Surprisingly emotional today

Wow, congratulations you two! You've earned it. I hope that when my time comes I'll have as pleasant a sendoff (with great colleagues) as you two did. Now it's time to PARTY! :clap: :dance: :dance: :clap:
 
Much better to leave on a high note, feeling the appreciations of co-workers and bosses than disappearing with tail between your legs. Congratulations on "being able to", now make it everything you want for as long as you can. Endless possibility with the means to realize dreams is all anyone can hope for in the last third of their lives.
 
Congratulations to the both of you. I retired two weeks ago today. The next day DH and I headed to Florida from Maine to start our new life. I haven’t had time to think about work. I don’t miss it at all!
 
Congrats to the both of you. Retiring just prior to Labor Day weekend, how ironic. Enjoy your new found freedom!!
 
Cassius King said:
Congrats to the both of you. Retiring just prior to Labor Day weekend, how ironic. Enjoy your new found freedom!!
Click to expand...
Gosh, I didn't think about that! MC doesn't care much about labor day.

Thanks! Yes, celebrating the end to labor for The Man. :)
 
Wish you both a great first day of FIRE, JoeWras and Sumday!


I never had a tidy goodbye since I ended up with a disibility pension after to and from working part time for a while etc.

But like you I miss some of my colleagues the more than the work itself. The cameraderie when working as a team on a tough challenge.

I still keep in touch with a couple of them. And don't think I would cross the street to avoid meeting anyone.

And occasionally I take myself in missing - not work as such - but some of the fun when solving a problem using my talents.
 
Congratulations Sumday and JoeWras. Enjoy your retirement. You’ve earned it.

I distinctly remember my own last day, a little over two years ago. It was actually a bit anti-climatic. I had changed jobs towards the end of my career, and had only been at my last position about 4-1/2 years (after spending nearly 30 years at my prior company). I didn’t have any long term relationships with any of my co-workers. No big party or send off. I did make the rounds and said my goodbyes just before quietly slipping out the doors around lunch time. I got in my car and headed towards home. About 10 minutes into my final commute, the enormity of the moment finally hit me and I let out an uncontrollable yell/whoop unheard by anyone except myself. It was an exhilarating and liberating moment, as I contemplated the completion of one major phase of my life and the launching of a new and completely different phase. It’s been a great two years since then, and I hope you enjoy your respective retirements as much as I am enjoying mine.
 
txtig said:
I got in my car and headed towards home. About 10 minutes into my final commute, the enormity of the moment finally hit me and I let out an uncontrollable yell/whoop unheard by anyone except myself. It was an exhilarating and liberating moment, as I contemplated the completion of one major phase of my life and the launching of a new and completely
different phase. It’s been a great two years since then, and I hope you enjoy your respective retirements as much as I am enjoying mine.
Click to expand...
The yell and whoop occurred the day before. Strange, maybe?

Or just because I knew my last day would be sending an email and having a little get together. Funny thing is I solved a problem on my last morning which I didn't expect to do. :)

Thank you for the best wishes.

I did NOT sleep well after my last day. Last night was bad. My mind was racing. I'm chalking that up to transition and expect deep sleep next week.
 
Congratulations to you both - as others have said you have earned it many times over.
1.5 years and counting for me
 
SumDay said:
Here I am on the final day. I had a solo call with my closest colleague this morning, and we both were pretty choked up. I feel bad leaving her with more work than one person can handle. My boss asked me to write him a "truthful review" of what he's doing right and wrong, with suggestions for improvement.

Not sure if he realized it, but this has been incredibly cathartic. The more I write, the more I realize I made the right decision. No one is indispensable, and megacorp will continue without me.
Click to expand...

Exactly!!!

Congratulations. Along with others, I look forward to hearing about your new much more fun plans & adventures.

When I turned in my key, I burst into tears....me, who had a retirement count-down widget on my desktop for the last year. ;)

You have so many wonderful times ahead of you. Again, Congratulations!
 
I did not have that kind of reaction. I was ready to go. I also did not get any kind of a sendoff party. There was going to be something at a large group meeting, but when the meeting got cancelled, no one planned to do anything else for the sendoff.
 
I can totally relate as I'm working the last days of my 2-week notice period. Of course, it hasn't helped that they are trying to convince me to "extend my transition period" (for their benefit, not mine, of course).

I thought it'd be emotionally difficult, but not as hard as it's been. There have been days that I've been a complete wreck.

Pretty much everyone knows at this point, but telling those who don't (we're pretty much all virtual) has been really tough.

Also starting to hit me that my entire identity is about to change. For 35+ years I've been defined by my job. Now I'll be defined by..what comes after my job. That's both exciting and terrifying.

Going to take some getting used to..
 
The sendoff party was not expected. When my boss suggested it, he gave me a choice and I accepted.

I got to see a few people I hadn't in 15+ years. That was nice.
 
RetireSoon said:
I can totally relate as I'm working the last days of my 2-week notice period. Of course, it hasn't helped that they are trying to convince me to "extend my transition period" (for their benefit, not mine, of course).

I thought it'd be emotionally difficult, but not as hard as it's been. There have been days that I've been a complete wreck.

Pretty much everyone knows at this point, but telling those who don't (we're pretty much all virtual) has been really tough.

Also starting to hit me that my entire identity is about to change. For 35+ years I've been defined by my job. Now I'll be defined by..what comes after my job. That's both exciting and terrifying.

Going to take some getting used to..
Click to expand...



You get to redefine yourself and recreate yourself. You may want to look at “How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free” by Ernie Zelinski. It might give you some ideas.
 
I also was surprised at my emotions on my last day of work, 8 months ago.

I enjoyed my work, the people (most of them) and the 35 years at megacorp. There was a nice luncheon and several after-work happy hours held in my honor during my last couple of weeks. I also had several colleagues express heartfelt thanks to me for helping in their career development, with two co-workers breaking out in tears. It was a very humbling experience.

My last day was a Friday and I only went for my HR exit and turn in my badge, etc. As I walked to my car, I started to choke up with the reality sinking in that this was it!

Arriving home, my wife and I shared a “we did it” hug and another wave of emotion hit as we shared in the joy of achieving a goal we set 20 years earlier.

I’ve had lunch and played golf with the friends from work and I think that has helped with my transition. I can’t help but break out in a smile when they describe the typical work BS but I try not to gloat (too much.)

Don’t be surprised at the mix of emotions you may feel - joy, relief, sadness, doubt, fear. For me, the last 8 months in FIRE has been a delight and the freedom to do as I please has overwhelmed any other emotions I felt on my day of departure.

Good luck in your transition!
 
I felt more emotion a few years ago when they shut down my last Megacorp office, where I had worked for 20+ years. It had been a relatively easy commute, was located in a suburb, had onsite dining and snacking options, and was on several acres of land with walking trails, ball fields, and tennis courts. I had a window office and could look out onto a pond and see wildlife.

Going from that to working from home (with the occasional commute to Megacorp offices in much farther and denser locations) made me more emotional at that time, and feel that this was the "beginning of the end" for my career.


However, when I retired this June after 39 years I think I felt more joyful emotion than sadness. Joy that I actually had been able to achieve FIRE. Also since I still have been in some contact with my co-workers that probably has also helped.

To the OP, congrats and good luck!
 
I wish you the best each day get better in retirement.
 
Tomorrow will be a good test.

First "Monday."
 
To Sumday and Joe and to everyone who is already there, the happiest days of your lives. For those who are near or in process the very best days are still ahead.

Sadly, no tales of emotional departure in my last corporate position. After personally effecting the closing of 2400 stores, no one left to celebrate or mourn.

BUT... My last major promotion from Regional Sales Manager in Albany, to National Sales Manager in Chicago, was a wonderful celebration. My three beautiful, young and very loyal secretaries planned... (behind my back) a big recognition banquet at Albany's best restaurant. One hundred best friends from throughout the home office, all of my district managers and their wives and my own bride, jeanie... and miraculously kept a secret until we arrived at the restaurant. A memories book with pictures, notes and poems and signed by every person, including 60 of my former store managers. Pretty hard to hold back tears, and I'm not sure I did. After five or six speeches, it was my turn, and for the first time, ever, at a loss for words. A long two minute look all around the room...catching every eye and a very humble "Thank You". One of those events that becomes embedded in memory as if it happened yesterday.

Surely the hardest working years but also the very happiest years of my employment. Back in the days of working together, personal friendship, loyalty and trust.. Roughly the years 1971 through 1979.
 
imoldernu, if I recall, Wards?

My mom worked for Wards from the late 40s to 50s. It must have been a heck of a good place back then at corporate, because they were a tight group. My mom and dad had lifelong friends from her 10 years or so there, including her boss. I think my dad even sponsored one of my mom's boss's kids for baptism. She said he was sometimes an SOB at work, but a fair SOB. :) Pretty good friends to go visit their family (cross country) many times years later after retirement.

Mom followed the Wards story closely and mourned the many changes and impacts to those she left behind.


I don't think people generally make those kind of friendships at megacorps anymore.
 
Sumday and Joe Wras, it's time to think about .... what are you NOT doing to get ready for work tomorrow.
 
Pellice said:
Sumday and Joe Wras, it's time to think about .... what are you NOT doing to get ready for work tomorrow.
Click to expand...


:)


Enjoying not having to get on email to freak out about tomorrow's problems. Actually, Labor Day was always a nightmare because the overseas workers were busy all day, stacking up problems. The usual temptation was to get a head start tonight.



Not anymore. Yeah!
 
Pellice said:
Sumday and Joe Wras, it's time to think about .... what are you NOT doing to get ready for work tomorrow.
Click to expand...

Good question!

And ditto answer, Joe! :flowers:


I really enjoy not having Outlook on my phone anymore. So no work related notifications. :dance:

And I enjoy having a phone without corporate control apps on it.

And having the BIOS password of my daily computer. :cool:

And not having to fill up my car to be ready for tomorrows commute.

And most of all - no alarm clock!!! ^-^^-^^-^
 
A niece and her husband stopped by on their way back from a short trip out of town for the holiday. As they parted, asked us what was our plan for the rest of the day. Sounded like they wanted to squeeze something more out of the Labor Day that was left.

I said "What plan? Everyday is a holiday for us. Just chillin' as we always do".

My wife who had a such a stressful job before she quit that she wanted nothing more than not having to go to work. She did not need to splurge or spend any money. Just being home and not having to worry about food and shelter was enough. :)
 
I thoroughly enjoyed not having to cram all my chores and fun into the long weekend. I slept all night night, an even slept late. Today. we got up and went to our favorite breakfast spot which can have a 90 minute wait on weekends. We had our choice of tables this morning. I'm going to like this.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

T
Retired 10 years today!
Replies
20
Views
2K
walkinwood
walkinwood
S
Travel vaccines and travel medical insurance
Replies
20
Views
884
SecondAttempt
S
J
FIRE Day Model After 7.5 years
Replies
7
Views
1K
joesxm3
J
D
Anyone negotiate a "severance" in non-RIF times?
2
Replies
36
Views
2K
Lorenzo
L
S
Returning to full-time (government) work, mainly to get insurance
2
Replies
43
Views
3K
tryan
tryan

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom