The Long Haul

Dave retired today. Thinking back, in the thirty or so years I have been working this is the first retirement of someone I have worked closely with. The thing is that our industry was young when we started work and we have matured along with it. I am now a sort of elder statesman and the people my age and older are on the retirement track. I used to think, once upon a time, that I would have a hard time with retirement. I believed I need the work to keep me feeling meaningful in this world. Funny how that has changed over the years. I am jealous of Dave and would like nothing more to be able to give up work knowing I could take care of the wife and kids, do archaeology, build guitars, go study something, travel.

I never thought my dad would be able to retire. He was certainly a workaholic. When he time came, he left his job, packed up 35 Mill Park Road and moved to Raanana and then to Houston. He was always busy and happy. He did his stamps, made sandwiches and collected money for the trampiyada and generally took time to read and drive miles to buy Diet Coke at a discount. I don't think he missed the "salt mines" for a minute.

Sadly this is a long way off for me, both financially and age wise. Today, it was sad to say goodbye to Dave, he was one of the first that welcomed me to squint central UK. He was a giant in history of 3D graphics. We had a nice dinner last night, pizza at lunch, and a nice toast this afternoon. An MacBook rather than a gold watch. I wish him much luck on this new journey.