Semi Pseudo Retirement

[gspren]

After 13+ years retired I sometimes wonder how I ever had time for a job, sometimes I need to hire a kid to help me with retirement. I don't need to give advice just congratulations, you know what you're doing.

[moosehunter]

Congratulations Doc!

[Andries]

Well, you may be 'retiring' from your current workplace, but you'll always be Doc Henderson to us.
I found that my calendar filled up by itself when I worked. Now, you can choose what to put on that calendar. 
Best wishes on whichever path you decide to go on. 

[doc henderson]

Thanks all.  I am still working a few shifts, and also Chief of Staff till July 1.  I will still be on the board for at least 2 years as the post COS.  I certainly have flexibility to only work 1 shift a month if I want but will keep my skills up for the forum at least.      You may have noticed some days I posted a lot and others I did not.  that would have matched my work schedule.  I am still a leader in the ED, but I do not make the schedule and am not the guy to fill in all the empty shifts.  I am taking a break from killing myself and will decide in months if I like not working or if I want to take a position teaching or working at the Children's Hospital again.  I could do urgent care, but I get bored there.  I appreciate the comments.  I did not think I would retire, but age is catching up with me as many of you all know.  I do have great hobbies and friends to attend to and am looking forward to that.

[SawyerTed]

Work enough to assess what you might do otherwise.  

I know from experience that one shift per week or month will suck you back in.  It happened to me and it has happened to Emily.   

So hold the line on just how much you are willing to do.  They'll come to rely on you for more than you want.   

That happened to me as a maintenance supervisor at manufacturing plant and when I was managing the wood products company.  What was supposed to be 24-30 hours grew to 50 per week. Had to quit cold turkey.  

[doc henderson]

Yes, I was proud to be everyone's answer to everything, for years.

[doc henderson]

[Resonator]

Shouldn't that be one of those rubber triangle-thingy reflex hammers? 

[doc henderson]

No, those do not make enough noise to hush a room full of doctors who do not always agree.

[NewYankeeSawmill]

Congrats Sir! Well deserved no doubt!

[WV Sawmiller]

Doc,

    Congratulations or retiring while you are still able to enjoy it. Come by when the lake level is right and we will send you back to Kansas with a cooler full of catfish fillets.

    Nice plaque and gavel. I think I have a new idea for something else for Tom to start making...

[NE Woodburner]

I know from experience that one shift per week or month will suck you back in.

I am about to find out if this will be true for me. One more month of full time and I go to 3 days per week for one year, then full retirement. I've hired and trained replacements and am going to try to not allow myself to be sucked in. We will soon see how successful I am...

[jb616]

Just want to throw my congrats in there as well Doc. I retired last December and am enjoying every minute. Trying to get bucket list stuff done before I rust / wear out. 

[Ljohnsaw]

Congratulations Doc! I've been retired now 12 years, and I'm working 6 days a week  

I'm off "work" today only because I'm sick with what feels like a mild flu.

[hedgerow]

A little late to the party. Doc Congratulations on the retirement. It won't take long to not miss those night shifts. Pretty quick it will be eight years already since I was working in town. Its nice sleeping at night and not being on call or puling night shifts. 

[Cedarman]

Congratulations Doc.  I missed your party because I practiced a week of retirement with Caveman, daughter, Aaron, and Cade doing a little fishing in GoA. I retired from working for a paycheck 43 years ago and went all in working for myself. I still work about everyday I am not doing something else. But I love the mill.  But I can take off whenever I want and leave Ian in full charge.  Next trip is NSS convention near Cobleskill New York, close to Howe Caverns.
Any FF near there, let me know, I can stop by.  Will be there over a week.
Doc, I think you will like working when you want to  and not working a job when you want to do something else.
I know you mentioned having a get together in Kansas.
That can take up a lot of time.  Ask Jake and Jeff. 
I know you had a lot of fun in Costa Rica.  There is a lot more of that kind of stuff out there.
If you need someone to enjoy a trip with, give me a notice.
My next big trip is riding the Peace Trail in AZ with family and friends for several weeks  800 miles plus side trails is what they tell me.
As I say, life is a journey, enjoy the trip.
Again, congratulations on your semi retirement.

[Ed_K]

 Congratulations Doc, take some time to breath and sit awhile, retirement is a nice word but it doesn't work it just means more work you didn't see when you were working.

 Y'all have a great day.

[dgdrls]

Congratulations Doc,

FWIW when my father retired he said "I'm busier now than when I worked full time and was raising you and your sisters with mum"

Be well and enjoy

D

[doc henderson]

You are all correct.  I have been working physically and getting back into shape.  Medicine is a different kind of work, standing and sitting, and hopefully thinking.

I have been working on cleaning, organizing and insulating and sheet rocking the last of my shop.  got lots done with my buddy Dallas coming and diving in and dragging me along.  I will post pics in a bit.  the part that was not insulated on the inside between the studs, had 2 inches of foam on the outside with Drivit siding.  (fake stucco).  my wife is covering a paternity leave at a local clinic pharmacy.  She is also working on the landscape.  I would like to host an event when it does not take away from someone else, as soon as late this summer.  We have had several big birthday parties and family reunions every year for 17 years.  each with about 60 people.  I am trying to clean and organize the sawmill firewood area, and shop.  that will make it nicer.  In the past I worked and worked solving staffing and events like covid, and worse was post covid.  

[customsawyer]

Do I get to start a fire beside your sawmill?

[cutterboy]

Congratulations Doc!
I think the best years of my life were the first 10 years of my retirement. I hope the same for you. 

[SwampDonkey]

Thanks for the long service in the medical field. A lot of 'old timers' have recently retired in this area. Hard to get and retain new Docs, which is pretty much the same story everywhere. Now it's time to do the extra stuff you want to do at your own pace. 

[doc henderson]

Thanks everyone.  I have been insulating and finally Sheetrocking the mechanical/welding/metal working part of the shop.  finished hanging the rock yesterday.  much is on wheels or pallets such as lots of metal.  it is 34 x 34 and still needs taped.  Jake you are welcome to start a fire at my sawmill anytime.  we have a firepit/combine wheel down there.