My friend that snowbirds in Florida during the Winter came back to MN a few weeks ago. We are now three tennis matches and three softball games into early summer. The activities we enjoy each week are inevitably capped with a cold refreshment and often with a visit to a new restaurant/pub. We’ve been to 30+ different places over the past few years!
We were solving the world’s problems over a beer and enjoying a ‘juicy lucy’ (look it up if you aren’t from MN) last week and I mentioned that I have gotten to the point where I’ve largely forgotten we ever worked together at MegaCorp. We both early retired within a few weeks of each other more than two years ago and never looked back.
Related: Up, Up, and Away Into Early Retirement
Some people will ask me, “How often do you still think about working at MegaCorp?” The truth is not very often. My friend and I worked together in the same group for more than a year, took a fun boondoggle to Washington DC together, and yet I would be hard-pressed to recognize him wearing a business suit today.
Every once in a while we’ll end up talking about something in the business news that will spark a memory one of us has about a situation we worked through at MegaCorp, but for the most part we focus on what happened on the softball field, how we are trying to improve our tennis game, or the quality of the beer we are enjoying.
I like it much better this way! Have a great weekend!
Image Credit: Pixabay
MrFireStation 
Good for you guys! I’ve seen the ‘juicy lucy’ chronicled on one of the shows on Food Network. They look good.
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Juicy Lucy – Good as long as the magma-like hot cheese doesn’t dribble out!
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Cheers, Chief! “Work friends” often turn out to be only that. “Life friends” are priceless. Play on, boys!
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Long tennis match today then a walk around the lake with my wife – exhausted!
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I had lunch yesterday with a guy I worked with at Megacorp for 30 years up until I retired early three years ago. He had just resigned, not ready to retire financially but unable to tolerate the place any longer. He worked for me when I ran the company and maybe because as the boss I was exposed to the evil eye of Mordor more directly than he it took longer to beat the will to live out of him. He told me that the person that replaced me had just been terminated after being royally abused in front of their whole management team. If there is one great reason to achieve FI even if you love your job, it is that an ownership or corporate management change can turn your dream job into a living nightmare.
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Yes – I survived a big change in ownership halfway through my career. We were acquired & many (most) of my colleagues were let go, encouraged to leave, or were left wearing a Scarlett Letter.
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I just got back from the Keys (FL) and had lunch with a former colleague still working at my former Megacorp. He asked me if I missed it or thought much about work, since it was just after my one year anniversary of retiring. I just laughed. I rarely think of my former work life, only the close friendships. We’re too busy enjoying life now.
Btw, if you’re ever in the Keys (specifically Islamorada) there is a tiny restaurant called M.e.a.t.s.. It’s nothing fancy, but they have the best Juicy Lucy I’ve ever had! We go back there on every visit South. I highly recommend it! And the craft beer selection is also great there. Cheers!
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I agree – you forget the work, but remember the people.
I have a friend in the FL Keys right now – I will text him the Juicy Lucy place!
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He will love it! Tell him it’s around mile marker 88. Order the Juicy Lucy with the Duck Fries covered in their spicy ketchup!
…d@mn…now I’m hungry!!
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