Sudden Epiphany

[ksr]

Years ago, a cow*rker went out to lunch on a Friday and didn't come back. He was at a local establishment, drinking a margarita, and thinking about going back to the office when he decided to take advantage of an early out offer that ended at COB that day.

OK, this is a riot!

Many years ago I had a friend/co-worker who used to look at the vacation balance on her weekly paystub. If she had accrued at least 4 hours, she marched into her boss' office and announced that she was taking the rest of the day off.

But your story sure beats mine!

 

[ksr]

I planned by escape from megacorp for about 15 years. The details weren't formalized until the final year, but it was something I knew I was going to do. However, I always dreamed of the satisfaction of getting fed up one day and walking out.

In fact, what kept me going the last few years was just the fact that, if push came to shove, I could in fact leave (although I would always have been much more likely to give notice than to just walk). At some point I made a deal with myself - if things got so bad that I couldn't take it, I would allow myself to resign. The only catch was I had to think about it overnight. If I felt the same way in the morning, I could hand in my resignation.

This isn't how it worked out in the end, but it was freeing just knowing that I could do it. In reality I told my boss about a year ahead of time that it was coming, and then let him know the details 2 months ahead of time.

 

[scrabbler1]

OK, this is a riot!

Many years ago I had a friend/co-worker who used to look at the vacation balance on her weekly paystub. If she had accrued at least 4 hours, she marched into her boss' office and announced that she was taking the rest of the day off.

But your story sure beats mine!

Sounds a bit like a coworker of mine years ago. He often took the day (Friday) off after our biweekly payday (Thursday) after a night out drinking, calling in sick.

 

[gettingthere]

....My reaction was "my personal plan does not include mega-corp after the end of the first quarter".

I'm not quite at the point to pull the plug yet, but it seems like a great way to break the news when I do, would be in the form of my semi-annual "objectives" required here at Mega-Corp!

Maybe I'll start writing those now!

...he decided to take advantage of an early out offer that ended at COB that day.

Khan, forgive my ignorance, but what is COB?

 

[Onward]

One friend of mine was given an action item

[Shivering] Can't we ban that a-phrase on this board?

 

[seabourne]

I'm not quite at the point to pull the plug yet, but it seems like a great way to break the news when I do, would be in the form of my semi-annual "objectives" required here at Mega-Corp!

Maybe I'll start writing those now!


Khan, forgive my ignorance, but what is COB?

I believe that is "Close of Business," meaning the end of the business day.

 

[gettingthere]

Thanks, seabourne - (in my Mega-Corp world we call that EOD - end of day)

 

[WM]

My dad had an epiphany-driven retirement, although he and my mom were planning for a long time. They are both educators, and he was planning on staying a few more years to finish his current contract as superintendent. He really liked his district and a lot of the people he worked with, but the school board was extremely difficult to work with and causing all kinds of problems and headaches. He was really unhappy for at least a year and one night when he and my mom were talking, my mom ran the numbers again and said, "You know what? You could quit tomorrow and we'd be fine." He was kind of stunned, because he hadn't actually considered leaving early, but slept on it and woke up feeling great about the prospect of leaving. It took him a few days to come up with the best plan to spread the word, because he wanted to ensure a good transition, but he never looked back.

 

[Khan]

I believe that is "Close of Business," meaning the end of the business day.

Correct.

 

[W2R]

Yes, it is COB (Close of Business) in my agency as well - - thought that was universal so I have learned something!

 

[dessert]

[Shivering] Can't we ban that a-phrase on this board?

I'll try not to use it again but doesn't it make you feel "all the more glad you are RE?"

 

[Nords]

At some point I made a deal with myself - if things got so bad that I couldn't take it, I would allow myself to resign. The only catch was I had to think about it overnight. If I felt the same way in the morning, I could hand in my resignation.

I know a lot of midshipmen who got through four years at USNA that way...

 

[Onward]

I'll try not to use it again but doesn't it make you feel "all the more glad you are RE?"

Definitely! I'm so glad I no longer have to think outside the box and monetize my paradigm-shifting action items.

 

[Khan]

Definitely! I'm so glad I no longer have to think outside the box and monetize my paradigm-shifting action items.

But are you deleveraged?

 

[W2R]

And is this initiative finalized?

 

[Onward]

Oh no. What have I started?

 

[dessert]

Oh no. What have I started?

It looks like you started to make others feel "all the more glad that they are also RE!" So you have done some good today.

 

[Wally]

" My reaction was "my personal plan does not include mega-corp after the end of the first quarter".

I was faculty at a major university, and the head of my unit decided he wanted such a personal plan. Yet another piece of paperwork from a bloated bureaucracy. So, the first line of my personal plan narrative was (in bolded all-caps that I won't use here) "I'm retiring in 10 months, at the end of the year." I figured this would let them plan for my absence.

When I filed my formal resignation letter nine months later, it turned out to be a surprise to the administrators because no one actually read the annual review materials from the faculty. Thus confirming, once again, the wisdom of my decision.

 

[travelover]

I was faculty at a major university, and the head of my unit decided he wanted such a personal plan. Yet another piece of paperwork from a bloated bureaucracy. So, the first line of my personal plan narrative was (in bolded all-caps that I won't use here) "I'm retiring in 10 months, at the end of the year." I figured this would let them plan for my absence.

When I filed my formal resignation letter nine months later, it turned out to be a surprise to the administrators because no one actually read the annual review materials from the faculty. Thus confirming, once again, the wisdom of my decision.

I was amused that when I had my last performance review in January (2007) my manager wanted to discuss my performance improvement plans for the coming year, even though he knew my last day was February 28th.

 

[Meadbh]

I am so looking forward to operationalizing RE!

 

[Onward]

I am so looking forward to operationalizing RE!

Eek! I so miss the business world.

 

[Walt34]

Years ago, a cow*rker went out to lunch on a Friday and didn't come back. He was at a local establishment, drinking a margarita, and thinking about going back to the office when he decided to take advantage of an early out offer that ended at COB that day.

That reminds me of one guy on the police department who filled out all the retirement paperwork at the Personnel Section but neglected to mention it to anyone in the Police Department. He didn't show up for work and when they called him at home he said "I don't work there anymore. I'm retired."

For me it was all well thought out and planned, I even wrote a memo announcing my impending retirement, without which they could not transfer someone else in to take my place before I left. Given the complexity of the work (criminal investigation/computer forensics) I thought it would be a "dump job" to not give the new guy some overlap time to ease him in.

 

[HsiaoChu]

Given the complexity of the work (criminal investigation/computer forensics) I thought it would be a "dump job" to not give the new guy some overlap time to ease him in.

I sort of feel the same way. 33 years ago the person I replaced in school based mental health services, just left. I feel obligated the write out specific procedures for what my replacement will actually have to do. If its a new person right out of grad school or teaching, they will think that all they have to do is see little kids. That's a complete understatement. I've already come up with 42 responsibilities that the are not listed anywhere but which if are not done precisely as the are supposed to be done, the new person and everyone around them is going to be in really deep do-do.

I figure I have a year to put this together, but if I should just leave this year because of a sudden unexpected influx of cash, I will have at least gotten it started.

I just heard that two of my colleagues from the 70's have unexpectantly decided to retire this year instead of next year. They both promised me they'd go out with me. Looks like I'm the last man standing.

Z

 

[Midpack]

I was faculty at a major university, and the head of my unit decided he wanted such a personal plan. Yet another piece of paperwork from a bloated bureaucracy. So, the first line of my personal plan narrative was (in bolded all-caps that I won't use here) "I'm retiring in 10 months, at the end of the year." I figured this would let them plan for my absence.

When I filed my formal resignation letter nine months later, it turned out to be a surprise to the administrators because no one actually read the annual review materials from the faculty. Thus confirming, once again, the wisdom of my decision.

Absolutely hilarious...

 

[theloneranger]

Not quite there yet.
I began seriously planning for retirement about five years ago.
At that time I received options for a large amount of stock which would vest for me in March this year. Gave my official notice to superior in January.
Am now in my last three weeks till early April, which will be my anniversary date and will be paid for several weeks' vacation during April.