# Did you symbolically commemorate the start of your retirement?



## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

When I received my early out pension from my employer and decided to retire on my drive home with my out to pasture paperwork in my briefcase on the seat beside me, as I approached the double bridge over a double channel creek branch I took off my quartz 24 hour military face wrist watch and tossed it out the window over the far side of the bridge and hoped it landed in one of the channels and haven't wore a wrist watch since.

If I HAVE to keep track of time more consistently than the calender, wall clock or car radio display I use my father's wind up pocket watch which is rarely as in once or twice a year.


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## Micheal (Jan 28, 2009)

Well, nothing like tossing a watch or such.....
Although the only thing I really remember about my last night (worked 3-11 PM shift)on the job was that as I pulled out of the driveway on to the street for the last time a sense of relief came over me - like the weight of the world was taken off my shoulders. 
Never felt that way before not during my working career nor since being retired.


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## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

Micheal said:


> as I pulled out of the driveway on to the street for the last time a sense of relief came over me - like the weight of the world was taken off my shoulders.


That kinda' sums it up for me too. Worked for a great university with great people, but it was a wonderful feeling to know that any future work related deadlines would be self imposed...or not...as I felt the need.


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## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

No, because I didn't know I had retired until several years after the fact. I had planned on starting another business and just never got around to it.


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## ET1 SS (Oct 22, 2005)

My employer held a retirement ceremony with mandatory attendance.

My supervisors wanted to present me with a plaque, though I was required to provide it.

The way the timeline of events works, your household goods are shipped stateside, then your family is flown stateside, and a month later you get flown stateside. So when it came time for my retirement ceremony, my family was not there.

The day afterwards, I stopped shaving.


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## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

ET1 SS said:


> My employer held a retirement ceremony with mandatory attendance.
> 
> My supervisors wanted to present me with a plaque, though I was required to provide it.
> 
> ...


At least they didn't cashier you


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

No- I missed it when I slept in late. Oh wait, there was no more "late", was there? I guess that was my commemoration. 

No- my place has a retirement party as they had for all who retired rather than quit.


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

I went on a 2 week....





vacation. I had to get out of town. No warning, nothing. Called in right after lunch at 1:00. "Thank You for all your hard work but as of now you no longer work for xxxx". I handed them my pager, cell phone and keys, grabbed 2 things from my office, called my wife for a ride and left. Still haven't gotten my severance pay. The city manager was stealing money, he knew I knew. The city manager is in jail serving 9 years....James


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