After finishing my PhD at UC Berkeley, I started working for SRI International on March 30, 1981 (the day Reagan was shot). Two years later, I went to work for IBM; where, today - 34 years later, I signed my exit papers. I am now officially retired! Plenty of time for model RRing now.
Woot! A great choice Rick. I just passed the six month milestone with my retirement and it's surpassed my highest hopes.
If you weren't so far away I would take you out for a beer to celebrate. Congratulations!!!!! Lets go chase some trains.
Thanks, all. Lots of detailed planning went into the decision, so we should be fine for many years to come. The "saver" in me, though, is not going to want to spend quite so much on trains as I have been. Guess I will need to find a way to create "hobby money"
Congratulations, Rick. But you will likely learn, as most of us old mossbacks have, you'll wonder why you don't have as much time as you used to. Enjoy!
Day 1 report (so far): 5:30am -- sun starting to come up, so cats know it is close to breakfast time. Doesn't matter to them. Wife gets up, as usual, I lie in bed for another half hour 6:30am -- Pancakes for breakfast! Couldn't do that on a week-day morning before 7:00am -- I notice that it is 7. I would have already been on work computer and phone at this point. But, hmmm, not any longer. Continue reading the paper and drinking coffee, slowly. 7:30am -- turn on ONLY personal computer. Check email / news / stock market. Read overnight TrainBoard postings (as well as a few other MRR boards) 8:45am -- head to Comcast office; get 2nd phone line (work) disconnected! (too bad, no other deals to save me money at this time) 9:45am -- home. Set up work table, soldering station, etc. Unfortunately, not for trains this morning, but household project. 10:30am -- take down all work related stuff from desk area and do some cleaning 11:30 (now) -- LUNCH I think I could get used to this!