Saturday, February 09, 2008

Up, up and away.

Fixit clocked up ten years service at his work last November, which meant he got :
  • long service leave,
  • an invitation to a slap-up meal with the bosses and the other long-standing employees (an annual treat apparently),
  • some crystal.
This Christmas he received another timepiece. From me. And despite the fact that my little key-chain watch is worth about 10% of the Waterford Mantel Clock, Fixit preferred the one I gave him.

Not just because it is a really cool keyring but because it was representative of better things. Yesterday Fixit quit his job. He is forgoing the annual dinner and cashing in the long service leave. And he is making a bold leap into a whole new career and becoming, for the second time, a mature-age apprentice.

Yes. Say good-bye to Fixit the Motorbike Mechanic and hello to Fixit the Aircraft Mechanic! (I'm sure it's got a more technical name but you get the gist).

He made enquiries last year and sent out resumes, he had a very informal interview two weeks ago and this week he received the letter of offer and a wad of paperwork to sort through. It then took him a day to take it all in, because after all it is quite a big step, before he handed in his letter of resignation to general astonishment and sudden offers of pay-rises. Too little, too late. His first-year apprentice wage at the new job will be $19 a week more than his fully qualified, long-standing member of staff wage at the old job. And it's not just about the money. It's about the level of frustration he felt in his working environment. He's looking forward to this new job, because if there's one industry where you'd expect them to be paying meticulous attention to their work it's aircraft maintenance. I know I'd feel safe flying if Fixit was mechanicking the plane - well, I mean, obviously, after he has been trained and all...

We are slightly sweating on him passing the physical. Only because of his chequered medical history with it's broken bones, dvt/pulmonary embolisms, encephalitis and the fact that he's down to his last kidney.

Fingers crossed for that next Wednesday, but in the meantime, yay!

40 comments:

  1. chanting and doing that rowing dance....

    Go Fixit, go Fixit, go Fixit!

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  2. With a spiffy aeronautically themed keychain like that, there's not question that you have to be an aircraft mechanic, no question at all. Good luck to him!

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  3. how cool is that...yay fixit

    and yay to that keychain

    and yay to cashing in long service leave!

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  4. woo hoo!

    Good for Fixit.

    Being stuck in a crappy job where you are unappreciated and fed up is no fun.

    Sell the crystal on ebay. Buy yourselves a great dinner to celebrate.

    Or a housekeeper for a week...?

    Good luck to him in his new job!

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  5. PS. I'll help you with the listing if you don't know how!

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  6. Congraulations Mr Fixit. All fingers crossed for next Wednesday!

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  7. Go Fixit! What a heart-grabbing, EXCITING thing to suddenly leap into a long-time dream!

    I'm with Aunty Evil. Go for the housekeeper.

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  8. I was thinking the same as Aunty (she's always stealing my thunder.... stupid time difference).... Sell the Waterford and splurge on something, anything. No wonder he's called Fixit. Not only does he fix, but my Lord he's had a lot fixed!

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  9. Hooray! There's no time like the present to go for your dreams!

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  10. Yay Fixit!

    -J.

    P.S. Remind me to send you that "Qantas mechanic's checklist"

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  11. Yay! How exciting for Fixit! Will cross everything that can be crossed for him to pass the physical.

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  12. What a courageous guy! Never too late to reach for the stars....And what a nice bonus that his starting trainee pay is higher than his fully qualified other...

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  13. We spend so much of our lives at work, therefore, it has to bring us some type of enjoyment or satisfaction.

    I hope that it all goes well for him. Good luck !

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  14. WEll done, Fixit, as my Ramekin would say. :-)

    I hope the physical goes well; it sounds like a great change to be making.

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  15. Well that's fantastic news!

    I'm with Mr Fixit on the 'time-pieces' - your keychain clock is seriously groovy.

    Congratulations to Mr Fixit, and to the whole family. Here's to new beginnings!

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  16. That's excellent. Got to follow your dreams! And more money is a bonus.
    That is such a cool keychain.

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  17. That is so exciting - What Fixit needs is a body double, I'd offer Mr Ric Rac but I am sure there are healthier specimens in blogland.
    A hubby swap ! Now why hasn't anyone ever organised that?

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  18. Everyone has said everything but it doesn't prevent me adding my voice to the chorus of congratulations - such a great thing to see someone going for it -

    now everything is crossed for Wednesday...

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  19. Fantastic news !
    ( I prefer your timepiece too - much more funkier.. I agree with the others that you should sell the Crystal - it's not like a reminder of better times or anything ..)

    I *hate* it when employers let you get so despondant and disillusioned, then throw wads of cash at you when you finally say 'fuck it'.

    Because once you make up your mind, there's no going back

    ( oh, and P.S. - the amount of planes falling out of the sky alarms me considerably .. i'm pleased to see there's a new man on the job ! )

    xx

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  20. go Fixit!

    good on him for going for a better job (all round by the sounds of it)even if it means re-training. And yay, yay, yay for the long service leave. Nicely timed.

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  21. Well, a crystal clock...That is just what every guy wants as a token of long service.

    I love LOVE your plane clock, though. Highly appropriate for the start of a fabulous new career!

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  22. Well done Fixit! That's fantastic to be starting a new career. We've been having a few discussions in our household along those lines, so I'm pleased to read about someone actually doing it.
    Sell the clock!!

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  23. Great move Fixit, well done!

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  24. I have a challenge for you....stop by when you can.

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  25. That is wonderful news!! All the very best to fixit and you.

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  26. Yay Fixit! That is great news.

    And can I add my feelings of relief that someone of Fixit's dedication and with his level of attention to detail is joining the aircraft mechanic ranks! Always a good thing to know.

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  27. go fixit - I'll fly on your fixed planes anyday!!

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  28. If that crystal clock is a token of their appreciation no wonder he wanted to leave! I'm with the others - cash it in ! It takes courage to change tack at any time but I reckon that keychain is a great omen...GO FIXIT Go!!

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  29. Hope Fixit flies through the physical!

    Sorry. Its early here.

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  30. Oh yes! I'm with Aunty Evil on the eBay plan. Make sure you keep the box - people will part with good money for anything if it still has the box!

    and way to go, Fixit and Fixit family... I can't believe I'm the first in this long list to say "Up and away".

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  31. Good for him! Life is about taking these leaps of faith. I think it sounds like a brilliant idea. The airline industry is getting busier and busier, and presumably there'll be more and more work for mechanics in the industry.

    Good luck and good job! :)

    Heidi

    PS: I love your gift more, too!!

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  32. Good luck Mr Fixit! Good for you Stomper for encouraging him.

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  33. That crystal clock looks like something that they find blood on in CSI, a murder weapon if ever I saw one.

    What a frickin' champion taking the big jump, my AntiFixit will be finished his Psych degree in 18 months. Sometimes it takes you a while to work out what you want, but when you do, jump at it!

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  34. I'm with H&B about being alarmed about too many planes falling out of the sky (one is more than enough!) - so it sounds like Fixit will go very far indeed. Maybe you can pass on the company he goes to so I can fly with them....

    Congratualtions to you both - onward and upward - yes, very poor pun I know ;-)

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  35. Wow! Go Fixit! Hope the physical went well...

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  36. Wow, well done Fixit! You should always follow your dreams.

    BTW - I have tagged you Stomper, because I love reading all your entries and look forward to finding out more.

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  37. That's fantastic news.

    It always amazes me that companies still give gifts like crystal. Who are we - our parents??

    (Oh wait, we are...)

    My very best wishes for an excellent career as a mechanicking airline person.

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  38. Oh! Give Fixit my congratulations. A mid life career change is a brave thing to take on.

    Yay!

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  39. Congratulations to Fixit!

    I can't continue. The puns that are coming off my fingers are making even ME groan.

    But I hope he gets off to a flying start.

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Don't let the cat get your tongue.