Last Day at work

[Bigguy]

8/11/2023
Today is my last day at work. (Security at Texarkana Emergency Center.) I'm off at mid-night then, an official retired old fart.
I'll miss the great people that work there. I'll follow some of them on Facebook. I'm grateful for the opportunity to work at such a great place with such good people. I know that even though I'll no longer be there, they'll keep on keeping on. They provide an important service with a friendly and reassuring attitude.
https://www.facebook.com/texarkanaemergencycenterandhospital

[Clusterfrack]

Congratulations on retirement! I’m jealous.

[blues]

It's the best kept secret.

Welcome to the club.

[Bigguy]

They threw me a surprise party. I even got some loot.
108294 108295

[Dog Guy]

Congrats. I hope you get to do lots of fulfilling stuff, on your own schedule.

[DMCutter]

Congratulations! Not wanting to threadjack, but can I ask why you retired? Did you meet a magical milestone like 30 years and get a pension while you're still young enough to enjoy it? I ask because I'm on the cusp of pulling the plug after 37 plus years of engineering, the last 6.5 self employed. I'm physically beat from doing things guys 30 years younger than me won't do and I'm burned out from helping stupid people unfuck their fuck ups. I worry that I'll be bored and irrelevant to society (although I don't care about being relevant to anyone but my wife and grandson), and the thought of actually tapping in to retirement savings makes me queasy, but otherwise I'm mentally ready. I've heard from retired friends that "you'll know when it's time".

[Bigguy]

Congratulations! Not wanting to threadjack, but can I ask why you retired? Did you meet a magical milestone like 30 years and get a pension while you're still young enough to enjoy it? I ask because I'm on the cusp of pulling the plug after 37 plus years of engineering, the last 6.5 self employed. I'm physically beat from doing things guys 30 years younger than me won't do and I'm burned out from helping stupid people unfuck their fuck ups. I worry that I'll be bored and irrelevant to society (although I don't care about being relevant to anyone but my wife and grandson), and the thought of actually tapping in to retirement savings makes me queasy, but otherwise I'm mentally ready. I've heard from retired friends that "you'll know when it's time".

I think you’re on topic. I’m at work and only have my phone. I’ll give you a better answer when I get home to my laptop.

[Bigguy]

Congratulations! Not wanting to threadjack, but can I ask why you retired? Did you meet a magical milestone like 30 years and get a pension while you're still young enough to enjoy it? I ask because I'm on the cusp of pulling the plug after 37 plus years of engineering, the last 6.5 self employed. I'm physically beat from doing things guys 30 years younger than me won't do and I'm burned out from helping stupid people unfuck their fuck ups. I worry that I'll be bored and irrelevant to society (although I don't care about being relevant to anyone but my wife and grandson), and the thought of actually tapping in to retirement savings makes me queasy, but otherwise I'm mentally ready. I've heard from retired friends that "you'll know when it's time".

There were several factors. One is that I turned 67 a couple of weeks ago. If I waited until 70, I'd get $800 a month more in SS, but I'd lose the $82,00 I'll draw between now and then.It would take me a little more than 8 1/ years to make that back if I wait until 70. I just didn't;t think it was worth it.
At 67, I'm drawing "full" retirement which means there is no limit on how much I can make if I decide to go back to work. (Fat Chance!)
My wife is 5 1/2 years older than me and we recently had a health scare with her. She's going much better now, b ut it brought home to us that if we wait another 3 years, we might not have the health to enjoy retirement. There was just too ,much to lose and not enough to gain by waiting. House and cars are paid for. I worked for a newspaper for 38 years. I was the head of the IT department the last 15. Made a pretty good salary in those days, so my SS contributions were substantial. When they shut down my department and showed me the door, I wasn't ready to retire yet, but at 64, I wasn't going back into IT. SO I thought I'd get a job where I was paid to sit in my butt and read all day. Hence, my Level III Security License. (Yeah, there is a story here where I spend some time as a CO in a county jail, but that's for another thread.)
We moved to Texarkana in 1988 when I went to work for the newspaper. Though the kids grew up here and think of it as there home, Sharon and I are just visitors. Once the kids move away, we had no family close by.
My plan is to fix the house and get it on the market. (It's an old 2 story with a full attic built in 1898. The wall studs are true 2x4 cedar, and the floor joists are 6x8 cedar beams.) Both of the kids live within 20 minutes of each other in the Dallas Fort Worth Area. We have a 19' camper trailer. I hope to sell the house then find a KOA for the camper and spend the rest of my days spoiling grandkids and writing.
We still own a 2 1/2 acre plot of land with a beautiful double wide trailer with a full length back porch in SE Arkansas, where we are originally from. We had planed to retire there, but the realities of health (The specialists we need are a 2 hour drive away) and the fact that we'd bo so far from the kids have us rethinking that idea. Thus the camper at a KOA.
My wife also owns half of a 40acre plot of timberland right next to our place in Arkansas. Good hunting.

I'll post photos of the trailer later. Too tired tonight.

[Nick B]

Congrats . I retired at age 60 after 36 years of Federal service.

[vcdgrips]

Blessings and Congratulations.

IMHO-your analysis on taking SOCSEC is spot on. Given the changes that are going to have to take place (i.e. means testing, reduced benefits, reduced benefits if retiree has certain income level/assets/“pension” etc,) turning the money flow on sooner v. later seems like the way to go if remotely affordable.

I am 58 and have yet to speak to any financial planner or talk to folks who have lately who run numbers past 65 in the first instance.

Many are simply working to get to Medicare age if they cannot take quality health insurance at a decent rate with them. I am stunned how many of my local client agencies have good coverage a decent prices while the folks are “active” but the rates literally triple when they retire.

In broad strokes,taking the money earlier, when you have the mental and physical wherewithal to enjoy it more is a better way to go.

[Borderland]

Blessings and Congratulations.

IMHO-your analysis on taking SOCSEC is spot on. Given the changes that are going to have to take place (i.e. means testing, reduced benefits, reduced benefits if retiree has certain income level/assets/“pension” etc,) turning the money flow on sooner v. later seems like the way to go if remotely affordable.

I am 58 and have yet to speak to any financial planner or talk to folks who have lately who run numbers past 65 in the first instance.

Many are simply working to get to Medicare age if they cannot take quality health insurance at a decent rate with them. I am stunned how many of my local client agencies have good coverage a decent prices while the folks are “active” but the rates literally triple when they retire.

In broad strokes,taking the money earlier, when you have the mental and physical wherewithal to enjoy it more is a better way to go.

I worked until I could figure out the medical insurance hit. I figured it out at 64 and it was hasta la vista, baby. I liked my job and the people I worked with. The administration took a hard left turn however and I wasn't able to adapt. Happens.

[Jamie]

Congrats Bigguy !

I (mostly) retired at 67. The ER staff were and remain my Family. The best kind of family in that we choose each other.

My "mostly" means that I busted my butt doing home improvements for a year, aging in place kind of things. It was nice to finally have the time to do that.

Now I've migrated into helping (working, but it doesn't feel like work) at a local Private College. I loved my work in the ER, but I really love what I am Blessed to be able to do now.

Your best years are yet to come Good Sir!

[Rick R]

Congratulations!

My suggestion for retirement is to treat every day as a Saturday (except Sunday) and enjoy your permanent long weekend.
I never could understand the people who just can’t leave the job.