Final Countdown to ER

Alan said:
On Friday, a 62 yr old guy, who had worked here for ever, dropped dead with heart failure. He was very well known and well liked. When things like this happen no one questions why you are leaving early and everyone wishes they were able to do the same.
Click to expand...
A few months before DH retired, a fellow friend/coworker died at the age of 53. He and DH had gone to lunch on Friday, the following Monday we were told our friend had passed away.

Yes...there is definitely a better understanding of ER when people hear of an unexpected death.
 
Everyone wished me well and all that.
It was just me thinking" Get that silly smile off your face".
These poor guys, the few that were actually friends. Didn't have the years of service in and little to no chance of getting out anytime soon.
Oh, I remember a lot of people with years on me leaving me behind too though. Matter of fact I had lunch with one of my friends (few day ago) that retired and left me 17 years ago. It was so neat to meet him and share stories. He's 83 now and still enjoying his retirement. Getting around so good it hardly seemed like he had aged. He took me to his home and started showing me all the remodeling and projects he had done after retirement. Nice work I might add. He had already put messages in some Christmas cards to guys (closer to his age) he and I had worked with through the years, notifying them I had retired and finally escaped. Pretty cool I thought.
Anyway, I always wished all the retiree's well but had a touch of envy and jealousy deep within.
Kind of a sick feeling of "will I ever make it".
I told the " I got life without parole" story many many times through the years :LOL:
But I'm Free, Free at Last !!!
Steve
 
Alan said:
....
10 minutes ago my boss's boss just told me to stop grinning so much or I'd sprain my face and he didn't want to risk having to report it as a workplace injury.

in the words of a Beatles song, "Getting better every day" :dance:
Click to expand...

I love this--I'm grinning myself just reading it!
 
Just had a great lunch with my department - about 25 folks and my manager, who has known me for over 20 years, said that he was always impressed at the things I could say without getting into trouble. He reminded me of 2 instances, one of which I'll recall here.

I transferred to this company from the parent company after 2 years of being here on assignment. It was a big deal as the parent company were not too pleased at losing me and there'd been some bad feeling.

So, I was in the HR department signing the final paperwork and all the HR folks were there including the HR manager who said to me, "You know, you are joining the wrong department. You should be joing HR, as the success of a company depends on its people, and it's HR who hire the best and keep them happy". I replied, "I almost joined HR once, and I was right at this final stage when they realized that I wasn't qualified - they found out that I had a father!!". It took a few seconds for everyone to realize that I'd just said that only b*st*rds work in HR and everyone burst out laughing, except the HR manager whose face turned black as thunder. I didn't realize that he was so thin skinned.

I'm off home for the day now - only 20 hours work left :cool:
 
Alan said:
Just had a great lunch with my department - about 25 folks and my manager, who has known me for over 20 years, said that he was always impressed at the things I could say without getting into trouble. He reminded me of 2 instances, one of which I'll recall here.

I transferred to this company from the parent company after 2 years of being here on assignment. It was a big deal as the parent company were not too pleased at losing me and there'd been some bad feeling.

So, I was in the HR department signing the final paperwork and all the HR folks were there including the HR manager who said to me, "You know, you are joining the wrong department. You should be joing HR, as the success of a company depends on its people, and it's HR who hire the best and keep them happy". I replied, "I almost joined HR once, and I was right at this final stage when they realized that I wasn't qualified - they found out that I had a father!!". It took a few seconds for everyone to realize that I'd just said that only b*st*rds work in HR and everyone burst out laughing, except the HR manager whose face turned black as thunder. I didn't realize that he was so thin skinned.

I'm off home for the day now - only 20 hours work left :cool:
Click to expand...

WOW!!! :clap: :dance: You are almost there!

As for the HR manager, I agree - - he needs to learn to take a joke!
 
Tick-tock, tick-tock!!!!! I imagine you felt like this day would never get here. :)
 
Wow Alan, the days sure are flying by. Before you know it your first three months of retirement will have flown by.
 
W2R said:
WOW!!! :clap: :dance: You are almost there!

As for the HR manager, I agree - - he needs to learn to take a joke!
Click to expand...

Six years after I joined I was walking out one day to the parking lot with the company president and he knew that I must be getting close to getting my US citizenship so he asked how soon it be. I told him that the only thing left to do was the lobotomy. He normally takes a joke well, but this time he wagged his finger at me and warned me that my British humour would get me in trouble some day.

But I survived and now am so close to crossing the finishing line I can hardly believe it. Still no word from HR on pensions but I've even lost my concerns over that. Euphoria rules :ROFLMAO:
 
Alan said:
Six years after I joined I was walking out one day to the parking lot with the company president and he knew that I must be getting close to getting my US citizenship so he asked how soon it be. I told him that the only thing left to do was the lobotomy. He normally takes a joke well, but this time he wagged his finger at me and warned me that my British humour would get me in trouble some day.

But I survived and now am so close to crossing the finishing line I can hardly believe it. Still no word from HR on pensions but I've even lost my concerns over that. Euphoria rules :ROFLMAO:
Click to expand...

Yeah baby, revel in the euphoria. BTW, I love British humour.
 
DangerMouse said:
Wow Alan, the days sure are flying by. Before you know it your first three months of retirement will have flown by.
Click to expand...

And they will continue to fly by fast. March 31st marks the 3rd anniversary of my retirement. Seems like yesterday I was a working grunt. :blink:
 
Purron said:
For you Alan. A little song by some British guy...
Click to expand...

Thanks - that echo's my feelings perfectly :dance:

Dawg52 said:
And they will continue to fly by fast. March 31st marks the 3rd anniversary of my retirement. Seems like yesterday I was a working grunt. :blink:
Click to expand...

3 years already - congratulations !!

Tomorrow is only a 4 hr day :D:D
 
I will be gone when your first day of freedom arrives, so enjoy. Congratulations in advance. You have certainly earned it. School's out forever!
 
Dreamer said:
I will be gone when your first day of freedom arrives, so enjoy. Congratulations in advance. You have certainly earned it. School's out forever!
Click to expand...

Thanks - much appreciated. 1 hour left today, 16 hours to go next week!!
 
Last day tomorrow, or at least half day. I worked 10 hours today in order to flex a couple Tuesday - I woke up at 4 and couldn't get back to sleep so was in work by 5:20 :crazy:. I'll start at 6 on Tuesday and be out of there by noon.

I actually did an hour or so of real work today. Rest of the time was exchanging e-mail with friends overseas etc. I will definitely keep in touch and visit some of them in years to come - always nice to have the locals for advice when visiting foreign countries.

Rest of the day was visiting with folks at work, and that's all I'll be doing tomorrow. I feel really strange and nervous - even took my bp twice on the machine in the cafeteria and it was very high at 150/90 and 140/85 :(:( May also have something to do with the fact that the movers are coming on Wednesday - I'll be so pleased once the move back to Texas is done.

And HR still haven't come up with pension options :bat:
 
Just retiring by itself is a lot to deal with. It is such a HUGE adventure, especially the first few days. So is the move, and I am sure you will be pleased once these milestones are behind you. :)

I got my pension direct deposited January 4th, but I still haven't received anything from OPM telling me if this is an interim estimate or the final amount, what the deductions are, and so on. I think HR people delight in keeping us in the dark for as long as possible. :2funny: I will probably call them this week.
 
W2R said:
Just retiring by itself is a lot to deal with. It is such a HUGE adventure, especially the first few days. So is the move, and I am sure you will be pleased once these milestones are behind you. :)
Click to expand...

thanks - I enjoyed reading your posts during your final few days and following days into ER, but reading and experiencing is more different than I imagined. After so many years planning and waiting for the day I didn't expect to be stressed like this - very, very odd and so not in character to how I normally am.
 
Alan said:
I feel really strange and nervous - even took my bp twice on the machine in the cafeteria and it was very high at 150/90 and 140/85 :(:( May also have something to do with the fact that the movers are coming on Wednesday - I'll be so pleased once the move back to Texas is done.
Click to expand...


Time for some deep breaths there!!! Seriously, maybe put some meditation or yoga on your list of things to do? That would probably help the nerves and bring the BP down some. This is such a huge deal...I think maybe you need some reflection time.:flowers:


You've worked so hard for this, planned for it, and wished for it - it's HERE! Relax and enjoy, literally, the fruits of your labor! :D


And yes, you will feel soooooo much better after you are in your new place - take it from someone who just moved 9 days ago!
 
Alan said:
Last day tomorrow
I'll be so pleased once the move back to Texas is done.

And HR still haven't come up with pension options :bat:
Click to expand...

Just one more day, man that's great. I know you are pumped but take it easy on the pumper now. :nonono:
Looks like you have the same HR department I do.
I even ended up having to go down to City Hall the day after my last working day to sign more papers that I wasn't informed about until the last minute.
You may want to be sure you have all paper work completed before leaving the State. I know you will not be interested in traveling back for any autographs. :LOL:
Can't believe you planned a move at the same time as ER.
I think I would have taken a week or so break between the two.
Steve
 
Last day at work and it is so weird. I woke up at 2am out of a dream/nightmare. I've always being able to remember my first day at school. First week in January, 1960, a few weeks before my 5th birthday - kids in England start full time school the semester in which they will reach 5 yrs old. We were still living in the 2 room place my parents had been in since they got married 7 years earlier. My brother was 15 months old and we both shared a bed in the same bedroom as our parents.
It was cold and I was huddled up in front of the coal fire trying to get warm. Mam brought me some breakfast and Dad was talking to me as he got ready to go out to work and I watched him heave on his heavy coat, pull on his flat cap, and put his bag over his shoulder. The bag will have contained a flask of tea and some sandwiches and stuff - the usually fare. Off he went to walk to the pit about a mile and a half away - the time was 7:15. At 7:30 Mam and I left and walked round the block to the bus station to catch the bus. It cost one old penny (1d) and the bus conductor was our neighbor who lived upstairs. I was all excited, I'd been waiting for this day for what seemed like a long, long time.
When we got to school I rushed off to play with the other kids. There were lots of play areas and I went to a large, recessed table filled with sand, and there was water where you could wet the sand to help make it easier to build stuff. I was having a great time and then I heard my mother call. I looked up and saw her wave, shout her good-byes then turn and leave. My stomach churned and my heart pounded in my throat, and then I woke up, reliving that memory.
I couldn't get back to sleep and ended up getting up at 4:20. I've been in work since 5:30. I have heartburn and can't understand why I feel so empty. I tell myself it is because I'm going through 3 of the big stress events in one's life. Loss of a loved one (my father), change of jobs (the BIG one), and moving house (tomorrow the movers come). I expect it will get better soon.
 
simple girl said:
Time for some deep breaths there!!! Seriously, maybe put some meditation or yoga on your list of things to do? That would probably help the nerves and bring the BP down some. This is such a huge deal...I think maybe you need some reflection time.:flowers:


You've worked so hard for this, planned for it, and wished for it - it's HERE! Relax and enjoy, literally, the fruits of your labor! :D


And yes, you will feel soooooo much better after you are in your new place - take it from someone who just moved 9 days ago!
Click to expand...

Thanks SG - I hope you are settling into your home okay.

Stevewc said:
Just one more day, man that's great. I know you are pumped but take it easy on the pumper now. :nonono:
Looks like you have the same HR department I do.
I even ended up having to go down to City Hall the day after my last working day to sign more papers that I wasn't informed about until the last minute.
You may want to be sure you have all paper work completed before leaving the State. I know you will not be interested in traveling back for any autographs. :LOL:
Can't believe you planned a move at the same time as ER.
I think I would have taken a week or so break between the two.
Steve
Click to expand...

Thanks Steve. Our apartment lease is up at the end of the month so the move had to be this week. However, I had planned to finish January 14th using vacation I was going to carry over. However, MIL died in October and my father in December so I had 2 uplanned trips to England and ended up having to borrow vacation time from this year which is why we are moving the day after my last day at work.

It certainly looks like I'll be having to drive back next month to sign paper work and get the pension sorted. They told me that it would be no problem getting everything done before I left, it just hasn't worked out quite so smoothly as I'd have liked, but what the heck. :whistle:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

R
Final Approach Planning for Retirement
Replies
15
Views
1K
Route246
R
B
Tax treatment of Discounted Treasury bonds or strips
Replies
0
Views
373
beachfire
B
D
How to factor future SS into pre-SS spending
Replies
16
Views
824
Koolau
Koolau
S
Returning to full-time (government) work, mainly to get insurance
2
Replies
43
Views
3K
tryan
tryan
G
Best Options for Paying for a Vacation Home
2
Replies
33
Views
2K
stephenson
S

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom