There were a number of internal “shuffles” throughout the year though, to keep things fluid and interesting.

Today I received an email from LinkedIn saying that 17 of my 121 connections changed jobs during 2011. That’s 14 percent of people.

I wonder how that compares with the total workforce?

It’s probably on the low side, because according to this web site, nearly 25 percent of Australian employees will change jobs this year.

According to Life Work Solutions:

• More than 50 percent of the people recruited in to an organisation will leave within two years.
• One in four people recruited will leave within six months.
• Nearly 70 percent of organisations report that staff turnover has a negative impact.
• Nearly 70 percent of organisations report having difficulties in replacing staff.
• Approximately 50 percent of organisations experience regular problems with employee retention.

I’m lucky to be happy doing what I’m doing, and in fairness to my 17 LinkedIn connections who changed jobs, I know some of them at least simply had their titles varied and they continue to perform the same work.

As for LinkedIn, it’s an interesting form of social media. I don’t use it as often as Twitter or Google+, but it fills a niche for employment-related activity.

My LinkedIn profile is here.

I was two years old when the first manned space mission landed on the Moon on July 20, 1969.

In November 1967, when I was still wearing nappies, the first successful rocket capable of sending a mission to land on the Moon (Saturn V) was launched.

Lucky for me there hasn’t been much progress in the past 44 years in terms of extending man’s extraterrestrial travel capability.

Lucky for me too that NASA is currently looking for astronaut candidates to work at the Lyndon B Johnson Space Center.

My application to NASA

Dear Sir/Madam,

I write to apply for the position of Astronaut Candidate, which was advertised on www.usajobs.gov. My CV is attached, outlining many years of relevant experience, including the time I took control of a small plane and another occasion when I flew an ultralight.

In addition to being at high altitudes in aircraft, I have scaled some lofty peaks including Mount Bogong (6516 feet) and I once travelled by train through the Swiss Alps.

The advertisement states that applicants should have “creativity, ambition, teamwork, a sense of daring and a probing mind”.

Colleagues have told me that I’m very creative. I developed this website and I have begun writing a book, which unfortunately can’t be published until most of the people I’m writing about are dead (or I’m dead).

My ambition is reflected in this very application. As for teamwork, I was captain of the Lourdes College hockey team in 1983 and 1984. I also participated in a Young Farmers raft race and later a car rally, in which several members were nearly drowned and lost in the Victorian high country, but survived through teamwork (and good fortune).

My sense of daring is represented by the fact I once got bogged on a track in the Strzelecki Ranges while trying to take a Datsun 180B where no similar car had ever been before.

In terms of a probing mind, I have established Michael’s theory of traffic relativity (patent pending). This theory holds that you have to count one second for every vehicle in the line before you start moving at traffic lights.

Qualifications required

1. Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in engineering, biological science, physical science, or mathematics. Quality of academic preparation is important.

I completed Year 12 at Lourdes College, Traralgon, in 1984 and later completed a journalism cadetship, which is recognised by Australian universities as the equivalent of an undergraduate degree. My Year 12 subjects were English, English Literature, Politics, Biblical Studies and German. I failed German, but did well in the others.

2. Degree followed by at least three years of related, progressively responsible, professional experience OR at least 1000 hours pilot-in-command time in jet aircraft. An advanced degree is desirable and may be substituted for experience as follows: master’s degree = one year of experience, doctoral degree = three years of experience.

I have more than three years of related professional experience, including stints as editor of country newspapers. I’ve often heard it said that getting a paper out on time is harder than landing a jet in peak hour at Sydney Airport.

3. Ability to pass the NASA long-duration space flight physical, which includes the following specific requirements: Distant and near visual acuity: Must be correctable to 20/20, each eye. The refractive surgical procedures of the eye, PRK and LASIK, are allowed, providing at least one year has passed since the date of the procedure with no permanent adverse after effects. For those applicants under final consideration, an operative report on the surgical procedure will be requested. Blood pressure not to exceed 140/90 measured in a sitting position. Standing height between 62 and 75 inches.

I wear glasses and my blood pressure gets a little elevated when deadlines are looming, but I meet the height requirement perfectly. I’m currently 69 inches tall (I hear that people shrink as they get older).

I will provide references on request. My first editor said I would go far, and I can’t think of anywhere further to go than Mars.

When I attend the interview I’ll be happy to share my thoughts with you regarding the space program. This includes the idea to use biofuel to power the rockets. I know a former Federal MP who used vegetable waste to drive his car and it worked a treat, except for the time he broke down while halfway across the Nullarbor. The neighbours also complained about the smell, but I expect we can overcome that problem at NASA.

As you can see, I have good all-round skills and a positive attitude. I look forward to hearing from you in due course.

I felt the exercise was equivalent to walking half an hour, as you have to pump the pedals to activate the motor, except when using the throttle.

The throttle was useful for getting started at traffic lights and riding uphill.

My workplace has a small caged area for storing bicycles, which I found far superior to leaving the bike tied up at a public post. I get in early, around 7.30am, so had no trouble securing a berth.

The 10km route to work is very direct, basically just along Sir Donald Bradman Drive. There are 10 traffic lights at Tapleys Hill Road, Ikea, Airport Road, Marion Road, Bagot Avenue, South Road, James Congdon Road, West Terrace, Morphett Street and King William Road, plus a couple of pedestrian crossings.

There is a dedicated bicycle lane most of the way, like this one pictured in New York, except for a small section either side of the Marion Road intersection and on the return trip in Victoria Square.

That means a clear run through the traffic, apart from buses stopping. Cars aren’t meant to park in the bicycle lanes, but I encountered a few and hope the police nab them.

I kept an eye out for obvious hazards, like buses stopping and cars turning left across the bicycle lane. The Marion Road intersection is particularly risky.

Apart from that, I felt safe and comfortable. I won’t ride in wet weather, or on very windy or hot days, but Adelaide is blessed with mild mornings most of the year.

It’s the unexpected hazards that worry me, eg pedestrians walking into the bike lane on city streets. I’ve done that myself, walking in Pirie Street, and nearly been pole-axed!

This afternoon I nearly came unstuck at a pedestrian crossing near the market in Grote Street. A man pushing a trolley load of vegetables across the road was struggling to beat the red light.

He accelerated and the trolley crashed, spilling his load across the street.

Cars were impeded when the light changed to green, but I had a clear run on the bike and kept pedalling.

However, I didn’t count on the trolley pusher getting angry and hurtling his wheels across the road in frustration. The abandoned trolley narrowly missed collecting me on the way through!

If I had to rate the safety of getting to work out of 10, I’d say: Walking 9, Bus 9, Driving 8, Cycling 7.

Improvements to the bike lanes would definitely help.

The poor petals are also supposed to only imbibe now at lunch time.

If you said that someone “couldn’t organise a piss-up in a brewery” you’d be disparaging them, but it’s not generally meant to be taken literally.

I had no idea brewery workers were entitled to a free tipple at any stage of the working day. I wonder if chocolate factory employees get to consume their outputs, or if bankers get fee-free banking, etc?

The headlines on Google News for the beer strike surprisingly lacked sparkle for the most part, but these ones aren’t bad:

• Small beer sends Carlsberg employees on strike (AFP)
• Drinking on the Job Comes to a Head at Carlsberg (Wall Street Journal)
• Carlsberg employees walk out in protest over caps on free beer (Macleans.ca)
• Workers in a froth over no beer policy (South African Star)

I think I would have gone with: Workers in a froth over beer rights.

As for job perks, I haven’t had many over the years apart from free dinners and one visit to a super box at the MCG.

When you hold a senior position in an organisation you learn to ride the bumps and take the rough with the smooth.

If you’re unhappy in a job you either put up with it, change the things that make you unhappy or leave.

I couldn’t change the things that were making me unhappy, so I chose to leave. I reflected on this while on holiday in January, and handed in my notice the day I returned to work.

The Border Watch is a very good newspaper with a proud history. It will be 150 years old next year.

The Border Watch is unique.

It’s the only paper I’m aware of that’s published four days a week.

It’s also the only paper I’m aware of that’s owned by a transport and fuel company.

There have been some things said and written in the past about issues that confronted my predecessors as editor.

Issues don’t arise every day and I don’t wish to exaggerate them; you’ll have to read the book for details.

At this stage I will simply point out the obvious — that when a company has diverse commercial interests there is a potential for conflict between those interests and the role of a newspaper.

When the core business of a newspaper’s parent company is not publishing, the people who run the parent company may be unaware of newspaper conventions or may choose to disregard them.

I have no axe to grind and no resentment. I simply concluded the culture is one I can’t change and it’s not one I want to be involved with as an editor.

As to the future, I have several options to consider over the next fortnight. One of these is to stay in Mount Gambier and work as a freelance journalist and consultant in public relations and website development.

Capricorn for Wednesday

A series of mistakes and frustrations will sap your natural energy today. Don’t let it get you down! Money matters will command your attention. Stand up for yourself and recover what’s owing to you.

The day started with me forgetting my office key. I arrived 10 minutes later than usual at 7.40am and figured someone else would get there soon, so I may as well just wait.

The next person arrived at 7.55am. During the wait I discovered I had few staff members listed in my phone’s contact book. I knew that none of the early arrivals would answer the switchboard phone and I needed to call a direct line to get in.

Should I go home and get the key or wait? I waited and eventually got in.

I later resolved to sort out something with my share trading account.

Last week I received a hot tip from a reliable source. It’s been months since I traded, so I had to transfer some cash into the account, which took several days.

When I finally tried to buy I was told I had insufficient funds.

Originally I had a trading account with Sanford attached to a St George Bank margin loan.

Sanford merged with Comsec, but my margin loan remained with St George instead of transferring to the Commonwealth Bank.

I had forgotten this. Instead of depositing funds with St George I had placed them with Comsec and St George didn’t know they were there.

I had to ring Comsec and get the money refunded to me. They will send a cheque, which will obviously take several days.

My final frustration was learning that the new mobile phone handset I ordered from TechBuy in early February for Kathleen’s birthday on the 12th won’t be in stock until March 12.

I was never told it was out of stock until it failed to arrive in time. Then I was told it will be here by February 18.

March 12 is ridiculous and I’ve asked for a refund.

Despite all that I felt energetic today.

A 19-year-old girl took her own life after months of degrading treatment at the hands of work colleagues.

As a manager I have only once encountered a complaint of workplace bullying.

I took it very seriously because I immediately believed the person making the complaint.

She was a vulnerable type, fairly quiet, but always sincere. The person she complained about was the opposite and I had her under observation for a range of reasons to do with productivity, ethics and performance.

The complainant didn’t want me to raise the bullying allegation with the bully, because she feared for her physical and mental wellbeing.

My response was to sack the bully.

I consulted higher management and they agreed with my conclusion.

The bully had already been given one warning and I had enough reason to give her another.

I really needed three warnings and a few more months to sack her legally without unfair dismissal repercussions.

The risk of industrial consequences seemed a reasonable one to take given the gravity of the situation.

Everything was ultimately concluded as well as could be expected under the circumstances. The victim was very grateful to me, grew in confidence and went on to become a valuable, skilled employee.

It wasn’t summary justice on my part. I had sufficient information to believe the allegation was true, but not enough evidence to prove it, especially without the victim’s testimony.

So I followed my instincts and used commonsense.

It bothers me that unfair dismissal laws in Australia are an ideological football between Liberal and Labor.

The Liberals went too far with “Work Choices” and Labor has gone too far the opposite way in removing an employer’s discretion to dismiss.

This wasn’t the reason for what happened to Brodie Panlock, but certainly an employer with concerns about workplace bullying has limited options, especially when the bullying is one on one, psychological, verbal and subtle.

JL is one of those people you love to be working with. She brings out the best in people, professionally and socially.

Beneath her laconic exterior lurks a cutting wit.

JL was the keeper of a book in which she scribbled “quotable quotes” and “memorable moments”.

The book must be nearly 25 years old now, and I feature in some of its pages from 1988 to 1990.

JL sent me some samples this week. Most of them I wouldn’t like to publish here, but some are okay for mainstream consumption.

May 2, 1988:

Michael Gorey’s first day at The Times.
Customer: “And how long have you been working here?”
Michael: “I only started … er … recently.”
(Actually it was four hours earlier).

June 22, 1988:

Kate, Aurora and JL have massaged Michael’s shoulders to ascertain who is the best at it.
Michael: “With you three massaging I’ll probably have bruised shoulders tonight. Whatever happened to the gentle approach?”
CC (astounded): “The genital approach!”

Note: CC was the editor.

August 31, 1988:

CC and Michael try to convince Kate to become a nun. Kate steadfastly refuses, declaring her interest in marrying.

Michael: “How will you be able to serve Christ if you’re having it off with a strange man?”
Kate: “He won’t be strange if I’m married to him.”
CC: “He will be the first time.”
Kate (pensively): “I s’pose that’s right!”

Note: Kate was a born again Christian, now happily divorced and living in Queensland.

October 3, 1988:

JL and Michael discuss submitting stories to magazines.
Michael: “When I go to Tasmania I might take a camera and get a few shots of anything interesting.”
Julianne: “Yes, do a couple of little colour stories.”
Michael: “No, I’ll probably take black and white.”

October 21, 1988:

JL patiently listens to Michael as he describes the new ABC girl (Virginia) and her over-developed bust.
JL: “She’ll suffocate you Michael.”
MG: “That’s what I’m hoping JL.”

November 3, 1988:

Michael: “Virginia’s part Jewish (pause) … I don’t know which part.”

December 5, 1988:

CC telling Michael about a woman who wants to sue the paper for something he wrote about her in the People column: “I don’t think she likes you very much.”

January 10, 1989:

Michael walks into the room: “Where’s Bhagwan (CC)?”
JL: I don’t know. He’s probably in David’s (manager’s) office watching the cricket.”
MG: “No he’s not. That’s where I was.”

I’ve never been someone who hangs around in sheds. To me, they are storage facilities, often for junk or things that don’t fit in the house.

We have three sheds at our house.

I went browsing in one of them this morning, trying to find some old CDs with work data on them.

I didn’t find the CDs, but I did discover a dozen or so pens, a cricket ball and an old USB disk.

Remember when USB disks first came out?

This one is two and a half inches long, about three quarters of an inch across. The data capacity is 128MB. I have a fairly new drive that stores 4GB in half the size.

Finding the pens was a real bonus. I bought a pack from the supermarket recently and none of them worked. There are never any pens handy in our house.

I often wonder where all the lost pens go. Some of them migrated to the shed, it seems. Not enough though to explain why so many pens disappear.

There must be an underground chasm somewhere that’s full of odd socks and pens.

At work, I need to hold a pen nearly the whole day. If I leave my desk to see someone, I take a pen, even if there is no intent to write with it at the destination point.

I don’t think it’s a security blanket type relationship, more likely it’s insecurity about the pen disappearing before I return.

I’m waiting for the bank to approve finance on a new housing investment loan. That seems to be a circular process which has no logical timeframe. Based on our last experience I’m actually happy with how smoothly this one has gone.

If the stars were flagging a work issue I can’t say the wheels are turning any faster or slower than usual. Read that as you will.

I filled my former deputy in this morning on some recent events and she replied it’s fortunate I have “the patience of a Saint”.

That was a very nice thing of her to say. I’m always determined to be calm under pressure and patient except in relation to deadlines.

Towards the end of last year, when various external pressures were mounting, I felt I was losing patience.

I don’t have any meditative formula for remaining calm; I think it just comes with experience. There isn’t much that shocks or surprises me any more.

That could be a positive thing, or it could be like the boxer who knows how to absorb punishment.

A staff member could resign suddenly tomorrow because their pet gerbil is homesick, and I would take it in my stride.

My computer could spontaneously combust and I’d still find a way to get the paper out.

The truck delivering our papers could be seized in a police raid because it was planted with drugs, and I would sense the opportunity for a news story, rather than a logistical threat.

While experience teachers you how to manage different situations, it doesn’t necessarily provide an antidote for grumpiness.

Good news is the best cure for that malady and I don’t seem to be getting much of that lately.

I had some on the financial front today (after losing heaps in the recent stock market downturn). The house we paid $245,000 for at Moonta Bay in late September 2007 is now worth $262,000 according to the valuer!