So on Friday I didn't post much because I went to my old office. I cleaned out all of my old files and personal memorabilia and called the car service guy to pick me up so I could take everything home. After 37 years as an accountant I am officially retired.
I fit everything into four of those cardboard file boxes. It was interesting how your whole life can fit in a couple of boxes. For about twenty years I was all about going to the game. I had a bulletin board in my office and I would tack every ticket to every game I went to on the board. There were Yankee and Giant and Knick tickets. Tickets to opening day and many World Series games. Tickets to a bunch of world championship boxing matches with Ali, Tyson, Holyfield, Joe Fraizer, Larry Holmes, Sweet Pea Witaker, and a whole bunch more. NBA finales tickets. Just a whole lot of memories. But when you took them down they didn't ever fill on quarter of one box.
You see those things were in the past. They were fun sometimes a lot of fun. But what is past is past. It is a new day. I have a lot of new fun and exciting things that I will be able to talk about soon. I love to reminisce about the old days but it is a new day. An exciting day. A new Year.
I am putting those old memories in the cellar and not worrying about them anymore.
When you close a door another one opens. Walk through that door with me. It is going to be a fun ride.
20 comments:
Trooper York, you're my hero.
I've been doing much the same thing. I'm slowly cleaning out the office I used for thirteen years.
It's interesting how things that seemed important back then are now nearly worthless. Code books, manuals, newspaper articles, blueprints, sketches, notes, and ideas have all been eclipsed by the mere passage of time and change of circumstance.
It's the things that are true that never change, that give one's life a sense of permanence.
Working to stay in God's grace, love of America and the extraordinarily selfless men and women who protect her, family, true friends, health and the gift of years all are more important than the things in my old office.
An elderly aunt passed away in October. We took an hour after her burial to walk thought the 150 year old cemetery and read the headstones. Some were old and small, nearly unreadable. Others were larger or newer and more easily read. Each represented one lifetime, short or long.
None was inscribed "I wish I had spent more time in the office".
Savor what you have.
I have seen what happens when one tries to walk through a door with another. The Three Stooges demonstrated that move regularly.
Hey I watched a Three Stooges marathon last night.
It is tons of fun when you are drunk.
Wow Troop, we’re almost on opposite trajectories as far as boxes go Twelve years ago I shelved my career in chemistry—literally packing my thoughts and scribbles into those banker boxes and stowed in the attic rafters in the garage (we don’t have basements here). I immediately found lucrative work in the legal field and in those days law firms were willing to train on the job (those days are long gone). Making decent money was necessary because I was supporting a wife and two toddlers. Later, as the kids got older, my wife went back to school and became a nurse. She’s incredibly ambitious and worked for a while as a floor nurse, but then decided to go back for more schooling and to try to help train (revamp) the whole profession. She’s writing papers and getting published. This makes me wistful for I too have a number of published scientific papers and reviews. But I haven’t published anything in years. While traveling last year I decided that I had one or two good original publications still in me and so I decided to revisit those stowed banker boxes and try—at least try—to pull something together.
I walked away from integrated circuit design 9 years ago and have, over the years, gotten rid of all my texts, manuals, handouts, software and other debris associated with that career.
Now that I am moving I am losing all my code books - like I am ever going to write anything in C of any sort ever again.
Still work in engineering, but it's all in my garage now. The rest of the world can take a hike, as far as I am concerned.
I gotta do the garage cleaning thing, too. Tech from the '90s?
And I have to find some way to integrate some of my dad's stuff. :-(
And I have to find some way to integrate some of my dad's stuff. :-(
Highly worthwhile, highly recommend.
I didn't throw out any comic books, though. I'm cleaning, but I'm not stoopid.
Congrats big man. Retirement is great for most people. You strike me as a guy for whom retirement will be seamless. I wish all the best.
Retirement is great, enjoy!
I walked away from nursing with no regrets. It's a great profession , but needs much reform. Chickie, I hope your wife is in on this, it's so past due.
@Allie: bestimmte
I watched The Three Stooges marathon too Troop.
Hugs...and tits.
As long as it isn't a glass door you walk through. Seriesly, I had a relative who ended up in the hospital because a glass door in a hotel that should have had an insignia on it, paint on it, anything on it, had nothing and because of the lighting it was invisible and he walked into it full tilt and ended up with, I don't know, 30 or 40 stitches. So don't walk into glass doors that are invisible.
Wait, you guys are talking like Troop's retiring from the world of work.
He's just dropping accounting for working 24/7 at his store. So, he's retiring where "retiring" means "working four times as hard"!
It's not like he's gonna be golfing with the BHO.
Don't use the word "seamless" around a guy in the clothing business, just sayin'...
Sixty Grit said...
Don't use the word "seamless" around a guy in the clothing business, just sayin'...
His diversions seem to come off without a stitch.
And without a lot of hemming and hawing, for that matter.
Plenty of nips and tucks though, and more than a few darts!
After 37 years as an accountant I am officially retired.
Congratulations. After over 20 years as a financial planner and stock broker, I closed my business almost exactly one year ago.
I have NO regrets. Sometimes I miss my clients, but I can just see them around and visit socially. When the market is tanking or rising.....ho hum.... I only have to worry about myself and not everyone else or deal with their idiocy. (just my own)
Retirement is great. However, since my husband bought another business and expanded his, and now I am the accountant, secretary etc,..I am busier than ever. LOVING IT.
As Yogi said: When you come to the fork in the road...take it.
Good for you. New exciting opportunities.
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