Not yet, just not yet
We've all been unfortunately tossed into a situation where we are forced to decide something faster than we'd every imagined. Stay or go? Yes or no? Burial or cremation? Baked or mashed? Now or later? An alcoholic beverage or nothing, thanks?
This week, my job advised they are again offering an early retirement option, for the second time in their history. I am very close to when I wanted to retire -- just a year and a half away! -- at which point I was going to get some other job and work until I didn't want to do it any longer. I have three weeks to decide if I want to retire and take five months of compensation plus money to supplement insurance or stay and risk getting laid off and then have nothing. I have to decide the next few decades of my life (I hope!) within three weeks and I am not ready to do so. I will have to get a new doctor as mine sees no one using Medicare and I like my doctor. I have to call my dermatologist and my ENT and find out if they take Medicare. I have to find out the price of supplemental insurance and get it set up to start along with Medicare. I need to find out how much my dentist charges for a teeth cleaning without insurance. Most of all, I need to find out if they are telling our client what's up and what the client wants us to do and what the client will guarantee. In writing, please. I don't blame they if they can offer nothing.
There are four of us on a team of eight who are in this predicament except I am the only one of retirement age. I feel bad for them, especially the two who've been there 25+ years and not over 60. No SSA benefits and no Medicare. While I feel terrible for them, I feel worse for myself simply because I am the one who supports me and I alone walk in my shoes. Of the four of us, two have 32 years with the company and two have 25 years. If you've been anywhere for 25 years, you're no spring chicken. How does one convince a new employer that you're a very good bet?
I do not like this whole thing but sometimes you get the elevator and sometimes you get the shaft and sometimes you just take the escalator because, eff it, that elevator business is just too confining.
This week, my job advised they are again offering an early retirement option, for the second time in their history. I am very close to when I wanted to retire -- just a year and a half away! -- at which point I was going to get some other job and work until I didn't want to do it any longer. I have three weeks to decide if I want to retire and take five months of compensation plus money to supplement insurance or stay and risk getting laid off and then have nothing. I have to decide the next few decades of my life (I hope!) within three weeks and I am not ready to do so. I will have to get a new doctor as mine sees no one using Medicare and I like my doctor. I have to call my dermatologist and my ENT and find out if they take Medicare. I have to find out the price of supplemental insurance and get it set up to start along with Medicare. I need to find out how much my dentist charges for a teeth cleaning without insurance. Most of all, I need to find out if they are telling our client what's up and what the client wants us to do and what the client will guarantee. In writing, please. I don't blame they if they can offer nothing.
There are four of us on a team of eight who are in this predicament except I am the only one of retirement age. I feel bad for them, especially the two who've been there 25+ years and not over 60. No SSA benefits and no Medicare. While I feel terrible for them, I feel worse for myself simply because I am the one who supports me and I alone walk in my shoes. Of the four of us, two have 32 years with the company and two have 25 years. If you've been anywhere for 25 years, you're no spring chicken. How does one convince a new employer that you're a very good bet?
I do not like this whole thing but sometimes you get the elevator and sometimes you get the shaft and sometimes you just take the escalator because, eff it, that elevator business is just too confining.
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