As the big day approaches apprehension? Irrational exuberance of awesomeness? Indiff

[rayinpenn]

I’ll give my 3 weeks notice on or about July 19. -July 21st is my 64th birthday; Ill work from home those last 3 weeks. If I work Until August 2nd Ill get an extra months healthcare on the company around saving me roughly $2K.

The Stealth Exit
I quietly clean out my desk over the next few weeks. My personal stuff pictures and awards can fit into a single duffel. That Thursday (I work Monday to Thursday) I’ll work a little late and Duffel everything.

Ive been pondering just how unpredictable the world out there is and exactly how my retirement will be. Not going to work sounds pretty awesome. I can’t help but think when I press that send button on the email I’ll feel a sense of relief. If you can believe it there is literally a book on the steps the company says you should take when retiring. I’ll follow them with the exception of informing the boss months in advance. I’m sure they’ll get over it.

I hope I can last till then..

 

[Red Badger]

Did same.

A couple trips to the dumpster. A couple of small loads to the house. A handful of mega-c*rp certificates and plaques left in place.. My cube was very spartan before I cleared it out - a "vast wasteland" leading up up to my exit.

Hang in there. It'll be over soon. The "Free Territory" is very welcoming.

 

[Dtail]

Best birthday present you will ever have.

 

[street]

I will say the wait till July will be the hard thing. I hope you keep us informed on your experiences from now till July and also how you adjust after retiring. I wish you well.

 

[VanWinkle]

Exciting times and I wish you the best. It will all be worth the wait.

VW

 

[Scuba]

Did same.



A couple trips to the dumpster. A couple of small loads to the house. A handful of mega-c*rp certificates and plaques left in place.. My cube was very spartan before I cleared it out - a "vast wasteland" leading up up to my exit.



Hang in there. It'll be over soon. The "Free Territory" is very welcoming.

+1
I cleaned out my files a month or two before giving notice. Also took most of my personal belongings that were inside cabinets and drawers in my office home before notice. After notice, I just had to pack a box or two to get the rest. I left it super clean for the next person, along with an annual calendar with important activities/deadlines each month and some other documentation to help him or her out.

Time between now and July will likely go by agonizingly slowly, but the pace will pick up dramatically once you have ER’d. I can’t believe I’m coming up on 18 months!

 

[pacergal]

congratulations, ray. Its getting closer!
I, too, started cleaning out my desk about a month before and ended up with only a small box of personal things to take home the last day. Although, my exit wasn't quiet--they all knew more than a year before!!

 

[travelover]

At MegaMotors, they were walking people out with no notice, so I took home everything I thought I'd definitely want on the QT, but once I got a package, I coasted and kept a minimum of stuff. Incidentally, I recently tossed all those things I thought I'd definitely want.

Congratulations.

 

[MarieIG]

Congratulations on your decision Ray! I haven't retired yet, but I am a proponent of cleaning out the office prior to giving notice. Less drama.

 

[cooch96]

How exciting! You’re heart must pound at times with the anticipation.

 

[Car-Guy]

The hardest part for me was just "giving my notice". I struggled with that for a good while. The OMY syndrome. I had written "the letter" and stuck it in my "drafts" folder for months (or maybe a year). Finally one morning, I updated the draft with the appropriate dates and hit the send button. What a relief that was. I had given 3 months notice and it was the best (most enjoyable) 3 months of my career.

Now, 6+ years later and I have had absolutely no regrets, except that maybe that I should have sent the letter in sooner.

 

[MRG]

The hardest parts were giving notice and the last lunch.

The anxiety was better after giving notice. I had lunch with a few true buddies after my exit interview. As I walked past the building on my way to my truck I realized I couldn't go back into that building. That was odd.

Good luck Ray.

 

[gamboolman]

Well done RP - got to be a great feeling.

God willing I'll retire 31-Dec-19. With vacations..... about 14 months left of 7 days per week in Africa.

We plan to do similar to you - quiet departure, no fanfare and awkward empty words from folks I don't like anyway. The ones that matter - I will have visited with them privately over a dirty bird and beers before hand.

 

[Scrapr]

I’ll give my 3 weeks notice on or about July 19. -July 21st is my 64th birthday; Ill work from home those last 3 weeks. If I work Until August 2nd Ill get an extra months healthcare on the company around saving me roughly $2K.

Huh. Based on the thread title I was expecting a anxious groom.

 

[rayinpenn]

Huh. Based on the thread title I was expecting a anxious groom.

Really? No more a divorce eh?

 

[JoeWras]

Ray: I feel your apprehension, brother!


My megacorp solved the move-out issue for me! A few months ago we all moved to "open space." All I have is a few little personal items (toothbrush, snacks). No need to stealth move out.

My announce day is coming fast. I leave June 1. Thinking of telling the boss about May 2. Or maybe the next week since I plan to take some time off that Friday. I think I need to take that time first since it is an off-the-books agreement with me and him for some ridiculous work done off the clock that megacorp apparently can't afford to pay me for. (Ha ha!)

 

[rayinpenn]

Ray: I feel your apprehension, brother!
My announce day is coming fast. I leave June 1. Thinking of telling the boss about May 2. (Ha ha!)

Joe
I can’t imagine how you feel being only a month out from sending that liberating email.

Funny today we are having tropical rainstorm (it is a deluge -even the pooch rushed back in). In a few weeks you cant just go back to bed, enjoy a nice book or leisurely sip a cup of coffee and look out the window.

 

[target2019]

I woke up to the same rainstorm. I am seriously dragging out the departure to work, so that I can avoid some of the traffic mess.

Officially, not sure how much notice to give. I'd like to stay in good graces, and hopefully nail down a couple telecommuting days. So, two weeks too short, six months too long.

I have been continuously going through the workspace, and culling out what is not required. Pretty sure everything will fit in a discarded copy paper box.

 

[neihn]

My last day is June 30th - I had given notice a year ago via mega-corp transition to retirement. It is actually quite nice, I transferred most of my tasks to colleague, and only work 2 days a week in June.

 

[pb4uski]

Interesting... now that I think back on it I never gave my former employer a resignation letter or email... I talked with my boss and said I would be leaving in a few months and was flexible on the end date and he responded that he was sorry to see me leave and to work out an end date with HR and the folks leading various projects that I was involved in and keep him informed.

 

[JoeWras]

Interesting... now that I think back on it I never gave my former employer a resignation letter or email... I talked with my boss and said I would be leaving in a few months and was flexible on the end date and he responded that he was sorry to see me leave and to work out an end date with HR and the folks leading various projects that I was involved in and keep him informed.

We have a web page to give a date. Reason is optional. I don't plan on any letter.

Like Ray, I'm having all kinds of emotions. Last weekend was indifferent. Friday was exuberant. Today is apprehension.

 

[jollystomper]

Great thread. With 78 days to go I'm still feeling exuberance. I'm sure a little apprehension will hit me once my access to various Megacorp benefits starts disappearing. But change always brings some apprehension, I remind myself that in the past change has always led to more opportunities for me (and "doing whatever I feel like" is a great opportunity.)

While my management knows, my co-workers do not. I am debating when to let them know. There is one high profile profile I was reluctantly dragged int to lead, whose major milestone was received last week. The person who was supposed to lead it still feels "challenged". While I want to tell them, I know the instant I do the entire organization will know within 30 minutes, as this person tends to be the gossipy type. However, the longer I wait, the more I am am getting "can you help out on project X" since many view what I did on the project as significant. My current plan is to let people know after I return from a conference the end of this month (which will be more like a vacation for DW and I). I like keeping this secret right now.

 

[gretah]

Congrats, OP!

If you love travel, you could spend the next couple of months planning a trip to begin right after you retire. Deciding on what you'll do on your trip could be a fun distraction while you are finishing out your workdays.

 

[Mdlerth]

Nothing makes us so lonely as our secrets

...With 78 days to go...

While my management knows, my co-workers do not. I am debating when to let them know... I like keeping this secret right now.

I'm nowhere near as close as you are, so I don't feel anything yet. But I think the nearer I get the more painful it will be to keep it under wraps.

The bigger the secret, the harder it is to keep. Picture yourself as Clark Kent, shambling through the hallways of the Daily Planet. Every morning you've got to sit meekly in a staff meeting, listening to Perry White lambaste his reporters. Lois Lane is standing a few feet away and looking particularly fetching today but she doesn't notice you at all. The urge to tear open your shirt and shout "Hey everybody, I'm Superman!" must be maddening.

Stepping out of the rat race, to me, is big, Big, BIG! What will I do when it's tantalizingly near? I'll probably blab it to everybody until they get tired of hearing it and can't wait for me to go!

 

[JoeWras]

Every now and then I flap my jaws and people think I'm joking.

You know: "I hate this problem, too hard. I think I'll just quit!"

One of my cow*rkers snapped back: "Joe, be careful. Someone else (wink, wink) may go before you!"

It is getting interesting.