Join Early Retirement Today
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Dropped by the old office today...
Old 02-04-2019, 05:37 PM   #1
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
GalaxyBoy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: The Beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains
Posts: 2,782
Dropped by the old office today...

It was quite unintentional. I decided today that since DW was running around doing errands and I was on my own for lunch that I would go downtown (such as it is in my quaint little city) and eat at the Indian restaurant I used to frequent. DW won't touch the stuff and I love it.

After stuffing myself at the buffet I decided to take a brisk walk to try to make up for the excess calories. I briefly ran into a couple of ex coworkers and that was nice. Later, as I was starting the truck to leave, I got a text from a closer coworker saying he spotted me from a distance and invited me up to their new office. Turns out what he really wanted was to talk about ER, but that's beside the point.

The old Megacorp branch office I left almost two years ago had moved to much nicer accommodations, and had grown from about 25 to 40 heads. I made the rounds of the nickel tour, stopping to greet some nice familiar faces while marveling at the number of unfamiliar faces in so short a time.

But I couldn't help but feel a little knot start growing in the pit of my stomach. The new digs had new furniture, but it was still that trendy open office with low partitions, just higher than the level of the desks. As we walked past the workspaces I noticed several people on phones tapping their earpieces as we walked by to let us know we were too loud. Oh, do I remember that! I also couldn't help but overhear a couple of conversations about projects and how this or that was going wrong, or the client was demanding something or other on short notice. A meeting was starting and folks were hurrying to a conference room.

I don't think I'll drop in there again! It was nice to see some people, but just being in that environment made me feel like the walls were closing in again.
GalaxyBoy is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 02-04-2019, 07:05 PM   #2
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 395
Next time, do the walk first and see if people will join you at the Indian restaurant. Good people, no walls!
clobber is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2019, 07:08 PM   #3
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 327
You are wise: revisiting
the past is
unnecessary and unpleasant
footenote is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2019, 07:32 PM   #4
gone traveling
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,375
You did what?
gerntz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2019, 07:54 PM   #5
Moderator Emeritus
aja8888's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Conroe, Texas
Posts: 18,645
Did you get any _______ on you while you were there?
__________________
*********Go Astros!*********
aja8888 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2019, 07:56 PM   #6
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Huntsville, AL/Helen, GA
Posts: 6,002
We had a bunch of guys (and gals) who worked together, and we often traveled all over the region. Had some great times eating and drinking big on the company credit card.

After the company closed our regional office and consolidated jobs (where no one wanted to live), everyone retired. That was just about the last time any of the guys ever talked to each other. I'll call around once per year, and nobody has talked to anyone else.

And everyone goes their own way in retirement.
Bamaman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2019, 08:18 PM   #7
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 8,968
And nobody (except you) really cares if you live or die.
RobbieB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2019, 08:28 PM   #8
Moderator Emeritus
Ronstar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Northern Illinois
Posts: 16,543
Yep - don’t drop by the old office. Odds are that the visit will stir up bad work memories or invigorate an unwanted response from someone that is not happy that you showed up. Call, text or email former coworkers if you want to have contact with the old workmates.
Ronstar is offline   Reply With Quote
In RE, I plan to think about w*rk all the time... NOT!
Old 02-04-2019, 08:28 PM   #9
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Mdlerth's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: The Shire
Posts: 1,504
In RE, I plan to think about w*rk all the time... NOT!

I suspect I won't ever return to a previous w*rkplace once I clock out for good. For one thing, I'll be moving to my retirement house an hour away. Out of sight, out of mind.

Mostly I will miss the stories of employee misbehaviors. Some of the tales of what people - allegedly grownup people - will get up to are absurdly funny. I've heard about shenanigans I could never make up on my own. I'm hoping to remember the best ones so I can include them in a novel for authenticity.
__________________
Paying it forward is the best investment.
Mdlerth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2019, 08:46 PM   #10
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
timo2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Bernalillo, NM
Posts: 2,717
Yikes. I have nausea just thinking about returning to any office I ever worked in. Or any college, or high school also.
__________________

"We live the lives we lead because of the thoughts we think" ...Michael O’Neill
"We can cannot compel others to do our will" ....Norman Goldman
"There never is shortage of the gullible to accept the illogical"...Anonymous
timo2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2019, 10:33 PM   #11
Moderator
Jerry1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 9,101
I don’t like going back to the office. I’ve done it twice for a couple of parties. However, I worked at megacorp for almost 25 years. There are people there I don’t have any interest in, some I have a passing interest in and some I actually care about and am friends with. I have met people for lunch and breakfast, I went for drinks with the management team after the holidays. I imagine I’ll end up on the golf course once or twice a year with a few of them.

I don’t let the conversation focus on work. They can’t help it, but they get it and try to talk about the rest of their lives when I’m around. They’re a good group. I’m thankful to know them. They were never the problem with work. I hope it stays that way for awhile to even forever, but I unfortunately agree, it’s unlikely. People drift apart after retirement. This past year has been good in this regard. We’ll see what the next few years bring.
__________________
Every day when I open my eyes now it feels like a Saturday - David Gray
Jerry1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-05-2019, 12:05 AM   #12
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
njhowie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 3,931
I have a few old colleagues who I've stayed in touch with over the years since leaving megacorp. One is still at "my" megacorp, the others have moved on to other megacorps. Every year I make a few treks in to the city specifically to get together with and have lunch with each of them.

Invariably, the one at "my" megacorp invites me up to see the remainders of our gang. As folks I know see that I'm there, each comes over and joins in the discussion, is interested in what I've been up to, tells how terrible things are, and comments on how good I look and how I'm so stress free.

On the train ride home, I count my blessings and simply cannot imagine how I was able to put up with it all, day after day for so many years.

Life is good!
njhowie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-05-2019, 12:13 AM   #13
Full time employment: Posting here.
Focus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 640
Just reading your thread title made me shudder.
__________________
-
"Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants."
--Epictetus
Focus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-05-2019, 03:39 AM   #14
gone traveling
 
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 1,196
After 4 years of college and then joining the corporate world many moons ago, I would have nightmares for a year or two and wake up during the night dreaming about all night exam study sessions and the intense workload I had at school. Working for the last 3 decades there have been many nights I would have restless sleep at times thinking about work. After retiring early last year, have not been back to visit the rat race, and my rest and sleep have been much better.
Nick12 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-05-2019, 07:22 AM   #15
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Beaverton
Posts: 1,382
I live very close to my old company's headquarters (great when I commuted). I still have many friends there. They have an outlet store that I get a nice discount in that's attached to the offices. I make a point of not popping in and saying hi. I know there are a number of people that would like to see me however it is my philosophy that once retired the cord needs to be cut. Many I worked with don't understand that but I'm in a different place and enjoy the separation.
__________________
Jump in, the water's warm.
Bir48die is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-05-2019, 07:30 AM   #16
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 10,252
I see folks from my previous job regularly. I am going to lunches twice this week with former colleagues who are friends of mine and invited me out including my former boss. I have no problems visiting the building I worked in and talking to everybody there whether they knew me or not. Even the custodian and CEO are friends.

It is a shame that a place that some of you probably spent a significant portion of your life at churns your stomach so much. It should not be that way. And it never was for me.

I post this to present an alternate point of view for the young people reading this. Life is good; life was good. If your life isn't good now while working (or retired), then change it. Don't become one of those folks who shudder thinking of the past.
LOL! is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-05-2019, 07:50 AM   #17
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
MRG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 11,078
I went back for lunch once a week till we moved out of the area. This was with long term folks, I enjoyed their company. I still chat with them now. The facility was secure so I couldn't get inside, but I didn't want to.

I had one great run in with a prior VP. He wasn't part of my fan club, I didn't look like the people he valued. After I lost a lot of weight he saw me, chatted for a while. I got a big kick over the fact skinny me would have been accepted better. I knew he was like that, all about looks not substance.
MRG is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-05-2019, 07:55 AM   #18
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: the prairies
Posts: 5,027
Quote:
Originally Posted by LOL! View Post
I see folks from my previous job regularly. I am going to lunches twice this week with former colleagues who are friends of mine and invited me out including my former boss. I have no problems visiting the building I worked in and talking to everybody there whether they knew me or not. Even the custodian and CEO are friends.

It is a shame that a place that some of you probably spent a significant portion of your life at churns your stomach so much. It should not be that way. And it never was for me.
Same for me. I grew up in an office (started at 19) and developed many significant friendships that continue to this day, almost 3 years after retirement. We played sports together, went to each other's weddings, etc. The people that were just office friends disappeared after retirement but the real friends have remained.
Music Lover is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-05-2019, 07:58 AM   #19
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Souschef's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Santa Paula
Posts: 4,070
The only time I even think about my old w*kplace is when I fly over it returning from an Angel Flight mission.
I say to myself, I wold rather be here than there
__________________
Retired Jan 2009 Have not looked back.
AA 60/35/5 considering SS and pensions a SP annuity
WR 2% with 2SS & 2 Pensions
Souschef is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-05-2019, 09:02 AM   #20
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Mr._Graybeard's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 2,962
We have an informal alumni group of former newspaper editorial staffers that meets a few times a year for food and drinks. It's always a jovial time. One or two people who are still at the paper often drop in to share some shop talk. The news is seldom good.

I stopped in at the newsroom once when I happened to be downtown several years ago. People barely had time to look up from their desks.
Mr._Graybeard is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Dropped Cable TV Today ImThinkin2019 FIRE and Money 515 05-06-2016 01:35 PM
Dropped Cable Today audreyh1 Life after FIRE 200 12-21-2014 06:48 PM
DQOTD: MS Office > Apple "Office Suite" Midpack Other topics 10 02-03-2014 09:10 PM
Price of gold dropped $84 /oz. today haha FIRE and Money 63 05-09-2013 08:49 PM

» Quick Links

 
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:21 AM.
 
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.