Tuesday, November 15, 2011

And Now the End is Near...

11/15/2011

“And now the end is near
And so I face the final curtain
My friend I’ll say it clear
I’ll state my case of which I’m certain

I’ve lived a life that’s full
I traveled each and every highway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way”

I flew into Los Angeles this past Sunday aboard Southwest flight 3651, ultimately heading to my company’s plant in Torrance, California for what is to be my last week as a fulltime employee of Virco Manufacturing Corporation.  Friday, November 18th will be my last day, and it, too, will be spent on a Southwest flight, but that one will be five hours of blissful relaxation (I think).

“Regrets I’ve had a few
But then again too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption

I planned each charted course
Each careful step along the byway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way”

Five days from now I will be a retired Hell of a Guy.  No more meetings, no more appointments, no reports to write or phone calls to make, emails, except for private ones, will be a thing of the past, no letters to write, no employee evaluations to do.  I won’t have to do monthly itineraries, nor will my life be lived on a month to month basis, and, hallelujah, no more quotas.  This is the good side.

“Yes there were times I’m sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew
But through it all when there was doubt
I ate it up and spit it out, I faced it all
And I stood tall and did it my way”

On the other side of this coin is all I won’t “get” to do.  This job has taken me to so many really neat places around the country.  I think there are only about eight states I have not visited, and I have met people from just about all 50 of them.  Over the years I have worked with some of the greatest people on the planet.  I have also worked with some wacky ones and weird ones.  I would not trade any one of them, all contributed to my success in one way or another and made my life complete.

“I’ve loved, I’ve laughed and cried
I’ve had my fill, my share of losing
And now as tears subside
I find it all so amusing”

Monday I began four days of my final meetings with my company’s managers at various levels in various positions.  We are discussing and planning our strategy for 2012.  My goal, even with my imminent retirement, is to make relevant contributions.  On my way out I have opened up discussions of some touchy subjects – hell, they can’t fire me now!  Along the way I hope I have taken some heat off my fellow managers.

“To think I did all that
And may I say not in a shy way
Oh no, oh no, not me
I did it my way”

All in all, as scary as the thought of retirement is to me, I am looking forward to it with a very open mind.  I am planning my “charted course” and my careful steps along the byway. 

“For what is a man what has he got
If not himself then he has not
To say the things he truly feels
And not the words of one who kneels
The record shows I took the blows
And did it my way”

And that is all I have to say about that…