Reminded Why I Retired. - Page 3

Mz iMac · ‎07-26-2014

When I first entered the rat race, one of my cousins told me your health is your #1 priorty. Never ever put your health before your job, no job is worth your health, life or grey hairs. Always remember you are expendable. You leave, another will take your place before your seat is cold & you're out the door. What does not get done today, will be there for you the next day. Take all vacation days, sick days & personal time allowed. Keep your personal business to yourself. Last & formost, always pi$$ & lunch on company's time.

I & my siblings took that advice & passed it along to our children. For 34 yrs (last 10 in upper management) as a Federal employee, I always made deadlines 1-2 days before they were due. I & my siblings all retired at 50 & never looked back.Both my parents retired at 50 too.

My children say they will follow the "family" tradition. 👍🏾

Me leaving on the final day--->

"Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."

FrostyBabe1 · ‎05-09-2016

@50Mickey wrote:
@FrostyBabe1 90 hours per week nothing to get excited about?? If this was over 5 days my math says this is 18 hour days with just 6 hours a day left. And then you often drove 120 miles home? When did you sleep, eat and do everything else that living requires?

Yes, sometimes 90 hours a week, and a lot of it traveling, hence the 120 mile drive home when a flight canceled. I was in the upper levels of finance for a Fortune 100 company. You find a way to make it work.

~The more someone needs to brag about how wonderful, special, successful, wealthy or important they are, the greater the likelihood that it isn't true. ~

Love my grandkids · ‎11-24-2013

@CrazyKittyLvr2 I am also a RLS and well recall crazy days.

The worst was a 2 woman firm I worked for. At first it was fine but turned into the job from h e l l !

The last straw was this: My quitting time was 5 p.m At 4:45 one of the partners wanted me to prepare a Motion For Summary Judgment, complete with Points and Authorities.

I took a deep breath and said: You've known for 3 days this was due and DH and I have plans. (This was on a Friday night!). I'm sorry but I can't stay.

I fully expected to be fired. Turns out she stayed that evening and got someone (I don't know who) to come to the office and do it.

I gave my notice a few weeks after that!

Pantsonfire2 · ‎07-30-2019

@CrazyKittyLvr2 ... I worked in complex commercial litigation and you just have days like that. Someone can file a document that sends everything into a tailspin. OR you could find out information that changed the entire substance of the suit and you file compulsory pleadings. But my law firm paid for your cab home if you worked until 8:00 p.m. plus a dinner stipend. If you worked past 1:00 a.m. you had the next day off. Sometimes the attachments are more important than what you're filing. BUT you were paid well if you performed well, especially during times all hell broke loose with your assigned attorneys. Having a good teamwork relationship with your could mean nice bonuses. VACATION TIME WAS 6 WEEKS but that was sick leave plus vacation, but there was also short term and long term disability should your health require it ... there was also a list of girls who wanted the overtime if you did not. Sometimes I worked every hour I could get in overtime and sometimes I wanted nothing more than my own sofa.

Pantsonfire2 · ‎07-30-2019

@Love my grandkids ... magic words ... Points and Authorities ... UGH !! Soooo tedious ...

MarieIG · ‎03-10-2010

@Love my grandkids wrote:
@CrazyKittyLvr2 I am also a RLS and well recall crazy days.

The worst was a 2 woman firm I worked for. At first it was fine but turned into the job from h e l l !

The last straw was this: My quitting time was 5 p.m At 4:45 one of the partners wanted me to prepare a Motion For Summary Judgment, complete with Points and Authorities.

I took a deep breath and said: You've known for 3 days this was due and DH and I have plans. (This was on a Friday night!). I'm sorry but I can't stay.

I fully expected to be fired. Turns out she stayed that evening and got someone (I don't know who) to come to the office and do it.

I gave my notice a few weeks after that!

I have done my own SJs - soup to nuts, including e-filing with all exhibits - getting the confirmation just short of midnight. The hours at a law firm can be horrific - and of course the work is not evenly distributed. Our office had staff furloughs with Covid, never rehired all the staff. They don't want to pay overtime. The secretaries are entitled to overtime - the attorneys are not because they are considered "professionals" so there is no limit to the amount of time they can work. I took my first vacation in over a year in Febuary to visit family; pulled an overnighter - and walked out of the office at 5:00 a.m. on Sunday morning. I don't remember the last time I took a lunch break. My secretary is wonderful, (as is my boss' secretary is - who helps me enough though she is not assigned to me) and both would stay late for me on their own time, but I try never to ask.

Do the math.

Growing · ‎07-12-2020

I worked for several attorneys that would pull that ******. One time they made me stay through my lunch to wait for a call and I demanded to go to lunch as soon as it came in. The attorney did not skip lunch. But the other secretaries had a fit when I was out past the normal lunch time. Then another attorney at another job confided in me that he drank way too much. Sigh. Switched career fields and had the boss from hell who insisted I stay late for no good reason at least once a week. Not an attorney. She'd decide 15 minutes before it was time to go home. When I stood my ground and said no, she would get angry. The bosses boss told me to leave on time and I didn't have to say goodbye to my boss on the way out, just leave like everyone else did. Well my boss had a fit and said I had to check in with her before I left so I said I quit, here's two weeks notice. I told her boss why. My direct boss was a control freak and no one liked her. Management was afraid of her. She's still working at that place at 75 years old, good for her, but she had no friends and hated her husband and her job is where she got attention and could boss people around. Management would not replace me for two years! I learned not to be so agreeable or a people pleaser from that woman and the attorney bosses before her.

pinkcrystal · ‎03-09-2010

@Texasmouse wrote:
I'm so envious of those of you who are retired. I've got another year and a half to go and I CAN'T WAIT. The days seem to be going SO slowly

Me too Texasmouse! July of 2022 I hope to be free!!!! Yippee!

ALRATIBA · ‎07-15-2016

@Texasmouse wrote:
I'm so envious of those of you who are retired. I've got another year and a half to go and I CAN'T WAIT. The days seem to be going SO slowly now...

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I've been retired 10 years - and it's wonderful ... worth waiting and working for!

I worked until I was 68 so I'd have a good financial "cushion." I gave them 6 months notice ... and that last six months was like 6 years!

TurnerGal · ‎11-21-2017

I will be 62 this year and may work another 1 or 2 years. What I don't get is why more companies don't allow part time workers. I think many of us when we get close to 60 are more tired. It is difficult to work a 50 hour work week without being exhausted. I have hoped to cut back to 24 -30 hours a week but my employer won't allow.

I had the same problem when I had younger children and did not want to work full time. Most full time professional jobs expect you to work 50 -60 hours a week. I wanted to be around for my kids and go to their events. I took a significantly lower paid job so I didn't have to work many hours.

I think the most disappointing thing is I have had all female bosses for the last 20 years and it's kind of like well if they work full time you have to.

I just hope this continues to change and more part-time positions are available.