The Cord Is Severed! in Everyday Ramblings

Whoa baby, I was a nervous wreck yesterday morning. I had left all my computer equipment from work set-up except the phone (I unplugged that after the last day I worked) so that I could check my statement of earnings online yesterday. I timed this all around that. But, not much of a surprise, all my computer access was removed sometime in the last two weeks so I couldn’t get in to check it.

I was sure after that that they had canceled my badge access to the building as well so I waited, dusting off all the cords and packing all my equipment carefully into a plasticized shopping bag and my backpack, until I knew that the access on the floor where I worked would at least be available, figuring if I showed my badge or ran into someone I knew I could get into the building.

My monitors are 10 years old and they were heavy! I think around 18 lbs. apiece. There was no way I could carry both of them at once so I took one, my laptop, docking station and phone and headed on out. It was too much to carry really.

It was too much to carry for sure when I was having a mild panic attack like response to this whole thing. I should have, it would have been better if, I had some outside support on this venture. I was sweating and had to stop at one point and put stuff down.

This was worse than the repeated attempts to get the IV into me before my colonoscopy. This was bad. I had about two weeks worth of stress hormones sluicing through my system.

When I got to the inside door my badge did work! I found this amazing, but par for the course, with the basic incompetence of the place. I was able to take the elevator up and leave all the stuff I was carrying in our head Admin’s office. He was working from home.

I ran into the head of our Payroll department on the way out and she was friendly, sad I was retiring, (she didn’t know), and on top of that offered to print me a copy of my statement of earnings and explained my options for my last check, which I will get in two weeks.

Her kindness and professionalism almost made me burst into tears. What a great note to leave it on.

I went home and got the second monitor and brought it back and left my badge and left without seeing anyone. Well I did see one of our cashiers out of the corner of my eye but she ignored me.

I felt a lot lighter than 36 lbs. on the way out the second time!

It is over, over, over, have I mentioned it is over?!?

When I got home I organized myself to go grocery shopping (last day on my discounted bus pass) and had an uneventful trip. It was a gorgeous morning, only the second Halloween when it hasn’t been raining in the 21 years I have been here.

One could even see the mountains. Dracula was checking on the produce with a clipboard.

After the groceries were put away and I had posted my 750 Words I wrapped up in a blanket to rest. As you might imagine I had not slept well the night before.

One of my yoga students used to be my IT guy at my now former employer. He currently works for an outfit that provides health insurance, including my now former health plan…He told me when I walked into class Wednesday night that a young woman had just joined his department full time…that young woman is Motorcycle Man’s wife!

She told my student both that Motorcycle Man was sad that I had left (snort! well he is now doing my job and his, of course he is sad) and that Mr. On the Spectrum was not a good influence on her husband.

You won’t find any disagreement from me there.

Like all those Republicans in the House, going along to get along seems to be the tribal expression at the moment, no matter how egregious the behavior of the people in charge.

But of course all this stirred stuff up in me that I had been getting settled.

So there I am wrapped in a blanket, feeling groggy and relieved with cats and according to my Fitbit I then proceeded to sleep 14 hours and 6 minutes.

The cats got fed. I think I ate a couple of crackers and some string cheese but mostly it was like drinking cool fresh water after an encounter with thirst. I was exhausted on so many levels. A contributing factor was that it was cold, well below freezing in the morning.

My hibernation chops seem to be on full display.

Today, Kes is coming up and then if I have the energy I will walk downtown and get a senior bus pass to see me through the month.

Yay! I am now formally a retiree.

Last updated November 01, 2019