The big day has arrived! Hit the jump to find out the details.
Well, everyone it is now official. Over 31.5 years ago I completed my higher education and went to work for a company that thought my background and skillsets would be an asset to their business model. Quickly learned that those academic years were simply a strong foundation on which everything you need to be successfully in the corporate world is built upon. From the first several months in the company’s orientation and training program to the last day in the office it was a whirlwind of exciting engagements on the forefront of technology to deliver competitive advantage to a worldwide fortune 50 company. Incredibly talented colleagues and true friendships fostered locally and across the globe from a small city in the heart of the Midwest. More importantly, they introduced me to my lovely wife who I met the first minute of my employment – she was in the same training class – kudos to their recruiters back in the day! Linda retired last year with 30.5 years of dedicated service.
Yesterday I said goodbye to the only employer I’ve had since college. Turned in my badge, parking stickers and the tool of my trade, the computer and walked out the door for the final time as an official employee. No regrets as I put everything I had into my career, but I will miss the day to day interactions with my distant friends – hoping I can stay in touch with many of them which should be even easier now that society as a whole is finally embracing how the tech industry has been engaging for years.
Can’t wait to see what this new stage in life brings. Will definitely enjoy having more time to spend with Linda (dual high end careers can definitely have an impact on your couple time). Explorations are surely on the agenda and hopefully even more time for sharing here at Intrigued. From this day forth my new employment status is RETIRED.
Wildlife Intrigued 
Congrats!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Anne – definitely a great feeling.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Best wishes for a wonderful retirement! It is a time for togetherness, for doing things you always wanted to do, going places you always wanted to go. Enjoy it! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Cheryl. We had the opportunity to do a test retirement run last month thanks to vacation time I had to use. Just got back from a month of being on the Texas Gulf and really enjoyed the chance to explore without being on a timeline – also sealed the deal for me to go ahead and make it final (my company allows you to back out right up to the official date).
LikeLike
Thought I’d slipped into a time warp for a while then read your above reply.
Good move on your part and you’ve been fortunate to get away and explore. I haven’t missed being at work but these lockdown restrictions are starting to get tedious or perhaps repetitive, I’m just not doing anything all day or seeing anyone.
Anyway you two enjoy your time always good to quit while you’re young enough to.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, I was not really clear on what was going on. My last working day was the Wed prior to Thanksgiving. I had purposely refrained from taking any time off with the exception of a Vegas trip very early in the year (before anyone knew how serious this Covid was). My company allows you to immediately accrue your vacation in your retirement year so with the time I had left to end the year and then another month’s worth of new vacation put me to the beginning of Feb. Very nice way to ease into retirement knowing you have a fallback up to the day before you officially retire to call it off if you get cold feet. Had too much fun on our travels for that to happen ha. Linda and I started out with the intent to retire as soon as possible – made for some lean early years, but it all paid off in the end (we are not blessed with a Lemming which undoubtedly had an impact on the pocket book). Now that Linda is past her health concern we are excited to see what this country/world has to offer – well, as soon as this pandemic crap passes on. As they say.. “Too the Birds”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Congratulations! What are you going to do the next 31.5 years? (Or at least 31.5)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Brad and of course .. Ditto. Still trying to figure out what my retirement plan is going to be. I have to keep active and my brain busy or I will go nuts – products of a stressful career I guess. My starting approach is to be productive each day (my to-do list has been building since I made the conscious decision to make this happen), but carve out some time to do something new/enjoyable as well (I know exactly what you are thinking ha). This, of course, is wrapped around my daily workouts and/or runs. I tried my best to workout and run on the road last month, but I really need my home gym and familiar courses to hit my schedules(was fun to run on the beaches though) – just a few more months before the ultra-trail marathons will hopefully open up again (fingers crossed).
LikeLike
Forgot to ask what you thought of the title picture
LikeLike
Welcome to the joys of retirement!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Lee. So far I am definitely enjoying it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like the double rainbow over our former building. Did it actually happen that day (can’t remember the weather from then already) or have you been saving that photo for just such an occasion. I think it was raining/drizzling when I turned in my stuff.
And yes, you need to focus on that “project” I’ve been hinting at for so long.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Actually it was taken over 2 years ago when we were still going into work. I had just made the internal decision on what my retirement date was going to be and this is what I came into work the next day – seemed like a sign ha! – kept it in my post queue for that very moment.
LikeLike
Congratulations! Amazing picture with the rainbow – a sign of good luck!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you – was trying to figure out if that was good luck for me or whether that was a good sign for the company now that I am gone ha!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m sure you will be missed.
LikeLiked by 1 person