so I like to go just before closing because there are fewer people. It’s empty but almost all the customers are masking, although there’s a pocket of 4 people (2 couples) who are standing near the nuts aisle and talking loudly, right into each other’s faces. They’re disgusting. Whole Foods staff continue to mask, thank God.
9:00-9:15 – Stop by the ATM on my way home.
9:30 – Return home. I put away my purchases and do some gardening until 10:45, to include watering my plants.
11:00–1:30 - I have sushi and champagne for dinner, then work on blog posts.
1:30-2:30 - Nighttime routine. Bed.