Tom Scholz said:
Any thoughts, tips and advice for surviving the last 2-4 years before I retire?
Currently 58 and been with the same company for 30+ years ( 100 Employees) great place to work, treat folks well with good pay, vacations ,benefits and bonuses. The past few years a lot of the old goats have retired, and in the next 3-5 it will be many more including me who have 30+ years in as well. The past year has been a transition year, owners son is now in charge and is getting more hands on ( ok with that, it's been needed at times) We get along great and he values my opinions and has a very open door policy. I must be the old guy yelling at the clouds, but I just do not see the work effort and giving a CRAP from a lot of people hired in the last 10 years, folks just do not appreciate how good a place it is and have become very lazy and have sloppy work habits.
It's becoming harder to get up going this past year compared the past, and even my wife says I have changed---yikes. I still like the daily challenges, but look forward to something different in a few years !!
So any words of wisdom would be appreciated!
sooooo much truth here. I am one of the lifers ( decades at the same saltmine) then out the door types. We all sat around the last few years and lamented the young uns and their work habits UNTIL.. on a Friday afternoon a few years ago I had a " crisis" job that needed some engineering done PRONTO. I hit up the 30something engineer only to be treated with " its Friday at 3 !!! I'm outa here in an hour..Ill do it Monday " to which I retorted the usual " when I was your age WE never had a weekend off..we never let a life interfere with the job..blah blah blah FULL BLOWN WOE IS ME MARTYR CRAP.." to which he replied...." yea and what the hell did it get you? My dad was like you and I don't even know WHO THE HELL HE IS THANKS TO THAT MARTYR CRAP of you guys!!!!"ATM9000 said:Tom Scholz said:
Any thoughts, tips and advice for surviving the last 2-4 years before I retire?
Currently 58 and been with the same company for 30+ years ( 100 Employees) great place to work, treat folks well with good pay, vacations ,benefits and bonuses. The past few years a lot of the old goats have retired, and in the next 3-5 it will be many more including me who have 30+ years in as well. The past year has been a transition year, owners son is now in charge and is getting more hands on ( ok with that, it's been needed at times) We get along great and he values my opinions and has a very open door policy. I must be the old guy yelling at the clouds, but I just do not see the work effort and giving a CRAP from a lot of people hired in the last 10 years, folks just do not appreciate how good a place it is and have become very lazy and have sloppy work habits.
It's becoming harder to get up going this past year compared the past, and even my wife says I have changed---yikes. I still like the daily challenges, but look forward to something different in a few years !!
So any words of wisdom would be appreciated!
Always remember that 30 years ago, you had sloppy work habits too whether you want to admit it or not.
Embrace collaboration... the young guns are gonna be better than you at technology and stuff and probably be quicker than you at tasks... let them do them and learn the business. You focus on mentoring and leading vs. judging.
The Original AG 76 said:sooooo much truth here. I am one of the lifers ( decades at the same saltmine) then out the door types. We all sat around the last few years and lamented the young uns and their work habits UNTIL.. on a Friday afternoon a few years ago I had a " crisis" job that needed some engineering done PRONTO. I hit up the 30something engineer only to be treated with " its Friday at 3 !!! I'm outa here in an hour..Ill do it Monday " to which I retorted the usual " when I was your age WE never had a weekend off..we never let a life interfere with the job..blah blah blah FULL BLOWN WOE IS ME MARTYR CRAP.." to which he replied...." yea and what the hell did it get you? My dad was like you and I don't even know WHO THE HELL HE IS THANKS TO THAT MARTYR CRAP of you guys!!!!"ATM9000 said:Tom Scholz said:
Any thoughts, tips and advice for surviving the last 2-4 years before I retire?
Currently 58 and been with the same company for 30+ years ( 100 Employees) great place to work, treat folks well with good pay, vacations ,benefits and bonuses. The past few years a lot of the old goats have retired, and in the next 3-5 it will be many more including me who have 30+ years in as well. The past year has been a transition year, owners son is now in charge and is getting more hands on ( ok with that, it's been needed at times) We get along great and he values my opinions and has a very open door policy. I must be the old guy yelling at the clouds, but I just do not see the work effort and giving a CRAP from a lot of people hired in the last 10 years, folks just do not appreciate how good a place it is and have become very lazy and have sloppy work habits.
It's becoming harder to get up going this past year compared the past, and even my wife says I have changed---yikes. I still like the daily challenges, but look forward to something different in a few years !!
So any words of wisdom would be appreciated!
Always remember that 30 years ago, you had sloppy work habits too whether you want to admit it or not.
Embrace collaboration... the young guns are gonna be better than you at technology and stuff and probably be quicker than you at tasks... let them do them and learn the business. You focus on mentoring and leading vs. judging.
Gane ...set...match..... He was CORRECT ! I look back , now that I've been gone a few years and CLEARLY understand that NO ONE CARES and NOTHING I did during those 45 years amount to a hill of beans to ANYONE anymore. That MONSTER save the world make the company millions job that was so important and vital that I had to spend 7 days a week, 10-14 hours a day for MONTHS working on is long forgotten to EVERYBODY ! ( including me) Yet I'll never get back the missed Nebraska game, the missed fishing trip with the guys, the missed family outings or , for Gods sake, my great grandmothers funeral plus hundreds of other events ......... These kids are SMARTER and have a healthier outlook and understanding of the proper role of work/life. I DEEPLY regret the man years and tremendous amount of energy I wasted on a job instead of a life. The NANO-SECOND you can get away and start LIVING for how ever many years you have left ..DO IT..Do NOT pass GO ..do NOT collect $200...GET THE HELL OUT AND LIVE !!!!
See, you can't do everything right.Tom Scholz said:
Thanks--all good reply's and thoughts !
I work at a place similar to Original Ag. I'm about 6 years out of school and still currently surviving the O&G downturn. The old timers here always say, 'you guys have it easy. We used to work weekends, late nights, etc.' The typical martyr crap that Original Ag stated above. They are all full of crap. In 6 months, nobody will even notice you are gone from your job. We had people with 30-40 years take retirement packages in the downturn and ill ask 'How is so and so doing' to others that worked with them for dozens of years, went to lunch, etc. Nobody knows. They don't call and catch up or check to see how the kids/ grandkids/ wife/husband are doing. It's fascinating to watch and helped me realize that all of the late nights and weekends i put in at the start of my job, will be worthless in the end. My faith, family, and hobbies have now taken a front seat to my job. I'm only a number and I take care of what I can while I am at the office. I'll answer a call or email from clients via phone at night or on weekends but that's it. I do not take my computer home. We are just numbers and its good that you realized it now before you hit retirement and your good friend John from work doesn't call anymore. Get hobbies, spend more time with your family, and utilize your faith (if you are religious).The Original AG 76 said:
sooooo much truth here. I am one of the lifers ( decades at the same saltmine) then out the door types. We all sat around the last few years and lamented the young uns and their work habits UNTIL.. on a Friday afternoon a few years ago I had a " crisis" job that needed some engineering done PRONTO. I hit up the 30something engineer only to be treated with " its Friday at 3 !!! I'm outa here in an hour..Ill do it Monday " to which I retorted the usual " when I was your age WE never had a weekend off..we never let a life interfere with the job..blah blah blah FULL BLOWN WOE IS ME MARTYR CRAP.." to which he replied...." yea and what the hell did it get you? My dad was like you and I don't even know WHO THE HELL HE IS THANKS TO THAT MARTYR CRAP of you guys!!!!"
Gane ...set...match..... He was CORRECT ! I look back , now that I've been gone a few years and CLEARLY understand that NO ONE CARES and NOTHING I did during those 45 years amount to a hill of beans to ANYONE anymore. That MONSTER save the world make the company millions job that was so important and vital that I had to spend 7 days a week, 10-14 hours a day for MONTHS working on is long forgotten to EVERYBODY ! ( including me) Yet I'll never get back the missed Nebraska game, the missed fishing trip with the guys, the missed family outings or , for Gods sake, my great grandmothers funeral plus hundreds of other events ......... These kids are SMARTER and have a healthier outlook and understanding of the proper role of work/life. I DEEPLY regret the man years and tremendous amount of energy I wasted on a job instead of a life. The NANO-SECOND you can get away and start LIVING for how ever many years you have left ..DO IT..Do NOT pass GO ..do NOT collect $200...GET THE HELL OUT AND LIVE !!!!
Quote:
UNTIL.. on a Friday afternoon a few years ago I had a " crisis" job that needed some engineering done PRONTO. I hit up the 30something engineer only to be treated with " its Friday at 3 !!! I'm outa here in an hour..Ill do it Monday " to which I retorted the usual " when I was your age WE never had a weekend off..we never let a life interfere with the job..blah blah blah FULL BLOWN WOE IS ME MARTYR CRAP.." to which he replied...." yea and what the hell did it get you? My dad was like you and I don't even know WHO THE HELL HE IS THANKS TO THAT MARTYR CRAP of you guys!!!!"
Gane ...set...match..... He was CORRECT ! I look back , now that I've been gone a few years and CLEARLY understand that NO ONE CARES and NOTHING I did during those 45 years amount to a hill of beans to ANYONE anymore.
Apologies for the thread derail, but John Prine is now as old as the people he wrote about in this song almost 50 years ago. And if you're looking for answers to life's difficult questions, his songs are as good a place as any to start (and you'll get a chuckle or two along the way).free_mhayden said:
Someday I'll go and call up Rudy
We worked together at the factory
But what could I say if asks "What's new?"
"Nothing, what's with you? Nothing much to do"
I've had this mindset for at least 5 years and I'm still on the job. I'm shocked no one has called me on it...in fact I was just promoted to a corporate officer position. The promotion is something I probably would have killed for 15 years ago, but now at 29yrs with this company I'm just ready to get the hell out and do something better with my life. First world problems, I know. Anyway, I look for anything online that can help me and this site is one of my favorites https://www.financialsamurai.com/Quote:
Any thoughts, tips and advice for surviving the last 2-4 years before I retire?
It use to be that there were no holidays or weekends in the oilfield. I always said you could sleep when you are dead. I worked the last 19 years of my career in my own business mainly overseas and it was long days with many of those days away from home turning into months at a time in the beginning, but it was worth it in the long run, but I do have some regrets during that stretch. I was away during many holidays and birthdays. Special days missed that cannot be brought back, but my kids understood what I was doing. I also missed many Aggie football games (some I was glad I missed). One thing about working for yourself in the consulting business is you can choose who you work for and you don't have to put up with BS in the workplace that most employees of oil companies or service companies have to do day to day. I am retired now and I did so at age 61. The one thing I can tell you is retirement takes time to get use to as far as not having day to day job related responsibilities any longer and living off your investments and not having that steady income pour in every month. I have a few pensions from previous companies I worked for in the past and I have taken social security early, but my wife and I live mainly off our investments. Most companies have no pensions these days so people have to plan accordingly. Also have a plan regarding what you are going to do with yourself during the next 20-25 years. You can't sit around the house 24/7. Your wife will throw you out. My wife has a small business that keeps her busy, but we plan 2-3 big trips a year around the US and maybe one out of the country and then the fall is Aggie football and tailgates. Keep yourself busy and active one way or another.aggies12thman said:I work at a place similar to Original Ag. I'm about 6 years out of school and still currently surviving the O&G downturn. The old timers here always say, 'you guys have it easy. We used to work weekends, late nights, etc.' The typical martyr crap that Original Ag stated above. They are all full of crap. In 6 months, nobody will even notice you are gone from your job. We had people with 30-40 years take retirement packages in the downturn and ill ask 'How is so and so doing' to others that worked with them for dozens of years, went to lunch, etc. Nobody knows. They don't call and catch up or check to see how the kids/ grandkids/ wife/husband are doing. It's fascinating to watch and helped me realize that all of the late nights and weekends i put in at the start of my job, will be worthless in the end. My faith, family, and hobbies have now taken a front seat to my job. I'm only a number and I take care of what I can while I am at the office. I'll answer a call or email from clients via phone at night or on weekends but that's it. I do not take my computer home. We are just numbers and its good that you realized it now before you hit retirement and your good friend John from work doesn't call anymore. Get hobbies, spend more time with your family, and utilize your faith (if you are religious).The Original AG 76 said:
sooooo much truth here. I am one of the lifers ( decades at the same saltmine) then out the door types. We all sat around the last few years and lamented the young uns and their work habits UNTIL.. on a Friday afternoon a few years ago I had a " crisis" job that needed some engineering done PRONTO. I hit up the 30something engineer only to be treated with " its Friday at 3 !!! I'm outa here in an hour..Ill do it Monday " to which I retorted the usual " when I was your age WE never had a weekend off..we never let a life interfere with the job..blah blah blah FULL BLOWN WOE IS ME MARTYR CRAP.." to which he replied...." yea and what the hell did it get you? My dad was like you and I don't even know WHO THE HELL HE IS THANKS TO THAT MARTYR CRAP of you guys!!!!"
Gane ...set...match..... He was CORRECT ! I look back , now that I've been gone a few years and CLEARLY understand that NO ONE CARES and NOTHING I did during those 45 years amount to a hill of beans to ANYONE anymore. That MONSTER save the world make the company millions job that was so important and vital that I had to spend 7 days a week, 10-14 hours a day for MONTHS working on is long forgotten to EVERYBODY ! ( including me) Yet I'll never get back the missed Nebraska game, the missed fishing trip with the guys, the missed family outings or , for Gods sake, my great grandmothers funeral plus hundreds of other events ......... These kids are SMARTER and have a healthier outlook and understanding of the proper role of work/life. I DEEPLY regret the man years and tremendous amount of energy I wasted on a job instead of a life. The NANO-SECOND you can get away and start LIVING for how ever many years you have left ..DO IT..Do NOT pass GO ..do NOT collect $200...GET THE HELL OUT AND LIVE !!!!
