Final Countdown to ER

[Alan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R Glad to hear they are giving you a pension estimate before you retire. If HR people were more human they would provide it a long time beforehand.

So far it's only a promise, but hell may yet freeze over - the Saints have a shot at the Superbowl hehehehe

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R By the way, a 4-hour day hardly counts.... You are so close I'll bet you can almost taste the freedom.

I can't sleep so I get to work early and we're allowed to flex 4 hrs a week - so I'm planning on a 4hr Friday next week as well

I'm as nervous as a..., as a..., great big nervous thing!!!!

What lies at the bottom of the sea and twitches? A nervous wreck, arrrr, the shipwreck jokes be the best

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan So far it's only a promise, but hell may tet freeze over - the Saints have a shot at the Superbowl hehehehe

Yes, they do!! Or maybe it is a mass hallucination.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan I can't sleep so I get to work early and we're allowed to flex 4 hrs a week - so I'm planning on a 4hr Friday next week as well I'm as nervous as a..., as a..., great big nervous thing!!!! What lies at the bottom of the sea and twitches? A nervous wreck, arrrr, the shipwreck jokes be the best

Arrrrr!!

Don't be nervous, though. Ahead of you, out here on the rolling sea of retirement, lies PEACE, calm, and happiness. Nothing in that to worry about. The Sea of Tranquility is not only on the Moon.

[Finance Dave]

Great news Alan, we want an update.

[simple girl]

So cool Alan! I will be curious to hear how your transition to one car goes. It is something we have considered and expect we will do...I think...?

Gosh you are getting so close!

[Alan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by simple girl So cool Alan! I will be curious to hear how your transition to one car goes. It is something we have considered and expect we will do...I think...? Gosh you are getting so close!

We always had 1 car when we lived in England even after we had 2 children. The difference being that shops etc were within 2 - 3 miles and we had bicycles etc.

The place we are moving to has shops less than a mile away and the town center has LOTS of shops plus a big mall, and all other stuff we normally need only 3 miles away. There are 150 miles of hike / bike trails in the town plus big wide shoulders on all the roads if you want to cycle fast. Loads of people ride their bikes so motorists are used to them. All the traffic lights have pedestrian signals. We lived there between 2004 and 2008 so we know how well it all works, but this time when we move back neither of us will be working so we are confident that we won't need more than 1 car.

Only time will tell of course, but "who dares wins" - right?

[Stevewc]

Isn't it about time Alan gave another update?
How many working days left?
Is HR working for you any better than they did me? If so, I may be jealous .
I still don't know what my money will really be.
A friend I worked with, that retired many years ago, told me his money amounts changed several time after he retired until HR got their numbers where they needed to be.
Hope mine works out a little better and quicker than his did.
Come on Alan whats the lastest?
Steve

[Alan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stevewc Isn't it about time Alan gave another update? How many working days left? Is HR working for you any better than they did me? If so, I may be jealous . I still don't know what my money will really be. A friend I worked with, that retired many years ago, told me his money amounts changed several time after he retired until HR got their numbers where they needed to be. Hope mine works out a little better and quicker than his did. Come on Alan whats the lastest? Steve

This last couple of days have been hectic (relatively speaking) as I've been handing over my 3 remaining very active projects - I'm quite exhausted and glad to take a few minutes out to do a bit of private business

After today (90 minutes left) I have 5 more days at work, then I can drop-kick the alarm clock into the woods behind our apartment.

HR have still not come up with my pension numbers although on Friday they promised me again they'd have them. Yesterday I went in and filled in the change of address form and also went into payroll to be sure they knew that I would be a Texas resident so be sure and don't withold any LA state taxes from my pension checks.

My weight is climbing and my waistline increasing so my pants are now too tight (caused by so many farewell dinners and eating up the contents of the freezer - still got lots to eat up plus 4 more farewell dinners to get through).

10 minutes ago my boss's boss just told me to stop grinning so much or I'd sprain my face and he didn't want to risk having to report it as a workplace injury.

in the words of a Beatles song, "Getting better every day"

[simple girl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan After today (90 minutes left) I have 5 more days at work, then I can drop-kick the alarm clock into the woods behind our apartment.

Alright, I think you should be required to videotape that and post it here!

Living vicariously through you!

[Stevewc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan 10 minutes ago my boss's boss just told me to stop grinning so much or I'd sprain my face and he didn't want to risk having to report it as a workplace injury. in the words of a Beatles song, "Getting better every day"

I actually found myself feeling guilty and needing to apologise to my work buddies.
I couldn't get the smile off my face
Guilty because I knew I was escaping and the other folks couldn't.
I'm smiling now just thinking about it.
Steve

[Alan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stevewc I actually found myself feeling guilty and needing to apologise to my work buddies. I couldn't get the smile off my face Guilty because I knew I was escaping and the other folks couldn't. I'm smiling now just thinking about it. Steve

I haven't felt guilty around my work buddies yet

They have all been just great and extremely happy for me.

On Friday, a 62 yr old guy, who had worked here for ever, dropped dead with heart failure. He was very well known and well liked. When things like this happen no one questions why you are leaving early and everyone wishes they were able to do the same.

[bbbamI]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan On Friday, a 62 yr old guy, who had worked here for ever, dropped dead with heart failure. He was very well known and well liked. When things like this happen no one questions why you are leaving early and everyone wishes they were able to do the same.

A few months before DH retired, a fellow friend/coworker died at the age of 53. He and DH had gone to lunch on Friday, the following Monday we were told our friend had passed away.

Yes...there is definitely a better understanding of ER when people hear of an unexpected death.

[Stevewc]

Everyone wished me well and all that.
It was just me thinking" Get that silly smile off your face".
These poor guys, the few that were actually friends. Didn't have the years of service in and little to no chance of getting out anytime soon.
Oh, I remember a lot of people with years on me leaving me behind too though. Matter of fact I had lunch with one of my friends (few day ago) that retired and left me 17 years ago. It was so neat to meet him and share stories. He's 83 now and still enjoying his retirement. Getting around so good it hardly seemed like he had aged. He took me to his home and started showing me all the remodeling and projects he had done after retirement. Nice work I might add. He had already put messages in some Christmas cards to guys (closer to his age) he and I had worked with through the years, notifying them I had retired and finally escaped. Pretty cool I thought.
Anyway, I always wished all the retiree's well but had a touch of envy and jealousy deep within.
Kind of a sick feeling of "will I ever make it".
I told the " I got life without parole" story many many times through the years
But I'm Free, Free at Last !!!
Steve

[Bestwifeever]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan .... 10 minutes ago my boss's boss just told me to stop grinning so much or I'd sprain my face and he didn't want to risk having to report it as a workplace injury. in the words of a Beatles song, "Getting better every day"

I love this--I'm grinning myself just reading it!

[Alan]

Just had a great lunch with my department - about 25 folks and my manager, who has known me for over 20 years, said that he was always impressed at the things I could say without getting into trouble. He reminded me of 2 instances, one of which I'll recall here.

I transferred to this company from the parent company after 2 years of being here on assignment. It was a big deal as the parent company were not too pleased at losing me and there'd been some bad feeling.

So, I was in the HR department signing the final paperwork and all the HR folks were there including the HR manager who said to me, "You know, you are joining the wrong department. You should be joing HR, as the success of a company depends on its people, and it's HR who hire the best and keep them happy". I replied, "I almost joined HR once, and I was right at this final stage when they realized that I wasn't qualified - they found out that I had a father!!". It took a few seconds for everyone to realize that I'd just said that only b*st*rds work in HR and everyone burst out laughing, except the HR manager whose face turned black as thunder. I didn't realize that he was so thin skinned.

I'm off home for the day now - only 20 hours work left

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan Just had a great lunch with my department - about 25 folks and my manager, who has known me for over 20 years, said that he was always impressed at the things I could say without getting into trouble. He reminded me of 2 instances, one of which I'll recall here. I transferred to this company from the parent company after 2 years of being here on assignment. It was a big deal as the parent company were not too pleased at losing me and there'd been some bad feeling. So, I was in the HR department signing the final paperwork and all the HR folks were there including the HR manager who said to me, "You know, you are joining the wrong department. You should be joing HR, as the success of a company depends on its people, and it's HR who hire the best and keep them happy". I replied, "I almost joined HR once, and I was right at this final stage when they realized that I wasn't qualified - they found out that I had a father!!". It took a few seconds for everyone to realize that I'd just said that only b*st*rds work in HR and everyone burst out laughing, except the HR manager whose face turned black as thunder. I didn't realize that he was so thin skinned. I'm off home for the day now - only 20 hours work left

WOW!!! You are almost there!

As for the HR manager, I agree - - he needs to learn to take a joke!

[simple girl]

Tick-tock, tick-tock!!!!! I imagine you felt like this day would never get here.

[DangerMouse]

Wow Alan, the days sure are flying by. Before you know it your first three months of retirement will have flown by.

[Alan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R WOW!!! You are almost there! As for the HR manager, I agree - - he needs to learn to take a joke!

Six years after I joined I was walking out one day to the parking lot with the company president and he knew that I must be getting close to getting my US citizenship so he asked how soon it be. I told him that the only thing left to do was the lobotomy. He normally takes a joke well, but this time he wagged his finger at me and warned me that my British humour would get me in trouble some day.

But I survived and now am so close to crossing the finishing line I can hardly believe it. Still no word from HR on pensions but I've even lost my concerns over that. Euphoria rules

[Purron]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan Six years after I joined I was walking out one day to the parking lot with the company president and he knew that I must be getting close to getting my US citizenship so he asked how soon it be. I told him that the only thing left to do was the lobotomy. He normally takes a joke well, but this time he wagged his finger at me and warned me that my British humour would get me in trouble some day. But I survived and now am so close to crossing the finishing line I can hardly believe it. Still no word from HR on pensions but I've even lost my concerns over that. Euphoria rules

Yeah baby, revel in the euphoria. BTW, I love British humour.

[bbbamI]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purron Yeah baby, revel in the euphoria. BTW, I love British humour.

Me too! I also love the accent.

btw, Alan I hope HR doesn't throw a wobbler....