The Last Days at W**K

[Shabby]

Well my official final countdown to FIRE is going. June 7th is my final day of W**K. This is 86 days, although some of those are weekends. I have been reading these forums for so many years waiting for this. I love reading about all your retired days and thoughts. These last days at w**k are definitely a challenge, not just coasting into the sunset. We are moving our office and I am training the person taking over.

I do sit here at this desk, under these fluorescent lights dreaming about posting about hobbies, trips, price of dryer sheets, etc. Can't wait.

Also, shout out to Line Dawg and Lawrencewendall who have the same FIRE date. Let's get through this guys!

 

[ImThinkin2019]

Hi Shabby, congratulations on getting near the finish line. Best wishes for the last few months!

I am not sure when the end date for me will be. Right now the plus days are more frequent than the beating days but too many beatings and I will be joining you.

Please report on the changes that happen emotionally and physically once you start on your new life. That will help those of us that are getting close and wondering "Should I or shouldn't I?"

 

[Carpediem]

That's only 62 workdays, Shabby! Maybe less if you're taking any time off before June 7th.

I most likely will be joining you, Line Dawg and Lawrencewendall on the 6/7 retirement date. Due to talk of potentially taking on new responsibilities from my new manager, I was prepared to tell him today in our 1x1 that I would be retiring in June. However, talk of the new responsibilities didn't come up and our time ran out. I would prefer to wait until April to tell him so I just need to get through one more 1x1 meeting this month before I tell him.

June can't get here fast enough.

 

[Fireup2020]

Awesome!!! Congratulations!!

 

[WestUniversity]

Congratulations Shabby!

 

[SumDay]

Congrats Shabby, you'll love it! I have to say Megacorp certainly didn't get their money's worth out of me those last few months. I ended up writing a manual of all the things I did and how and when I did them, so I guess that was helpful, but I sure stared out the window a lot, along with running FireCalc at least once per day, and of course, reading this board.

Hang in there - it will fly by!

 

[Koolau]

My final countdown was short (4 days - that's 4 get-ups and 3 weeks of vacation to make it to the end of the month.) For months prior, I had tried to slough off, but just couldn't do it. Time will go fast for you. You'll look back and wonder where the time went. For now, be sure to spend quality time (maybe lunch or coffee/watercooler time with the co-w*rkers you value.) Enjoy!

 

[trumpeting_angel]

I've been a lurker lately more than a poster, but now that my countdown has started, I feel like I should be active here! My last day will be June 27. I'm almost 66, but have been cutting back for a few years and now I'm quitting my 3 days/week job. I still have some freelance stuff going on, but we will see how long that lasts. Not precisely RE, but since I thought I'd be slaving over a hot computer until 72, it's early for me.

Two things got me to pull the trigger: (1) the commute. I live in Vermont, and the commute was an hour on a good day. Snowstorms stretched my commuting time, until one day snow at both the beginning and end of the day made my round trip about 3 hours. Um, no. (2) Granddaughter is 9 months old, 4 hours away, and I already feel like I'm missing all the important milestones. I want to visit more, spend more time with her and her parents, and be a part of her sweet little life. She is changing and growing so fast!

Leaving is hard; I'm a psychologist and I'm leaving clients, many of whom are pretty unhappy about it. I've moved on before, and this process is always stressful.

But - gardening! hiking! chickens! volunteer work! organizing and decluttering! skiing!

I believe I'm ready. These last few months will be hard, very hard.

 

[Shabby]

71 Days left. These days are crawling. I have been filling in my calendar with trips and concerts for the days after I am let out of this jail cell. My Q3 and Q4 are going to be amazing. My mind flips from worrying about how the business will do once I leave to realizing it doesn't matter to me anymore. Is it possible these fluorescent lights really do drain your soul? OK, sorry, I will get back to w**k.

 

[MBAustin]

Hang in there, Shabby!

Can you take a few vacation (or possibly mental health) days between now and then?

Rest assured, 99% of us are barely missed, if at all, after we ER. I was shocked at how few phone calls and e-mails I got in the first few weeks asking for help, and none at all after that (until several years later when it looked like I was going to be needed to testify in a lawsuit). So focus on what's ahead for you, not for them.

 

[RunningBum]

Great! I think somewhere there is a thread that talks about things to do during this time, like maxing out corporate matches, taking advantage of discounts, pilfering a lifetime supply of paper clips from the supply cabinet ;-) , and so on. I also remember sleeping well the last few weeks, because I was just ignoring all the petty stuff and busy work.

 

[ttvjef]

Hey Congrats! Hope your final days are pleasant. You picked a great time of year to call it quits with the summer to look forward to. I too retired in June (28th 2017) and have fond memories of my first summer of freedom. The final days I strived to stay positive, and just be pleasant as I wanted to leave with good feelings and memories.

 

[Dean56]

Hang in there, Shabby!

Rest assured, 99% of us are barely missed, if at all, after we ER. I was shocked at how few phone calls and e-mails I got in the first few weeks asking for help.......

So true........as they say, we are all replaceable!!

 

[Amethyst]

Well, unlike some, I've really enjoyed the last five years of part-time "consulting."

But now it's over, and I have two days left. Lots of "separation" activities to slog through, similar to retirement.

A co-worker asked me, nicely, who was going to replace me? "Although we know nobody can really replace you, Amethyst!" I'm afraid that what popped out of my mouth was, "Not my problem." We both laughed.

 

[Bir48die]

Well, unlike some, I've really enjoyed the last five years of part-time "consulting."

But now it's over, and I have two days left. Lots of "separation" activities to slog through, similar to retirement.

A co-worker asked me, nicely, who was going to replace me? "Although we know nobody can really replace you, Amethyst!" I'm afraid that what popped out of my mouth was, "Not my problem." We both laughed.

Somehow the machine will grind away without you. I promise

 

[Col. Klink]

One thing that I did was to bring in the blue IKEA bags that I knew I was going to use when it was to be my last day on the j*b. Felt good to have them at the ready as I counted down the days. Felt even better filling them on the last day! Two bags, collected all my desk / office trinkets and was out the door and into the sunlight of the new tomorrow. Congrats to you OP. Your day is coming soon!

 

[Tailgate]

Imagine that you're invisible...because you are. I must have used the 'not my problem' line 2 or 3 times a day until the end.

 

[Amethyst]

Well, I usually avoid that phrase because it sounds flippant. But right then, it was the 100% true response to her question! Actually there is a full-time person, whom I helped "train," who is doing a perfectly good job, such that I am not really needed (IMHO anyway)...but I didn't feel like getting into all that in front of everybody.

Imagine that you're invisible...because you are. I must have used the 'not my problem' line 2 or 3 times a day until the end.

 

[Shabby]

People always say that everyone is replaceable and I think for the most part that is true. But, in a company of 9 people that has been run by the same owner for 15 years, I think the learning curve for a new owner is longer than the 90 days I was asked to stay. Anyway, 64 days left...

 

[Line Dawg]

I'm with Shabby, these last days are really dragging. I have a lot of sick leave and vacation leave left. My company will compensate me for those days, but I've decided to take some of them and just w*rk 4 day weeks until the 7th of June. Ready to be RETIRED!

 

[Shabby]

just w*rk 4 day weeks until the 7th of June. Ready to be RETIRED!

4-Days a week is brilliant! I can't make that happen as I am contractually obligated now to make these last work days. 57 Days left buddy! Is this what marathon runners feel like?

 

[sturbridge]

I'm retiring at the end of May, and every morning, I do the count. I am the last of my job title, and will not be replaced, and there is no pension involved, so I will be giving just a usual 2 weeks notice. I already work from home, so there is no office to clean out. I will just need to ship my computer back when the time comes. My attitude is a lot better knowing those jerks who take my ideas and present them as theirs will be stuck/scrambling while I am having cocktails in the afternoons this summer.

 

[Line Dawg]

Is this what marathon runners feel like?

It must be. The finish line is so close, but everyday seems like an eternity.

 

[Carpediem]

It must be. The finish line is so close, but everyday seems like an eternity.

I'm seriously considering joining y'all on a June 7th departure. If I did, I would be down to 29 work days left as of today. That excludes weekends, holidays, and vacation days. Need to make a decision before my next 1x1 meeting next week.

 

[Shabby]

I'm seriously considering joining y'all on a June 7th departure.

Do it! Join us in the countdown. Total time: 52 Days and 5 Hours
By the way today here under the fluorescent lights is exceptionally soul sucking. All FIRED'd people, be really happy you aren't doing this anymore.