THE DAVE MOSIER BLOG
A running collection of random thoughts and observations from Tucson, Arizona
Wednesday, August 13, 2025
Our First Road Trip, Post-Retirement
Sunday, August 3, 2025
Retired!
Last Thursday I officially retired, separating in the morning as that last minute things come up, which they did. The previous night was a bit rough with a family member needing an ER visit and I was short on sleep that night. I popped awake at 4:15 AM, and thought I might as well get this day out of the way. There was some confusion about the process. And it wasn't a great week for my boss, as that he lost two other engineers to other departments and only one of the seven offers outstanding were accepted........and he lost that person to another department.
I was not prepared for how tired I was going to be that day. I knocked off two naps of about one hour each, and I was still dog tired after that. My body clock is still waking me up around 4:30ish. No big deal, I can take all the afternoon naps that I want. That time of morning is great for ham radio as that I can get Japan and Australia on the lower frequencies, and I've been on the air quite a bit.
As for regrets..........only one. I should have added one more "gripe" to the exit survey that I begrudgingly filled out. I did complain about the unsafe drivers that we have working there, and about how some managers spring the "Friday Surprise" on you ten minutes before you start what you think is going to be a weekend off. I did remember to point out that managers who spring this on you still get to watch their kids' soccer games or go skydiving while you have to explain to an angry wife about why you can't make that day trip to Patagonia.
Well, the "Friday Surprise" was an almost weekly occurrence when I was at Paragon Space Development, which has struggled with high turnover in addition to business volatility. Almost everyone I knew there has since also left, so I have no idea what's really going on there any more aside from noticing that they are hiring again. I'll pass; I'm done with manned spaceflight.
Which I guess now begs the question, am I done? I won't say that I am. All I know is that I am taking the next six months off, and I may or may not seek a part time position as a consultant after that. The pay for that is really well, and one former employer has unofficially spoken to me about part time work. I am in the financial position of not really needing the extra money but I can see having to feed the travel appetite somehow.
As for retirement itself, I don't feel "retired" just yet. That might change this evening as I go out on the back patio with a radio and a cold drink, and tune in those distant stations on the AM band, and knowing that this time I can stay up as late as I want to. Tuning in to distant stations is what got me into my career field many years ago, and I'm going to have to tell that story sometime.
And as I'm making this transition, there are some things I have resolved to do. One, get a gym membership going. Two, start eating better (that starts today). Three, go out on walks a lot more often, which heat advisories as of late have constrained that. But, it's cool enough around sunrise to do that, and the dog likes going out on walks too. I think the dog and cats are going to like my retirement maybe even more than I will.
One important point I want to make. This is not an end. It is a beginning. And I pray for health.
Sunday, July 13, 2025
Retiring is a Lot of Work
Thursday, May 22, 2025
Thursday 5/22/25: Some Memories and Some Looking Forward
Sunday, April 13, 2025
I'm Retiring!
A few weeks ago I made the decision to go ahead with retirement. I've been in this kind of financial position for some time, but held off for a number of reasons. One was that I was really enjoying my job, and two was that I was really enjoying the people I work with. Yet there has been this desire to take a sabbatical, and I could use one of about six months. It is possible that I may come back as a part time contractor (I already have one previous employer wanting me back). It's just as possible that I'll be out somewhere with a fishing pole. I can tell you that Sheila and I would like to do some traveling, both here in the Southwest, as well as the East Coast.
I notified my new boss of this decision early Thursday afternoon. I knew a week ago that this would be the week. The hardest part about this was keeping it bottled up inside of me. Sheila knew, Mark knew, and so did a few others. I didn't say anything about it at work. I really wanted to vent.......I went blog silent as this was being mulled over. I didn't want to spill the beans just yet.
Interestingly enough, I slept really well last week........until Friday night, the day after I informed my boss. I haven't brought it up at work. I told two co-workers that I am close to, and asked them not to say anything about it. Word will eventually get out, and I'm going to let that take its course. And there's a reason for that.
Morale in my department has been plummeting. I can go into why I think it is plummeting, but it's best not to. I didn't want to be seen spiking the football while many of my co-workers are unhappy. In other words.........savor, but don't gloat. I've seen situations before where once morale goes south, it never really comes back. It's only overcome when there has been a huge turnover in personnel. The low morale is undoubtedly a factor in the timing of my decision, but even if it weren't I still need a huge chunk of time off. There are guns to shoot, fish to catch, coins to collect, books to read, and ham radio to keep me busy. If there's a concern, it's that I might be busier than I am now, and I might have to dedicate time for relaxation.
I am very much at peace about this decision. It is time for me to step down, and let someone else ride this horse.
As for my last day, that's still being worked out. Maybe the end of August. Maybe the end of July. Professional courtesy obligated me to give 90 days' notice, and I told my boss I would not go out before those 90 days. He's going to have to work with HR to open a req for my replacement, and even if he gets someone I wouldn't want to be the person that replaces me. The nature of my present assignment is that it will take six months to break that person in, and another six months of seasoning. It's been a challenging assignment and a fun one to boot, but I don't a lot of people would have said that if they were in my shoes.
So.........a career that started out in microwave tubes, and went on to missiles, experimental missile payloads, satellites, satellite ground stations, circuit cards, manned spacecraft, cancer detection equipment, life support systems, aircraft engines and test stations for flight hardware is drawing to a close.
Most of it was fun, and I've learned not to have regrets over "what might have been".
If there is anyone who is more blessed than I have been, I'm not aware of it.
Sunday, February 2, 2025
Sunday 2/2/25: Warming Up in the Old Pueblo
The past week or so saw below normal temperatures. Today we are above normal and it will be that way for the rest of the week. February can be a great month here and it can also be a cold month. I would have thought we would be in for snow this winter, since it does that every third winter or so, but not this time.
Since I last checked in, we were up to San Jose and back for my mother's memorial service. It was a great service and the whole process went a whole lot smoother than I thought it would. We took three days to drive up there mainly because I-40 was used instead of I-10. You can do it in two even using I-40, but I budgeted an extra day of driving since we wanted to bypass L.A.. Even if L.A. wasn't having their fire problems you still don't want to pass thru if you don't have to.
The first night saw us in Needles, where gas was $5.89 a gallon. We discovered that one road that takes you into Mohave Valley AZ that the locals know about, and got gas there at $3.49. Gas along I-40 and I-5 varied. In Barstow and Lost Hills you could get it for around $4.00, but in Kettleman City figure on popping at least $5.70. In San Jose it varied between $3.85 at Rotten Robbie's to $4.89 elsewhere. At a Chevron in Morgan Hill where we stopped for a bio break there was a sticker with a QR code that said the high prices were due to taxes, and scan the code to figure out how to fight back.
Well the best way to fight back is at the ballot box, but the mentality of 80% of California voters suggests they aren't capable of processing the concept that if you vote differently you will get different results.
Anyway, the drive back was also along I-40 and we came home in two days. We made a mistake stopping for the night in Mojave. We've stayed there before with no issues but we will never stay there again. No, we weren't harmed or injured, but Tehachapi would have been a better choice. (You do NOT want to stay in Barstow unless you want your car broken into overnight!)
Meantime, I have started the process of getting my mother's estate settled. I have distributed the first part of the assets with the second part being done pending sale of her house. I don't see that happening until later in the year, as that we've got to get it ready, and finish going thru her things. It is going to be a long process. I have also had to re-arrange some things financially. All of the debts save for mortgage and HELOC have been paid. The mortgage is fixed at 3.5%, and with the CD I set up two days ago paying 4% I am in that unique position of the bank paying me more interest than I am paying them. I can settle the mortgage right now if I want to, but right now it's free money.
I guess this now brings up the retirement question. I've had a few co-workers ask me when I'm going to do it.
Last December, when I was asked, the answer was "some time between tomorrow and one year from tomorrow." A date has been tentatively selected but I am not announcing it, as that it's still subject to change. I am being treated very well at work and it's been years since I've enjoyed a job as much as I've enjoyed this one. I will admit there is a desire to take a sabbatical, and come back part time as a contractor.
And if the sabbatical goes on for a year, no big deal. I have places I want to visit, books that I want to read, and things that I want to do.
Thursday, December 26, 2024
12/26/24: Nearing the End of the Year
It's now at the time of the year where some of us get to slow down some after a frantic four weeks or so, relax, reflect, and recharge, and yes, I'm in that boat. There's a lot to catch up on so I may as well get started.
Work has been treating me very well. The schedule of performance reviews was accelerated to early this month as opposed to the usual February, and I did very well this past year. To be honest, that was the best performance review I've ever had in my career. It helps in that my boss and I have known each other for a long time, having worked together at Paragon Space Development here in Tucson. I was really jazzed up about that review; I had been banking some comp time that day and I went home early so that I could reflect on that. It was one of those moments where I had to invoke one of my recent sayings: savor, but don't gloat. I suppose I ought to expand on that some.
When I was offered a job at another company in early 1996, I was glad to get out of the company that I worked for, and into something really neat that I could do. One of my co-workers who had also left said something that I've never forgotten: savor the moment.
Now we fast forward to where I'm older, and hopefully wiser. My mindset towards things when things are going good has changed somewhat. It's trying to remember to thank God for the fortune, but it's also to not get caught up on gloating. Perhaps you have seen some end zone celebrations while watching a football game. Players can't help but celebrate a touchdown. It's human nature. Yet the Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry told his players not to celebrate. He told them "act like you've been there before". In other words, have some class about it, and don't rub it into your opponent's face.
I can see where Tom Landry was coming from on that. Excessive celebration will have the effect of motivating your opponent to fighting harder to win, and some of us, when we want to do something badly enough we will figure out a way to get it done. If you gloat, that can come back and bite you. That's one reason.
The other reason, is something I read in the Sermon on the Mount. There Christ warns people about celebrating your good deeds. I take that more as a warning against virtue signaling, and virtue signaling is one thing the world could use a severe shortage of right now. Now can you celebrate inwardly? I say you can. Savor, but don't gloat.
But what about celebration? And is there a time to gloat? Here is where what I'm about to say reflects my personal opinion.
If you land a new job, yes, take your wife and family out, and celebrate with a nice dinner. If you reach a marriage milestone like I'm about to, yes, celebrate (and on that one you had better if you want to stay married...........!!!!!) And if you want to jump up and down in the privacy of your own living room when something good happens, go for it. You're not putting on a show for anyone.
But when is it time to gloat?
Again, my personal opinion is coming into play here.
If you're a ham radio operator and you get someone on Pitcairn Island, then you can gloat. And there are two reasons. One, over 99% of the rest of the population won't care about that, so it's not like you're rubbing into anyone's face. Two, the other ham radio operators will congratulate you and say "good job!", and then ask you how you pulled it off.
Anyway...........we are nearing the end of another year. One of my former employers is trying to get me to come back. I haven't told them no, but I haven't told them yes either. My next job is retirement, and that next job starts sometime between tomorrow and one year from tomorrow. I'm not ready to announce the intended date, which is subject to change. Let's say that I'm not close enough to it to where I feel the need to let my management know about it.
I have also been busy enjoying my time off, mainly in the pursuit of hobbies and simple pleasures. Yeah, there are some things around the house I need to do, and I've worked on it here and there.
That's it.