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/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> The Cafe >> Last day at Cardinal /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1514553681 Message started by Dave on 12/29/17 at 05:21:21 |
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Title: Last day at Cardinal Post by Dave on 12/29/17 at 05:21:21 It has been 32 years in the making - but today is my last day working full time and having an office at Cardinal Engineering. It has been a career of a few ups and downs (a small civil engineering company is very dependent on the economy being good if we want to stay busy). When the economy went bad a few years ago we went down to 4 day weeks and borrowed money to keep our employees paid and our doors open - but we survived and have bounced back.......not all the small engineering companies were able to weather the storm and survive. It has been a career filled with lots of 60-70 hour weeks that included 4-5 public meetings each month - and on meetings days I could leave the house at 5AM and not get back home until after 10PM. I am packing my office up today, and moving my things to my new office. My next career will be as the City Engineer/Zoning Administrator/Building Inspector for Highland Heights, KY. I have been working for them for the last 26 years as a consultant - now I will be one of their employees. I will be working about half as many hours as I do now, and I will be able to get away far easier for long weekend rides. The new job will also give me the opportunity to ride a motorcycle to/from work - as I will have a city car to drive while I am working. Riding a motorcycle has not been a good option previously - as it is hard to pack the clothing/tools I might need on the job. I am really looking forward to the next chapter in my life - and it will begin on Tuesday, January 2nd.....2018! |
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Title: Re: Last day at Cardinal Post by Gary_in_NJ on 12/29/17 at 05:52:19 Congrats Dave. Enjoy a long and well deserved self imposed semi retirement. |
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Title: Re: Last day at Cardinal Post by Serowbot on 12/29/17 at 06:04:45 Cheers!... 8-) |
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Title: Re: Last day at Cardinal Post by Oldfeller on 12/29/17 at 06:05:10 Dave, be careful of the cagers early in the morning -- juggling a cup of coffee and driving is more than most of them can handle. Soccer moms in big SUVs love to make sudden lane shifts, not looking at all ...... :P Four times now I took the rumble strip rather than getting soccer mom'd and it gets repetitive to look over at them from so close up and see them talking on the phone or sipping coffee just plain totally oblivious. |
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Title: Re: Last day at Cardinal Post by Ruttly on 12/29/17 at 06:15:07 Happy New Year SD , Congrats Oldfeller is right use caution the most dangerous times to be riding is sun up & sun down they just don't see us ! |
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Title: Re: Last day at Cardinal Post by piedmontbuckeye on 12/29/17 at 06:23:48 Congrats!! Hope your change will go well for you. Also be careful on the roads on a regular basis. Back when my 2 older kids were little (circa 1984) I rode my BMW to work 13 miles each way nearly every day, rain or snow. During that time, I had approx, 2 close calls a week or so. So...I decided to sell both my BMW's so the kids could grow up with a Dad. A few years ago, my youngest and I went on a 2,500 mile trip on our BMW's. During that trip which included a lot of interstates, being closer to passing traffic, I saw that about 50% of the drivers were immersed in their cell phones! Scary!! Sooo... please be careful! |
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Title: Re: Last day at Cardinal Post by Steve H on 12/29/17 at 07:38:59 Congrats on the semi-retirement, Dave. Be careful on the commute. They aren't paying any attention early in the morning. The soccer moms will get you if you are in their way going to two or three different schools, starbucks and getting to work somewhere near on time. Their attention span while driving, drinking coffee, talking on the phone and yelling at kids is effectively nil...they are on autopilot. I hope you enjoy your extra time for yourself. |
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Title: Re: Last day at Cardinal Post by Todd James on 12/29/17 at 08:00:35 Congratulations, Dave. That's a great way to start a new year ! |
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Title: Re: Last day at Cardinal Post by springman on 12/29/17 at 08:10:33 Way to go Dave. I truly hope you will greatly enjoy this new chapter in your life. I am guessing you will like this better than going cold turkey. |
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Title: Re: Last day at Cardinal Post by justin_o_guy2 on 12/29/17 at 08:55:51 Great news, good for you,man. Will Cardinal be able to make it? |
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Title: Re: Last day at Cardinal Post by engineer on 12/29/17 at 10:03:07 Congratulations. You'll not regret your decision. |
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Title: Re: Last day at Cardinal Post by Dave on 12/29/17 at 10:07:01 382721263B3C0D3D0D35272B60520 wrote:
Cardinal is doing great! They have a good group of young owners/engineers that are very well respected, have good clients, and are technically gifted. When I started here we were still using survey transits, theodolites, manual levels and steel tapes to survey - now we have electronic total stations and a drone that can create topographic surveys and video. I am the last old guy here......and it is time to let the younger generation shine- they have a bright future ahead of them. My parting is good for everyone involved, and we remain good friends. I am available to them if they need some part time help in the coming years - but I don't want it to interfere with my riding! |
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Title: Re: Last day at Cardinal Post by justin_o_guy2 on 12/29/17 at 11:04:01 Excellent,, growth and stability ,, That the company has grown is good to hear. |
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Title: Re: Last day at Cardinal Post by verslagen1 on 12/29/17 at 13:35:20 completely envious, enjoy. |
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Title: Re: Last day at Cardinal Post by Papa Bear on 12/29/17 at 13:36:43 Congrats, Dave !! Good to hear. ;) |
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Title: Re: Last day at Cardinal Post by sandmanred on 12/29/17 at 15:20:02 Congratulations Dave! I wish you all the best in your retirement. |
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Title: Re: Last day at Cardinal Post by MMRanch on 12/29/17 at 16:56:43 Congratulations, Dave. That's a great way to start a new year , has already been said but it couldn't be more true ! The day I retired is right up there with meeting the right woman . No more doing what you don't want to just to get by ! 8-) |
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Title: Re: Last day at Cardinal Post by jcstokes on 12/29/17 at 23:09:07 I'd second what MM said. |
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Title: Re: Last day at Cardinal Post by Dave on 12/30/17 at 03:09:07 I am not retiring completely - but moving to a part time job......I anticipate my full time retirement is still 5 years away. In this part time job I will have 20 regular office hours - and I will need to check emails and respond to unusual situations that may arise when I am not in the office. I need to be a 30 hour a week employee to be eligible for the health care plan - so the other 10 hours will come from evening meetings, responding to phone calls and email, inspections, etc. While a 30 hour week doesn't sound like retirement - it will be half the hours I used to work! I will also be able to take vacations - previously I had too many projects going on when the weather was good, and it was impossible for me to leave. By working for only 1 City I won't have multiple projects going on, and the Public Works Director can cover for me if anything come up while I am gone. This City doesn't own the water and sewer system - so I won't be designing those kind of projects and I will only be doing street and the related storm sewer projects. I am excited about the job change and new found freedom! |
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Title: Re: Last day at Cardinal Post by LANCER on 12/30/17 at 13:53:53 A well deserved break for you Dave, congratulations. [ch128521] |
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Title: Re: Last day at Cardinal Post by Dave on 12/30/17 at 17:10:46 I have enough stuff moved out of my old office and into my new office that I can start work on Tuesday - but it is hard to get 32 years of stuff out of my desk and file cabinets in just a few days! They aren't in a big hurry for my office - and we do have an upstairs office that isn't rented and I could store stuff for a bit if I need to. Even though today was a Saturday - it was somehow more relaxing than usual - I didn't feel the need to rush while I was getting the new dog door installed in the garage.....I knew I had plenty of time in the coming weeks to attend to needed home projects. :) |
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Title: Re: Last day at Cardinal Post by Armen on 12/31/17 at 05:53:20 Congrats! |
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Title: Re: Last day at Cardinal Post by Rodger on 12/31/17 at 07:52:00 Congratulations & best wishes for your new "chapter!" |
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Title: Re: Last day at Cardinal Post by stewmills on 01/03/18 at 14:56:59 Congrats on the retirement, and happy new year! Been off for a couple of weeks vacating and haven't been keeping up here like I should be :-? |
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Title: Re: Last day at Cardinal Post by Dave on 01/04/18 at 05:15:34 Today is my 3rd day at my new "part time" job. While I get settled in the hours have been the same 12 hours days as my previous job - but that will change as I get things set up and it will become a 20 hour a week job. With a new office, computer, desk and surroundings it takes a little while to adapt. Setting up the computer to store files, learning how to send things to the printer, printing envelopes, scanning documents and recovering the files, etc.....it all takes time. My previous office had 4 walls and a door and I have had a private office for more than 30 years - this new office has me in the corner of a large room in the Public Works department/garage. The public works director has his desk about 6 feet from mine, there is a large table a few feet from that where folks eat their breakfast/lunch/breaks. There is a TV on the wall by my desk where the employees watch the news while they eat their lunch, and the room has the fridge, microwave, toaster oven, sink, etc. There is a large table and equipment for making the street signs on the other side of the room. As public works garages go - this one is clean and tidy.......the garage area is kept clean enough that they can pull out the trucks and have public events inside - like Easter and Christmas events for the local kids. I like everyone here and it is going to work out very well - but it is a huge change in office environment! |
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Title: Re: Last day at Cardinal Post by stewmills on 01/04/18 at 06:54:47 457E7364757962647F777A65160 wrote:
So...how do we put in our reqests for our custom signs? 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-) |
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Title: Re: Last day at Cardinal Post by Dave on 01/04/18 at 08:41:37 636475677D797C7C63100 wrote:
So...how do we put in our reqests for our custom signs? 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)[/quote] There may come a day when I learn how to make the signs.....then I can pretty well guarantee I will have a "DAVE'S MAN CAVE" sign on my garage! |
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Title: Re: Last day at Cardinal Post by Trippah on 01/09/18 at 13:53:32 Dave, does this mean no more looking at nekkid bikes on the computer? Congrats on the semi-retirement. And Lordy, think of all the extra doggie kisses you'll get with the extra time at home. You may be on the Path to Ennlightenment. ;D |
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