Off the Grid  Retirement at our remote log cabin in Colorado

Friday, April 29, 2016

What’s On My Mind

Posted by: Rick

Okay, most people would say "nothing".  ;-) (I am not going to open a poll on this one.)

Today was my last day at work. I'm still gainfully employed for another two weeks, but on vacation. And, will be using that vacation time for the "big move". It was a bittersweet day. I love(d) my job. The people. The customers and their enthusiasm for our products. The products. But, it is time to move on.

I honestly believe that I've given all I can give over 10 years. Yeah, I still have passion and ideas. But, I'm also excited to move on and turn the reins over to someone else with equal passion and probably better ideas. It is good for me to move on. It is good for Vision Research to get new blood. I'll miss it a lot, but also have a lot to look forward to. A new chapter in my life!

The past 10 years have been good to me. I have special memories and experiences that will always be with me. The amazement on people's faces when they see and understand the previously unseen. The passion and evangelism many have had for our products. An Emmy award. Attending the (technical) Academy Awards. And all the people I worked with.

I've worked pretty much continuously for almost 50 years. What will it be like when I wake up next Monday morning and instead of prepping for work, I will supervise the packing of goods we are moving to Colorado? Not having the 21 mile, 45 minute commute to work (and back)? Not feeling the need to check my work email the first thing in the morning?

Instead, what's on my mind is sorting the stuff in the garage. The office is a mess. It needs some serious attention this weekend. How will the estate sale go? Will our cross country trip go smoothly? (There sure has been bad weather lately.) Will the snow finally stop falling in Colorado? Will the roads to the cabin be muddy? (Or worse, inaccessible? Wouldn't that be hilarious?) How grateful I am that our storage facility volunteered to store our trailer, if needed! 

I've got this huge list of "things to do" when we arrive. It starts with establishing a banking account, and ends with going fishing. ... Okay, I'm moving "going fishing" up the list a bit. Stay tuned and you'll experience it all with us!

A new chapter. 

Bittersweet.

Comments:

I am sure it has been a wonderful ride, now for the well deserved retirement. In a sense one never retires, one just chooses a new career option. As Margaret Mead said, “Sooner or later I am going to die but I am not going to retire”!

Enjoyed getting to know you and the few years we worked together. Best wishes on the big move!

Hi, V.V. Wow, it has been along time! Thanks for the comment and the astute observation. You are right, I am only retiring from one set of activities to adopt new ones!

It’s called “REINVENTION”, and I bet you will LOVE it! SF

Congrats Rick. Much the way I felt in 1998. You know you are in for the best years of your life.

Congrats, Rick! May the dreams you dream be the future you find in this next chapter. Retirement rocks! Our pace is our own, and we are grateful we get to choose how and with whom we spend our time. Enjoy the journey! Welcome back to Colorado! Oh yeah, it is still snowing…

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“One’s first step in wisdom is to question everything - and one’s last is to come to terms with everything.” – Georg Christoph Lichtenberg

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