I have only been to my old job site when they have paid me to consult. And recently I have turned that down because even my high hourly rate is not enough to assuage my concerns about potential liability. What I noticed most was how few of the 300 people there that worked for me 3 years ago had left and been replaced by strangers! It felt like Invasion of the Body Snatchers. But one thing is for sure, the plant I used to be chained to runs on without me. Nobody is irreplaceable.
Dropped by the old office today...
- Thread starter GalaxyBoy
- Start date
Andre1969
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
I'm still w*rking, but I have noticed, over the years, is that even the colleagues I thought of as more like friends, still faded from memory after they moved on. People say they'll keep in touch, but they don't.
And, I suspect I'll be the same way, when I finally retire. At one time, I figured that I might still run into a few people from time to time, because I had been living about 2 1/2 miles from work. So I'd run into people at the grocery store, restaurants, or whatever. But, I moved about 17 miles away last year, so once I'm retired, I have a feeling I won't be going back that way very often.
Right now, I'd say there's only one coworker I'd have any interest in keeping touch with. I've known her since roughly 1996. But, about 2 years ago, she moved to another project, and I haven't seen her more than a handful of times since then. We do chat every once in awhile on the phone or email. So, while it would be nice to keep in touch, I have a feeling it won't happen.
About 10-12 years ago, we had this one secretary that I thought was pretty cool, and, naive optimistic me, I once said that I hoped we'd keep in touch, even after we went on to different projects, retired, etc. She said that, while it's nice, realistically, life doesn't work out that way.
Although, ironically, when I went to her retirement party about 6-7 years ago, she started passing out business cards because she wanted to keep in touch! I took one. Hate to say it, but I haven't tried to initiate contact. Out of sight, out of mind, too much water under the bridge, whatever cliche you want to use, I guess.
I've heard though, from mutual acquaintances, that she's been miserable. She and her husband had bought a motorhome, and intended to do a lot of traveling together once they were both retired. He had gone out before her. Well, soon after she retired, he passed away. And then, she fell on hard times. The house ended up going in a short-sale. She moved out to Iowa, or Nebraska, or one of those states (my apologies for for mixing them up, for anyone who lives in one of those states!
), to live with her sister, and apparently hates it with a passion.
It's a sad tale, actually. I think she was around 60 when she retired, so that was a bit ahead of the curve. But, what should have been some of her best years in retirement, have been pretty miserable. She's actually a bit of a cautionary tale for me, and a reason why I want to get out while I'm still pretty young, and can enjoy it!
And, I suspect I'll be the same way, when I finally retire. At one time, I figured that I might still run into a few people from time to time, because I had been living about 2 1/2 miles from work. So I'd run into people at the grocery store, restaurants, or whatever. But, I moved about 17 miles away last year, so once I'm retired, I have a feeling I won't be going back that way very often.
Right now, I'd say there's only one coworker I'd have any interest in keeping touch with. I've known her since roughly 1996. But, about 2 years ago, she moved to another project, and I haven't seen her more than a handful of times since then. We do chat every once in awhile on the phone or email. So, while it would be nice to keep in touch, I have a feeling it won't happen.
About 10-12 years ago, we had this one secretary that I thought was pretty cool, and, naive optimistic me, I once said that I hoped we'd keep in touch, even after we went on to different projects, retired, etc. She said that, while it's nice, realistically, life doesn't work out that way.
Although, ironically, when I went to her retirement party about 6-7 years ago, she started passing out business cards because she wanted to keep in touch! I took one. Hate to say it, but I haven't tried to initiate contact. Out of sight, out of mind, too much water under the bridge, whatever cliche you want to use, I guess.
I've heard though, from mutual acquaintances, that she's been miserable. She and her husband had bought a motorhome, and intended to do a lot of traveling together once they were both retired. He had gone out before her. Well, soon after she retired, he passed away. And then, she fell on hard times. The house ended up going in a short-sale. She moved out to Iowa, or Nebraska, or one of those states (my apologies for for mixing them up, for anyone who lives in one of those states!
), to live with her sister, and apparently hates it with a passion.It's a sad tale, actually. I think she was around 60 when she retired, so that was a bit ahead of the curve. But, what should have been some of her best years in retirement, have been pretty miserable. She's actually a bit of a cautionary tale for me, and a reason why I want to get out while I'm still pretty young, and can enjoy it!
