Revisiting My Past Life

Three months into retirement I must say I have not spent even one moment wishing I was back at work. As much as I liked designing systems and programming and I was good at both, there is simply no regret over leaving them behind.

So what has been happening at my former place of employment? More and more people are getting out as the baby boomer bulge moves into retirement. This would include one of the two B’s who left on July 3. They have announced a date in September for demolishing the 60-year-old former office building. Although employees are going to be allowed to watch from the new garage (the one that almost fell down with the snow), I wouldn’t be caught dead within a 10-mile radius of that building because of all the asbestos trapped in that hulk. When it goes, all those fibers are going to be released into the air to add yet another set of problems to drug-ridden downtown Suitland. The locals will now have a choice between being shot to death in broad daylight and breathing deep to ingest asbestos fibers and die a much slower death. Probably not actually that bad, but I’m not taking any chances.

And finally my old job is being filled. I got an e-mail last week from a former colleague asking me to review his application and to be a reference for him. Although he is a little light on the systems experience, he is undoubtedly the best choice for the job so I have no problem recommending him. However, I warned him that the selecting official (my infamous old boss) might not want to even see my name in print, let alone call me up. It will be interesting to see if she calls me and if so what she has to say. I can assure you that my days are much more fun than hers right now.

Perhaps it was that interaction that made me dream of being back at work last night. I was counting down the days to a February 3 retirement date. I was in a panic because so much remained to be done. But then I woke up in a cold sweat and realized that I no longer had to count down to anything.

I got a friendly e-mail today from Corinn at The Reading Connection welcoming me into the program of volunteers who read to children in homeless shelters. I will go for training in September and then start reading, with the option of doing craft projects with the children as well. That actually sounds infinitely more rewarding to me than going to work, even though this is an unpaid position. There comes a point in everyone’s life when money is no longer the primary motivator.