On June 1, 1998 I began my career at San José State University. It’s a bit surreal that my last day on campus will be the 14th of this month, and my last official day the 30th. I can’t imagine that when I walked on campus all those years ago I thought I would be here this long, that I would retire after an almost 30-year career (most of that here at SJSU). I’m certain I didn’t think I’d be in California this long, much less working for the same employer. Clearly it’s been a good fit, and while I’m definitely ready to say goodbye to the work, leaving the people - and even the campus itself to some degree - is going to be much harder. It hasn’t been perfect, and there were a number of times I wanted to quit and do something else, but overall, it’s been a great ride.
When I made my decision to retire I knew it was also a decision to move, and that’s definitely the harder of the two pieces to this retirement puzzle. I’ve loved living here, and have made some lifelong friends that are going to be hard to leave. Thankfully, with today’s technology, staying in touch is a lot easier than it used to be. And I’m truly looking forward to spending more time with my mom and friends who live in the area, as well as being closer to my dad. Still, I’m going to miss meeting up with my Bay Area friends for dinner and Sharks games and concerts and Broadway shows and more.
I was 30 years old when I moved to California, with no clue what that really meant. I’d never heard of San Jose when I applied for my job, just knew it was somewhere near San Francisco. And okay, maybe I’d heard that Dionne Warwick song. Still, it was like a foreign country, moving from Wyoming to California - from the smallest state population-wise to the largest, from paying $325/month in rent to $800 (which seems ridiculously cheap these days!), from knowing half the town to knowing one person (the one who hired me). Slowly but surely I began to meet people and find my way around my new home. I rode the light rail and went to my first Sharks game. I became a Spartan, and started following the Giants when Barry Bonds arrived.
I visited the ocean a few times, but it was never really my thing. Still, it was nice to know I could go if I wanted to. I got to SoCal a lot and visited Disneyland a number of times, as well as Universal Studios and Magic Mountain - usually with my dear friend from college who lives down there. I made a few trips to San Diego, too, as well as the Central Coast, to visit other friends. I’m going to miss those trips, but planes fly from Colorado to California, right? And vice versa. I’m expecting a lot of visitors once I get settled and we get the guest room ready.
So with these remaining weeks in California I’ve got to pack up my office, clear out my storage unit, pack up my Lego sets and Christmas ornaments for transport, do some purging, fill some nail holes, and get ready for the movers to pack the rest of it. Oh, and wrap up 26 years of work, too. No biggie.
Anyway, I guess I’ll wrap this up for now…there will probably be a much sappier post in a couple of weeks after I walk out of my office for the last time. We shall see.
Hope you have a great weekend!
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What an exciting new adventure you are walking into. I wonder what surprises are waiting for you.