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Old 12-27-2013, 08:21 PM   #1
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How Did You Feel? - Last Day of Work before Retirement

Adonh started a thread about receiving notice for the last paycheck and it made me curious about how people feel on that last day of "work." I remember taking my last college final (Business Law) and walking to my car and having to sit down and think about all that had happened. And I had a lot to think about because I went on the very extended college plan. But with retirement projected at April/May 2016, I'm wondering how that last day will feel. I'll have 20+ years with a governmental entity and about 2 years of law enforcement and my wife is already retired.

So, if you're up to sharing, do you remember the last "work" day?

Thanks
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Old 12-27-2013, 08:30 PM   #2
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I am looking forward to that moment too, gonna retire when the last payment is made on the truck. I will be glad to free myself from the corporate teat, will still need something to do but it will be on my terms.
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Old 12-27-2013, 08:39 PM   #3
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Yes I remember, it was in Mar 2000. My wife and I both worked for a contractor to the DOE at Hanford. We both had 20 plus years there. There were layoffs coming, and some attractive incentives for volunteering. We both did, we were 58 and 59. It was a great day, that we had planned for and had waited for the right time, this was it. It was a short day at work, processing out and a couple of parties. Have never regretted the decision.
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Old 12-27-2013, 08:40 PM   #4
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Never had the luxury of a pension sponsored job. At the age of 50+ I decided to cut loose from the room full of idiots around the board room table and work for myself. For the next ten years I had the most fun of my working career and at the age of 66, sold out to an old friend of mine and faded off into the sunset to see the country in our RV and take an ocean cruise at least once a year.
So, the Corporate World can K%#s My A$&........
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Old 12-27-2013, 08:56 PM   #5
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My wife retired a year earlier than I. It looked like she needed the help so I retired.

I loved my career. And on the last day someone ask "how long it would take me to adjust to retirement"? I said, "five minutes". It took three.

Move gracefully into your new phase of life. Plenty to do out here.
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Old 12-27-2013, 09:00 PM   #6
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After more than 40 years in my field I was ready for the next phase of my life. I loved my job and the people I worked with, but my wife and I had planned to travel to the many points of interest we rarely had time to fully enjoy. Having lived overseas for a while, we had opportunity to see other parts of the world, but we wanted to see our own country. We spent the 6 months leading up to our retirement planning our celebration trip. On retirement day I was sky high in anticipation of leaving on that trip a week later. My retirement was on a Thursday, and the following day I was able to join my wife in the festivities for her retirement. On Saturday the following week we embarked on a 9000 mile (with an additional 6000 miles in the toad), 5 1/2 month trip across the western US. Neither of us has had a moment of regret, nor have we missed work. We both definitely miss the people, but still have opportunities to see them on occasion. The big thing we have experienced is validation of the saying we heard from so many "how did I ever have time to do everything I did before I retired?".
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Old 12-27-2013, 09:02 PM   #7
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This is a great question and I hope people run with it. I had spent 34 yrs in the police service and 24 of that in crime scene examination, and the stress was building. I had tried to convince the wife to let me quit and she was reluctant until we crunched the numbers with a financial adviser, whose only question to me was, Why are you still working? A day or two later we decided to have me retire. I gave the force several months notice to allow them to plan to replace me and to allow my man to take summer vacation.
Walking out the door was kind of anticlimactic, cake, coffee gifts and speeches, and the invite to come back for coffee anytime. I had done a good job and was very meticulous at my work, which was exciting and demanding. But I remember the stress and feeling that I'm just about to have a nose bleed, cringing every time the telephone rang, trying to keep up with changes in the work place, technology and science.
Quitting work was not the milestone for me, it was the day DW and I decided that I could quit. The stress melted away and work load slid off my back, I enjoyed those last few months. P.S. I don't see dead people anymore.
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Old 12-27-2013, 09:20 PM   #8
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I retired Nov 30th after 37+ years (6 military & 31+ federal work.) with most of that in the ATC field. To be honest, I was tired of the BS working for the government and the constant hate tossed at feds by many in congress. (I'm not trying to make this a political argument but it was how I see it.) Also, because of medical issues I was disqualified from working live traffic for the last 6 years so I kinda felt retired then. The last 6 years I provided support in developing training, quality assurance & airspace procedures.

By the time of the last government shut down and furlough I couldn't wait for Nov 30th to arrive. I really thought I was going to have a hard time walking out of the tower for the last time but it wasn't hard at all. Don't get me wrong, I miss some of the greatest folks to work with and am proud of what I did but the last year was "forever".

I do miss the excitement of ATC. It challenged me every day and is the only thing I could imagine having done for as long as I did. The opportunity to make a difference including a few rather significant "saves" in my career are what keep me thinking good thoughts to overcome the disappointments of the anti-fed worker attitudes of late.

My dear Sandee also retired from working for the State of IL on Nov 30th. We sold the house back in August and after about 25 days of motoring through GA, FL, LA and TX are settled into a resort in Alamo, TX. Neither of us seems to be looking back with any sense of longing to do it all again.

Besides, we are too darn busy and having fun being retired.
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Old 12-27-2013, 09:40 PM   #9
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The thing I remember most was being told by my immediate supervisor that I could use my vacation time as notice. So, I gave notice including my vacation. I then got a letter saying I was a "no-rehire" because I did not give proper notice. I went to the man who wrote the letter and told him if I was going to get the name, I was going to do the deed. I dumped my uniforms, badge and issued ammo on his desk and left.
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Old 12-27-2013, 09:40 PM   #10
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I retired after 36 years at a large teaching hospital as the computer network administrator. I really liked the job and actually worked an extra year waiting for DW to retire. I had such mixed emotions when I walked out of the building for the last time. Felt weired turning over all the keys and various security badges, and phone.
The first thing I noticed is that I didn't get any more phone calles in the middle of the night. Next I started to get bored. Over the next few months I fixed every thing in or on the house that needed it and several things just because I could. That's when DW and I started looking at RVs. Eighteen months latter were full timing in a 42 ft MH.
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Old 12-27-2013, 09:46 PM   #11
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Very strange. Had regular things going on. Training my replacement. Sending emails and making phone calls to colleagues across the country. A little party with speeches from the boss and coworkers. Turned in everything that was assigned to me including car (ouch), weapons, computers, tablet, phone, vest and various equipment. Said goodbyes, hugged the ladies that were my support staff. Went out to eat at Saltgrass with wife and couple friends. Then to a movie. Funny, I don't remember the movie.
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Old 12-27-2013, 09:53 PM   #12
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I retired after 38 years with a utility company. I knew I was ready approx a year prior to the date. What is that old saying "Every man reaches their level of incompetence" the way things were changing made me realize I was not ready to change all over again and felt a great sense of inner relief when I finally gave my verbal announcement. The last day was bittersweet as no matter what the job was doing to me, I worked with a great bunch of people and I was saying goodbye to that portion of my life. I love retirement and work is now a four letter word. I keep in touch with most of the people but not the work I did. My final day was filled with clearing desk and returning computers and my vehicle and ended the evening with a celebration get together where of course people embarrassed me but I got too typsy to care. All is good and it should be great for you.
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Old 12-28-2013, 05:36 AM   #13
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I retired last year from running a surgery center. I loved my job but was so relieved to let go of the responsibility for patients lives. After the retirement party, there was sadness, then some fear...."who was I now?"
I loved the volunteer work at a food pantry. No heavy decisions, just giving back to those who needed some help. But I did become a little bored after awhile so we bought a motorhome and did not come home for four months.
Now we are full time and loving our new adventures. We will be doing volunteer work with Habitat and other organizations.
Life is good and our year of discovering what our retired life looks like has been fun. Work seems so long ago......
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Old 12-28-2013, 05:49 AM   #14
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the last day of being a gi joe, when my ets date came up, after turning in my uniform, becomiing a civilian again, felt wierd, i didnt have to shave if i didnt want to. didnt have to get up at 4am for guard mount (military police). could even let my hair grow/beard/mustache, now looking back at it all, kinda miss it, but that probably is contributed by the fact i was young them. lol good ole 70's. but like they say life goes on. now i ride a harley, belong to a law enforcement motorcycle club, an own a class a rv. who would of thought that then. Time "march's on".
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