Life After Nexcom

I made it through the last full day of work with no tears. Whew....cant have my reputation spoiled. The Employees threw a potluck for me which was very nice. lots of cards, small gifts, and tons of balloons. Now most may not think that balloons are a bad thing, but I have been terrified by balloons all of my life. My parents thought it was funny, and even took pictures of me sitting in my sandbox in Hawaii, crying because of a balloon. I never got my kids balloons, and they thought it was funny. Lets tease MOM. we'll chase her with balloons. sheesh. It seems that one of my long term employees remembered when my daughter worked there, and Donna told her that I was afraid of balloons, "If you ever want to get to MOM give her balloons." They did.

There were stories told about me, at various stages in my career, and it was all really nice. Tomorrow the Managers are having a big Luncheon for me, and I expect to be thoroughly roasted. 37 years of anecdotes will, I am sure, be brought up. I asked that it be held at the Cheif's Club just off base, so that more people could attend. But they made it a managers only Lunch. ah well. Headquarters is really hurting right now, they did this Buy out, so that they could reduce the cost of Headquarters, but in order to offer it to one group they had to offer it to the whole eligible pool. It turns out that no one from Headquarters is leaving, but the field is Hemorhaging!!! Ya Know If I was the Admiral, I would take a good hard look at why the field is bailing out, and try to fix the problem. Headquarters works monday through Friday, gets every Holiday off, works 8-5 and goes home. THe FIELD however, works 7 days a week 12-18 hours a day, always is open on holidays, and has to listen to the complaints from the patrons, on products that Headquarters either does or doesnt purchase.

Ah well, I go in tomorrow, turn in my gate pass, give up the key to my new office, and can leave. I will have a full SPRING off!! I can garden when the sunshines, not hope that the sun will shine when I am off to garden. (I live North of Seattle. LOTS of rain) Oh MY!!!! I will have a real CHRISTMAS OFF!!!!! whoo-hooo!!!! It is the little things in life that will make me happy now.

I was given a few books today about creating web pages, so watch for me in the future. Probably the far future. I want a really cool site with lots of interesting features, linking my blog to it too. DOnt have the faintest idea where to start, but I will get there. With all of my hobbies, and my work with the PLAYHOUSE, I should have lots of good links. Birds, photography, geology, gardening, cooking, reading, astronomy, natural science, hiking, camping, roaming. the list goes on and on and on!

I have the Employee of the Year award ceremony tomorrow, and it is early, so I had better get my self to bed early also. Dont want to be late on my last day of work.