I'm Free!
Sep 20th 2013, 6:19 pm
#1
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 13,111
I'm Free!
Some people may call it 'unemployed', 'out of work', or 'retired'; but I'm just calling it "ahhhhhhh" 
... taking a well-earned break after 6+ years of utter craziness!
I started this job in 2006, as the 5th employee. The company grew to over 1,000 employees, and I pretty much held all the IT stuff together during that period of crazy growth. I haven't taken more than 5 contiguous days off in 6 years, and worked 12 hour days, 7 day weeks more than I can remember. In 2009, The company chose Phoenix, AZ as their main location so I had to spend at least 3 weeks/month there for the past 5 years. I bought a small condo there so I didn't have to stay in hotels all the time.
Recently, the company decided I was no longer needed - a fair assessment, in all honesty, since I'm more suited to a 'startup' mode where you need one person who can be a 'jack of all trades'. With the increase in size (and involvement of investment bankers), the level of bureaucracy increased also, and I was hating it - trying to find a way to get out without actually quitting (walking away from a paycheck is not easy for me). In the end, they did it for me, and - did it in such a way that was far more generous than I would have ever dared ask for! I had to sign documents saying I wouldn't disclose company info, wouldn't work for the competition, etc - which is fine by me. In return, I don't have to worry about working for a while.
So now I get to spend time back in the Bay Area, CA, where my home has been for the past 30 years, where my girlfriend is, my friends are, and where, quite honestly, my heart is. I've only been able to get home at most 1 week out of 4 in the past 5 years, and it was often less. So now I'm hanging out in the Bay Area, and absolutely loving it - unencumbered by work! I plan to do some serious relaxing until the end of the year, catching up on friends, and generally making up for all the time I lost working crazy hours.
The condo in AZ lost value over the past 4 years, but has finally recovered so I think I could sell for a 'break even' if I wanted to; but the funny thing is, I've become accustomed to having a place down there and - despite the many issues associated with Arizona - I actually really like the place! So now I'm trying to figure a way to keep that condo, keep my place in CA, and travel between the two (and pay the associated bills!). Haven't solved that one yet but I have time to think about it at last!
... taking a well-earned break after 6+ years of utter craziness! I started this job in 2006, as the 5th employee. The company grew to over 1,000 employees, and I pretty much held all the IT stuff together during that period of crazy growth. I haven't taken more than 5 contiguous days off in 6 years, and worked 12 hour days, 7 day weeks more than I can remember. In 2009, The company chose Phoenix, AZ as their main location so I had to spend at least 3 weeks/month there for the past 5 years. I bought a small condo there so I didn't have to stay in hotels all the time.
Recently, the company decided I was no longer needed - a fair assessment, in all honesty, since I'm more suited to a 'startup' mode where you need one person who can be a 'jack of all trades'. With the increase in size (and involvement of investment bankers), the level of bureaucracy increased also, and I was hating it - trying to find a way to get out without actually quitting (walking away from a paycheck is not easy for me). In the end, they did it for me, and - did it in such a way that was far more generous than I would have ever dared ask for! I had to sign documents saying I wouldn't disclose company info, wouldn't work for the competition, etc - which is fine by me. In return, I don't have to worry about working for a while.
So now I get to spend time back in the Bay Area, CA, where my home has been for the past 30 years, where my girlfriend is, my friends are, and where, quite honestly, my heart is. I've only been able to get home at most 1 week out of 4 in the past 5 years, and it was often less. So now I'm hanging out in the Bay Area, and absolutely loving it - unencumbered by work! I plan to do some serious relaxing until the end of the year, catching up on friends, and generally making up for all the time I lost working crazy hours.
The condo in AZ lost value over the past 4 years, but has finally recovered so I think I could sell for a 'break even' if I wanted to; but the funny thing is, I've become accustomed to having a place down there and - despite the many issues associated with Arizona - I actually really like the place! So now I'm trying to figure a way to keep that condo, keep my place in CA, and travel between the two (and pay the associated bills!). Haven't solved that one yet but I have time to think about it at last!
Sep 20th 2013, 6:38 pm
#2
Joined: Apr 2005
Location: Milwaukie, Oregon
Posts: 9,965
Re: I'm Free!
Enjoy the rest, sounds like you earned it.
Sep 20th 2013, 6:40 pm
#3
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,170
Re: I'm Free!
Well enjoy and good luck with the next chapter!
Sep 20th 2013, 6:50 pm
#5
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: I'm Free!
Congratulations on the newly found free time but I'm sure I'm not the only person who is disappointed you haven't turned into John Inman 
Hmmm, being in a situation where you have to divide your time between Northern California and the desert in Arizona. Christ, I wish I had your problems
Hmmm, being in a situation where you have to divide your time between Northern California and the desert in Arizona. Christ, I wish I had your problems
Sep 20th 2013, 7:17 pm
#9
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 8,106
Re: I'm Free!
So umm you're saying there is an opening at your old company?
Sep 20th 2013, 8:09 pm
#10
Concierge
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 46,387
Re: I'm Free!
Congratulations, SP. Sounds like you have a situation that nearly everyone who works would like to have once every 10 years or so ... paid to leave and enjoy your unemployment. Yah for severence pay!
Sep 20th 2013, 8:17 pm
#11
.
Joined: Nov 2002
Location: Where bad things rarely happen in movies
Posts: 8,933
Re: I'm Free!
Nice going...congrats.
Dont make the same mistake my wife does......She keeps saying she will take some time off when the current contract ends, but every time something else comes along and she can't resist getting back to work. Drives me mad, but I guess I shouldn't complain about her wanting to work!
Dont make the same mistake my wife does......She keeps saying she will take some time off when the current contract ends, but every time something else comes along and she can't resist getting back to work. Drives me mad, but I guess I shouldn't complain about her wanting to work!
Sep 20th 2013, 9:26 pm
#12
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 13,111
Re: I'm Free!
Technically, position eliminated. Practically speaking, they have transitioned from 'growth' to 'operational'. So while before, it was all about selection, buying, deployment, testing, training, now it's all about monitoring, maintenance, patching, availability, etc. They hired a VP 'above' me at a higher salary who does nothing but attend meetings and worry about status, and someone 'below' me who can keep the stuff running at 2/3rds the price of me. I think they are way overstaffed now.
I know myself only too well; if a job were to present itself tomorrow, I'd take it! So I'm not looking ... . I'm just networking at the moment, re-acquainting myself with former colleagues, letting them know I'm on the lookout in the future. My ideal outcome is to start my own little company and consult to other companies. I have one great techie resource who will team up with me, but in order to go down that path I need to learn about the issues of running that small company - which I know is not going to be easy.
Nice going...congrats.
Dont make the same mistake my wife does......She keeps saying she will take some time off when the current contract ends, but every time something else comes along and she can't resist getting back to work. Drives me mad, but I guess I shouldn't complain about her wanting to work!
Dont make the same mistake my wife does......She keeps saying she will take some time off when the current contract ends, but every time something else comes along and she can't resist getting back to work. Drives me mad, but I guess I shouldn't complain about her wanting to work!
Sep 20th 2013, 9:47 pm
#13
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: UK-Indonesia-US
Posts: 1,828
Re: I'm Free!
Some people may call it 'unemployed', 'out of work', or 'retired'; but I'm just calling it "ahhhhhhh" ... taking a well-earned break after 6+ years of utter craziness!
I started this job in 2006, as the 5th employee. The company grew to over 1,000 employees, and I pretty much held all the IT stuff together during that period of crazy growth. I haven't taken more than 5 contiguous days off in 6 years, and worked 12 hour days, 7 day weeks more than I can remember. In 2009, The company chose Phoenix, AZ as their main location so I had to spend at least 3 weeks/month there for the past 5 years. I bought a small condo there so I didn't have to stay in hotels all the time.
Recently, the company decided I was no longer needed - a fair assessment, in all honesty, since I'm more suited to a 'startup' mode where you need one person who can be a 'jack of all trades'. With the increase in size (and involvement of investment bankers), the level of bureaucracy increased also, and I was hating it - trying to find a way to get out without actually quitting (walking away from a paycheck is not easy for me). In the end, they did it for me, and - did it in such a way that was far more generous than I would have ever dared ask for! I had to sign documents saying I wouldn't disclose company info, wouldn't work for the competition, etc - which is fine by me. In return, I don't have to worry about working for a while.
So now I get to spend time back in the Bay Area, CA, where my home has been for the past 30 years, where my girlfriend is, my friends are, and where, quite honestly, my heart is. I've only been able to get home at most 1 week out of 4 in the past 5 years, and it was often less. So now I'm hanging out in the Bay Area, and absolutely loving it - unencumbered by work! I plan to do some serious relaxing until the end of the year, catching up on friends, and generally making up for all the time I lost working crazy hours.
The condo in AZ lost value over the past 4 years, but has finally recovered so I think I could sell for a 'break even' if I wanted to; but the funny thing is, I've become accustomed to having a place down there and - despite the many issues associated with Arizona - I actually really like the place! So now I'm trying to figure a way to keep that condo, keep my place in CA, and travel between the two (and pay the associated bills!). Haven't solved that one yet but I have time to think about it at last!
... taking a well-earned break after 6+ years of utter craziness! I started this job in 2006, as the 5th employee. The company grew to over 1,000 employees, and I pretty much held all the IT stuff together during that period of crazy growth. I haven't taken more than 5 contiguous days off in 6 years, and worked 12 hour days, 7 day weeks more than I can remember. In 2009, The company chose Phoenix, AZ as their main location so I had to spend at least 3 weeks/month there for the past 5 years. I bought a small condo there so I didn't have to stay in hotels all the time.
Recently, the company decided I was no longer needed - a fair assessment, in all honesty, since I'm more suited to a 'startup' mode where you need one person who can be a 'jack of all trades'. With the increase in size (and involvement of investment bankers), the level of bureaucracy increased also, and I was hating it - trying to find a way to get out without actually quitting (walking away from a paycheck is not easy for me). In the end, they did it for me, and - did it in such a way that was far more generous than I would have ever dared ask for! I had to sign documents saying I wouldn't disclose company info, wouldn't work for the competition, etc - which is fine by me. In return, I don't have to worry about working for a while.
So now I get to spend time back in the Bay Area, CA, where my home has been for the past 30 years, where my girlfriend is, my friends are, and where, quite honestly, my heart is. I've only been able to get home at most 1 week out of 4 in the past 5 years, and it was often less. So now I'm hanging out in the Bay Area, and absolutely loving it - unencumbered by work! I plan to do some serious relaxing until the end of the year, catching up on friends, and generally making up for all the time I lost working crazy hours.
The condo in AZ lost value over the past 4 years, but has finally recovered so I think I could sell for a 'break even' if I wanted to; but the funny thing is, I've become accustomed to having a place down there and - despite the many issues associated with Arizona - I actually really like the place! So now I'm trying to figure a way to keep that condo, keep my place in CA, and travel between the two (and pay the associated bills!). Haven't solved that one yet but I have time to think about it at last!
Sep 20th 2013, 9:56 pm
#14
Are we there yet?
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: 31 miles from Cool (California)
Posts: 2,467
Re: I'm Free!
Congrats! enjoy every day!
Sep 20th 2013, 10:01 pm
#15
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 22,105
Re: I'm Free!
Enjoy!