please empty your brain below
That was a slightly sad but upbeat blog today,DG.
Enjoy a few days travelling around and please tell us all about them. Looking forward to finding out where you'll go next.
Good luck! 😉

Jo W | 29.04.17 - 7:11 a.m. | #

I remember finding this blog, via a friend called Elaine (she had a blog called coops something or other), way back in 2003. It's always brought me such joy, so thank you.

I've really enjoyed these last two work-related posts. I look forward to you sharing your future. Best of luck DG!

Matt Smith | 29.04.17 - 7:18 a.m. | #

I was in exactly the same situation as you seven years ago and having received a rather large redundancy payment I opted for early retirement and have never been employed again, my days are now so full I often wonder how on earth I ever had time to actually go to work, enjoy your new found freedom DG for as long as you can and good luck to you.

fishislandskin | 29.04.17 - 7:19 a.m. | #

It was the same for me in 2012, made surplus to requirement after 35 years in the job. My job was transferred to Eastleigh and living in the Midlands would have been a bit of a commute, so having spent 4 months training a replacement down there it was good bye. It seemed bleak at first but a chance cup of coffee and I have a great job in a totally different field of work. It also gives me chance to read DG with my morning coffee before work. Best of luck and keep up the fantastic work.

Robert Standish-Leigh | 29.04.17 - 7:44 a.m. | #

Just how I felt when it happened to me. I missed some of the situations and some of the work but then realised I did not have to worry (as I always tended to be) about some of the customers/situations/problems as they were no concern of mine any more. And in the certain knowledge that they would prove more of a problem for my manager who had made no attempt to involve himself. A slight bit of justice, I thought

PeteC | 29.04.17 - 8:06 a.m. | #

Considerations on your enforced exit. Congratulations on your new found independence. Contrafribblarities on your future.

I work in role within an industry with a fairly substantial question mark over its future. I'm just a year into a 25 year mortgage, so I'm hoping not to receive 'the letter' just yet...

Gary Denness | Homepage | 29.04.17 - 8:15 a.m. | #

I did wonder what today's post would bring.
That was poignant but uplifting and just as good a read as always.
Thank you and further good wishes.

John DLC | 29.04.17 - 8:18 a.m. | #

Around this time in 2005 I was in a similar situation. This was a chance to revisit some familiar feelings from a different perspective.

This is one of my favourite blogs and I hope everything works out for you.

Martin Smith | 29.04.17 - 8:33 a.m. | #

Do your own thing. You are best suited to it.

B | 29.04.17 - 8:34 a.m. | #

All the best to you DG.
Like many commenters, I have been in a similar position. Over 35 years with my previous employer.
If you can afford it, no need to get back into full time employment. Lots of part-time work out there for people with good skills, of which you have many. I work part-time in a school which means the school holidays as well!!
Don't rush into anything. Looking forward to reading many more of your, always interesting, posts.

MikeK | 29.04.17 - 9:37 a.m. | #

Well said, enjoy the break DG.

Kevin | 29.04.17 - 10:23 a.m. | #

You don't have to put up with disappointing fish & chips anymore!

Enjoy your redundancy!

Martin | 29.04.17 - 10:49 a.m. | #

Good luck DG, in whatever you choose to do next.

Colininthailand | 29.04.17 - 11:32 a.m. | #

The very best of luck for the future. Watch out though - once people hear you are available they will start to fill up your time.....

Westville13 | 29.04.17 - 12:13 p.m. | #

You've had loads of sound feedback DG, and I hesitate to add to your bulging advice in tray.

Ok, having hesitated, here's mine.

It'll be quite hard not to be apprehensive about your future. The absence of a salary cheque hitting your current account every month, and with your outgoings virtually unchanged, will be impossible to ignore. When I was in that situation, I went into financial lockdown and - with the invaluable benefit of hindsight - I'm pretty sure that made my six months out of work more miserable than it needed to be. So resist the temptation to embark on a regime of parsimony. Relax, buy some new clothes, get a drone, go on holiday, whatever cheers you up. [Of course, it's completely unnecessary for me to add; don't go mad.] You have the whole summer ahead of you and, while I'm sure you'd rather be in work than out of it, don't forget to make the most of what is also a fantastic opportunity.

Good luck.

Nightmale | 29.04.17 - 12:23 p.m. | #

No excuse not to start running then. It's a great stress reliever and fills the time and you make so many friends that a door might open for you. See you at parkrun some time soon after you've competed the couch to 5k programme.

Running_Correspondent | 29.04.17 - 12:35 p.m. | #

Others would have dumped the work mug, shirt and trousers in the rubbish. Fresh start or new beginnings.

Grumpy Anon | 29.04.17 - 1:32 p.m. | #

I was restructured out of my job in 2011 aged 49, never had a proper job since and am now going through the process of getting my pensions. It took me six months before I started to feel at peace with myself after being stabbed in the back by my employers after 23 years service. I dont miss them now but that feeling took me about two years before it finally went away too. Thankfully I have interests and outside hobbies and always enjoy reading your travel blog postings. So I hope you have a good future life and "Dont let the bastards get you down"!

Andrew Jarman | 29.04.17 - 2:36 p.m. | #

You are brilliant as ever, DG: so well-written, and still managing not to let on where you've been working these last few decades. Very best of luck with the next phase.

Phil SW11 | 29.04.17 - 2:39 p.m. | #

Foster kittens?

Antipodean | 29.04.17 - 2:48 p.m. | #

Freedom!

Greg S | 29.04.17 - 3:34 p.m. | #

Do you know the Chinese use the same word for crisis as they do for opportunity?

Lumma | 29.04.17 - 3:40 p.m. | #

Ive been there DG. It took me a while to find a new job due to the financial crisis in 2008 which spanned until 2011.

Hopefully you'll never have to enter a job centre....but they sure are great places for a blog topic.

I didnt need to step foot in there as it was beneath me and i felt shame, but as entitled to benefits (substantial Tax) ive paid in during my brief working life i thought why not.

If all else fail publish your diary as a book on Amazon with photos. It would be fascinating. You'll also be like me and give interviews behind a mask only.

Bugger....ive given the game away

Bruce Wayne | 29.04.17 - 4:10 p.m. | #

Lumma,

No, we don't.

Do the English think that butterflies are literally flies made of butter?

http://www.pinyin.info/chinese/crisis.html

James | 29.04.17 - 4:17 p.m. | #

You'll be fine. Remember that acrobatic rat you failed to photograph? Well, er, you can be, um, acrobatic in your own life....And stuff. Good luck with your future. x

Milo Bell | 29.04.17 - 4:45 p.m. | #

I have never been in your current position, but like others have said relax and take your time, although adopting kittens sounds like a FULL time job.
What ever you do, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you future sucess in life.
My own last day was totally different, I got the full treatment: cake, cards, present (both from collegues and the firm) and drinks.
I left work at 57 on early retirement with a full pension, a blessing of being a boomer.

Michael | 29.04.17 - 5:00 p.m. | #

Best of luck for the future, I'm sure you will do fine.

If I can be a bit flippant, does this mean we will be getting a new series of blog posts on the job centres of London?

Barry | 29.04.17 - 5:40 p.m. | #

Wishing you all the very best for the future DG. Superb posts yesterday and today, sad subject but their contents resonated with myself and I expect a lot of other people too.

Lynn | 29.04.17 - 6:12 p.m. | #

Pretty much what Andrew J said... not least because 23 years was the exact same length of service that I'd had with my employers when the same happened to me.
No gold watch, no leaving card... just 'gone'
Took me a while to get over, too.
Best of luck with your future ventures.
[Matter of fact, I think it was somewhere only about a month ago that you wrote about the 'unchangingness' of some of your posts: I've gotta say, it sounded then like the words of someone contemplating his next holiday or, er... 'having some time off' to do (and maybe write about) something a bit more out of the norm :O ]

RogerW | 29.04.17 - 6:29 p.m. | #

"Instead of viewing Friday as the last day, I decided, far better to consider it the first."

That's the right attitude, keep it up.

Ray

| 29.04.17 - 7:03 p.m. | #

In some respects my last day was rather similar to DG's. In at the usual time but there was still work to do and a team to manage. The last few bits of handover to sort out with my replacement and desk to tidy out and depersonalise and documents accumulated over the years to remove that no one would want.

I did have the "goodbye" thing from the team as they'd been scurrying round collecting money and buying pressies. That was a bit difficult and a bit tearful for me - not sure they'd seen a boss cry before but I'm an emotional b*gg*r. I gave the team a few salutary words about what the future was likely to hold for them and what they needed to do.

Then I had to trek to see the boss and have the "exit interview" and hand in passes and other company bits that must be returned to your line manager. Then back to the office. The ridiculous irony is that I ended up leaving later than usual and was still signing letters and invoices and responding to E Mails until 2 mins before I walked out the door. Leaving drinks were a separate thing the following week and a bit of a damp squib. I haven't been back to see anyone since.

The first few weeks are all a bit odd really - the old routine and faces gone. There will be inevitable mixed feelings about what you've been through, how you feel about it and how you face the future. Based on your writing you're clearly a level headed chap and you'll find a suitable way through it but don't be overly surprised by your emotions and thoughts. All the best.

PC | 29.04.17 - 8:26 p.m. | #

It's sobering to see how companies we devote our lives to, view us as commodities. Disposable. To not even get a card or speech or lunch is incredibly hurtful and wrong.

Sounds like you're better off pursuing life with your own agenda. Viva dg

louise | 29.04.17 - 9:05 p.m. | #

I always hated that "personnel" was renamed to "human resources" and managers spoke about "resourcing" a project.

Half a physicist | 29.04.17 - 9:50 p.m. | #

Best wishes for the future. Your stapler graveyard post was prophetic.

I too hate how we are resources, sadly that is the modern world.

Darren | 29.04.17 - 10:01 p.m. | #

A very poignant post.
I bet it won't even be a week before they realise what a Diamond Geezer they've lost in you!

Hopefully their loss will be our gain, as you adjust to your new situation.

Cornish Cockney | 29.04.17 - 10:38 p.m. | #

I deliberately hesitated over writing this on the basis there are some things you're never supposed to say about former employers.
It's not, however, as if I'm going to name them or that anyone will know or be bothered to try guessing.
During my career my employers underwent two mergers (takeovers), each time with a larger organisation.
The effect of these changes was pretty much to take you from being a name to becoming a payroll number, and ultimately 'an overhead' :(

RogerW | 30.04.17 - 10:50 a.m. | #

Great line:
All that once-crucial accumulated expertise, extinguished in seconds.

Enjoy your free time.

V11 | 30.04.17 - 8:57 p.m. | #

The first day attitude feels right to me.

Far better to treat it as a time for congratulations.

My best wishes.

rashbre | Homepage | 01.05.17 - 6:39 p.m. | #

All the best, DG.
I was away for the weekend and came back to two long, important posts.
Done great reflections from readers on their experiences; I hope yours is as positive.
Good luck and enjoy the break
:-)

EskimoPie | 02.05.17 - 11:21 a.m. | #

sobering on the one hand and elation on the other hand.

Onwards ! DG

V | 04.05.17 - 9:24 p.m. | #











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