mmcmdl
Machinist/Toolmaker ( retired )
Working Top Secret jobs that's the way it's always been . 😀
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Life transition
- Thread starter DavidR8
- Start date
@YotaBota, thanks for the thoughts, I guess it’s now a fairly routine surgery. Recovery is variable depending on person, or if infection should happen. It’s to take pressure off nerves in the neck going to head, arms, legs, and to keep me out of a wheel chair for a long time (?) into the future. As I told the doctor, O.K. do it, I could be hit by a car and be worse off before tomorrow, ( though I don’t plan on leaving the house tonite, LOL.).
Anyway, we’re trying to get David to stop and smell the roses. Would maybe be better to find him a job to follow the ditch digging one.
Anyway, we’re trying to get David to stop and smell the roses. Would maybe be better to find him a job to follow the ditch digging one.
Elektrishun
Ultra Member
That makes 2 of us - Freedom 53!
Left on my own terms:
- nobody seen it coming
- things were going better than when I started in the position so I got to leave on a high note
- on good terms with all the staff
- last day was to be like any other day except one of the managers brought in a cake for everyone (I don't like being the centre of attention at any time)
After retiring it took a few months to settle in but now I am fully adjusted to life on the outside. Too many interests and too many people asking of my time to get bored.
I feel very fortunate and take none of it for granted.
Yesterday afternoon I went for beers with two fellows from work. Solid blokes, we see things pretty clearly. They are both really disillusioned with the state of affairs. They see a lot of "yes" people who are only interested in getting ahead instead of doing what's right. That's been my observation for the past 3 or 4 years as well.
The general consensus is that I dodged a bullet and managed to get a decent chunk of change in the process.
Onward and upward!
The general consensus is that I dodged a bullet and managed to get a decent chunk of change in the process.
Onward and upward!
MashingMetal
Ultra Member
Doing the same thing everyday.....Boring. One nice thing about farming was all the different jobs you do, throw in some halfassed at times, difficult critters and you rarly get bored. Frustrated , yes.
Dan Dubeau
Ultra Member
Sucks to hear about the way it happened, but congrats on your early retirement David.
Thanks Dan. I'm more and more sure that everything will be just fine.
Doggggboy
Ultra Member
I haven't been employed by anyone other than myself for 40 years.
Got laid off from Sherwood Coop. Scraped some cash and credit together and bought a small business.
Had it for 17 years until it got regulated to death. Sold what was left of it along with the house we had just finished paying off and bought another small business. 20 years later we got burnt out during covid and shut it down to retire.
No regrets. Still busy. Happier than ever.
People get pretty wrapped up in what they do for a living and forget that living is the most important part.
ChazzC
Ultra Member
I know a lot of my posts start with “XX years ago . . .” but in this case I think it’s appropriate, so:
Back in the early 90’s I left a good paying job that for the most part I liked: good people, good prospects for the future, excellent benefits, etc. However, an opportunity came up that was too good to pass up so I grabbed it. I didn’t have to move (just commuted to Savannah every week, building up miles), the goal of the project I would be heading up (and designing from the ground) would be in support of my previous company and I would be interacting with my friends.
Sadly, the new job only lasted a couple of years: after the processing project was successfully completed, the head office (Cocoa Trading) made a bad futures decision and decided not to move forward with the facilities that were planned for the Pacific Rim and West Africa (I had traveled to both laying the ground work, so I did have that experience) so no longer needed an engineer. They did set me up as a consultant, selling me the office equipment (including a desktop & laptop) for $1 and contracting me for 60 days of billable time. I had an interesting and sometimes extremely profitable six years before the bottom dropped out of my specialty and I had to get a real job.
However, while I was still employed at the Savannah job I ran into a former coworker who told me I had picked a good time to leave: the work climate was turning ugly, people were being forced out and a scheme to save salaries on technical employees (early retirement packages that were very attractive) went pear-shaped when instead of ~500 people accepted them close to 1,200 did, decimating the engineering & technology groups. Some of those who left were immediately retained as consultants, so were getting two incomes for doing the same work, others explored other opportunities and most of those who either didn’t qualify or chose not to take the deal ended up working harder with no extra reward. Several friends were assigned work that wasn’t in their job descriptions (such as onsite support at other facilities requiring extended time away from home) and others spent months on new plant construction outside the US.
The company is still doing well, but based on interactions with others in the industry is not as well regarded as previously. They are also still foundering about, without a truly identifiable plan towards the future.
I guess that what I’m trying to say is that organizations frequently make bad decisions and often ignore their most important asset: the people who keep them going.
Back in the early 90’s I left a good paying job that for the most part I liked: good people, good prospects for the future, excellent benefits, etc. However, an opportunity came up that was too good to pass up so I grabbed it. I didn’t have to move (just commuted to Savannah every week, building up miles), the goal of the project I would be heading up (and designing from the ground) would be in support of my previous company and I would be interacting with my friends.
Sadly, the new job only lasted a couple of years: after the processing project was successfully completed, the head office (Cocoa Trading) made a bad futures decision and decided not to move forward with the facilities that were planned for the Pacific Rim and West Africa (I had traveled to both laying the ground work, so I did have that experience) so no longer needed an engineer. They did set me up as a consultant, selling me the office equipment (including a desktop & laptop) for $1 and contracting me for 60 days of billable time. I had an interesting and sometimes extremely profitable six years before the bottom dropped out of my specialty and I had to get a real job.
However, while I was still employed at the Savannah job I ran into a former coworker who told me I had picked a good time to leave: the work climate was turning ugly, people were being forced out and a scheme to save salaries on technical employees (early retirement packages that were very attractive) went pear-shaped when instead of ~500 people accepted them close to 1,200 did, decimating the engineering & technology groups. Some of those who left were immediately retained as consultants, so were getting two incomes for doing the same work, others explored other opportunities and most of those who either didn’t qualify or chose not to take the deal ended up working harder with no extra reward. Several friends were assigned work that wasn’t in their job descriptions (such as onsite support at other facilities requiring extended time away from home) and others spent months on new plant construction outside the US.
The company is still doing well, but based on interactions with others in the industry is not as well regarded as previously. They are also still foundering about, without a truly identifiable plan towards the future.
I guess that what I’m trying to say is that organizations frequently make bad decisions and often ignore their most important asset: the people who keep them going.
drewnabobber
Member
Sorry to hear the news David. While I'm sure things can be stressful and change is never easy, I doubt that someone with your self-motivation and skills will be idle for very long. The more likely outcome is that in a few months or a year you'll be looking for ways to scale back and be less busy.
This thread prompted me to check on how many days until I plan on retiring, something I said I wasn't going to do...: 200 days, give or take a week or so.
I have a job I love, but family health problems are now foremost on my mind. So I'll be retiring just shy of my 60th birthday.
My wife is having a very difficult time with retirement. She put all her energy into work and nothing has filled that void, and may not for at least the foreseeable future. She's worried I'll get bored with retirement, I suspect I won't. Though I will miss my work family and know that once I leave, that will mostly end. I seem to pick up one or two friends from each job I've worked in, so there will be a couple of people I keep in touch with.
One door closes and another opens. I try to make it a rule that I never go back once a door has closed. Time, people and interests move on and what gave you joy from the past is unlikely to give me joy again (primarily speaking of interests here).
I have a job I love, but family health problems are now foremost on my mind. So I'll be retiring just shy of my 60th birthday.
My wife is having a very difficult time with retirement. She put all her energy into work and nothing has filled that void, and may not for at least the foreseeable future. She's worried I'll get bored with retirement, I suspect I won't. Though I will miss my work family and know that once I leave, that will mostly end. I seem to pick up one or two friends from each job I've worked in, so there will be a couple of people I keep in touch with.
One door closes and another opens. I try to make it a rule that I never go back once a door has closed. Time, people and interests move on and what gave you joy from the past is unlikely to give me joy again (primarily speaking of interests here).
Someone asked me the other day if I'd go back to work for government and I said no, I've done my time.
That's not to say I won't do something else but I just feel that how I was treated at the end is not how an organization which touts integrity as one of its values should treat its employees.
That's not to say I won't do something else but I just feel that how I was treated at the end is not how an organization which touts integrity as one of its values should treat its employees.
Late as usual.
I am truly sympathetic about how it came about, however it’s probably a better opportunity going ahead than some people who are stuck at a job that slowly sucks your soul away.
From your posts I have read in the the past you seem like a talented and motivated guy. Relax and do what you like doing.
Best wishes going forward!
I am truly sympathetic about how it came about, however it’s probably a better opportunity going ahead than some people who are stuck at a job that slowly sucks your soul away.
From your posts I have read in the the past you seem like a talented and motivated guy. Relax and do what you like doing.
Best wishes going forward!
Doggggboy
Ultra Member
So another 13 months of paid time?
Sweet.
Ding, ding, ding........sounds like we have a winner, now get back to your e-bug, we're expecting a test drive review by the 14th.
Yup. 14 months of paid time then 4 months salary paid out.
@jorogi unfortunately there's no e-Bug project any longer. I decided to shelve that project when I learned of the layoff. It just didn't make sense to take it on.
Golem Pens
Michael
And me looking at possibly seeking a govt-related job here too...
Downwindtracker2
Ultra Member
Take those adventures while you are still young,young is up to three score and ten. I was a tradesman, but the piper still has to be paid, with interest no less.