The last day in the office...

[rayinpenn]

It was the perfect day for it, the boss was WFH (Working From Home)and colleague #1 left about 4:30, anxious to start a 3 day hunting trip. Colleague #2 left about 4:40 to pick up her sons - I was left alone. I swiped a garbage bag liner from one of the bins in an empty cubicle and put my few personal effects in the sack. I wasn’t much at all- after 36 years several jobs and locations - you adopt a kind of minimalism. During the day I had discreetly cleaned out what little remained in my drawers and discarded a few remaining papers and some acrylic momentous telling the world what a great employee I was. I made sure to wipe out a coffee stained drawer with the office cleaning spray can some distracted evening cleaning crew left long ago- I left the cubicle cleaner than I found it- no trace that I was ever there. All the while the left leg with the funny residual cramp reminded me that it was long past time to go. I grabbed my backpack and sack, took one last look around and left.

I’ll catch the Boss with a phone call in the morning and let him know that he will receive my official notification on Thursday, my last day will be the first Thursday in January and of course finish all my projects. -I have 4 weeks vacation coming.

I am reminded of an experience I had surf fishing one day at Jones beach inlet. The God Awful, buzzy jet skiers had mad a mess of fishing and I hated them for it. I hadnt conceded defeat and was still throwing when a very large sail boat, under full sail nearly silently swung by. The contrast was striking- how something so large, could be so elegant, graceful, leave not trace and do no harm.

No, I am no where near as graceful sailboat but it is something to aspire to - At least I can leave no trace.

 

[ChiliPepr]

Congrats!

Are you leaving on vacation for a month and giving your notice at the start of vacation? So you will not be in the office at all after giving your notice?

 

[street]

Beautiful! Exciting to have a new start of a new life. Good luck in retirement.

 

[Bigdawg]

No, I am no where near as graceful sailboat but it is something to aspire to - At least I can leave no trace.

Your kids are doing really well if I remember correctly. Ray, you are leaving a trace in life and on this board. Just maybe not at that soon to be long gone jay oh bee.

 

[CaptTom]

A serene exit. Very nice!

I take it you hadn't given prior notice? Wow. Good job being stealthy. I was very openly cleaning up and wrapping up loose ends in various projects for months.

One thing I totally forgot was my plastic name plate. For some reason, back in the day there was a media-graphics department which made these for all new employees. They slid into the little holders on office doors or sat in a special base on desks. Whoever used to make them was long gone, and fewer and fewer of us still had one.

I left mine up until the last minute, since prior co-workers I hadn't seen in a while kept swinging by to look me up. In the last-minute hustle and bustle, I'd managed to forget to grab it.

The guy who moved into my office almost immediately never admitted to tossing it, but when I called the next day to see if a co-worker could retrieve it, it was already gone.

 

[footenote]

Congratulations! What a lovely picture you painted of leaving without a trace....

 

[Ronstar]

Congrats Ray! A great exit.

 

[rayinpenn]

Congrats!

Are you leaving on vacation for a month and giving your notice at the start of vacation? So you will not be in the office at all after giving your notice?

Vac was scheduled now Ill work until I finish the remaining projects...

 

[Unpaintedhuffhines]

Very nice. 36 years is a nice run - great that you have earned this position. Not many people can do this (well, most folks here apparently, but not the population at large). Congratulations.

 

[Bir48die]

I was the opposite of stealthy but I hung around the office to collect my 43" television for 15 years at my company and $1,500 gift certificate to a golf shop to buy new everything for my golfing in retirement

 

[Teacher Terry]

A week before I left I gave away all my pictures, lamp, etc. I didn’t need them at home. Anything not taken went to the thrift store. Congratulations Ray!

 

[pacergal]

Congratulations, Ray!
Look forward to your continued stories in retirement

 

[Beldar]

That's great Ray! Congratulations!

Tomorrow is Saturday. And the day after. And the day after......

_B

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Fantastic and congrats! I am sure you will revisit this thread in the future (I often re-read my "That's It!" thread) and revel in how great it felt to walk out of there the last time.

 

[joeea]

I’ll catch the Boss with a phone call in the morning and let him know that he will receive my official notification on Thursday, my last day will be the first Thursday in January and of course finish all my projects. -I have 4 weeks vacation coming.

Just curious why you choose to do it that way, rather than talk to your boss face-to-face?

 

[rayinpenn]

Silly really... Once i decided to leave I relished the thought that I never have to go into Wilmington Delaware ever again. I do not like that city - no place is safe but i find it depressing. Boss was great about it.

Funny thing a few people got angry when they learned I was leaving ... why ill never know. “One lady pinged me I am over the anger now... we can have lunch when I return from vacation.”

 

[Scuba]

Congratulations Ray! Best wishes for your retirement!! [emoji322]

 

[Go-NoGo]

Congratuations RayinPenn - Wishing you the best!
1 year and counting for me.

 

[Franklin]

congrats Ray. Stay in the "no wake zone" until your time is done. Then crank it up and don't worry about the waves!!!

 

[rayinpenn]

congrats Ray. Stay in the "no wake zone" until your time is done. Then crank it up and don't worry about the waves!!!

Thanks I intend on laying low. There is no doubt that an effort will be made to suck me back there.. i have no intention of going.

 

[pb4uski]

Congrats Ray.

Nice exit... I was on vacation for about 6 weeks before I went off payroll... most of them after New Years. I set my 401k contributions to 100% so I would have no income that first year of retirement.

Since I worked from home I had no office to clean up... all I had to do was copy files that I wanted from my laptop (not many as I had a separate personal laptop and kept very little personal files on my work laptop) and turn it in.

 

[jollystomper]

Ray, congratulations!

I worked from home but managed a lab at a Megacorp location over an hour from home, so I went there on the last Tuesday before my last official day, intending to pick up a few personal things and copy some of my programming/design creations from the servers. My manager, who lives a plane ride away, was also going to be there so I thought it would be a good time for us to meet and wrap things up.

Normally there are less than six people on average in the building, so I was surprised to get there mid morning and find many of my co-workers and, in addition to my manager, several of my upper management there... and then thought "where they going to surprise me?" Sure enough, at noon lunch and a cake was brought in for everyone, and it turned into a nice "retirement" party for me... I was very touched.

My original plan had been to get out before rush hour for the trip back, but there was so much talk and reminiscing and folks wanting to say goodbye I was not able to get everything I wanted and leave until almost 8PM that night.

 

[Scrapr]

Ray, congratulations!

I worked from home but managed a lab at a Megacorp location over an hour from home, so I went there on the last Tuesday before my last official day, intending to pick up a few personal things and copy some of my programming/design creations from the servers. My manager, who lives a plane ride away, was also going to be there so I thought it would be a good time for us to meet and wrap things up.

Normally there are less than six people on average in the building, so I was surprised to get there mid morning and find many of my co-workers and, in addition to my manager, several of my upper management there... and then thought "where they going to surprise me?" Sure enough, at noon lunch and a cake was brought in for everyone, and it turned into a nice "retirement" party for me... I was very touched.

My original plan had been to get out before rush hour for the trip back, but there was so much talk and reminiscing and folks wanting to say goodbye I was not able to get everything I wanted and leave until almost 8PM that night.

That is awesome jollystomper. I bet that was fun

 

[Texas Proud]

Let me ask since this sounds a bit strange to me...


From what I read you have not told your boss you are leaving, you plan to do that now..


You might go back in, but you have a lot of vacation and are taking that till your last day...


Do I have this right?


I say this because I do not know of a boss who would work from home with a 36 year employee having his last day...


So if I am right, did you ever tell your boss before? If not, I think it is bad on your part for not mentioning anything before... if you did then I wonder why boss was not there...


As for vacation, can you take it whenever you want or do you have to have permission... also, why 'take' it? Just go today and get a check for that vacation...


No matter how it has gone down, congrats on your RE...

 

[chris2008]

How do you finish your projects when you are on vacation till the end?

Congrats and all the best to you and your family in ER[emoji3]