Every four years is a ‘quadrennium’. I’m not sure if there is something special about a four year cycle, but universities, leap years, Olympics, Presidential elections, and many other things are set up on the cycle of a quadrennium. Unlike Picasso, I can’t imagine learning to paint like Raphael in just four years, but I guess a lot can be accomplished.
This week is special for me because 4 years ago it started the sequence of events that led to our early retirement. I was waiting for a spring date to make my resignation announcement after the bonuses were paid out, but learned that one didn’t need to be ‘present to win’ under MegaCorp’s bonus scheme.
My friend & colleague Russ had discovered that our bonuses had already been accrued and came into my office and quit himself four years ago this week. That triggered an early exit for me – just a week later. It was like getting an unexpected and immediate ‘Get Out Of Jail Card’.
Here’s the post I wrote at that time: Up, Up and Away to Early Retirement. It’s fun for me to go back and read the enthusiasm with which I wrote it. I checked with my friend Russ yesterday afternoon and he summed it up well: it was “One of the greatest days ever at work. So glad to be done with that part of life and enjoying this part.”
I am certainly enjoying my 4 years of freedom, autonomy, and independence as well. It’s been arguably the best quadrennium I can remember. Looking forward to many more years of goofing off!
HAPPY WEEKEND!
Image Credit: BrainyQuote.com
MrFireStation 
Free at last, free at last, Lord God Almighty, we’re free at last!
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Simple, but powerful words! 👍🏻
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Congrats on four years! Coming up on three years here, and your former co-worker’s words really resonate…”So glad to be done with that part of life and enjoying this part.”
Here’s hoping we all get to enjoy at least as many years away from Mega-Corp as we spent working there!
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That’s a good wish – ! That would be 23 more years for me. I’d be 76 – still 10 years less than my Dad, who turns 87 next month!
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Twenty-five more years for me (including both Mega Corps), which will put me at 79. My dad retired at 56 (pension) from a high stress job, and lived to be 89. He was a heavy smoker from a very young age…until his 50th birthday. He had a Quad-Bypass in his mid-70’s, and was over weight most of his later life, but had a wondefully long retirement. I think I have a great chance at making it well past 79, and I’m trying to keep myself as fit as possible… I’ve definitely eliminated the stress factor over my last three wonderful FIRE years.
Here’s to us still chatting in our late eighties about our thirty-plus years of this FIRE stuff! 😉
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They were having a ‘stress management’ presentation at my cardio rehab clinic and asked if I was going to attend. I said, “honestly, I’ve managed to create a pretty stress free existence at this point in my life.”
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