Retirement...

[scj1014]

Hi...

 

I haven't been posting much here lately.

I went through a couple of major health challenges the last several years.

 

I have overcome, so far at least, all of the them to the point that I returned to work last August after a 14-month stint of disability.

 

Despite several guarantees/promises that my position would be waiting for me when I returned, the exact opposite occurred.

My position was taken away and I was forced into what I considered a menial role although my pay was not diminished. Apparently, this is legal but it certainly isn't moral nor is it right.

 

After some contemplation, it occurred to me that after all of these years in the work force I no longer wished to be mistreated simply because it was legal.

 

So...two days ago, I retired. I am 63 years old and in good shape financially but broken down physically by three bouts of cancer(two of which came with terminal diagnosis), seven major operations, two strokes, 70+ radiation treatments, six months of chemotherapy including over a dozen spinal chemotherapy injections.

Both terminal diagnosis have been rescinded,all tumors are inactive including a brain tumor that blinded me in my right eye for several months and my only medical treatments consist of follow up checkups every few months.

 

My wife, who was absolutely furious when I returned to work instead of continuing on disability as my doctor recommended is thoroughly pleased.

 

I have several home improvement projects to oversee here at the estate, several hunting trips planned, a tour of the southern Civil War battlefields planned, a trip to Knob Creek for a machine gun shoot in October planned and quite a few new firearms to work with and test, plus a personal library of military history and paleontology books to study that will last me years to go through.

 

I spent all day yesterday looking at new Cub Cadet lawn tractors as my 15 year old Cub Cadet is starting to show its age and today after the dogs morning run, I went on a little tour of some of the local gun shops. Tomorrow I am going to a gun show in Harrisburg, Pa. which will probably end up costing me money.

 

I refuse to just sit around in my retirement. I believe that is tantamount to suicide

 

It has only been two days and I already wonder why I didn't do this a year ago.

Oh...and I have two three year old Labrador retrievers to take care of any free time I might have.

[Allan W]

If you can financially afford to retire, then do it and have fun. Maybe think about some volunteer or part time work, but on your terms.

 

Have a happy retirement!

[Orzel]

Congrats!! Good decision. We are contemplating retirement too, but so far we both still enjoy our jobs and the folks we work with. I'll be 70 this year and The RedHead aka CFO is a bit older. However, the time off and ability to do whatever we want is getting more and more tempting. Enjoy your well earned retirement!

[rmgill]

I agree that you should not sit around. Get going on the things you find fun. If you have the finances, I can suggest that your own armored vehicle is always fun to have. AS many things to spend money on, short of trashing the crap out of it, you'll get more out of it than you put in, so as a money spending endeavour, it's quite sane. Better than Bonds, less volatility than fortune 500 stocks.

 

VMMV has an open house this fall. See if you can make it. You've just missed the MAAM/Reading Airshow. Look at that again next year right around the D-Day anniversary.

[Mobius]

Congratulations. My whole goal in life was to retire early and I did. I worked just to save and support my hobbies. For the first several years of retirement I cared for my aged parents. They are gone now so I spend one week in three at my vacation home. That is an investment as well.

I always was of the opinion that you could get more money but not more time. So use yours well.

[toysoldier]

Congratulations, go and french kiss that retirement time!

[rmgill]

Since you're in Pa, if you should like to go to the garage where we have Vandal and turn wrenches or just shoot the shit, I suspect Jim would be fine with your popping over. Weekend would be best of course. Vandal is there, there should be a Dingo there soon for a while, a CMP Fox armored car should be soon too. Jim's project carrier is there as well.

[Colin]

My boss was suggesting I don't retire in February, tempting, i really like my co-workers, but done with government.

[rmgill]

Are you gonna go work for the private sector with all your gov't connections? Double dip as it were?

Edited June 16, 2018 by rmgill

[scj1014]

I agree that you should not sit around. Get going on the things you find fun. If you have the finances, I can suggest that your own armored vehicle is always fun to have. AS many things to spend money on, short of trashing the crap out of it, you'll get more out of it than you put in, so as a money spending endeavour, it's quite sane. Better than Bonds, less volatility than fortune 500 stocks.

 

VMMV has an open house this fall. See if you can make it. You've just missed the MAAM/Reading Airshow. Look at that again next year right around the D-Day anniversary.

I had considered going to the Reading airshow.

Haven't been in several years.

There was a huge two-day gun auction that weekend that took precedence...and a lot of my money.

I did manage to win an auction for a very nice Mannlicher-stocked Interarms Mark X in 7x57Mauser.

Won some auctions on a large amount of reloading tools and supplies...some I can use and some that I expect to flip for a nice profit.

 

Unfortunately, my own AFV is most probably not in the budget.

[scj1014]

Since you're in Pa, if you should like to go to the garage where we have Vandal and turn wrenches or just shoot the shit, I suspect Jim would be fine with your popping over. Weekend would be best of course. Vandal is there, there should be a Dingo there soon for a while, a CMP Fox armored car should be soon too. Jim's project carrier is there as well.

That sounds like an enjoyable option.

If you could PM some contact information, I would be most appreciative.

[FALightFighter]

Where in PA? I"m in Carlisle.

[rmgill]

Vandal and Jim's shop is NW of Philly near Lansdale. So a bit away from Carlisle, but not too far.

[Colin]

Are you gonna go work for the private sector with all your gov't connections? Double dip as it were?

Possibly, I had a proponent of a largish player in LPG mention I should see him once I retire.

[rmgill]

Good luck with that.

[Murph]

Well, I now have an exit date myself. Lupe can retire in 3 years (she just got promoted and has to stay in grade for three years), so she will have 43 years civil service, and I will go out with 28 years at the Sheriff's Office. I am happy. Endgame is in sight.

[bd1]

do you already have a young gung-ho partner assigned as in the movies or do they wait till the last week with that?

[Murph]

do you already have a young gung-ho partner assigned as in the movies or do they wait till the last week with that?

They wait till the last week.

[Colin]

I retired a month ago and they just cut my email access yesterday, kind of sad as i was helping out some of my co-workers sending them bits and pieces of information that would have taken them a long time to acquire. i was a electronic packrat and it was very useful to pull up stuff from years ago. I was blessed by being able to mentor my replacements for a year to help them find their feet.

[Stargrunt6]

Well-earned and hard-fought. You've been through hell. Enjoy yourself for the rest of your days, you earned it.

[RETAC21]

Lucky B****s, still 20 more years to go...

[DougRichards]

I retired back in late January, after taking a combination of various types of accrued leave for six months. I wanted to work for much longer but my wife needs me to be home much of the time for medical reasons.

 

I still would prefer to be working.

[Colin]

Start a Youtube channel

[DougRichards]

Start a Youtube channel

 

Actually I hang around with dead people.......

 

 

I have joined a community group that does volunteer work in one of the world's most beautiful cemeteries in the world, using my skills with people and interest in history to conduct tours of the place on a volunteer basis. Also working towards, with others of course, documenting each of the 50,000 sites (80,000 internments).

 

[Murph]

After last night, and less than three hours of sleep this morning (the on call supervisor decided to have a few drinks, and so could not respond to a shooting) after having to cover since the supervisor wanted to call my guy out to help his investigator (not part of the deal, my guys IS NOT) supposed to go on call. So I am exhausted, and feel like crap. Shooting was....interesting, victim took two .38 specials center mass and was up walking around, and walked to the ambulance. Shots were through and through. Amazing. I WANT TO RETIRE! I AM TIRED!