ER Date is Set

[tryan]

Wow ... Good Luck!

P.S. Set your consulting rate high enough so they REALLY look to fill your vacated position. Else part-time will be a long-time gig.

[SteveR]

Originally Posted by loosechickens

Congratulations on ER.......as a longtime fulltime RVer (almost fifteen years), I have only a few words of advice.....

SLOW DOWN

Thanks for the advise. I know it will take a while for me to slow down from the pace I have lived most of my working life.

As you noted in a later post, we are not fulltiming...at least not yet. We are just starting out in RVing so we have a lot to learn and a lot to experience before we even think about FT. Snowbird maybe.

Originally Posted by Spanky

Steve,

Great - it's hoped that this is it until they can find a replacement. If they offered a contract to make the transition, be sure to ask for big $$.

Take care.

Spanky

I have not yet submitted my letter as I am waiting for HR to come back with some details on being PT as opposed to being an independent consultant. I am leaning towards the consultant status for many reason...mostly because I can avoid any Corporate BS that way and I would most likely be able to charge more than if THEY determine my hourly rate based on my current salary vs the going rate for a consultant with my experience. That is all still up in the air.

Originally Posted by bbbamI

Congratulations!

It sounds like you take great pride in your work and are considerate to others.

You now have the luxury of working part time if you choose or doing "nothing". That's what ER is all about.

The "work pride" and being considerate of what would happen to my fellow workers in my department if I were to have left in December 2006 after my boss and several other key management folks left, was the major reason for sticking around. I did this same thing 3 years ago when my boss at that time left along with another key manager. I stuck it out for the same reasons despite the recent loss of my DW.

I have given them plenty of time to show some movement in getting a replacement. My home situation demands my presence and I need to be there to help DW as much as I can. My DW and my own health demand I get out of the pressure cooker and find a way to decompress and detoxify from being in this business for over three decades.

My thanks to all that have responded. I am looking forward to posting as an ERee and not as a ERwannabee.

[USK Coastie]

Steve I'll be 6 weeks behind you, gone on July 1,2007. DW has already informed me that the maximum rate of travel in the RV will be no more than 200 miles per day period!! Also stay off the freeways, be a red road (non freeway) traveler. Much more to see and do along the way. I know that I could not possibly go around the country in less than a couple of years and that would be drivin' fast.

Any way congrats on the mile stone I'm sure its well earned.

[Sandy]

Congrats from me as well.

Best of luck, and keep us posted on the change. It is always encouraging when another one makes the plan work.

[Dreamer]

Congratulations! It does seem like a long time coming for you. I hope that you either do the consultant gig or none at all. It sounds like you have too many exciting plans that would probably get put off, if you were doing part-time work. I would imagine that you would start off part-time, but they would probably pile more and more work on you.

You sound like you have the financial part figured out, so I vote for you enjoying your life, RV'ing, taking care of your health and spending time with your spouse and friends!

[ESRBob]

Steve,
Bravo!
If you do decide to stick around with them, is there any chance you could start your consulting or PT gig with them after a well-deserved vacation? Reading your posts I can tell you need to detox, and if you don't make a clean break, they might just try to keep thinking of you the same way as ever -- sure you might be PT but they might just try to keep you doing all your same old work on a PT basis. I think you need some time away -- a few months if possible --- to reboot the relationship and get it on a successful footing for going forward with your interests a lot more in the forefront and you in control of the situation.

[SteveR]

Originally Posted by ESRBob

Steve,
Bravo!
If you do decide to stick around with them, is there any chance you could start your consulting or PT gig with them after a well-deserved vacation? Reading your posts I can tell you need to detox, and if you don't make a clean break, they might just try to keep thinking of you the same way as ever -- sure you might be PT but they might just try to keep you doing all your same old work on a PT basis. I think you need some time away -- a few months if possible --- to reboot the relationship and get it on a successful footing for going forward with your interests a lot more in the forefront and you in control of the situation.

Bob,

Thanks for the advice. DW and I discussed the PT vs consulting option and decided on consulting for many reasons; many of which you addressed above. I have offered to "hang out my shingle" if they wish to use my experience and history; but it will cost them and I will name my own hours. So far, no bites but they may change their minds once I am gone and they still have two Director level jobs open.

Yes, I do need a nice long period of time off to get my mind clear and my head around being retired. My longest vacation in the past 30 years was 2 weeks and was only done once. Most were 5 days or less so RnR is high on my list.

We will be camping at Lake Powell for 10 days after I retire so that will be the begining of my detox experience. We are both looking forward to the trip.

[SteveR]

Just an update.

The cabin closed today!!! We are now out from under the mortgage, taxes, HOA dues, HOA "Leadership" BS, Winter plowing expenses, woodpecker damage, winter pipe freezing damage, tree maintenance, fire-break duty, brush collection, driveway maintenance, etc. The annual total of all the above was nearly $30k. That is huge chunk of change going into ER which is now on the new owner's shoulders.

It was fun and the view was one to die for but it came at a high price...one we were not willing to continue paying in ER.

We have closed one chapter in our lives and are opening an other one. I feel lighter already!

The after tax equity will go a long way to fund our ER expenses for many months even after doing some other things first. 6 months living expenses will be parked in the Vanguard MM while the rest is moved into some index funds to keep it growing for a while until we need it.

On the working side....
Once my fellow worker bees finished with the "glad handing" and wishing me the best, the general attitude now is one of me being invisible. I have 5 more weeks of "work" yet ahead but I have already left in their minds. I knew it would happen but not so soon. Now I wish I had made the date earlier.

[REWahoo]

SteveR, I've been following your progress towards your Liberation Date with great interest. Congratulations on selling the cabin and getting out from under the burden it had become.

Amazing isn't it, how quickly you fade from visibility once you announce you are leaving...

[bbbamI]

I look forward to reading that new chapter!

[Achiever51]

Originally Posted by SteveR

On the working side....
Once my fellow worker bees finished with the "glad handing" and wishing me the best, the general attitude now is one of me being invisible. I have 5 more weeks of "work" yet ahead but I have already left in their minds. I knew it would happen but not so soon. Now I wish I had made the date earlier.

Ah, yes, the "forgotten but not gone" syndrome. After I announced my departure date, I felt like the troll under the bridge -- everyone knew I was there, but I was pretty much left to my own devices. Worked out fine for me -- I took the time to organize my work, purged just about every file and spent the rest of my days planning for my first days of retirement.

Don't take it personally -- it happens in every office.

[DangerMouse]

I wonder if your invisiblity cloak has to do with feelings of envy or resentment? Anyway I hope the next 5 weeks fly by for you.

[SteveR]

Originally Posted by DangerMouse

I wonder if your invisiblity cloak has to do with feelings of envy or resentment? Anyway I hope the next 5 weeks fly by for you.

I am sure it is both of these.

The other dynamic is one of no longer being a member of a group....the Worker Bee group. Also, because of the nature of my job I have to review, approve, deny, reject or send back of rework hundreds of things each day. There is no one else to do all this as it is one of the main functions of the two jobs I am doing. The issue people are having seems to be the conflict between them not wanting to deal with me since I have no future influence on their careers and the need to get my approval for their decisions, tasks, etc.

As the time gets shorter I am sure all this will only worsen. I need them to stay focused on the job and so I feel the need to stay very much involved in all the daily activities (and 8 hours of meeting daily). But, I am sure my desire to keep up this level of intensity will wane as I approach ER.

Sure am glad I scheduled a week long vacation at the end of April several months ago so I will really have only 4 weeks (24 working days) of real workplace time left.

[Dreamer]

Glad you are feeling lighter and breathing easier with the cabin sale. Enjoy your week vacation, finish the other 4 weeks and then enjoy your life!!!