Stealth retirement and going quietly into that good night.

[harley]

I volunteered for and got a RIF package. Sometime during my last week I was taken out for dinner by my team. Nice, low key, and as an IT guy I followed the rule about never missing a free meal. Corporately I just faded away, like everyone else who comes and goes. I worked with hundreds of people over the years, but they were scattered to different parts of the company when I left, so there was no big deal. No announcement or goodbye email. A few years earlier there had been a big buy-out that I wasn't eligible for, and they had a huge goodbye party at a rented venue. That was weird, like a wake with the dead folk still there. Many of my older work colleagues went out that way, before I did.

I'm friends with a number of ex-coworkers and talk to them regularly. Some I go camping with, others I get together to play guitar or go to music festivals with. A couple couples are friends that visit us at the beach for a week at a time. The ones still working I'll meet up with for happy hour on occasion. So it wasn't a big loss of association when I left, I just quit having to show up at the office. I'm actually surprised at how many real friends I have out of my job situation. It sounds like most people just have work associates.

 

[flyingaway]

I am not retired. But when I do, I will leave quietly, will have no party and receive no gift.
I am required to give at least 6 month notice.