I am retiring May 31, 2013!

[AE_Collector]

I have felt it coming for over a year now but it always takes them forever to decide that we are over staffed for the workload and that they should buy some of us out. I saw it in 2002 and then not again until 2009. I said YES in 2009 but in the end I backed out as I was only 52 years old. Then again 9 months later in 2010 as I was just hitting 53. By last year when I was finally 55 (which removed a lot of obstacles to retiring) I was ready but.....nothing.

So, finally it happened on February 5 of this year. "Put your name in and we will let you know before too long if you can leave or not." It has been in the works for over two months now but on Wednesday I finally got a confirmed "YES" along with a date....May 31.

In 37 1/2 years I saw many different areas of the local Telco, all on the craft / union side of the house. Lots of change too. Change in equipment, ways of doing things, technology, management, ownership etc. it was a great career, I started at 18 years old straight out of high school. I am fortunate to have stuck with the one career at one company as my pension has grown to be enough to live comfortably and retire at 56. I was hoping for an April 30 release date so I could claim "Freedom 55" but close enough.

I hope to travel even more than we have been, renovate much of my house, spend more time at our cabin AND finally have time to work on some of my phones! I also want to get back to my "Phone Room / Workshop" project soon.

I guess that is it for the moment but I will probably think of some more to say about it all soon. Seven weeks and counting.......

Terry

[DavePEI]

Congratulations, Terry! And you are still young enough to have your health!

Dave

[Dennis Markham]

Congratulations Terry on your long and successful career.  As Dave said, being young and having good health mean very much. Enjoy your travels.  I look forward to seeing more of your phone room and phones in the future.

[AE_Collector]

Yes thanks Dave! From one recent retiree to another soon to be retiree!

Terry

[AE_Collector]

Thanks Dennis! Can you see retiring on the horizon at all from where you are sitting? It sure is nice once it all comes together and while I have a lot of "stuff" to do to make it happen, I have no doubt in my mind that "it is time".

<edit> actually, you HAVE retired once already haven't you Dennis?

Terry

[Dennis Markham]

<edit> actually, you HAVE retired once already haven't you Dennis?
Terry

Yes, I "retired" from my career as a police officer in April of 2006-----six years ago on the 19th after 30 years.  I played with phones for a few years and went back to work in the fall of 2011.  Like you, I was pretty young (51) at the time I left the P.D.  Don't know when I'll retire again.  It feels good to get back out into the world again.

[MagicMo]

Retirement is wonderful. It's doing nothing without worrying about getting caught at it.
Enjoy
Mo

[AE_Collector]

Retirement is wonderful. It's doing nothing without worrying about getting caught at it.
Enjoy
Mo

Well said!  Thanks Mo.

Terry

[Gilas]

Enjoy your retirement!!  I have 13 years left to go before I can call it good but it goes fast.

Mike

[Tom B]

Congrats, Terry. I probably won't envy how your head feels on the morning of June 1st after a few celebratory drinks 

[paul-f]

Well done, Terry!

It sounds like you've thought out your plan well and won't be bored with all the extra "spare time!"

Enjoy!

[southernphoneman]

congrats on your pending retirement. im am sure you probably derserve it. in 5 years I will 55 and will be eligible for my pension from my career from when I lived in new York. when I hit 55 I will get it and keep working so the pension will be pretty much extra income, so I will probably be able to buy a lot more phones.

[Phonesrfun]

Congratulations Terry!

If you ever get the notion to travel to SW Washington. let me know! 

I also hope to see you on July 20th at the Seattle show.   Gee, you'll be post retirement by then.

[WesternElectricBen]

Congratulations,

Can you show us your projects like your phone room as of now?

[AE_Collector]

Thanks everyone!

Yes Tom, it looks as though my last day is a Friday so I may have to "Buy Out", the term used when we were moved from one city (a city if we were lucky!) to another in the Central Office Installation department.

No, I am not anticipating much spare time Paul!

Some guys go back to work for contractors southernphoneman. As you mention they can then collect pension and a pay check that way. At this point in time I have enough projects lined up that I don't see myself going back to work (for pay)  but who knows for sure!

SW Washington should certainly be do-able from here Bill. And barring being on a cruise ship or in Europe by July 20 I will be in Seattle.

WesternElectricBen: Here are pictures of the start of my phone workshop "Telephone Room" from here down to post #40 but it all went on hold when I had to renovate my daughters basement suite so a friend of hers could move in. That is done so in conjunction with all the remaining retirement stuff I will get the Telephone Room going again.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=7735.msg91126#msg91126

Terry