I thought about work today...

[audreyh1]

Oh, no no no... this is just a local neighborhood restaurant serving our local cuisine and you'd have to kill them before they'd let loose of their recipe, which is their livelihood (even though the entire meal cost me less than $7). But there are so many ways in which a great shrimp and corn chowder can go, and while you will not be able to duplicate it I think you will come up with something fabulous.

Well I already have smoked salmon chowder recipe and an oyster chowder recipe - both which I have adapted and come out great. Thus my confidence at adding a new one to my repertoire. And this one is better for the local ingredients. The other two I developed in the Pacific NW.

Audrey

 

[Leonidas]

Since I only live 1-2 miles from my former office, I have the luxury of making a rude gesture in their direction whenever I drive by. I know, childish, but fun anyway.

I love it!

I so seldom had a 9-5 assignment that I enjoyed the luxury of driving to and from work in relative ease (our motto: We fight crime, not traffic). But the thing I don't miss at all is car related - surveillance.

You had to put in the time following bad guys, and because they didn't share their schedules with us it meant that we spent a lot of time following them while they screwed around doing the same stuff that everyone else does. You had to have a sense of humor to fight off the bitter feeling that you were wasting your life following some idiot. "Okay, stand by I have an eye on him inside the store. Somebody make a note in the surveillance log, he's decided to get the cherry Icee today rather than the Coke flavor - that might mean something later!"

 

[bbbamI]

The only time I think about work is when I meet my former coworkers (they are still working) for happy hour every two months. At first it's fun, then the subjects of outsourcing, conference calls, budgets, etc... come up and I find myself peeling the label off my beer bottle.

 

[Martha]

W2R - you got me going here!

I think I'll try this one: Poblano Corn Chowder with Shrimp Recipe at Epicurious.com. I absolutely adore the flavor of poblano chiles.

But I already see lots of necessary mods. Use fresh corn (and no creamed - what?)! And poblanos should be fire-roasted (grill or oven OK) and peeled first. The roasting really brings out the flavor. Probably add a little potato and not so much butter/flour fr thickening. Probably can get away with half the heavy cream - but adjust to taste.

But that's all I need - just a base recipe that I tweak to high heaven. I always read the comments and they help direct my mods. Also, I like to use leeks instead of onions in my chowders - just gives it that extra je ne sais quoi!

Audrey

When you have the recipe perfected, post it!

 

[Onward]

I think about work all the time. It makes me sad that most of the people I know and care about are still in prison. I feel like a half-starved prisoner who slipped out of the dungeon and ran for his life, leaving everyone he cared about in chains or on the rack.

 

[Nodak]

I've thought about work for the last few days; ever since the USAF launched the X-37B mission. I would love to know more about it but, since I no longer have a clearance, that won't happen.

 

[W2R]

I've thought about work for the last few days; ever since the USAF launched the X-37B mission. I would love to know more about it but, since I no longer have a clearance, that won't happen.

I am curious as to what the X-37A was. I had heard of the X-37, and the X-37B, but the "B" implies to me that there was an "A".

 

[Nodak]

I assume there was a 37A but I never heard anything about it. I worked at a satellite tracking station so I had lots of info on those things in orbit but for other things, not so much.

 

[W2R]

I assume there was a 37A but I never heard anything about it. I worked at a satellite tracking station so I had lots of info on those things in orbit but for other things, not so much.

Sounds fascinating! I can see why you have been thinking about work more lately.

 

[NW-Bound]

I think about work all the time.

Wait! I am still working, even if it is part-time.

I am currently involved in multiple projects with different people, and have to deliver at some point, although there is no pressure. As long as it is something I like to do, I find it difficult to call it quit. The money is nice as I now have this beast of an RV to quench its thirst. Or maybe the expenses are just an excuse, as I do not want to give it up completely yet.

I have a big inertia. If it works, don't fix it!

 

[Nodak]

Sounds fascinating! I can see why you have been thinking about work more lately.

It will pass; I will never miss the stress of software testing and the associated deadlines.

 

[2soon2tell]

W2R


I assume you are referring to the leaking oil well off the La. coast.
How soon do you think it can be capped?

What a tragedy for the families that lost loved ones when the drilling rig exploded and sank.

 

[Meadbh]

I think about work all the time.

Wait! I am still working, even if it is part-time.

I think about ER all the time.

Wait! I am stilll working.....counting the days.....

 

[W2R]

W2R


I assume you are referring to the leaking oil well off the La. coast.
How soon do you think it can be capped?

What a tragedy for the families that lost loved ones when the drilling rig exploded and sank.

It is indeed a tragedy, with so many dead and lost at sea. It is in deep water which will make things difficult and lengthy though they are working on a plan and have an alternate plan if that fails. I don't expect anything fast, unfortunately (BP estimates a month), though I fervently hope that I am wrong. The spillage, presently occurring at a rate of 42,000 gallons per day, could soon impact some of our most fragile, protected wildlife habitats and wetlands. What a nightmare.

 

[W2R]

I think about ER all the time.

Wait! I am stilll working.....counting the days.....

So, how many?

On May 9th, I will have been retired for half a year. Hard to believe! If life is the cake, retirement is the frosting... so sweet.

 

[NW-Bound]

Wow, 6 months already! How time flies!

Not meaning to scare you or anything, but I hate it when time goes by so fast. Please, please, make each day go slower. And I don't even care if it is a working day for me or not. Oh please!

 

[W2R]

I know! Time flies when we're having fun.

It's amazing how busy I have been as a retiree. There is so much fun to be had, that I can hardly squeeze in tme for all of it.

 

[Purron]

I'm still kinda haunted by my workplace memories. Know I'll get over it eventually with a little help from my friends.

OK, this sure seems like an excuse for a you tube vid. This one always makes me feel really fine:

YouTube - Joe Cocker - With A Little Help From My Friends

 

[Dreamer]

I just spent Friday and Saturday with a former co-worker. We were on a bus trip, so had plenty of time to talk. I am so very thankful that I was able to retire early from that job. I truly do not think that I could do the job, the way they want it done now.

My husband separates from his job, hopefully, on Oct 1, 2010. He definitely will no longer be an employee effective 11/30/2010. His company has stated there will not be any prefilling of jobs. He is worried about this and says that he needs to be able to train his replacement. I told him that I only had 3 words for him: Not your problem. He would add something else and I would just repeat, Not your problem.

 

[Nodak]

Wow, 6 months already! How time flies!

Not meaning to scare you or anything, but I hate it when time goes by so fast. Please, please, make each day go slower. And I don't even care if it is a working day for me or not. Oh please!

I thought when I retired that the days would go by slower. Wrong again!

 

[kcowan]

I know! Time flies when we're having fun.

It's amazing how busy I have been as a retiree. There is so much fun to be had, that I can hardly squeeze in tme for all of it.

Yes WTR just wait until it has been 8 years like me! Yesterday I went through the pictures since then remembering the cruises and the driving trips. Boy what a lot of good experiences in a short time.

I don't get to read about the old job in the paper though so it is out of sight and out of mind! One of the guys that I mentor sometimes reminds me of the issues but not so much anymore because he handles them all without my help now.

 

[W2R]

I have had so much fun in the almost half a year that I have been retired! These have been wonderful months for me. Even better, is knowing that I have a lifetime of fun ahead.

Up to now, the only news stories pertaining to my work had nothing to do with crises but just indicated that my former co-workers were going to encounter an avalanche of additional work of a more tedious nature. So, I could just thumb my nose at them and be even happier that I am retired.

But this time I sometimes I briefly feel guilty for "deserting the team" when I read news stories on the recent crisis. It's not as though I could DO anything about it, but I briefly feel as though I have a moral obligation to be there to provide requested information to the decision makers. But I really don't have that obligation any more. I left my job in very capable hands and gave a huge amount of notice when I left and clear training and both verbal and written instructions to all. That's their job now. It's not as though I can't be replaced.

I just hope they don't let [-]me[/-] [-]the decision makers[/-] anybody down.

 

[kcowan]

Yes W2R I had three of those transitions between 1992 an 2002. The first was staying on 3 extra months to ensure a seamless transiton, the second was going back and picking up the pieces for 14 months after a transition had already taken place (unsuccessfully) and the third was having my successor trained and just giving them 5 weeks to manage the news.

 

[Meadbh]

So, how many?

On May 9th, I will have been retired for half a year. Hard to believe! If life is the cake, retirement is the frosting... so sweet.

About 2000

Or maybe 1700 if everything goes right

Oh no! 2000 is a lot of days

 

[audreyh1]

2000 days to ER!

Audrey