Retirement?!?!

[Blast it Tom!]

Well, all, my last day of work was August 13. Ah, the idyllic pleasure of retirement! Just posting on the forum and working on my rockets, free as a bird... OW! Oh, my Pinnochio nose just hit the opposite wall so hard it dented the drywall!

In reality, and to be honest I'm glad I have the opportunity, I'm in the waiting room, having taken my mother-in-law for a follow-up doctor's appt. after she broke her hip -and she is doing very well, but her 92 year old husband is skating on thin ice right now... between trying to get my phone switched over (grr...), getting all the Social Security and Medicare taken care of, switching logins, finally getting to mow after a couple of weeks of rain, fixing the mower, watching the grandkids, and just generally planning and getting used to the incredible idea that I DON'T HAVE TO WORK ANYMORE (sorry, I get giddy and gleeful every time I think of it), I have yet to do anyting serious rocket-wise besides some jokes and pun-filled replies.

But oh, when it settles down a bit... I have @hcmbanjo's Cyclone and Breakaway to build (and some advice to seek), and help my brother-in-law with his Estes Der Red Max, and then my ACME Spitfire (thank you, Jim Flis), and oh, the possibilities! I might even get a couple of launches in finally!

It was really surprising to me over the last couple of months how time consuming all the retirement stuff was. And work kept me busy as a bee as we tried to transfer as much from my pea-brain to those of my juniors as was possible. I have a consulting agreement, but I'm not looking for work; I have a very full life even without spending 40 hours a week trying to wear the bottom of my mouse away! Still, if they get stuck, they can call.

But I'm really hoping to ramp up my involvement in the more technical aspects of our sport. I'm just so glad it's finally here!

 

[Antares JS]

Congratulations! I'm looking forward to the day myself when I can do nothing with my time but build rockets and play board games. Sadly, that's over 30 years away for me at this point.

 

[jimzcatz]

I was officially retired from my company after 24 years on 8/14/21. I had a stroke last year and it eventually caught up to me. A lifelong truck driver I already miss the road. At least I'm still breathing and walking!!

 

[Blast it Tom!]

Congratulations! I'm looking forward to the day myself when I can do nothing with my time but build rockets and play board games. Sadly, that's over 30 years away for me at this point.

Yeah, but you get to play with "fur real" rockets! (Bet it's not much like play... congrats on the latest cargo launch...)

 

[boatgeek]

Congratulations!

 

[Antares JS]

Yeah, but you get to play with "fur real" rockets! (Bet it's not much like play... congrats on the latest cargo launch...)

Thanks, but you're correct - not in the slightest like play. I've commented to my co-workers here that my favorite thing about working on my rockets vs. the Antares is that if there's an issue, I can just grab a tool and fix it. For the Antares, you have to generate reams of documentation, get it approved by three or four people, THEN you can grab a tool and fix it.

 

[boatgeek]

Thanks, but you're correct - not in the slightest like play. I've commented to my co-workers here that my favorite thing about working on my rockets vs. the Antares is that if there's an issue, I can just grab a tool and fix it. For the Antares, you have to generate reams of documentation, get it approved by three or four people, THEN you can grab a tool and fix it.

Douglas Adams had it right:
"They [Vogons] wouldn't even lift a finger to save their own grandmothers from the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal without orders – signed in triplicate, sent in, sent back, queried, lost, found, subjected to public inquiry, lost again, and finally buried in soft peat for three months and recycled as firelighters."

Here's to fewer forms for @Blast it Tom! to fill out!

 

[kuririn]

Congrats Tom!
Enjoy your retirement.

 

[DigBaddy]

Congrats and have fun!

Only 17 more years left, I tell myself...

 

[blackwing94]

If I had know known much fun retirement was going to be, I would have skipped the working part altogether.

Congratulations and enjoy yourself!

My 10 yr old grandson says when he grows up, he wants to be retired like Grandpa.

 

[jqavins]

You have achieved my life long ambition.

 

[messedupryan]

Congratulations!

I have yet to do anyting serious rocket-wise besides some jokes and pun-filled replies

I, for one, expect you to double or even triple your efforts in this arena sir!

 

[Jim Hinton]

Congrats Tom! I retired a little over a year ago. Overall, I've stayed busier than when I was working. Definitely more time for rockets though.

Jim

 

[Kelly]

Congrats! However, a warning: Once you settle in to retired life, though, you'll be so busy you'll wonder how you ever found time to work!

 

[Cl(VII)]

Congrats and enjoy.

 

[Blast it Tom!]

Thanks, but you're correct - not in the slightest like play. I've commented to my co-workers here that my favorite thing about working on my rockets vs. the Antares is that if there's an issue, I can just grab a tool and fix it. For the Antares, you have to generate reams of documentation, get it approved by three or four people, THEN you can grab a tool and fix it.

At least it spreads out the credit for when things go right... I suspect it isn't quite the same if something goes wrong!

Thanks to all for your warm wishes and congrats, and the good humor!

 

[John Brohm]

Indeed. It reminds me of something an old French boss of mine once told me many years ago, as he attempted to explain the politics of project success or failure. He said "If the project ends badly, then the project is left as an orphan. But if it ends successfully, why then there are many fathers of the baby!"

Best wishes, Tom, on your retirement! Hope to see you visit the flying field soon.

 

[russell_t]

Congratulations Tom on your retirement!
After 28 years of 1's and 0's I retired on 9-19-19 and I've enjoyed every day since then.
May you also enjoy every day!

Russell

 

[Blast it Tom!]

Indeed. It reminds me of something an old French boss of mine once told me many years ago, as he attempted to explain the politics of project success or failure. He said "If the project ends badly, then the project is left as an orphan. But if it ends successfully, why then there are many fathers of the baby!"

Best wishes, Tom, on your retirement! Hope to see you visit the flying field soon.

John, much thanks, good to hear from you. I hope to as well. These first few days are chaotic, to be honest. I know it will settle down; I aim for getting us into a routine of fun and fitness and do-gooding and so on. Every time I make a list of what all I'd like to get into, I leave something out. But it's ridiculously long. And as I've said, it's a hurting world out there, lot of places to be the Good News and lots of ways to do it. I'm sure I'm not the first guy to think of rocketry as a way to reach out to marginalized kids and get them into some of the good ways that math and science can be both challenging and fun.

@russell_t, sure glad you're enjoying it, though, c'mon... well, i guess it was too late... but 10/10/20 would've come close, considering your field. (I remind a lot of people when they marvel at self-driving cars - "You must remember that in the end, it's all 1's an 0's. The car can't "see" anything or "hear" anything in the manner that you do.")

I think we all can echo @blackwing94's sentiments:

If I had know known much fun retirement was going to be, I would have skipped the working part altogether.

Amen! I wish I could reply to all of you individually! Thanks!

 

[Sandy H.]

All of my mentors who retired enjoyed retirement more than working, but they also jumped at the chance to come back to help out when needed. From my current perspective, I think retirement must be all about measured freedom and measured desirability (not the best word, but all I could think of).

I hope your retirement is the perfect balance of measured freedom and measured desirability (along with unlimited resources, just for fun!).

Congratulations!!!

Sandy.

 

[teepot]

Have a long and happy retirement.

 

[Peartree]

My (our) retirement is still a few years away, but close enough that we are starting to dream, plan, and look at houses/land. Congratulations on making it across the finish line in one piece.

 

[Lord Rory Gin]

Well, all, my last day of work was August 13. Ah, the idyllic pleasure of retirement! Just posting on the forum and working on my rockets, free as a bird... OW! Oh, my Pinocchio nose just hit the opposite wall so hard it dented the drywall!
...snip...
But I'm really hoping to ramp up my involvement in the more technical aspects of our sport. I'm just so glad it's finally here!

I had a visit with my financial advisor - he said I got work a year longer than I planned so now retirement is 2.5 years out pending on how a global financial crisis pans out. I'm a little disappointed so I will just bide my time. At least work is still interesting to me...
I've got enough in my build and paint piles to keep me going through to Christmas...

Congrats on your milestone, one of many.

 

[hcmbanjo]

Build that Cyclone light (not much paint, if any) and launch it with a 1/2A for the first flight.
That upper single fin section spins and hovers almost too well!
Be sure the couplers on the Break-Away have an easy slide so all the segments will separate at ejection.

Congrats and all the best for your Retirement!

 

[aerostadt]

I retired 11 years ago. It worked out pretty good.

 

[tab28682]

Congrats! Retired this past Feb 1 and can no longer imagine working full time.

 

[Bowman]

Congratulations, I retired in April of 2019 after 46 years on a W2.
Pandemic put a damper on things for a while but I was able to ride my mountain bike and keep active.
I think staying active is a key to enjoying retirement.
I too have a status of Independent Consultant for now but I have turned down every engagement offered to this point.
Not sure that I want to march to anyone else's drum ever again.

For now I just ride my bike and tend to the garden while I wait for my wife to retire.

 

[ksaves2]

Congratulations,

I bailed out from practicing medicine July 1st, 2020 as I was 63 going on 64, my lovely spouse died of Radon induced lung cancer the year before (she never smoked a cigarette in her life) and I was legally a guardian of my adult son who has an autistic spectrum disorder but he is doing very well.
Haven't touched a rocket in a couple of years but haven't lost my enthusiasm. Have to do "domestic" chores for now but will get back into it as soon as the mood hits and I can get back into the workshop. When is the next Midwest Power?
Kurt Savegnago

 

[mjennings]

Thanks, but you're correct - not in the slightest like play. I've commented to my co-workers here that my favorite thing about working on my rockets vs. the Antares is that if there's an issue, I can just grab a tool and fix it. For the Antares, you have to generate reams of documentation, get it approved by three or four people, THEN you can grab a tool and fix it.

When I worked ISS we joked that the shuttle couldn't launch till the weight of the paper work was more than the shuttle fully loaded. They put pedometers on the engineers for work order signature cycles and it wasn't uncommon for someone to walk several miles to get all the signatures. It went mostly digital after I left and supposedly there was less walking.

@Blast it Tom! Congratulations hope you get to enjoy retirement for a long time!

 

[lakeroadster]

Well, all, my last day of work was August 13. Ah, the idyllic pleasure of retirement! Just posting on the forum and working on my rockets, free as a bird... OW! Oh, my Pinnochio nose just hit the opposite wall so hard it dented the drywall!

In reality, and to be honest I'm glad I have the opportunity, I'm in the waiting room, having taken my mother-in-law for a follow-up doctor's appt. after she broke her hip -and she is doing very well, but her 92 year old husband is skating on thin ice right now... between trying to get my phone switched over (grr...), getting all the Social Security and Medicare taken care of, switching logins, finally getting to mow after a couple of weeks of rain, fixing the mower, watching the grandkids, and just generally planning and getting used to the incredible idea that I DON'T HAVE TO WORK ANYMORE (sorry, I get giddy and gleeful every time I think of it), I have yet to do anyting serious rocket-wise besides some jokes and pun-filled replies.

But oh, when it settles down a bit... I have @hcmbanjo's Cyclone and Breakaway to build (and some advice to seek), and help my brother-in-law with his Estes Der Red Max, and then my ACME Spitfire (thank you, Jim Flis), and oh, the possibilities! I might even get a couple of launches in finally!

It was really surprising to me over the last couple of months how time consuming all the retirement stuff was. And work kept me busy as a bee as we tried to transfer as much from my pea-brain to those of my juniors as was possible. I have a consulting agreement, but I'm not looking for work; I have a very full life even without spending 40 hours a week trying to wear the bottom of my mouse away! Still, if they get stuck, they can call.

But I'm really hoping to ramp up my involvement in the more technical aspects of our sport. I'm just so glad it's finally here!

Welcome to the newest member, @Blast it Tom! , of TRF II: The Retirement Forum, a sub-set of The Rocketry Forum.

Enjoy your freedom and remember it's all about the journey, and not the destination. No need for self defined "hard" deadlines now.

It took me a couple years to figure that out.

John