Getting ready to retire

One day left. After 46 years. Howthehell did I ever manage to last with one company all this time? And how did I ever figure leaving it would be easy? Actually (I'm afraid this will turn into a ramble, forgive me.), it hasn't been only one career, it's not even technically my first retirement. Production, Toolmaker, Wood Model Maker, retire to take a contract design job (pretty cool, double dip, get to play with Unigraphics - one of the world's coolest toys. Thanks again, Ed Mau, for a wonderful opportunity), meet a sweet, bright, sexy woman in the next cube, finally hit the end of the road.

It's time to take down the buttons from my cube wall, box up my accumulated essentials. What essentials? I'm not doing this any more. Leave the double handful of pens and pencils. Reference books- a full bookshelf's worth, desk calendars, half a dozen metric rulers, stapler, Leave'em. How does one person accumulate 4 sets of headphones? I suppose I'll have to take the batch of desk knick-knacks if I can't give them away.  Last week Liz and I smuggled a semi-huge peace lily into her 3rd floor hallway. Adopted out the truly huge one (Goodbye Lil, we'll miss ya) . 

Tomorrow there'll be a party at a suitably middle-class, funky bar. Goodbyes, keep in touch, we'll miss you, etc. Same here. I love you all and now it's over.