Class of 2018

[Dtail]

Love it.

I think I may have posted about this, but I still remember the Sunday night I had the same "realization". I was in my study listening to some music and having a glass of wine when I started thinking "I better call it a night, tomorrow is Monday". Then it dawned and me that I'm retired -- and I had the same elated response!

There is nothing better. see my sig line.

 

[ILikeStarTrek]

Well, that's the only fly in the ointment. There's a little negotiating going on. An incentive, if you will. No, I'm not going to the OMY dark side. More like maybe a few months.

Still in progress. My notice is 5 weeks, but with sweetening may go to 12 or so.

Congratulations JoeWras! It's been a long time coming since you started this thread 5 years ago.

My last day was this past Tuesday. Three days into retirement, it feels great!

 

[Pellice]

Well, that's the only fly in the ointment. There's a little negotiating going on. An incentive, if you will. No, I'm not going to the OMY dark side. More like maybe a few months.

Still in progress. My notice is 5 weeks, but with sweetening may go to 12 or so.

I will be interested to see how it goes. You've been waiting so patiently! Congratulations to everyone who has been stepping forward into a new stage so far! I think I said that I am basically part-time now, and after 3 work days off, I am ready for .... more days not going to work. It is a pleasure to work at my own projects!

 

[OnIslandTime]

It's getting real! Yesterday we worked our last Friday (only half a day), the remaining Fridays will be whole-day vacation days. With 26 calendar days left until "graduation" day, we booked our flight to our island abode for the month of June!! We were both commenting that it is lucky that neither of us in the middle of any mega corp big thing that would be difficult to hand off...stress level is much lower than it ever was even for vacation prep.

Have fun!

 

[Ed B]

It is getting real. Only 3 working mondays before my launch date of May 31st. I will probably use vacation on those last three days of 29, 30 and 31st. First pension check will hit the bank the next day on June 1st followed by my last paycheck and about $25k of unused vacation time.....my retirement present to myself. [emoji12]

No anxiety. Some nostalgic feelings after 33 years but so ready for the next chapter of life for DW and me.

Updated the list with my May 31st date.

Grumpyretirement
trapperjohn
datuck
Snoopy (55)
Lovetoski (46)


January
-------
chief04010 1/2
JeffinSeattle 1/2
Boilerman 1/2 (57)
OldPhd 1/4
Uncle Lumpy 1/5 (60)
ikubak 1/10 (55)
Coolrich59 1/31 (58)


February
GrandmaHoo feb1 62.5


March
-----
Nunyaa
elainejtm


April
-----
whatnot 4/1
Mr. and Mrs. Honeyfill 4/2
ears20 (57)
Poppydog and Mrs Poppydog 4/27 (63/59)
Tdv2 4/27 (54)
tmm2good 4/4 (58)
ILikeStarTrek (55)
4aboard 4/27 (42)
BeachOrCity 4/30 (53)

May
---
Hilltopper 5/4 (55)
Mcbraemer 5/15 (63)
SumDay 5/31
OnIslandTime and Mr. OIT 5/31 (59)
ears20 5/31 (57)
Ed B 5/31 (58)

June
----
Pullin 6/1
GaryT 6/1
JoeWras 6/1 (55)
Seabourne 6/1 (39)
neihn 6/30
Jollystomper 6/29
akidagain2018 6/30 (56)

July
----
Dan4495 (60)
68Bucks
MRC758 7/13


August
--------
Pellice 8/1 (62)

September
---------

October
-------
FIREmenow
RoyDornoch (60)


November
--------
Erbragg1 11/1


December
--------
Magwitch & Mrs. MagWitch 12/21 (39)
Cnocmmz
tmitchell (50)
WestUniv

 

[Ed B]

Grumpyretirement

trapperjohn

datuck

Snoopy (55)

Lovetoski (46)

January

-------

chief04010 1/2

JeffinSeattle 1/2

Boilerman 1/2 (57)

OldPhd 1/4

Uncle Lumpy 1/5 (60)

ikubak 1/10 (55)

Coolrich59 1/31 (58)

February

GrandmaHoo feb1 62.5

March

-----

Nunyaa

elainejtm

April

-----

whatnot 4/1

Mr. and Mrs. Honeyfill 4/2

ears20 (57)

Poppydog and Mrs Poppydog 4/27 (63/59)

Tdv2 4/27 (54)

tmm2good 4/4 (58)

ILikeStarTrek (55)

4aboard 4/27 (42)

BeachOrCity 4/30 (53)

May

---

Hilltopper 5/4 (55)

Mcbraemer 5/15 (63)

SumDay 5/31

OnIslandTime and Mr. OIT 5/31 (59)

ears20 5/31 (57)

Ed B 5/31 (58)

June

----

Pullin 6/1

GaryT 6/1

JoeWras 6/1 (55)

Seabourne 6/1 (39)

neihn 6/30

Jollystomper 6/29

akidagain2018 6/30 (56)

July

----

Dan4495 (60)

68Bucks

MRC758 7/13

August

--------

Pellice 8/1 (62)

September

---------

October

-------

FIREmenow

RoyDornoch (60)

November

--------

Erbragg1 11/1

December

--------

Magwitch & Mrs. MagWitch 12/21 (39)

Cnocmmz

tmitchell (50)

WestUniv

 

[WestUniversity]

Notice day. It went well, with everyone being calm. There's maybe a bit of denial. I may give a few more days as a last kind gesture. Call it OMW syndrome (One More Week).

Congrats!![emoji322][emoji898][emoji324]

 

[JoeWras]

Complications...

Well, my date is moving around. The boss is pleading, and trying to get me to Aug 1. I'm asking for bonus money to do that. I should know this week if that's a go.

In the meantime, I agreed to at least June 15. I'm a whimp, I need to just go!

Get this. My boss's boss is acting a little aloof and weird to me now. I don't think it is just because I'm going to go. I'm suspecting there is a RIF/Layoff action coming up and he's trying to substitute me for someone else on that list. Well, at least I HOPE that happens!

 

[mcbraemer]

Today is my Day !!! 5/15/2018

I will talk to you from the "Outside" later on.

I got my bus ticket and 20-bucks. Won't need the ticket, as I think Elwood is out front in the black Dodge right now

What a long, strange working trip it's been !

 

[akidagain2018]

Sorry I did not see this sooner akidagain2018 because your situation resonates with me. I grew up, not dirt poor, but definitely on a shoe string.

I started working at off-the-books jobs at 15 and was working full-time while still in college. When we reached FI late last year, I realized that, excluding vacations, I had been working without interruption for 42 years. (Even when I changed jobs, I always left the old job on Friday and started the new one the next Monday.)

Last December, we reached FI and I started planning our ER. FIREcalc, another calculator, and our Vanguard Advisor all told me that I was in great shape. But, my stress level was spiking and I could not understand it. Then, it dawned on me that it was the fear of losing the paycheck. The psychological "need" to be earning a salary was so strong that the thought of no longer getting one was having a very real and very negative effect on me.

It's been 3 months now. The good news is that I am now acclimating quite nicely. I hope you do as well!!

Well, your note makes me feel better. Yeah, I was always a exit on Friday, start the new place on Monday person too. These last few weeks to get to my target are really grating on me. Lots of hoopla about recruiting young inexperienced people at the same time I'm feeling misunderstood and immensely overqualified for my job. Ugh! Can't wait for July and August when I'll be enjoying my life and the worker bees will still be cooped up in an over air conditioned office. Hah!! The last few weeks are difficult since I'm staying through June just so I can stash another $25 thou into the 401k. I am taking vaca over Memorial day, just to get away from the craziness.

 

[seabourne]

Congrats!

Today is my Day !!! 5/15/2018

I will talk to you from the "Outside" later on.

I got my bus ticket and 20-bucks. Won't need the ticket, as I think Elwood is out front in the black Dodge right now

What a long, strange working trip it's been !

Congratulations! Enjoy the big day and have a wonderful lead in to the summer!

 

[Pellice]

Today is my Day !!! 5/15/2018

I will talk to you from the "Outside" later on.

Yes, do! I want to know how it really feels to just walk away!

One caution to us all - as I am basically lunging for the end date of August 1, I seem to have developed high blood pressure in a fairly short period of time I am on medicine for the first time, not unheard of at 62, but not something I expected. I confess that I have thrown aside all my balance and coping strategies in the last 6 months, just going into a "git 'er done" mode. Probably best not to do that!

 

[WestUniversity]

Today is my Day !!! 5/15/2018

I will talk to you from the "Outside" later on.

I got my bus ticket and 20-bucks. Won't need the ticket, as I think Elwood is out front in the black Dodge right now

What a long, strange working trip it's been !

Congratulations![emoji898][emoji322]

 

[CoolRich59]

Well, your note makes me feel better. Yeah, I was always a exit on Friday, start the new place on Monday person too. These last few weeks to get to my target are really grating on me. Lots of hoopla about recruiting young inexperienced people at the same time I'm feeling misunderstood and immensely overqualified for my job. Ugh! Can't wait for July and August when I'll be enjoying my life and the worker bees will still be cooped up in an over air conditioned office. Hah!! The last few weeks are difficult since I'm staying through June just so I can stash another $25 thou into the 401k. I am taking vaca over Memorial day, just to get away from the craziness.

Good for you. As wise folks say around here: Go out on your terms. Best wishes to you!

 

[tdv2]

Today is my Day !!! 5/15/2018

I will talk to you from the "Outside" later on.

I got my bus ticket and 20-bucks. Won't need the ticket, as I think Elwood is out front in the black Dodge right now

What a long, strange working trip it's been !

Way to go & congrats!!!! This thing they call retirement.....I highly recommend it.

 

[Mdlerth]

Got it in one

What a long, strange working trip it's been!

I expect this is how I'll feel when I clock out for the final time. No sadness, no exhilaration.

I'm still targeting December, but there are layoff rumors in the shadows so it may be that some executive chooses the date for me. Six months either way will be satisfactory. But I have a hunch that after I've been out for a while, I'll look back in wonder that I stayed as long as I did.

 

[CoolRich59]

One caution to us all - as I am basically lunging for the end date of August 1, I seem to have developed high blood pressure in a fairly short period of time

Oh no. Sorry to hear this. I sure hope that retirement will benefit your health!

 

[JoeWras]

Well, I suffered OMY for a few years, now I'm in OMM. I'm moving myself to 8/1. There's a little bonus involved, and maybe I'm a sucker too. But my foot is down, that's it! I've gotten both "no way, you are too young, stay with us until we die at our desks" responses, and "Congratulations!" Been interesting.

NEW LIST
======

Grumpyretirement
trapperjohn
datuck
Snoopy (55)
Lovetoski (46)

January
--------
chief04010 1/2
JeffinSeattle 1/2
Boilerman 1/2 (57)
OldPhd 1/4
Uncle Lumpy 1/5 (60)
ikubak 1/10 (55)
Coolrich59 1/31 (58)

February
----------
GrandmaHoo feb1 62.5

March
------
Nunyaa
elainejtm

April
-----
whatnot 4/1
Mr. and Mrs. Honeyfill 4/2
ears20 (57)
Poppydog and Mrs Poppydog 4/27 (63/59)
Tdv2 4/27 (54)
tmm2good 4/4 (58)
ILikeStarTrek (55)
4aboard 4/27 (42)
BeachOrCity 4/30 (53)

May
---
Hilltopper 5/4 (55)
Mcbraemer 5/15 (63)
SumDay 5/31
OnIslandTime and Mr. OIT 5/31 (59)
ears20 5/31 (57)
Ed B 5/31 (58)

June
----
Pullin 6/1
GaryT 6/1
Seabourne 6/1 (39)
neihn 6/30
Jollystomper 6/29
akidagain2018 6/30 (56)

July
----
Dan4495 (60)
68Bucks
MRC758 7/13

August
--------
JoeWras 8/1 (55)
Pellice 8/1 (62)

September
---------

October
-------
FIREmenow
RoyDornoch (60)

November
--------
Erbragg1 11/1

December
--------
Magwitch & Mrs. MagWitch 12/21 (39)
Cnocmmz
tmitchell (50)
WestUniv

 

[sayhey24]

Please add me to the list

Can't believe I'm done June 7 th...38 years down the drain...let the real life begin.

 

[WestUniversity]

Seeing everyone’s announcements has got me chomping at the bit, but I’m going to hang on until December 28th. There are still well placed rumors of a RIF. We’ll see. Congratulations to everyone who is done or is about to be so...[emoji898][emoji41]

 

[Offgrid Organic Farmer]

Today is my Day !!! 5/15/2018

I will talk to you from the "Outside" later on.

I got my bus ticket and 20-bucks. Won't need the ticket, as I think Elwood is out front in the black Dodge right now

What a long, strange working trip it's been !

Congratulations

 

[JoeWras]

Update with some recent entries:

Grumpyretirement
trapperjohn
datuck
Snoopy (55)
Lovetoski (46)

January
--------
chief04010 1/2
JeffinSeattle 1/2
Boilerman 1/2 (57)
OldPhd 1/4
Uncle Lumpy 1/5 (60)
ikubak 1/10 (55)
Coolrich59 1/31 (58)

February
----------
GrandmaHoo feb1 62.5

March
------
Nunyaa
elainejtm

April
-----
whatnot 4/1
Mr. and Mrs. Honeyfill 4/2
ears20 (57)
Poppydog and Mrs Poppydog 4/27 (63/59)
Tdv2 4/27 (54)
tmm2good 4/4 (58)
ILikeStarTrek (55)
4aboard 4/27 (42)
BeachOrCity 4/30 (53)

May
---
Hilltopper 5/4 (55)
Mcbraemer 5/15 (63)
SumDay 5/31
OnIslandTime and Mr. OIT 5/31 (59)
ears20 5/31 (57)
Ed B 5/31 (58)

June
----
Pullin 6/1
GaryT 6/1
Seabourne 6/1 (39)
sayhey24 6/7
neihn 6/30
Jollystomper 6/29
akidagain2018 6/30 (56)

July
----
Dan4495 (60)
68Bucks
MRC758 7/13

August
--------
JoeWras 8/1 (55)
Pellice 8/1 (62)

September
---------

October
-------
FIREmenow
RoyDornoch (60)

November
--------
Erbragg1 11/1

December
--------
Magwitch & Mrs. MagWitch 12/21 (39)
Cnocmmz
tmitchell (50)
WestUniversity 12/28

 

[DrBrisket]

5/15 was my last day.

Finally managed to find some time to post in this tread.

TGIM!

Updated list:

Grumpyretirement
trapperjohn
datuck
Snoopy (55)
Lovetoski (46)

January
--------
chief04010 1/2
JeffinSeattle 1/2
Boilerman 1/2 (57)
OldPhd 1/4
Uncle Lumpy 1/5 (60)
ikubak 1/10 (55)
Coolrich59 1/31 (58)

February
----------
GrandmaHoo feb1 62.5

March
------
Nunyaa
elainejtm

April
-----
whatnot 4/1
Mr. and Mrs. Honeyfill 4/2
ears20 (57)
Poppydog and Mrs Poppydog 4/27 (63/59)
Tdv2 4/27 (54)
tmm2good 4/4 (58)
ILikeStarTrek (55)
4aboard 4/27 (42)
BeachOrCity 4/30 (53)

May
---
Hilltopper 5/4 (55)
Mcbraemer 5/15 (63)
DrBrisket 5/15 (49)
SumDay 5/31
OnIslandTime and Mr. OIT 5/31 (59)
ears20 5/31 (57)
Ed B 5/31 (58)

June
----
Pullin 6/1
GaryT 6/1
Seabourne 6/1 (39)
sayhey24 6/7
neihn 6/30
Jollystomper 6/29
akidagain2018 6/30 (56)

July
----
Dan4495 (60)
68Bucks
MRC758 7/13

August
--------
JoeWras 8/1 (55)
Pellice 8/1 (62)

September
---------

October
-------
FIREmenow
RoyDornoch (60)

November
--------
Erbragg1 11/1

December
--------
Magwitch & Mrs. MagWitch 12/21 (39)
Cnocmmz
tmitchell (50)
WestUniversity 12/28

 

[Lienlord]

Making a reservation now for a seat at the 2018 table! I'm 53 and the plan is to leave the school district this Summer. Taking vacation this week using up time that I would lose if not used before June 30th, so it has been a nice "trial run" for what it will feel like in a few months. Also celebrating 28th anniversary to my DW this week!
I haven't given notice yet, working out some details before I do. Will post an update when that happens and a firm date has been set. Been researching healthcare alternatives for awhile, since DW owns her own business and we've always been on my work insurance.
Like many have said, it's hard to stay focused knowing you're a short-timer, but trying to bring my 'A game' every day out of respect for my boss and loyalty to my staff.
But admit to losing interest when discussing next year's budget! LOL

 

[Lienlord]

Making a reservation now for a seat at the 2018 table! I'm 53 and the plan is to leave the school district this Summer. Taking vacation this week using up time that I would lose if not used before June 30th, so it has been a nice "trial run" for what it will feel like in a few months. Also celebrating 28th anniversary to my DW this week!
I haven't given notice yet, working out some details before I do. Will post an update when that happens and a firm date has been set. Been researching healthcare alternatives for awhile, since DW owns her own business and we've always been on my work insurance.
Like many have said, it's hard to stay focused knowing you're a short-timer, but trying to bring my 'A game' every day out of respect for my boss and loyalty to my staff.
But admit to losing interest when discussing next year's budget! LOL

Oh, quick question to anyone that might have experienced this. When I leave I will have about 9 weeks of unused vacation that will be due me. Was considering asking to just continue on the payroll for that period instead of getting it paid in a lump sum. Not sure if that's legal or beneficial for my employer, but it would extend my health benefits for a few more months and extend my seniority for pension plan.