Class of 2018

[green night]

Inside two weeks, and I have personal day and holiday . And today is half over ... 7 1/2 days!

 

[68bucks]

Well my manager wanted to meet with me last Tuesday and discuss annual reviews and potential goals for next year. It was kind of funny, I had planned to meet with him the next day and give him the news of my leaving. Once he threw out a couple possible goals I let him know that I plan to finish the project I'm working on and then leave. I expect an early July completion date and a few weeks of paperwork clean up then gone. I am holding out 8/3 as the last day, 96 working days. It is a bit nerve wracking to make the decision official. I'm an excellent worrier so it has taken a little while to get the nerve up.

 

[hopeisnotaplan]

Put me down for 2018. As some of you may have read in another post, I have accepted a severance and will leave Mega in late April. Base and Cobra company paid until next March. I was planning to hold out OMY or maybe two, but the package offer made it a pretty easy decision. Ready to start monitoring the “Life After Fire” forum more closely now!

 

[tdv2]

no month specified
------------------
Grumpyretirement
trapperjohn
datuck
Snoopy (55)
Lovetoski (46)
Coolrich59 (59)

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

February
--------

March
-----
Nunyaa
elainejtm

April
-----
Seaborne (39)
whatnot 4/1
Mr. and Mrs. Honeyfill 4/2
ears20 (57)
Poppydog 4/30 (63/59)
Tdv2 4/30 (54)
tmm2good 4/4 (58)
ILikeStarTrek (55)

May
---
Joe Wras 5/1 (55)
Mcbraemer (63.5)
SumDay 5/31

June
----
Pullin 6/1
GaryT 6/1
Bigdawg


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

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

September
---------

October
-------
FIREmenow
RoyDornoch (60)
Ed B. 10/31

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

December
--------
Cnocmmz
tmitchell (50)
WestUniversity (60)[/QUOTE]

 

[tdv2]

Put me down for 2018. As some of you may have read in another post, I have accepted a severance and will leave Mega in late April. Base and Cobra company paid until next March. I was planning to hold out OMY or maybe two, but the package offer made it a pretty easy decision. Ready to start monitoring the “Life After Fire” forum more closely now!

Put your age and date on the list. Just copy and paste the list into a new post from the copy I posted above.

 

[SonofCohoes]

no month specified
------------------
Grumpyretirement
trapperjohn
datuck
Snoopy (55)
Lovetoski (46)
Coolrich59 (59)

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

February
--------

March
-----
Nunyaa
elainejtm

April
-----
Seaborne (39)
whatnot 4/1
Mr. and Mrs. Honeyfill 4/2
ears20 (57)
Poppydog 4/30 (63/59)
Tdv2 4/30 (54)
tmm2good 4/4 (58)
ILikeStarTrek (55)

May
---
Joe Wras 5/1 (55)
Mcbraemer (63.5)
SumDay 5/31

June
----
Pullin 6/1
GaryT 6/1
Bigdawg
SonofCohoes 6/1 (59)


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

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

September
---------

October
-------
FIREmenow
RoyDornoch (60)
Ed B. 10/31

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

December
--------
Cnocmmz
tmitchell (50)
WestUniversity (60)

[/QUOTE]

I’m in for 6/1

 

[CoolRich59]

Hey, CoolRich, how has it gone so far? Are you having fun and feeling relaxed?

Sorry for the delay in responding. Unfortunately, things have not been going so well for me.

As may be recalled, I made the decision to retire asap once I reached FI because of the effect j@b stress was having on my health. But, once I retired, all those health issues seemed to erupt and really knocked me for a loop.

So, instead of having fun and relaxing, I was feeling pretty lousy and miserable. Not quite how I had envisioned things to work out.

The good news is that I have a great doc. I had a visit with him and he adjusted the dosage on the Rx he has me on. He also recommended some supplements and some lifestyle changes. It's been about 10 days since I saw him and I'm feeling a lot better.

I also think I was not as prepared as I should have been to ER. Once I hit FI, I retired less than 2 months afterwards. So, even though I was financially prepared to retire, I was not mentally prepared and didn't know what to do with myself. I've since realized that I feel a lot better if I have a "plan" for all or part of the day. Otherwise, I sleep late, wake up and spend the day vegetating by watching tv or surfing the web.

So, now I've been putting together a bullet list of things I want to do each day. Even if I only get through half the list, I feel better getting out and doing something as opposed to binge-watching some show on Netflix.

 

[Pellice]

CoolRich, so sorry for your troubles. I can see how the health problems can happen - you're pushing through so hard to reach the end and gritting your teeth and just doing it, then you crash. We are all very different, but I diffidently would like to make a suggestion: can you get outdoors into the natural world more or less regularly? It's something I think of as very healing. You can do it alone or with all the little groups that go on walks. A place near Chicago that has always intrigued me is Goose Lake Natural Area https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/Parks/Pages/GooseLakePrairie.aspx. Of course, I don't know whether something like that would appeal to you. But it's spring, and to see the original Illinois prairie in its more or less original state sounds like a plan!

 

[CoolRich59]

We are all very different, but I diffidently would like to make a suggestion: can you get outdoors into the natural world more or less regularly? It's something I think of as very healing.

Thank you so much for your kind words Pellice. You must know my doctor because this is one of his recommendations (more like a command ).

I live in Lake County and have already hit a couple of local trails for walks. Even walking around my neighborhood at night is both good exercise and very relaxing.

 

[TimeMeasure]

I live in Lake County and have already hit a couple of local trails for walks. Even walking around my neighborhood at night is both good exercise and very relaxing.

Haven’t been there in years, but in Lake County, Ryerson Nature Preserve used to be a great area to walk. Old forest with long trails through it, and the Des Plaines river running along one border.

 

[Bigdawg]

no month specified
------------------
Grumpyretirement
trapperjohn
datuck
Snoopy (55)
Lovetoski (46)
Coolrich59 (59)

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

February
--------

March
-----
Nunyaa
elainejtm

April
-----
Seaborne (39)
whatnot 4/1
Mr. and Mrs. Honeyfill 4/2
ears20 (57)
Poppydog 4/30 (63/59)
Tdv2 4/30 (54)
tmm2good 4/4 (58)
ILikeStarTrek (55)

May
---
Joe Wras 5/1 (55)
Mcbraemer (63.5)
SumDay 5/31

June
----
Pullin 6/1
GaryT 6/1

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

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

September
---------

October
-------
FIREmenow
RoyDornoch (60)
Ed B. 10/31

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

December
--------
Cnocmmz
tmitchell (50)
WestUniversity (60)


Took myself off the list. Plan to go full in 2018 and 2019. I will pull back to 30 hours/week in March of 2020. In 2021 I will pull back to 20 hours/week and fully disengage in 2022 or so. DW is still working and both of our jobs pay well and are not stressful. FI now so can punch at anytime.

 

[neihn]

Added myself to the list. June 30th this year is the day.

no month specified
------------------
Grumpyretirement
trapperjohn
datuck
Snoopy (55)
Lovetoski (46)
Coolrich59 (59)

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

February
--------

March
-----
Nunyaa
elainejtm

April
-----
Seaborne (39)
whatnot 4/1
Mr. and Mrs. Honeyfill 4/2
ears20 (57)
Poppydog 4/30 (63/59)
Tdv2 4/30 (54)
tmm2good 4/4 (58)
ILikeStarTrek (55)

May
---
Joe Wras 5/1 (55)
Mcbraemer (63.5)
SumDay 5/31

June
----
Pullin 6/1
GaryT 6/1
neihn 6/30

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

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

September
---------

October
-------
FIREmenow
RoyDornoch (60)
Ed B. 10/31

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

December
--------
Cnocmmz
tmitchell (50)
WestUniversity (60)

 

[CoolRich59]

Haven’t been there in years, but in Lake County, Ryerson Nature Preserve used to be a great area to walk. Old forest with long trails through it, and the Des Plaines river running along one border.

Beautiful area. It's about 40 minutes from where I live, but 5 minutes from my megacorp office. I used to drive past there every day.

 

[Pellice]

Well, I got the first request to think about staying on a bit longer, to the end of the year. But, I can't, I can't, I can't. Every fiber of my being wants out. The money, although probably helpful, isn't the issue. The only issue would be that I like the people who are asking me, AND that if I don't, it could be the end of my unit. We all hear that we worker bees are totally replaceable. Well, I am not. BUT - alternatively, my unit is replaceable. It falls into the "nice to have, but not necessary" category.

I would not want to be the one to say, "I don't care." But I don't think I can stay. I've got multiple countdowns. I have my first day after ending work planned. I have my second day planned. I can't wait.

 

[CoolRich59]

Well, I got the first request to think about staying on a bit longer, to the end of the year. But, I can't, I can't, I can't. Every fiber of my being wants out. The money, although probably helpful, isn't the issue. The only issue would be that I like the people who are asking me, AND that if I don't, it could be the end of my unit. We all hear that we worker bees are totally replaceable. Well, I am not. BUT - alternatively, my unit is replaceable. It falls into the "nice to have, but not necessary" category.

I would not want to be the one to say, "I don't care." But I don't think I can stay. I've got multiple countdowns. I have my first day after ending work planned. I have my second day planned. I can't wait.

Tough call. I don't know your situation, but what I always told people on my team is that if you're that indispensable, the company needs to add you to the board of directors and pay you a lot more money.

 

[53anddone]

Add me to March please!!

I am also adjusting and have a bullet list intake on each day. Lack of structure takes some getting used to.

For me I think the big change is that when working I always had a goal (finish and retire). Now that I am there the goals are softer and a bit more challenging to pin down.

 

[Pellice]

Tough call. I don't know your situation, but what I always told people on my team is that if you're that indispensable, the company needs to add you to the board of directors and pay you a lot more money.

I'm probably overestimating my own indispensability. But it's more that my unit is fairly dispensable, and it's easier to dispense with it if the experienced person who was doing the implementation is leaving. Well, after sleeping on it, I know I can't stay unless the economy collapses and takes my retirement savings with it.

 

[akidagain2018]

My spreadsheet says 64 more work days!!



The question is, when the time comes, can I really pull the trigger? I have to leave crazyville job. Still nervous. Fingers crossed I have the guts to go.

 

[Pellice]

My spreadsheet says 64 more work days!!



The question is, when the time comes, can I really pull the trigger? I have to leave crazyville job. Still nervous. Fingers crossed I have the guts to go.

I understand. This economy on stimulants - sprint and crash - isn't helping. I am really nervous about the economic future. But what happens if you DON'T pull the trigger? Will it then be YOU who goes crazy rather than being in a crazy job?

Would it help to get a second opinion on your finances? That's what's keeping me from being even more nervous. MY FA keeps reassuring me that she has "zero concerns." Or is it another issue making you nervous.

Do you have your first day of retirement planned out? And does it seem absolutely delicious?

 

[akidagain2018]

I've been doing my financial projections for over ten years. I started small, built in all assets annd projections including tax effects, and computed MRW at 70.5. Also did the FIRE tool everyone here does. And visited with Fidelity each of past few years using their forecasting tool. All say, good to go. I'm getting retiree medical at group rates, single. . I think I've been working on this for so long that now I'm obsessed with ever increasing savings and investing. I hate the idea of making withdrawals. But the crazyville job will make crazy if I don't go. Life is too short to spend more time in a concrete building behind a desk.

 

[OnIslandTime]

Added myself (and DH) to the list...last day 5/31!

no month specified
------------------
Grumpyretirement
trapperjohn
datuck
Snoopy (55)
Lovetoski (46)
Coolrich59 (59)

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

February
--------

March
-----
Nunyaa
elainejtm

April
-----
Seaborne (39)
whatnot 4/1
Mr. and Mrs. Honeyfill 4/2
ears20 (57)
Poppydog 4/30 (63/59)
Tdv2 4/30 (54)
tmm2good 4/4 (58)
ILikeStarTrek (55)

May
---
Joe Wras 5/1 (55)
Mcbraemer (63.5)
SumDay 5/31
OnIslandTime 5/31

June
----
Pullin 6/1
GaryT 6/1
neihn 6/30

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

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

September
---------

October
-------
FIREmenow
RoyDornoch (60)
Ed B. 10/31

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

December
--------
Cnocmmz
tmitchell (50)
WestUniversity (60)

 

[JoeWras]

Been maxing out the 401k and hit the limit today. Still have another paycheck to max out catch up. Going to ride the rest of the way with max on non-deductible 401k for a megabackdoor later.

Stuff is real!

I don't want to just cut and paste again, but next time maybe someone can change me to 6/1. Various reasons to delay one more month...

 

[ears20]

no month specified
------------------
Grumpyretirement
trapperjohn
datuck
Snoopy (55)
Lovetoski (46)
Coolrich59 (59)

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

February
--------

March
-----
Nunyaa
elainejtm

April
-----
Seaborne (39)
whatnot 4/1
Mr. and Mrs. Honeyfill 4/2
ears20 (57)
Poppydog 4/30 (63/59)
Tdv2 4/30 (54)
tmm2good 4/4 (58)
ILikeStarTrek (55)

May
---
Mcbraemer (63.5)
SumDay 5/31
OnIslandTime 5/31
ears20 5/31 (57)

June
----
Pullin 6/1
GaryT 6/1
JoeWras 6/1 (55)
neihn 6/30

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

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

September
---------

October
-------
FIREmenow
RoyDornoch (60)
Ed B. 10/31

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

December
--------
Cnocmmz
tmitchell (50)
WestUniversity (60)

Got ya covered, Joe. I also moved back a month due to a very reasonable request from my boss, as well as accruing all my vacation by staying...[emoji16]

 

[beaglemom]

I don't know whether I should add myself back into this class! My last day was supposed to be May 23rd but I have agreed to w*rk 12 hours a week (one day in the office and one morning w*rking from home) until next February. Before I caved in to the tearful (seriously) request of my boss, DH and I planned two road trips during June. We have more trips planned in August and October too. My boss is good with me taking a 4 week sabbatical in June and has assured me that I can take any time off that I want. I also do not have to attend the weekly office meeting!!! I think this new schedule will make me feel retired even if I'm not technically retired. Thoughts?

 

[JoeWras]

I don't know whether I should add myself back into this class! My last day was supposed to be May 23rd but I have agreed to w*rk 12 hours a week (one day in the office and one morning w*rking from home) until next February. Before I caved in to the tearful (seriously) request of my boss, DH and I planned two road trips during June. We have more trips planned in August and October too. My boss is good with me taking a 4 week sabbatical in June and has assured me that I can take any time off that I want. I also do not have to attend the weekly office meeting!!! I think this new schedule will make me feel retired even if I'm not technically retired. Thoughts?

Some people report a lot of satisfaction on ramping down via PT.

Personally, we have a person at M.C. who went PT. Doesn't matter. Fires are always burning. Emails are always expected to be answered, 24.7. I don't think it is working that well in this particular situation.

PT can become FT easily, unless you put very strict limits on your working hours, AND your boss/company fully respect it. For those that go that way, it can work very nicely. So if your boss and company respect it, it might be really nice to ramp down like that.