Sorry for Old Work Friends

[Car-Guy]

Even though I don't hear from the folks at mega-corp anymore, I'll admit I often think about some of them and how the economy and pandemic may have affected them... I do keep up with what's going on with my old company through public announcements and the retirees website. I keep reading about staff reductions, benefit cutbacks, industry troubles, etc.... Not a lot of good news.

In addition, I suspect a lot of them have lost ~50% of the value in their 401k's over the past few years because of the investing "mindset" and culture there... I won't go into that here.

 

[SpinDoctorTX]

We've kept in touch with a few of our old colleagues. Some turned into real friends over time, & others not so much. Sometimes, all you really had in common was work. I get together with 4 former colleagues fairly frequently (well I did until covid- now we call). DH & I keep in touch with one couple and a male friend with whom he did business when he had his insurance agency.

I'm motivated to keep a larger friend group- of all ages as I don't want to outlive ALL of my friends as my DGM did. My DM's friends are dropping like flies these days. It really weighs on her, as she is still a social butterfly. I don't want to have that happen to me. I'm no butterfly- quite introverted really, but I do need human interaction regularly. DGM & DGGM both lived to 101, & my Mom is now 84 and not slowing down. She drives to Houston from KY every year before TG to be a snowbird, staying in her winter quarters.

 

[harley]

Most of my current friends are old work friends, but very few are still working. I retired 14 years ago, and one couple (same age as me) had retired a couple of years earlier. I also have a few older friends that retired about the same time. A couple of my age peers retired at a more normal age 60 or so. I talk to these people regularly, play guitar with a couple, camp with a different bunch, and get together with another one whenever possible. Work was a good place to make friends. I've only got a few good friends that I met outside the work environment.

Interesting that so many of you didn't make real long term friends on the job. Of course, I stayed in the same company (basically) for over 20 years. But we did a lot of extracurricular activities at the workplace. Annual crab, beer and dancing parties, softball and soccer leagues, and actual Christmas parties in the early days. It all faded over time, but there was time to build some decent relationships before it all went too corporate.

We may have all come from the same company, but we seldom waste any time talking about the old job. Ancient and unimportant history.

 

[Music Lover]

Most of my current friends are old work friends, but very few are still working. I retired 14 years ago, and one couple (same age as me) had retired a couple of years earlier. I also have a few older friends that retired about the same time. A couple of my age peers retired at a more normal age 60 or so. I talk to these people regularly, play guitar with a couple, camp with a different bunch, and get together with another one whenever possible. Work was a good place to make friends. I've only got a few good friends that I met outside the work environment.

Interesting that so many of you didn't make real long term friends on the job. Of course, I stayed in the same company (basically) for over 20 years. But we did a lot of extracurricular activities at the workplace. Annual crab, beer and dancing parties, softball and soccer leagues, and actual Christmas parties in the early days. It all faded over time, but there was time to build some decent relationships before it all went too corporate.

We may have all come from the same company, but we seldom waste any time talking about the old job. Ancient and unimportant history.

I was at the same place for 34 years from age 19 until retirement so I made a lot of long term friends that were also friends outside of work. We played on the same sports teams, went to each other's weddings, saw kids being raised, etc. I'm still in a band with the spouse of someone I sat beside my first few weeks on the job almost 40 years ago.

 

[JustCurious]

If I die next week, they were right to blow it all while alive.

I think they were right to blow it all whether you die next week or not, if you are dead it won't matter to you either way.

 

[Koolau]

Most of my current friends are old work friends, but very few are still working. I retired 14 years ago, and one couple (same age as me) had retired a couple of years earlier. I also have a few older friends that retired about the same time. A couple of my age peers retired at a more normal age 60 or so. I talk to these people regularly, play guitar with a couple, camp with a different bunch, and get together with another one whenever possible. Work was a good place to make friends. I've only got a few good friends that I met outside the work environment.

Interesting that so many of you didn't make real long term friends on the job. Of course, I stayed in the same company (basically) for over 20 years. But we did a lot of extracurricular activities at the workplace. Annual crab, beer and dancing parties, softball and soccer leagues, and actual Christmas parties in the early days. It all faded over time, but there was time to build some decent relationships before it all went too corporate.

We may have all come from the same company, but we seldom waste any time talking about the old job. Ancient and unimportant history.

Yeah, I got to know hundreds of people through my w*rk over 36 years. I'd say 2 of them became "lasting" (as in I still communicate with them regularly after ER 15 years) friends. The others, for the most part, I would enjoy running into them and sharing coffee (not too likely here in Paradise, but you never know.) Same with 500 classmates from HS (20% now gone) I had two close friends from HS and I married one of them The other passed a year ago. Most of my close friends were made through church so YMMV.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

Most of my current friends are old work friends, but very few are still working. I retired 14 years ago, and one couple (same age as me) had retired a couple of years earlier. I also have a few older friends that retired about the same time. A couple of my age peers retired at a more normal age 60 or so. I talk to these people regularly, play guitar with a couple, camp with a different bunch, and get together with another one whenever possible. Work was a good place to make friends. I've only got a few good friends that I met outside the work environment.

Same here. I retired in 2013, DW in 2008. We worked for the same employer. We both still consider some former co-workers among our closest friends. We got together off the job for many years and continued to do so after retirement, although Covid-19 has put a crimp into that.

 

[harley]

Same with 500 classmates from HS (20% now gone) I had two close friends from HS and I married one of them The other passed a year ago. Most of my close friends were made through church so YMMV.

We moved a lot in my school years. I went to 5 high schools. Not a recipe for lasting friendships. I am FB friends with one or two. Same with a few old church camp friends. Had some good friends from college, but after marriage that all went away. So nobody lasted from the early days. If it wasn't for my work relationships I'd be a hermit. (No offense, Hermit).

And I have made a real life friend from ER.org. Hopefully we'll be able to get back together at FloydFest post-Covid.

 

[rk911]

i met three of my closest, best friends at work...one was there when i started in 1978, the other a few years later. two are retired, one hasn't wised up yet. we talk, text or email almost daily. we're going out to b'fast with the working stiff and his wife on saturday.

 

[Blue531]

The pandemic of 2020 affected my two previous employers. One big manufacturing plant closed and an old friend I know was suddenly unemployed after almost 17 years. The other place I worked for let over half the people go for good. That job entailed retail support. My current job was in a grocery store, so we were not affected and I just retired this year. 2007-2009 reminded me that living simply is best. Big lay offs from 2001 to 2003 taught me a lesson, too.