Former coworkers want me to keep in touch

[TickTock]

Last night, I had a bad dream about work. Something that hasn't happened for a few weeks. I didn't feel up to exercising and my stomach felt a little off.

It took me roughly a year to stop dreaming about w*rk. Not all of them were nightmares, mind you, but I still don't want to dream on that particular topic.

 

[Dtail]

My Megacorp only walked people out who had been terminated. That was a very unpleasant thing to witness.

Fortunately, both reports I had to terminate were not present to be walked out. I had to box up their stuff and ship it to them. Also unpleasant but much less unpleasant than having security "hover" while the "victim" cleaned out his/her desk. (Heh, heh, I had one of each - a "his" and a "her").

Nasty business, anyway you do it. I'd never have guessed that some retirees would be "walked out" but I guess I'm naive and YMMV.

At all of the Wall Street firms I worked at, one was walked out right after handing in their resignation. Most would only pay the 2 weeks notice and most firms one was going to knowing that would expect your start to be within 2 weeks.

 

[REWahoo]

It took me roughly a year to stop dreaming about w*rk. Not all of them were nightmares, mind you, but I still don't want to dream on that particular topic.

I'm coming up on 20 years of retirement and I still have the occasional dream about work. Similar to your experience, most are not nightmares but all involve some level of frustration. I suppose they wont end until I do.

 

[Dash man]

DW has been retired for nine years and still dreams about work. I retired twelve years ago and have never dreamed about work. I left the Air Force in 1995 and dreamt about flying for a while.

 

[skyking1]

I just wanted to add an alternate pronunciation of the word.
Once you read it as Cow-Orker it can't be undone.
Carry on.

 

[Happy Homebody]

I once accidentally sent an email referring to someone as my cow worker.

Fortunately she thought it was funny.

 

[sparky08]

I worked with some of the same people for 20-30 years. A bunch became more than coworkers.

I keep in touch with quite a few, and have lunch with some when I'm back in town.

Things have gone downhill at the old company, so sometimes they just want to vent.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

There's a strong alumni group associated with my old workplace that includes a monthly newsletter and quarterly reunions. I hit one every couple years, but I know people who are at each and every gathering.
My old workplace is holding an open house tomorrow for former employees. Free food and beverages are promised, so I'm there!

"Food and beverages" turned out to be bottled water and bags of Crackerjack. My hosts can legitimately plead poverty, so I'm more amused than disappointed.

 

[Koolau]

I'm coming up on 20 years of retirement and I still have the occasional dream about work. Similar to your experience, most are not nightmares but all involve some level of frustration. I suppose they wont end until I do.

I still dream occasionally about my college days - not so much about Megacorp.

 

[ransil]

I send pictures to them when I'm visiting national parks and beaches

 

[NameTaken2]

Worked long hours in a stressful job.
Last thing I wanted during my off time was to spend more time with my coworkers.
During retirement, don't want reminders of those days -have lunch with one former coworker every year or so-
That's it.

 

[Dtail]

"Food and beverages" turned out to be bottled water and bags of Crackerjack. My hosts can legitimately plead poverty, so I'm more amused than disappointed.

Wow, perhaps the fun part was looking for the prize or that was cut out too?

 

[Dtail]

I still dream occasionally about my college days - not so much about Megacorp.

I do still have dreams on occasion about work. Usually not terrible. Don't remember any college days dreams.

 

[Koolau]

I do still have dreams on occasion about work. Usually not terrible. Don't remember any college days dreams.

They were always of the type: "Oh, no. It's 9:30 and my test, that I forgot to study for, started at 9:00 - and I'm not dressed yet!"

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

Wow, perhaps the fun part was looking for the prize or that was cut out too?

I did get a Crackerjack prize, a little peel-off sticker with an image I couldn't identify. I also won a door prize, a couple of can cozies with the company name on them.
The best gift was people looking at me and declaring, "You haven't changed a bit!" almost 12 years after I walked out the door for the last time.

 

[Koolau]

The best gift was people looking at me and declaring, "You haven't changed a bit!" almost 12 years after I walked out the door for the last time.

Heh, heh, reviewing pictures from when I retired (20 years ago) and now suggests profound changes but YMMV.

 

[Redbugdave]

After 11 years of being retired, I still keep in contact with a few of my other retired co-workers. We all worked together for years back then. Occasionally may have lunch and just keep up on our lives. The working place has a new generation of people.

 

[indiajust]

I have gone to housewarming parties with my former mechanic and stayed at his house. I helped hockey buddies put metal roof on house and garage. I stay at their house when i do road trips to NC. My old work buddies have put me up and taken me around old haunts. I tickle their kids toes and talk math with their older kids. I end up at their weddings.

 

[PatrickW]

Didn’t want to keep in touch with any of those lazy F’s from work. Upon my surprise retirement, I immediately deleted my LinkedIn profile and nuked my Google Voice number. Time for them to figure out things on their own.

If someone from my old job wanted to contact me, it wouldn’t be easy. That’s a chapter of my life that’s firmly closed.

 

[Theophrastus Bombastus]

I am among the last men standing from the circles I worked and lived in.

Here are two quotes attributed to Aristotle:
1) A friend to all is a friend to none;
2) My friends, there are no friends!

If you were friends 'after' work hours and live nearby, then maybe a friendship can persist, otherwise it is highly unlikely. As priorities, interests and circumstances change, time has a way of erasing the bonds. Sometimes, given enough time, the friends you thought you knew evolve into strangers.

Life goes on. It doesn't hurt to be polite. Time will tell.

 

[Lee94joyce]

I stay in touch with coworkers who were friends. When we get together, we include people still working, retirees and new younger workers that I did not know. It's good to talk with folks to see what's going on in their life. But the retirees always listen to the ones still working, roll our eyes and say "nothing has changed". I did mostly enjoy working there, though. And I am one who thinks people would not be happy if they didn't have something to complain about!

 

[medved]

I am a recent retiree, so I am not sure how this will play out over time. But for now, I enjoy hearing from people I previously w*rked with. We talk some about w*rk-related stuff and some about other things -- restaurants, travel, the kids, my transition to retirement, etc. I liked these people before my retirement and I don't like them any less now.

Of course, there were plenty of people who I did not care at all about when I was w*rking -- I spoke with those folks only when there was a need to do so. I don't keep in touch with them; there is no longer any need.

 

[prudent_one]

Although I was well-liked at work, and many people told me to keep in touch, after I retired I never reached out to any of them nor has anyone gotten in touch with me. There is one girl I worked with who happens to go to the same church as I do and I see her every week. But that's more of a coincidence than a plan.

 

[Happy Homebody]

A follow up:

One of my former coworkers sent me a text message early last week asking if I was okay.

My last day I was bearly holding it together and trying not to let it show, so I think her concern may have been genuine.

I texted back that I was feeling much more relaxed and starting to get my energy level back.

I have not heard anything back. So I guess that might be it.

 

[scrabbler1]

A follow up:

One of my former coworkers sent me a text message early last week asking if I was okay.

My last day I was bearly holding it together and trying not to let it show, so I think her concern may have been genuine.

I texted back that I was feeling much more relaxed and starting to get my energy level back.

I have not heard anything back. So I guess that might be it.

I also had trouble holding it together on my last day, mainly on the train ride home, knowing it would be my last train ride to or from my job. I surely didn't want to break down sobbing in front of everyone on a crowded train as I neared my stop. I just needed to keep it together until I got off the train and started walking home.

Then, once I entered my apartment and closed the door behind me, I dropped my stuff, raised my arms, and yelled out, "I'm FREE!!!" My ER had officially begun.