I got to germany on the last day of june, 1973. Since then, I have spent 1 year in Ft. Lewis, Washington, 1 year in Ft. Bliss, Texas and 6 months in APG and Ft. Lost in the Woods, Mo. in schools. That's it. I retired from the army in 1993. Went to trade school here and became an electrician. Worked 9 years for a construction company, mostly repairing cranes, generators, lifts, cables and anything else someone wanted fixed. Installed houses also. Then after the company went belly up, (2200) people on the streets) I worked for a *iss poor electrial company installing houses, for 2 years. The boss and I did not see eye to eye. Then started contracting for the military, about 8 years. Contracts ran out and I started working for a slave labour company that rented my body out to anyone who needed an electrician. After you hit the age of 40, here in germany, you are screwed for finding meaningful work that pays half decent. I was 58, so you can guess how nice it was. Then they rented me out to a company that does photoelectric, Biogas Power Plants and transformer repair/replacements. After a week, I noticed a lot of interest in me. Everyone worked a few days with me and then one fine day, the boss called me in, and asked me if I wanted to start with his company. I held up my hand, told him to wait one. Pulled out my cell, called the slave company and told the supervisor that I had good news, and bad news. He asked me what the good news was. I told him I am doing "saugut". Translation, "pig good". It means super good in dialect. So he asked me what the bad news was. I told him I quit as of this very minute and second, and hung up. My new boss stared at me and said, "I guess you want to start work here". Been there ever since. I will be 63 next year and can retire with full benefits on 1 Oct, 2017. We have house and two fine sons here, so I do not think I will go anyplace else. I want to spend some time in the USA, but as just about everyone who is related to me has passed away, I am not sure if I will visit much. Guess we shall see, said the blind man as he picked up his hammer and saw. I still want to work a little. My company has already told me I can do part time work as much as I want. As long as I don't have to do the real heavy work, I can get by with just a little pain killers. But much of the work is simply too heavy for an old fart like me. I am 62, and the next oldest person in the firm is 39, and he is a desk jockey. The other electricians are all about 27 years old. Both of my sons are older. I am the kinda guy that likes to keep up with my co-workers. I have always pulled my weight, and then some. But its just not possible. I am going to miss it badly, when I stop work.
So what do you do to keep out of trouble?