How is your career going?

Everything else!

Moderators: Bakhtosh, EvilHomer3k

Post Reply
User avatar
Smoove_B
Posts: 54567
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:58 am
Location: Kaer Morhen

Re: How is your career going?

Post by Smoove_B »

That is really awesome - always great to hear good news for a change. Congrats!
Maybe next year, maybe no go
User avatar
msteelers
Posts: 7157
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 9:30 pm
Location: Port Saint Lucie, Florida
Contact:

Re: How is your career going?

Post by msteelers »

My daughter's daycare let us know a couple of weeks ago that they will be shutting down in May. That's led to a scramble of trying to find an alternative. Every place we can find is either too expensive, has a waiting list a year+ long, or both!

We're seriously looking at my wife staying home from work to watch her. Losing her income will hurt, but childcare expenses are so high that it will eat up half of her pay anyway. She's always wanted to stay home with the daughter and is willing to do DoorDash and work part-time on Fridays and Saturdays at her old job (if they'll let her).

That's all putting pressure on me to get my voice over business up and running. I've been getting coaching and focusing on getting work, and I just got my first non-audiobook gig. Chicago-area OOers might hear me on the radio there soon. It's a political ad for one of the local races.
User avatar
Zaxxon
Forum Moderator
Posts: 28118
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:11 am
Location: Surrounded by Mountains

Re: How is your career going?

Post by Zaxxon »

Congrats, msteelers! (And LB, and Lassr, and the others in here lately.)

But what ever came of malchior's wife's predicament from the summer?
Jeff V
Posts: 36414
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2004 7:17 pm
Location: Nowhere you want to be.

Re: How is your career going?

Post by Jeff V »

msteelers wrote: Fri Jan 27, 2023 3:47 pm My daughter's daycare let us know a couple of weeks ago that they will be shutting down in May. That's led to a scramble of trying to find an alternative. Every place we can find is either too expensive, has a waiting list a year+ long, or both!

We're seriously looking at my wife staying home from work to watch her. Losing her income will hurt, but childcare expenses are so high that it will eat up half of her pay anyway. She's always wanted to stay home with the daughter and is willing to do DoorDash and work part-time on Fridays and Saturdays at her old job (if they'll let her).

That's all putting pressure on me to get my voice over business up and running. I've been getting coaching and focusing on getting work, and I just got my first non-audiobook gig. Chicago-area OOers might hear me on the radio there soon. It's a political ad for one of the local races.
Congrats on the radio gig! The radio station I listen to doesn't run political ads though.

I had a customer today who used to do Uber Eats but after 2 years decided it wasn't very profitable. Often the food wasn't ready, she had to wait, they'd be busy, and 40 minutes later she'd be delivering cold food to the not-so-happy customer who then tipped her accordingly.

Uber does do package delivery -- I'd expect that would have less issues.
Black Lives Matter
malchior
Posts: 24794
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:58 pm

Re: How is your career going?

Post by malchior »

Zaxxon wrote: Fri Jan 27, 2023 3:55 pmBut what ever came of malchior's wife's predicament from the summer?
It's a long update - it's to put mildly a shit show. Still the worst run company I've ever seen that wasn't criminal. It might be criminal. I don't know. It makes so little sense. The highlights because the full litany of insanity is bottomless:

Edit: Quick recap - my wife started working at a profitable, well-respected chemical supply company in northern NJ. 6-months in it was sold to what can best be described as the worst run billion dollar business I've ever seen. Within months of closing the deal the new management manufactured a rationale to fire her boss on flimsy pretenses and announced they'd be closing her location and merging it with another location.

* Her boss was fired as I mentioned. They simply didn't announce it for weeks. Even though everyone knew. Eventually my wife had expenses and kept asking people who would approve them. A random manager in HR eventually did. Alrighty then. So they just kept operating. She had no one supervising her, had no insight into what was happening, and what the plan was to merge the businesses. She also had no idea what was happening with her job. Predictably people started quitting and retiring to the point where operations were straining. Oh this was one of the only part of their business in the black. Which they continue to neglect which just baffles me. It still feels like a Brewster's Millions scenario to me.

* She chased them for about 2 months before they told her who her new boss was. He had been told a month back and apparently never reached out to her. That new boss is in charge of a role my wife doesn't do and basically started tell her to start doing things that she was not qualified to do such as manage quality control for pharmaceuticals at the to be merged location.

That was the existing business there and it is to be frank...a shit show as well. She is being directed to do this work as a stop gap ("for a couple of years maybe") because the existing manager quit (this is a constant theme). She has no idea how pharma works since she has worked in cosmetics/finished goods her entire career. Solid. They've been trying to get her to start signing off on documentation, it is full of inaccuracies, and she has so far refused to sign it which is precipitating a bit of a crisis as we speak. :roll:

* She found out they had sold the building she currently works out of primarily because they got a ton of cash for it (and probably got ripped off to boot) but didn't seem to think forward to ... how the current business would operate in the new location. They hadn't even begun planning for the new equipment. The current building is supposed to be vacant after March 31st. They are still doing demolition on the merged location as of this week. Also, they've come to realize they don't have enough space for the existing and to be merged business to operate so they're now moving more than half the production out to the mid-west on the fly. That'll go well. The new location is also union and the old wasn't. That is causing significant issues and has lead to weeks of contract negotiations. The person leading negotiations also has no experience with labor relations. :lol: Also, most of the workforce lives in the old location's city and relied on public transportation. Most are choosing to retire or move on so they have practically no labor force for the merged operations.

So then there is the HR situation. The main reason she has trouble finding out what is happening on the job front is because the assigned HR rep for her company was out on indefinite leave at the time. And no one apparently noticed or stepped in. WTF. The HR rep recently just appeared and started checking in with my wife because she had heard there "might be problems". The understatement of a lifetime. I'll also note that one time the head of HR told my wife this merger was going so much better than the last one. :shock:

One major issue she is dealing with is that they announced in December at the merged location that my wife was going to be supervising them. They didn't however tell my wife that anyone told them that until last week. So now it appears she ignored all them like she was ignored. On top, they haven't formally changed her job or made any changes to make that official. They in fact told her it wasn't a material difference in her employment (via a letter).

They've theoretically doubled her team, she has to report to two locations throughout the week, she now has two computers, and two phones. And they keep leaning on her to figure out the merged operations. For the same money. "Quiet hiring" amirite. The upshot is that when my wife asks for work to be done, she isn't the boss. When they need something, suddenly she is the boss. It's a terrible situation and they are setting her up for failure. The head honcho at merged location has been saying this loud and often to upper management without any change or even explanation about what they are supposed to do about it. He is even just asking they make a company-wide announcement of the shift in responsibilities. Which they are resisting.

In the end, this is preposterous and what's actually happening is a HR nightmare. People are literally screaming at each other on daily meetings (I've heard it personally). The CEO is coming to town and she is preparing a presentation to frankly tell them how fucked they are and ask them what they expect from her because things aren't going well. The best part is we found out that he thinks things are on track. They aren't and the project is 7-figures over budget. How he doesn't know this? I don't know. They are owned by private equity and I'm convinced they need something that bleeds cash.

* So why is my wife hanging around? They did eventually throw her a decent offer of a retention bonus to be paid out in late Spring. Even then she is a hair away from pulling the trigger to go work for her old boss who has agreed to build a wet lab in our basement (we're only talking a bench, a sink, and some equipment - nothing major). She is trying to walk a tightrope to keep him on the line while trying to get her bonus. We'll see but THIS IS INSANE obviously.
Last edited by malchior on Sat Jan 28, 2023 3:14 pm, edited 6 times in total.
User avatar
Kurth
Posts: 5882
Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2005 1:19 am
Location: Portland

Re: How is your career going?

Post by Kurth »

Lassr wrote: Fri Jan 27, 2023 9:12 am Michael Hopkins was the Astronaut from Space X Dragon Mission-1. My silver snoopy flew on that flight.

Enlarge Image
Enlarge Image
That’s awesome! Congratulations, Lassr, and nice work.
Just 'cause you feel it, doesn't mean it's there -- Radiohead
Do you believe me? Do you trust me? Do you like me? 😳
User avatar
Isgrimnur
Posts: 82092
Joined: Sun Oct 15, 2006 12:29 am
Location: Chookity pok
Contact:

Re: How is your career going?

Post by Isgrimnur »

As a lifelong Peanuts fan and a space nerd, that is awesome, and I am envious.
It's almost as if people are the problem.
User avatar
Carpet_pissr
Posts: 19980
Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2004 5:32 pm
Location: Columbia, SC

Re: How is your career going?

Post by Carpet_pissr »

LawBeefaroni wrote: Fri Jan 27, 2023 3:34 pmSo Joe Cool.
:P
User avatar
Kraken
Posts: 43688
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:59 pm
Location: The Hub of the Universe
Contact:

Re: How is your career going?

Post by Kraken »

malchior wrote: Sat Jan 28, 2023 12:09 pm The upshot is that when my wife asks for work to be done, she isn't the boss. When they need something, suddenly she is the boss. It's a terrible situation and they are setting her up for failure.
Responsibility without authority. Been there. She can only lose.
malchior
Posts: 24794
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:58 pm

Re: How is your career going?

Post by malchior »

Kraken wrote: Sat Jan 28, 2023 3:18 pm
malchior wrote: Sat Jan 28, 2023 12:09 pm The upshot is that when my wife asks for work to be done, she isn't the boss. When they need something, suddenly she is the boss. It's a terrible situation and they are setting her up for failure.
Responsibility without authority. Been there. She can only lose.
Same. Never with this sort of chaos though.

A VP recommended she clean house on one team - I didn't get into all the personnel issues which are plenty. Having heard the way these people act and their work product I understood the inclination as an observer. My wife asked me what I thought and I pointed out if she actually wanted to clean house she had no support to make it happen. As an example, one of the problem people is at times not showing up to work, is late more than half the time, and isn't getting assigned work done. She is also resisting attempts to loop my wife into the work processes. Including withholding the process documentation. My wife asked HR what they should do and they told her to keep monitoring it. I'm like...monitor what? She isn't showing up to work sometimes. There is a punch clock involved. Case closed. Even in NJ that's a simple termination. I said maybe suggest suspension, she did so, and HR told her they don't have a policy that allows suspension. Alright...so...what's the point of "monitoring it"?
User avatar
Isgrimnur
Posts: 82092
Joined: Sun Oct 15, 2006 12:29 am
Location: Chookity pok
Contact:

Re: How is your career going?

Post by Isgrimnur »

Unfunded Unsupported mandates!
It's almost as if people are the problem.
User avatar
stessier
Posts: 29816
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2004 12:30 pm
Location: SC

Re: How is your career going?

Post by stessier »

Do people have any retirement planning resources they would recommend? My goal is to retire in about 10 years and I'm looking to fine tune and stress test what I have. I've been reading a lot and watching a ton of videos, but I don't know what I don't know and that scares me. I'm hesitant to go to a financial planner as I'm not sure they are worth the cost.
I require a reminder as to why raining arcane destruction is not an appropriate response to all of life's indignities. - Vaarsuvius
Global Steam Wishmaslist Tracking
Running____2014: 1300.55 miles____2015: 2036.13 miles____2016: 1012.75 miles____2017: 1105.82 miles____2018: 1318.91 miles__2019: 2000.00 miles
User avatar
LordMortis
Posts: 70101
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:26 pm

Re: How is your career going?

Post by LordMortis »

:pop:

Plan? There ain't no plan.

I also could not warrant a financial planner and still have many concerns as I am still in my income transition phase from having a 2022 W2 to file and I am still on COBRA. For me, retirement is all about understanding health care and much of that will remain a mystery until I apply of ACA coverage and rebuild my budget for that (and things like no more dental because no Michigan ACA coverage includes dental)

The big thing I wish I better understood at this point if the fixed income market. Bond funds are essentially ETF securities and can get you burned bad, as they trade bonds and the value to you goes up and down. Investing in municipal and corporate bonds for fixed income seemed to have had non existent returns for the last ???? so I just wrote them off. That story has changed since the Fed has been raising rates. They are estimating well over a trillion more dollars will move away securities (which much has already been sidelined) to fixed income investments in 2023.

Conventional planning is that you are supposed to shoot for 4% inflation rate adjusted return on the money you put away. I don't have links for that but I do spend a lot of time listening to financial news.

I also don't worry about all of the insurances that most people do. I don't have spouse or children. My world can go to probate and the nieces and nephews can pick over the rest. If disability becomes intolerable just send me out on a small sheet of ice.

I used to have a number of retirement website planners but they didn't really do anything for me and the bookmarks went away with my last machine.
User avatar
LawBeefaroni
Forum Moderator
Posts: 55316
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2004 3:08 pm
Location: Urbs in Horto, outrageous taxes on everything

Re: How is your career going?

Post by LawBeefaroni »

Have to give a presentation to a bunch of interns and undergrads tomorrow about my job and career path. Putting together something now and wow, my job is boring. They specifically asked for managed care though so... they get what they asked for.
" Hey OP, listen to my advice alright." -Tha General
"No scientific discovery is named after its original discoverer." -Stigler's Law of Eponymy, discovered by Robert K. Merton

MYT
User avatar
coopasonic
Posts: 20969
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2005 11:43 pm
Location: Dallas-ish

Re: How is your career going?

Post by coopasonic »

stessier wrote: Tue Jan 31, 2023 1:49 pm Do people have any retirement planning resources they would recommend? My goal is to retire in about 10 years and I'm looking to fine tune and stress test what I have. I've been reading a lot and watching a ton of videos, but I don't know what I don't know and that scares me. I'm hesitant to go to a financial planner as I'm not sure they are worth the cost.
As part of our 401k package we have free access to retirement planing services so that's who I'll be talking to first whenever I feel like talking to someone. I also plan to be done in 10 years or less and have literally no idea if it is even feasible. I know I have a lot more saved than the average 50yo, but I also know my lifestyle is much more expensive than the average 50yo.
-Coop
Black Lives Matter
User avatar
hepcat
Posts: 51302
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 3:02 pm
Location: Chicago, IL Home of the triple homicide!

Re: How is your career going?

Post by hepcat »

I’m thinking more and more about semi retirement for a few years. I’m 56 and I’m just getting more and more burned out on this job (partially because of one person who I just cannot get along with, and who constantly finds fault in everything I do…sometimes rightfully so, sometimes unrealistically).

I keep thinking about taking a less stressful job for about 3 years then retiring completely….or continuing on part time. That or have them reduce my salary and responsibilities at work for that amount of time.

I just know I’m unhappy right now.
Covfefe!
User avatar
RMC
Posts: 6739
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 1:49 pm
Location: Elyria, Ohio
Contact:

Re: How is your career going?

Post by RMC »

hepcat wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 10:31 am I’m thinking more and more about semi retirement for a few years. I’m 56 and I’m just getting more and more burned out on this job (partially because of one person who I just cannot get along with, and who constantly finds fault in everything I do…sometimes rightfully so, sometimes unrealistically).

I keep thinking about taking a less stressful job for about 3 years then retiring completely….or continuing on part time. That or have them reduce my salary and responsibilities at work for that amount of time.

I just know I’m unhappy right now.
If you see anything on the UH Cleveland website you might like, let me know and I can put in a good word. Healthcare can be intense but for the most part it is not too bad, but after Covid my IT department has really embraced remote workers. So you can work remote.
Difficulties mastered are opportunities won. - Winston Churchill
Sheesh, this is one small box. Thankfully, everything's packed in nicely this time. Not too tight nor too loose (someone's sig in 3, 2, ...). - Hepcat
User avatar
Zaxxon
Forum Moderator
Posts: 28118
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:11 am
Location: Surrounded by Mountains

Re: How is your career going?

Post by Zaxxon »

hepcat wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 10:31 am I’m thinking more and more about semi retirement for a few years. I’m 56 and I’m just getting more and more burned out on this job (partially because of one person who I just cannot get along with, and who constantly finds fault in everything I do…sometimes rightfully so, sometimes unrealistically).

I keep thinking about taking a less stressful job for about 3 years then retiring completely….or continuing on part time. That or have them reduce my salary and responsibilities at work for that amount of time.

I just know I’m unhappy right now.
I've had similar mental percolations lately. I'm younger than you but have been in this job for a long (looonngg, pre-OO) time now. I generally enjoy it, and very much enjoy its mostly-remote nature and the freedom I have to pick my kids up from school, attend all their extracurriculars, etc. Very much privileged there.

But I've wondered whether I'd be better off moving to a lower-FTE status for a few years, potentially filling the void by assisting at a non-profit or some other more meaningful endeavor.

Certainly appealing, though so is continuing to shovel money into 'real' retirement / college funding prep...
User avatar
hepcat
Posts: 51302
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 3:02 pm
Location: Chicago, IL Home of the triple homicide!

Re: How is your career going?

Post by hepcat »

Zaxxon wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 11:13 am I'm younger than you
Oh yeah, rub it in, why don't ya!
RMC wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 10:34 am If you see anything on the UH Cleveland website you might like, let me know and I can put in a good word. Healthcare can be intense but for the most part it is not too bad, but after Covid my IT department has really embraced remote workers. So you can work remote.
As always, thanks old friend (even though, like Zax, you're younger than me).

I'm just not sure where I want to be right now. Thankfully I have zero debt, no kids to put through college, and no medical emergencies (the neck/headache issue is slowly clearing up and seems to be just a sprained neck from driving too long while slumped over steering wheel during the holidays). So I have it easier than most in that regard (with the caveat being that I'm alone). I think I need to do some soul searching on the matter of what's important to me. One thing I do know. It's not crushing my enemies and listening to the lamentations of their women.
Last edited by hepcat on Fri Feb 03, 2023 11:55 am, edited 2 times in total.
Covfefe!
User avatar
Zaxxon
Forum Moderator
Posts: 28118
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:11 am
Location: Surrounded by Mountains

Re: How is your career going?

Post by Zaxxon »

hepcat wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 11:49 am
Zaxxon wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 11:13 am I'm younger than you
Oh yeah, rub it in, why don't ya!
You're better-seasoned than I, though.
User avatar
coopasonic
Posts: 20969
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2005 11:43 pm
Location: Dallas-ish

Re: How is your career going?

Post by coopasonic »

hepcat wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 11:49 am I think I need to do some soul searching on the matter of what's important to me. One thing I do know. It's not crushing my enemies and listening to the lamentations of their women.
That's really an underrated feeling, but I guess we all have our own priorities. Also, I guess I should appreciate that you don't want to crush your enemies.

Knowing what you want out of life is pretty good question to find an answer to. Not too long ago I decided I've done everything I really want to do. At this point, everything is just a nice bonus. Obviously I'd like to see my kids grow up and find their own happiness, but I think they are already on a pretty good path.

On the career front, my review was ok, nothing special. They still like me enough to keep me around and I am deeply involved in, with a leadership obligation on, one of our biggest future investment projects of the year, even though it has been trimmed down due to economic headwinds, as they put it. It's an opportunity for a better review next time around, at least.
-Coop
Black Lives Matter
User avatar
Unagi
Posts: 26376
Joined: Wed Sep 20, 2006 5:14 pm
Location: Chicago

Re: How is your career going?

Post by Unagi »

Zaxxon wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 11:50 am
hepcat wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 11:49 am
Zaxxon wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 11:13 am I'm younger than you
Oh yeah, rub it in, why don't ya!
You're better-seasoned than I, though.
It's a dry rub.
User avatar
Isgrimnur
Posts: 82092
Joined: Sun Oct 15, 2006 12:29 am
Location: Chookity pok
Contact:

Re: How is your career going?

Post by Isgrimnur »

Unagi wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 12:28 pm
Zaxxon wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 11:50 am
hepcat wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 11:49 am
Zaxxon wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 11:13 am I'm younger than you
Oh yeah, rub it in, why don't ya!
You're better-seasoned than I, though.
It's a dry rub.
The crust really seals in the flavor.
It's almost as if people are the problem.
User avatar
Smoove_B
Posts: 54567
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:58 am
Location: Kaer Morhen

Re: How is your career going?

Post by Smoove_B »

hepcat wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 10:31 am I just know I’m unhappy right now.
You're not alone. Apparently so many people are thinking like you are that someone wrote a book.

I'd retire at 3pm today if I could; I've had enough. I'm still trying to figure out the details, but life tossed me a curve ball so everything is in flux right now. All I know is there's zero chance of me continuing on this path until I'm in my sixties; I won't make it.
Maybe next year, maybe no go
User avatar
LordMortis
Posts: 70101
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:26 pm

Re: How is your career going?

Post by LordMortis »

9 months of not working so far and I don't even miss it a little. Of course, I'm still not fully feeling the impact of paying extra for limited health care with no dental yet so I still have no anxiety for how long my money will last. I'm just now starting to exercise a bit more and clean my house. I still have zero tolerance for work. I do miss the extra interaction people. COVID isolation takes its toll and very few of my friends also have high level of personal availability anyway. But every time someone mentions "part time blah blah" I still have no tolerance for people paying for my time according to their needs.

Luck to you soul searchers. If you can get away with moving to post employment before you literally or figuratively kill yourself, I give it two thumbs up with exceptionally little reservation.
User avatar
Zaxxon
Forum Moderator
Posts: 28118
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:11 am
Location: Surrounded by Mountains

Re: How is your career going?

Post by Zaxxon »

Smoove_B wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 12:43 pmAll I know is there's zero chance of me continuing on this path until I'm in my sixties; I won't make it.
Best of luck. If any OOer deserves some R&R* after the past 2.9 years, it's you.
LordMortis wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 12:45 pmLuck to you soul searchers. If you can get away with moving to post employment before you literally or figuratively kill yourself, I give it two thumbs up with exceptionally little reservation.
:clap:

* - side note--while taking R&R, make sure to watch RRR.
User avatar
hepcat
Posts: 51302
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 3:02 pm
Location: Chicago, IL Home of the triple homicide!

Re: How is your career going?

Post by hepcat »

Every time I read a news item about someone in their late 50s/early 60s keeling over, I just think about how little time I might have left.

...then I look at my mother and father and realize they're both apparently the inspiration for the movie Highlander.
Covfefe!
User avatar
Isgrimnur
Posts: 82092
Joined: Sun Oct 15, 2006 12:29 am
Location: Chookity pok
Contact:

Re: How is your career going?

Post by Isgrimnur »

Nothing is written.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_McKimson#Death
On the morning of September 27, his doctor declared him healthy and chipper for a 66-year-old (despite having a case of emphysema after years of smoking), and, according to Friz Freleng, after heading from the doctor, bragged to Friz due to his family history of living past their nineties, "I'm going to be around after you guys are gone!". On September 29, 1977, while having lunch with two of his co-workers, Friz Freleng and David H. DePatie, McKimson suffered a sudden heart attack and died at the age of 66, two weeks before his 67th Birthday.
It's almost as if people are the problem.
User avatar
LordMortis
Posts: 70101
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:26 pm

Re: How is your career going?

Post by LordMortis »

hepcat wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 12:57 pm Every time I read a news item about someone in their late 50s/early 60s keeling over, I just think about how little time I might have left.

...then I look at my mother and father and realize they're both apparently the inspiration for the movie Highlander.
My parents were in better shape than me until now that they've hit their 80s. In the last year my dad's mental faculty is noticeably going, his heart started rebelling and walking has become difficult for him while mom has gone from never stopping to starting to fall and needing to surgery after every fall. The aging process went from 0 to 80 seemingly overnight for their always active lifestyles. Not sure where we go when they really start to loose self sufficiency. They won't give up easily but it's quickly gone from sometime in the vague future to a very real worry. The thing I am absolutely most thankful for above all else in early retirement is having time to spend with them and being there for them if/when they need me.
User avatar
hepcat
Posts: 51302
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 3:02 pm
Location: Chicago, IL Home of the triple homicide!

Re: How is your career going?

Post by hepcat »

My father is 88 now and I live about 400 miles away. I really do need to go back to visit more often. Right now I just do the Christmas holiday thing for a week, although I do call every few days. I often wonder if I should just pack up and move closer to take care of him. But he's incredibly independent even at this age and bristles at the mention of anyone "taking care" of him. He has a lot of friends who look out for him back in Ohio though. Still...

My mother is 76 and remarried a while back, so she's got someone to grow old with.
Covfefe!
User avatar
raydude
Posts: 3894
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 9:22 am

Re: How is your career going?

Post by raydude »

The Gamma-Ray and Neutron Spectrometer instrument that will go on the JAXA Mars-Multi-Moon Explorer is headed to Japan for integration testing. During one of the testing phases at APL, I was told that JAXA's requirement for the early phase of the mission was full-time staffing in Japan for each instrument team. I was asked if I was interested in going to Japan and staying there for a few weeks at a time. "Oh hell yes!" I said. I told my wife this and she said: "we're coming with!".

I also looked at the launch dates for Psyche, Clipper, and MMX - all of which I will be supporting. Psyche launches in Oct 2023, while Clipper and MMX launch in Sept, Oct 2024. 2024 will be a hella busy time.
User avatar
hepcat
Posts: 51302
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 3:02 pm
Location: Chicago, IL Home of the triple homicide!

Re: How is your career going?

Post by hepcat »

Oh man, great news! Good luck!
Covfefe!
dfs
Posts: 2170
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2004 11:48 am
Location: Top of the bass clef.

Re: How is your career going?

Post by dfs »

That's awesome Raydude.

I "retired" from my university research career 5+ years ago and it just didn't take. I crossed the street and work part time for a contractor. If something interests me, I can sink my teeth into it. If I don't want to do something, I don't do it. I mentor some of the less crazy junior people. I don't have to write proposals or worry about staffing hours. I've just turned 60 and I can do this till my body gives out.

I have a doctor friend who says that if you live to 50 in good health, then chances are pretty good that you'll live to 80, but that after 80 every good day is a blessing. My mom got to 82 and her mind and body started to seriously slip. My dad got to 78.
User avatar
coopasonic
Posts: 20969
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2005 11:43 pm
Location: Dallas-ish

Re: How is your career going?

Post by coopasonic »

I feel like every thread is the "we're getting old" thread now. Where's that damn kid Kelric?
-Coop
Black Lives Matter
User avatar
hepcat
Posts: 51302
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 3:02 pm
Location: Chicago, IL Home of the triple homicide!

Re: How is your career going?

Post by hepcat »

coopasonic wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 6:38 pm I feel like every thread is the "we're getting old" thread now. Where's that damn kid Kelric?
In a senior living community
Covfefe!
User avatar
Smoove_B
Posts: 54567
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:58 am
Location: Kaer Morhen

Re: How is your career going?

Post by Smoove_B »

coopasonic wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 6:38 pmI feel like every thread is the "we're getting old" thread now. Where's that damn kid Kelric?
Speak for yourself pops. I'm only in my 40s. I just act like an old man. :lol:
Maybe next year, maybe no go
User avatar
Zaxxon
Forum Moderator
Posts: 28118
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:11 am
Location: Surrounded by Mountains

Re: How is your career going?

Post by Zaxxon »

Relative to the average OOer age, none of us is aging at all. :horse:
User avatar
dbt1949
Posts: 25688
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:34 am
Location: Hogeye Arkansas

Re: How is your career going?

Post by dbt1949 »

The last 5 or so years have aged me a lot more than I would like.
Ye Olde Farte
Double Ought Forty
aka dbt1949
User avatar
coopasonic
Posts: 20969
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2005 11:43 pm
Location: Dallas-ish

Re: How is your career going?

Post by coopasonic »

Smoove_B wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 7:27 pm
coopasonic wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 6:38 pmI feel like every thread is the "we're getting old" thread now. Where's that damn kid Kelric?
Speak for yourself pops. I'm only in my 40s. I just act like an old man. :lol:
We don't talk about age at work in general because it's a risk for discrimination, but I mentioned something to one of my "peers" about being old and he's like "Nooo, old is like 45 or 50!" I laughed and walked away. I turned 50 last Spring. I do generally look young for my age, but my beard and temples are showing a good bit of white now.
-Coop
Black Lives Matter
User avatar
RMC
Posts: 6739
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 1:49 pm
Location: Elyria, Ohio
Contact:

Re: How is your career going?

Post by RMC »

coopasonic wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 8:52 pm
Smoove_B wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 7:27 pm
coopasonic wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 6:38 pmI feel like every thread is the "we're getting old" thread now. Where's that damn kid Kelric?
Speak for yourself pops. I'm only in my 40s. I just act like an old man. :lol:
We don't talk about age at work in general because it's a risk for discrimination, but I mentioned something to one of my "peers" about being old and he's like "Nooo, old is like 45 or 50!" I laughed and walked away. I turned 50 last Spring. I do generally look young for my age, but my beard and temples are showing a good bit of white now.
Lol, I look it, but I don't act it. :)
Difficulties mastered are opportunities won. - Winston Churchill
Sheesh, this is one small box. Thankfully, everything's packed in nicely this time. Not too tight nor too loose (someone's sig in 3, 2, ...). - Hepcat
Post Reply