I'm retiring. Today is my last day at work, after eighteen years working here. Yesterday afternoon was the official retirement reception, maybe a hundred people came from all over campus, from nearby colleges, etc. I never knew I had so many friends, how many people loved me, all very maudlin. Apparently, I'm a scholar, a gentleman, a bookman, a visionary, a web guru, open-access early adopter, and more. Only I know I'm a total fraud, a lazy sonofabitch who milked an English accent for all it's worth.

It looks like spring is finally here; I timed my retirement for the beginning of gardening season. In two weeks time I'm off to England on my own for a month. I'm going to Norfolk and then the Yorkshire dales with my son (he lives in Cambridge), then staying with my sister in Sussex for a few days, ending up in London for a week.

Lunchtime, I'm off to the Chinese buffet with a couple of colleagues .. and picking up a bottle of sparkling wine at the liquor store for a quiet celebration tonight.

Leave a stinky turd in the desk draw of someone you don't like?

Steal all the books you've always wanted?

Turn up after lunch rip roaringly drunk and off your tits? It's not like they're going to fire you

We're trying to downsize our book collection at home; so rather than take some from here, I've been bringing my books in from home an hiding them in various nooks and corners of the library..

Now what do you do?

become a snowbird. visit arizona in the winter and drive a winnebago in the middle of the road like eveyone else does

Not everyone else, I like the seasons.

I'm hoping that when I get to retirement I will finally have time to actually read the zillion books I have piled up everywhere! Whatever you do with your time, enjoy!

Congratulations! We said we would have a BE party as well, so

It's nice that so many people came to wish you well.

Have a wonderful time with your son and sister.

and I hope you have as much fun and enjoyment in your retirement as I am having in mine.

What are they going to do with 15 copies of "the joy of sex"?

Congrats! I'm sure it must be bitter-sweet though, saying goodbye to colleagues etc. Enjoy your trip home and the new chapter in your life, sounds idyllic...

I have found that my life is a ritual, a collection of habitual occupations. I have emphysema and my day is punctuated by nebulizer treatments, usually at 4 hour intervals starting at 7:00AM, that is the structure on which, everything else hangs. I used to read a great deal and I expected to read even more. I retired to look after my wife through the final weeks her losing battle with cancer. I looked to go back to work but the market went soft so that didn't happen, The result was that I kept the TV on for company, NPR on the radio would have been more in keeping with my interests but seeing people on the box mitigated the loneness more than the voice. I find my attention span is shorter than I need to read a book unless it is an old friend. I find it odd that while I enjoy visiting my children and grand children, there is an element of resentment that I have to break with my ritual, I guess my body doesn't want me taking the risks of going out. That sounds pitiful! it is not as bad as it sounds but a cold wind or the exhaust of a diesel can stiffen my lungs and cause me some difficulty, The nebulizer medication returns some of the lungs flexibility but cannot be used more frequently. I've written more than I expected and, I think, given the wrong impression, I am quite happy living in this retirement community.

Thanks Sally!

Congratulations on your retirement. I hope it is all you want it to be. Enjoy yourself.

Good for you, enjoy your seasons

You become like this Guy;