Wednesday, September 7, 2022

Twelve and Counting


Time flies when you’re not being badgered and bullied by some racist agency CEO and his complicit Klansmen/Klanswomen or screamed and yelled at by the Law Firm’s Environmental attorneys because they’re functionally insane and can’t control their madness.

This retirement was hard earned and though I never looked forward to retirement (I loved the work I was doing even though I didn’t sometimes care much for those I was working for), never thought retirement would happen for me.

Looking at my future back then, I envisioned myself as this little old lady who one day just keeled over dead at her workstation.

Suddenly, like a bolt out of the blue, the Agency lost a lot of its funding and there was talk of layoffs to balance the budget. I was 99.99 percent certain of being exempt from layoff, so I wasn't worried. In fact, I was actually hoping, like other employees, that I would get laid off. I'd have missed the paycheck but getting laid off and collecting unemployment seemed somewhat of a blessing in disguise at that time.

At any rate, to see if they could get enough people to leave voluntarily in order to offset some of the layoffs, management sent out an offer of an early retirement package to all staff. 

The offer was so minimal that most staffers were insulted, and it was felt no one would take it. I, on the other hand, crunched the numbers.

Realizing I was in a position to take the offer because I lived simply then (still do), that though finances would be tight it was doable, I saw it as an opportunity and accepted the offer.

It's been so far so great ever since.

It was the right decision then and, looking at all that’s happened in the world since — pandemic, declining job market, rising cost of living, et. al., it was a smart decision.

I don’t even want to think of where I’d now be had I let that gift — wrapped up as a voluntary retirement package, slip by.

22 comments:

  1. Congratulations on 12 years retired. I hope you have many more years of retirement to enjoy. I enjoy your blog and look forward to new posts.

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  2. Sounds like you made the smart move! Happy retirement.

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    1. Thanks! I only know of one other to take that package, but others left by finding jobs elsewhere rather than wait to be laid off.

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  3. I retired early....at 61. That was also 12 years ago. I had planned on working until I was 65....but, I was viciously attacked by a patient and
    ended up in ER. I was a 25-year psychiatric nurse. Before that I worked ICU. Anyway, after that incident, I was off work for a few days and decided to crunch numbers, too. I figured if I was very careful, I could make it work. Fortunately, I was on my partners health insurance. By God, I made it work. I never looked back. So thankful of not working in a hospital during Covid with wilder and more violent patients (and families). Just SO thankful to be retired. I'm glad you're also enjoying your freedom.
    Paranormal John

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    1. Wow! Sounds like you're lucky to have made it to retirement alive.

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    2. Yes, Shirley. That crosses my mind nearly daily. I hear horror stories from staff nurses all the time. Bad, unsafe situations and it's not getting any better. Counting those lucky stars!
      Paranormal John

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  4. Hey! Congrats for a good decision. You're a role model ya know: being physically active, eating healthy, and still causing adventurous trouble, but GOOD TROUBLE in the neighborhood! Yep, I feel for nurse John; so glad I left hospital nursing, and then a bad hospice group. Found a better one, then, one home health agency who actually treats their nurses correctly and has our backs, physically and with clinical support. Gotta get to retirement in just under two years. Is that company still in existence? Linda in Kansas

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    1. "Good trouble" ... LOL, but I just observe and report here on the blog, The company isn't going anywhere, but the CEO left before I retired. He retired just ahead of an investigation of financial malfeasance. And, of course, the Klansmen jumped ship when he did, as all rats do ... went to other jobs. The worst of the uglies were gone before I retired and, as far as I know, to date there are only about three/four Klansgirls remaining. So, I imagine the work atmosphere is better for POC at that agency.

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  5. Congrats! Glad you were able to get out of that toxic environment. Your blog gives me great joy. All the best to you.

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  6. Congrats! I'm getting to the point that I could be one bad day from retired.

    Will Jay

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    1. It's good to be close enough to see the exit door, the light at the end of what's been a long tunnel in the workforce.

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  7. Congratulations! SG’s grandfather’s advice was get out as young as you can. He was retired more years than he worked.

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  8. Congratulations! How nice when a big decision works out for the best.

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  9. Time flies is an understatement. I'll hit 24 years retired at the end of the year. (I did go back 3 times as a contractor.)

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  10. That's great that you were able to take the offer and make it work for you. It's awful working for people you can't stand.

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    1. It was challenging having to work with those kinds of people, but I took great pleasure in the fact that no matter how hard they tried, they could not and did not break me. It drove them crazy that I didn't react the way they expected me to react.

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  11. Hi Shirley, I'm back. I can't remember what year I retired but it has got to be about 12-14 years ago. I feel sorry for people that don't think they can retire because they want to live a high flying life style. Living simply has been an ordeal on a couple of occasions but basically, it has been slow and sweet. I wonder if loving retirement has anything to do with us both being involved with attorneys! Hahaha

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    1. I think with me is has something to do with being involved with people ... period. LOL.

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