It's been 2 months since I took a VRO package from my company and retired. Those two months have been pretty good overall. Let me tell you what I've been up to.
I took the first two weeks "off" and just relaxed and read a lot. But then, I decided to get into gear and do something productive. As part of the package, I got 3 months access to Lee Hecht Harrison - an outplacement company. They help you move on to the next phase of your life, whether it is finding a job or starting a business or just retiring.
Part of the package with them was 3 months of access to Skill Soft ~ an e-learning portal with access to over 3000 classes on a variety of business and technical courses. I LOVE IT! I decided to try to take some classes every day and did really great up until about 2 weeks ago when I started slowing down. (Ok - I do have an excuse - my Mother-In-Law was visiting and I didn't want to seclude myself in my room and ignore her.) But as I only have about 3 weeks left, I need to get moving because there's a lot more to learn.
I also attended a bunch of live webinars from LHH - great sources for those looking for another job. They help with your Position Statement, your Accomplishment statements, your resume, and a lot more. You also get your own counselor - mine has been great. I've decided to complete my resume even though I don't plan on working any time in the near future. If you get the help, you might as well take the opportunity.
I've decided to become a little craft crazy too. Finally finished an afghan I started a year ago. Now I'm working on a knitted shawl - knitting is definitely not my strong point but I'm trying. I also took a quilting class and am going to start that. Between the classes, the crafts, and reading, I stay pretty busy. (yeh, yeh, I do manage a short nap most afternoons, too. But we don't tell anyone about those.)
I do manage to get out of the house several times a week - just to keep my sanity. Starbucks and I have become very good friends - at least once or twice a week, I go to one of the 3 Starbucks near me, grab my Chai Tea and sit and read for awhile. Somehow a scone usually manages to show up too. Hmmm, I wonder how that happens. I've been to lunch with a few of my friends but not as often as I would like. The drive is a killer but I need to make time for that.
Next on my agenda - is to get serious about the weight loss. So far, I've sucked. and I feel like @#$@#$ because of it. Losing weight would get rid of so many of my health problems - and get me closer to my knee replacement which gets me closer to Alaska. You'd think that would be motivation enough but it may take a jump start by joining Med-Weight Loss again. Have to think that one through. I'll keep you updated!
Retirement for Me!
Friday, May 26, 2017
Finishing it Up
During the 3 months from the time I made my decision to the actual retirement date, I was busier than I thought I would be. I was asked to put together a series of documents for helping people understand QA when they don't have the QA background. Took a lot of time but I'm really proud of what I put together. But wow, it took almost all of my time. And then, I had to go through 9 years of saved emails and files. That took FOREVER! What to keep, what to trash, what to forward. I spent many nights and weekends going through all of that stuff. I wanted to make sure that I left my little world as clean as possible for the person taking over.
The last month was a whirl of lunches and dinners and parties. I very rarely went to lunch - it just wasn't my thing. But I cannot even count the number of lunches that I went to during those last weeks. And, I'm so glad I did. It was wonderful to be able to have the time to say good-bye to all of the wonderful people I met during the my 9 years.
One of the other managers that I worked with closely in the team was also taking VRO. His situation was different - he was only 56 and planned to find another job. The team set up an after work party at the Silver Spring for the two us and it was fantastic. Our team, at the time, was about 120 strong and I had hired and/or managed many of them. It was so wonderful to be able to see them all and talk with them. The team gave me a beautiful throw with a lighthouse on it (they know my passion for lighthouses!) and they had a photo book made of pictures of the team from our summer picnic and Christmas party. It was probably the coolest present I ever got. I really loved both!
Individuals from both our QA team and other teams that I worked closely with gave me personal gifts too and I cherish each one and the kind thoughts that came with them.
So now I keep waiting until that magic date - March 31 when my life will change.
Retirement for Me!
The last month was a whirl of lunches and dinners and parties. I very rarely went to lunch - it just wasn't my thing. But I cannot even count the number of lunches that I went to during those last weeks. And, I'm so glad I did. It was wonderful to be able to have the time to say good-bye to all of the wonderful people I met during the my 9 years.
One of the other managers that I worked with closely in the team was also taking VRO. His situation was different - he was only 56 and planned to find another job. The team set up an after work party at the Silver Spring for the two us and it was fantastic. Our team, at the time, was about 120 strong and I had hired and/or managed many of them. It was so wonderful to be able to see them all and talk with them. The team gave me a beautiful throw with a lighthouse on it (they know my passion for lighthouses!) and they had a photo book made of pictures of the team from our summer picnic and Christmas party. It was probably the coolest present I ever got. I really loved both!
Individuals from both our QA team and other teams that I worked closely with gave me personal gifts too and I cherish each one and the kind thoughts that came with them.
So now I keep waiting until that magic date - March 31 when my life will change.
Retirement for Me!
Hurry Up and Wait
If you know me at all, you know I don't like to wait. Once I make up my mind, I'm ready to go!
I made my decision to accept the VRO package in early January but the official retirement date wasn't until March 31, 2017. Hurry up and wait! Not my strong point at all.
Things around the office were pretty cool - there was a large group of people who had made the decision early, like me, and we all kinda bonded together. One guy that knew but really hadn't talked to a lot stopped by my desk almost every day and we shared news and updates. As expected, there were a ton of questions and the company set up a special phone line and web site for us with frequently asked questions. Of course, many of those spawned more questions so as anyone got answers, we would share among the group. It was really nice to be able to talk to others like me.
The plans that people had varied greatly. Some people had lots and lots of years but were still in their mid-fifties and planned on finding another job. Others planned on doing a lot of volunteer work, and others didn't have a plan. I fell into that last group, unfortunately. But that's pretty much my life. I've fallen into every job I've ever had and was really lucky to love them.
I had no grand plan when I was younger (ok, when I was about 10-ish, my goal was to be an executive secretary. Really?) I landed a job right out of high school and stayed there for 35 years - holding many positions during that time. When I was 54, I decided that it was time to leave when the company got bought by a psychopath and went from public to private. And I landed at the same company as my former boss and several co-workers - as a QA Lead for the technology department of a large grocery retailer. Ended up as a QA Manager - working for the same wonderful Director that I worked for in my other company. But I never planned to be a software tester or manager much less a retired QA manager. Sure do envy those people that had plans for life after retirement.
Now to figure out what my "plan" would be...
Retirement for Me!
I made my decision to accept the VRO package in early January but the official retirement date wasn't until March 31, 2017. Hurry up and wait! Not my strong point at all.
Things around the office were pretty cool - there was a large group of people who had made the decision early, like me, and we all kinda bonded together. One guy that knew but really hadn't talked to a lot stopped by my desk almost every day and we shared news and updates. As expected, there were a ton of questions and the company set up a special phone line and web site for us with frequently asked questions. Of course, many of those spawned more questions so as anyone got answers, we would share among the group. It was really nice to be able to talk to others like me.
The plans that people had varied greatly. Some people had lots and lots of years but were still in their mid-fifties and planned on finding another job. Others planned on doing a lot of volunteer work, and others didn't have a plan. I fell into that last group, unfortunately. But that's pretty much my life. I've fallen into every job I've ever had and was really lucky to love them.
I had no grand plan when I was younger (ok, when I was about 10-ish, my goal was to be an executive secretary. Really?) I landed a job right out of high school and stayed there for 35 years - holding many positions during that time. When I was 54, I decided that it was time to leave when the company got bought by a psychopath and went from public to private. And I landed at the same company as my former boss and several co-workers - as a QA Lead for the technology department of a large grocery retailer. Ended up as a QA Manager - working for the same wonderful Director that I worked for in my other company. But I never planned to be a software tester or manager much less a retired QA manager. Sure do envy those people that had plans for life after retirement.
Now to figure out what my "plan" would be...
Retirement for Me!
Thursday, May 11, 2017
What's A GIrl To Do?
Retirement plans, decisions, discussions. I feel like Dorothy walking through the forest chanting "Lions and tigers and bears, oh my." Except my chant is "plans, discussions, decisions, discussion, oh my."
Prior to vacation, after the grand meetings that rocked my world, we got a personalized email that had an estimate of what the VRO package would be. Since it was based on years of service and other things, each person's was different.
My first order of business during the holidays was to meet with our financial planner to see if early retirement was even an option for me. And it was!!! (As a side note, we have the BEST financial planner ever - he's done a fantastic job for us!)
My husband was ok with whatever decision I made so it came down to what I wanted to do. On one hand, I really wasn't prepared to be retired yet. I wanted to work for a few more years and go out on my terms - not someone else's. On the other hand, things were going to change drastically in the office after the VRO took effect. Did I really want to be there to deal with the after effects? Hmmm - something to think about.
We had to make a commit to being 'interested' by January 9. If you were interested, then you would get the exact figures for your retirement delivered in mid-January. With the help of my husband and financial planner, I had decided to at least see what the numbers would be so I committed. I think most of the 2000 that were offered VRO said they were 'interested'.
Once I got the final numbers and had yet another discussion with my financial guy, I decided to go ahead and take the package. We didn't have to commit until the end of January but I went ahead and sent my paperwork in the day it was open. If you're going to jump, jump in all the way! So that's what I did. Kinda felt like jumping out of plane with no parachute and no safety net. But there was a sense of relief to have made a decision.
Once I got the final numbers and had yet another discussion with my financial guy, I decided to go ahead and take the package. We didn't have to commit until the end of January but I went ahead and sent my paperwork in the day it was open. If you're going to jump, jump in all the way! So that's what I did. Kinda felt like jumping out of plane with no parachute and no safety net. But there was a sense of relief to have made a decision.
Now the wait begins!
Retirement Times for Me
Wednesday, May 10, 2017
Rocking My World
My life was pretty simple and routine - get up, go to work as a software Quality Assurance Manager at a top grocery retailer, come home, veg in front of the TV, go to bed. Do the same thing the next day until the weekend and then hang with my hubby. Some would say boring - and they would be correct - but it was my life and it was predictable. Sometimes there is comfort in the predictable.
In late December, (December 15, 2016 to be exact) before all the holiday vacations started, we had an unexpected mandatory called. It happens so there were no concerns, no red flags, no worries. Apparently, each team was having a similar meeting but we didn't know that at the time.
Imagine my surprise when it was announced that the company was offering a Voluntary Retirement Offering (VRO) to all non-store personnel that met the requirements ~ at least 55 with 5 years of service. OOPS! I had almost 9 years of service and I was 63. WHOA! Did that mean me?
I walked out of the room in a state of shock, panic, and disbelief. I wasn't ready for retirement - I had planned on 3 more years. Could I do it financially? What would I do with my time? Would I try to find another job? Besides the panic that had set in, all I could think was "Oh SHIT!"
The next day, another meeting was held for just those people that were eligible. As I sat in the room waiting for the meeting to start, I was looking around to see who all was in the group of eligible people. My only thought as I sat there was "wow, these people are old!" HA - they were probably saying the same thing about me. They went over the package that was being offered and I have to say, it was pretty damn generous! But still - it wasn't MY plan! Fortunately, I had only 3 more working days until I went on vacation for 2 weeks. and boy oh boy, did I need it! My head was reeling.
Guess what I was going to be doing during those two weeks? Yep - making life-altering decisions. Yippee! Again ~ not MY plan. But in the words of a former manager - "it is what it is".
Decisions, decisions, decisions! What's a girl to do?
In late December, (December 15, 2016 to be exact) before all the holiday vacations started, we had an unexpected mandatory called. It happens so there were no concerns, no red flags, no worries. Apparently, each team was having a similar meeting but we didn't know that at the time.
Imagine my surprise when it was announced that the company was offering a Voluntary Retirement Offering (VRO) to all non-store personnel that met the requirements ~ at least 55 with 5 years of service. OOPS! I had almost 9 years of service and I was 63. WHOA! Did that mean me?
I walked out of the room in a state of shock, panic, and disbelief. I wasn't ready for retirement - I had planned on 3 more years. Could I do it financially? What would I do with my time? Would I try to find another job? Besides the panic that had set in, all I could think was "Oh SHIT!"
The next day, another meeting was held for just those people that were eligible. As I sat in the room waiting for the meeting to start, I was looking around to see who all was in the group of eligible people. My only thought as I sat there was "wow, these people are old!" HA - they were probably saying the same thing about me. They went over the package that was being offered and I have to say, it was pretty damn generous! But still - it wasn't MY plan! Fortunately, I had only 3 more working days until I went on vacation for 2 weeks. and boy oh boy, did I need it! My head was reeling.
Guess what I was going to be doing during those two weeks? Yep - making life-altering decisions. Yippee! Again ~ not MY plan. But in the words of a former manager - "it is what it is".
Decisions, decisions, decisions! What's a girl to do?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)