~Tuesday~ Well, I can’t speak for all retirees, but this is how my day went. It’s rather unremarkable, but I’m happy to report that I wasn’t bored for a single minute. Overall assessment: It’s not a bad gig. Here’s the high-level summary of my day: Got up after 8 complete hours of sleep. Checked my … Read more
~Friday~ Today after work, some of the wonderful Red Hat people I work with met at Busy Bee Cafe for a farewell celebration of my imminent retirement, on Monday, October 13. The calendar invitation read: John Martin is retiring | Let's celebrate/commiserate Reserving this time to celebrate John Martin's retirement. (His actual retirement date is … Read more
~Sunday~ Tonight I participated in an open mic event for the second time. This open mic is for poets and musicians, and there's usually quite an eclectic mix of each. John Martin blazes through 12 haiku on grammar, sea turtles, men in kilts, and cafeteria divider trays. It was a lot of fun, and … Read more
~Saturday~ Last night I did something I haven't done in a very long time. I read a printed magazine. And I must say (to put it rather mildly), it was not an optimal experience—it was not even a good experience. In fact, I can't imagine doing it again—for another very long while. It was Wired … Read more
~Saturday~ I'm close enough to retiring now, that I'm tracking the days—37 calendars days, 26 business days. It'll all culminate on my 57th birthday, on October 13, 2014. It's kind of mind-boggling to be self-aware of so few actual working days left in a career that has spanned 34.5 years. Well, that actually included a … Read more
~Friday~ This evening I went to Bed, Bath, & Beyond at Crossroads Plaza where I bought 3 gifts from my friend Courtney's registry for her bridal shower, which is tomorrow afternoon. After paying for the items, I was directed to the Do-It-Yourself Gift Wrapping station in one corner of the store, where I was greeted … Read more
~Monday~ Recently, I was a guest on Up Top! with Matt Morain, a podcast created by my work colleague and friend, Matt. It was two hours of zaniness, which was about… well a lot of things. You can read Matt's description below. THE SET-UP In one of Matt's earlier podcasts, in talking about who, or … Read more
~Sunday~ Recently—twice in fact—I've been tagged on Facebook to participate in a meme that asks you to list 10 books that have stayed with you or have impacted your life in some way. I'm sure there are others, but these are the ones that immediately came to mind. They are somewhat in order from most … Read more
~Tuesday~ [Address redacted] I mailed this letter today: John Martin [Address redacted] Candidate Adams, Carter D. [Address redacted] July 29, 2014 Dear Carter, You don’t know me, but I’m a friend (and ex-IBM colleague) of Rob Shook. I just wanted to take a moment to wish you the best of luck in your remaining … Read more
~Friday~ Tonight, Bob and I attended the annual 10 by 10 performance at The Arts Center in Carrboro. This year we went with Sarah and Andrew, and Kim and her friend Ed. We ate at The Spotted Dog beforehand, where I had Fish & Chips. As I have in the past, I created a ballot … Read more