2 August 1981: I start working for the Federal government. It's in the middle of a two-week pay period, so on 21 August I receive my first paycheck from the US Treasury, for the princely sum of $431.30. (Inflation adjustment: prices have gone up a factor of ~2.5 from 1981 to 2013.) I have accrued no annual leave, no sick leave, no comp time. After 30 years plus one day, on 2 August 2011, I retire from the Civil Service. Perhaps the entry on that initial pay stub labeled "RET", for $41.10, turns out to be the best investment I've ever made ...

^z - 2013-01-14