I was in and out of the gym by 8:30 this morning, where it was Free Bagel Tuesday, and I did only cardio.
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Today was my penultimate work day at IBM. I’m off tomorrow. Thursday is my last day.
I completed Shruti’s edit today. I have a short edit to do for Kate on Thursday, and at the end of the day, I will turn in my badge, office keys, and laptop to Woody Oliver—at which point the fat lady will sing.
Today’s entry is going to be long. I’m capturing some things for posterity, as I’m going to lose access to my IBM system on Thursday. There are a lot of affirmations here, too, so if you’re going to read it all you might want to have one of these handy.
I received this e-mail affirmation from one of my favorite people on the planet today.
| Hello John!!
I’ve been meaning to send you an email since last week to tell you about a conversation where you were mentioned. I was at a meeting with all the faculty who will be leading spring break trips this year. After the meeting this man I’d never met before came up to me and said, “You worked with John Martin.” This was not a question, just a statement. Well, I brightened right up and said with lots of enthusiasm, “Yes, John is marvelous! How do you know him?” He said, “I keep hearing that. He’s going to be working in my department soon. You spoke with Jude about him recently.” Turns out he was Stan North Martin the Director of Outreach, Communications & Consulting in IT. He had recognized my name when we went around the table and did our introductions. Your fame precedes you, my friend, and rightly so!! I hope you’re doing well. I’ve been reading your blog. LOVE the picture of you in jeans and the cowboy hat. Still think you must have hired a stunt double for that shot, as it’s something you would never really do 😉 Myra |
We have an “IBM internal only” social networking application called Beehive, which is pretty much like a Facebook for IBM employees. One of the features in the application is a thing called a “Hive5,” where you make up five things about any topic you want to and post them on your profile.
During my time using Beehive (I joined on November 8, 2007), I created 15 Hive5s.
Here’s a listing of them with the number of times they’ve been viewed by other IBMers. You can click on them to read the five items if you’re interested in any of them.
Five of my Favorite “Fun” Sites (Viewed 19 times.)”
Five of my Favorite Puns (Viewed 31 times.)
Odd Things About Me (Viewed 48 times.)
Five Heavy Questions (Viewed 28 times.)
Five Trips I Have Planned This Year (Viewed 12 times.)
Five Workout Motivators (Viewed 15 times.)
Five Things I Hate About Cruises (Viewed 22 times.)
5 Things I was Still Able to Do When My Power was Out (Viewed 8 times.)
My Last 5 Affirmations (Viewed 11 times.)
Five Obits Containing Creative Euphemisms for “Died” (Viewed 42 times.)
Five Reasons Why I’m Resigning From IBM (Viewed 377 times.) [← This one wildly exceeded all of the others in terms of interest by other IBMers!]
People can post comments to these Hive5 entries, and that last one enumerating the reasons I’m leaving IBM, generated a ton of comments, some of them very, very sweet. I’m putting them behind a cut to save space. Click on the cut text if you’re interested.
On September 9, 2008, At 5:51 PM EST, Kevin Reinstein said:
In keeping with the theme of #5, I am glad that *our* identity is not connected to what you do or where you work. Our identity is defined by friendship … tried, trusted, true, and enduring. I wish you the very best in your upcoming endeavors. And I look forward to you getting yourself out here to Seattle to visit soon! Hugs-n-Stuff(tm)
On September 9, 2008, At 6:04 PM EST, John Martin responded:
Hey! No making me cry here! You are definitely one of the people still keeping my heart engaged here! Thank you for that, my friend!
On September 9, 2008, At 4:53 PM EST, Laurisa Rodriguez said:
@John Sutcliffe – re #4, I’ve been told that the “average” time in a band is 5-6 years. I can understand the point about not being able to move if you’re not a “top performer”, but only a “solid performer”.
@John Martin: Best of luck to you in your post-IBM life.
On September 9, 2008, At 5:05 PM EST, John Martin responded:
Thanks, Laurisa! Best of luck to you as you continue your career here.
On September 9, 2008, At 12:04 PM EST, Casey Peel said:
Best of luck John! I agree 100% with the sentiment of #2: I’m here because I enjoy what I do and look forward to coming to work. If that stops being the case, I’ll be looking elsewhere.
I’m still going to come knock on your door next time I’m in your neck of the woods!
On September 9, 2008, At 12:09 PM EST, John Martin responded:
Yay and YAY! Thanks, Casey!
On September 9, 2008, At 10:48 AM EST, Henry Will IV said:
Good luck John!
[Note for posterity: I responded to Henry directly on his Beehive profile page.]
On September 9, 2008, At 10:11 AM EST, Lulu Hammond said:
Congratulations to you! I too have been here for 28 years… and sometimes I wonder how much longer I have here! Good Luck.
On September 9, 2008, At 10:16 AM EST, John Martin responded:
Thanks, Lulu! Hang in there! I started in 1980, too, but left for 7 years in 1993, getting rehired in 2000. All that is to say that I’m on the “new” pension plan, so there’s no advantage or incentive for me to hang out another two years. Best of luck in your time left!
On September 9, 2008, At 8:34 AM EST, Kimberly Iungerman said:
Wishing you all the best. How great to be financially independent enough to leave and pursue other things that you will love!
On September 9, 2008, At 9:16 AM EST, John Martin responded:
Thanks a lot, Kimberly. Best of luck to you as you continue your career here!
On September 9, 2008, At 8:18 AM EST, John Sutcliffe said:
New here… joined via the recent acquisition of Cognos. I’m especially curious about point 4. What is the “average” time in a band?
Mkt Reference point – would that be the same as the band mid-point? Many Cognoid’s find themselves over the mid-point in their bands coming into IBM as Cognos had a different pay philosophy than IBM does.
And most of all – good luck! I’m very jealous!
[Note for posterity: I responded to John privately in an e-mail.]
On September 8, 2008, At 10:48 AM EST, Ajith Srinivasa Murthy said:
My best wishes to your future assignments.
On September 8, 2008, At 10:57 AM EST, John Martin responded:
Thank you very much, Ajith. I wish the same for you in your continued career here.
On September 4, 2008, At 2:02 PM EST, John Rees said:
Well said. I am happy for you that you have made good choices to allow leaving on your own terms. Best of luck outside IBM. I am sure I will continue hearing from you on twitter. Cheers.
On September 4, 2008, At 2:21 PM EST, John Martin responded:
Thanks, John! As for seeing me on Twitter, “I’d rather walk on my lips than stop tweeting.” 🙂 Best of luck on your continued career here!
On September 3, 2008, At 10:17 PM EST, Dan O’Dea said:
John, I shall miss you. I wish you well in your endeavors. #4 worries me a bit, for personal reasons. Regarding Beehive, Gia Lyons left in March and she is still listed. Perhaps you will be here forever… and, uh, ever! Take care, and good luck!
On September 3, 2008, At 11:32 PM EST, John Martin responded:
Thank you for this, Dan, and for your kind e-card. I expressed my sentiments in an e-mail reply. Best of luck!
On September 3, 2008, At 5:16 AM EST, Ding Jun Ai said:
“Because I can”, really envy you.
Gook luck.
On September 3, 2008, At 11:47 AM EST, John Martin responded:
Thank you Ding! BTW, I’m going to be in Shanghai in late October with this People to People Technical Communication Professional Delegation to the People’s Republic of China. We’re visiting 3 cities: Beijing, Guilin, and Shanghai!
On September 3, 2008, At 1:51 AM EST, Pradeepa Sreedharan said:
Hello John! Great hive5. All the best for the future!
On September 3, 2008, At 11:43 AM EST, John Martin responded:
Thanks Pradeepa! I loved your Five Things You May Not Know About Me. Best of luck to you as you continue your career here!
On September 3, 2008, At 11:41 AM EST, John Martin said:
Thank you, Michel! In terms of meeting each other here, the pleasure was mutual. Best of luck to you in your continued career here and your continued avoidance of television as well! 🙂
On September 2, 2008, At 7:22 PM EST, Michel Fourcade-Trioullier responded:
“We spend too much of our time at work for it not to be fun.” I’ll try to remember that. Good bye John, it made me happy meeting you here. I wish you lots of luck and happiness. And don’t waste your time watching TV ever again.
On September 3, 2008, At 8:37 AM EST, Steve Cramer said:
[Note for posterity: All of these typos and grammar errors were on purpose.]
Congradulations John! We’ll miss you’re humor, you’re insight, you’re friendship and your editing of our coments! IBM loses a very valuable asset this week – but I know that wherever you are and whatever you do, you’ll continue to challenge people to think, learn, laugh and write good! Thanks my friend………and good luck in your next adventures!
On September 3, 2008, At 11:50 AM EST, John Martin responded:
Thank you for your kind words, Steve.
One of the other great things about working for IBM over the years has been whenever I’ve finally gotten to meet people after having only talked to them electronically for various amounts of time. (Sometimes years.)
You were one of those cases, so thanks for being a part of that! Best of luck as you continue on here.
On September 3, 2008, At 3:42 AM EST, Birgitta Frede said:
You got to love these reasons.
I wish you the very best for your future and good luck for your plans ahead.
On September 3, 2008, At 11:45 AM EST, John Martin responded:
Thank you, Birgitta. Best of luck to you!
On September 2, 2008, At 5:21 PM EST, Gary Anderson said:
Great H5! Thanks.
On September 2, 2008, At 5:32 PM EST, John Martin responded:
Thanks, Gary!
On September 2, 2008, At 4:42 PM EST, Ryan Boyles said:
John,
Cheers to you. I wish you continued success and happiness outside the hive-mind. See you out on the interwebs.
On September 2, 2008, At 5:31 PM EST, John Martin responded:
Thanks for the nudge that made me create this Hive5, Ryan. Best of luck in your continued career here.
On September 2, 2008, At 3:03 PM EST, Sandy Bjorkback said:
John, I am going to miss you! Best of luck! We need to celebrate. Special request: Do you have any advice you’d like to share with IBM’ers in Beehive to help them survive 28 years? (e.g. longevity advice)
On September 2, 2008, At 5:31 PM EST, John Martin responded:
I guess, for me, it was all about incorporating “fun.” We spend too much of our time at work for it not to be fun.
A lot of times the work wasn’t rewarding or there was too much of it, but if I had fun doing it with the people I was working with, it made it doable.
I guess that’s part of the “engaging the heart” that I mentioned in item #2.
Thanks for your kind words, and for asking, Sandy. Hang in there… and have fun!
On September 2, 2008, At 3:01 PM EST, John “Juanny Cinco” Everett said:
Boring except 1.
Let me redo them for you.
1) Because I can
2) To make you jealous
3) Ha ha you’re still working
4) I’m going to START watching daytime TV
and finally:
5) Because I don’t want to have to update the “Years at IBM” component of my obituary any more!
Good luck.
On September 2, 2008, At 3:03 PM EST, John Martin responded:
Ha! Good one. Thanks! Take care, and thanks for commenting.