The job of a lifetime

[pjthompson]

I went to a retirement party Friday afternoon at work for a lovely woman who had been with the company for 42 years. 42 years! Inconceivable.

I work at a not-for-profit research organization and it used to be a fairly cool place to earn one's bread. It's still better than a corporate job (I've done corporate), although if you're looking to make a lot of money, keep in mind that not-for-profit isn't just a phrase for the taxman. However, these days the higher ups have the notion that they need to corporate-ize themselves and have brought in people who want to change the company's culture. It's been a painful transition for many people to see the ol' funky place with a high tolerance for eccentricity turn into this...other thing.

And this lovely woman has seen all this change and tons more besides. She went from manual typewriters and carbon paper, to electronic typewriters, to UNIX-based electronic terminals, to desktop MacIntoshes, to a PC-dominated environment and weathered it all successfully. 42 years! She started right out of high school and has never had another full-time job. I didn't think that happened any more in America. I figured the least I could do was give her some of my time to say goodbye—not that my presence was all that vital, mind, but I wanted to lend my...support, I guess you'd say. She got a great turn out. I was a drop in the ocean, and very glad to see her surrounded by so many people who cared for her.

I managed to put in most of an hour before I started breaking out in "mingling hives." I'm a very timid person who's learned to fake gregariousness. I can do okay in small groups, but large groups where I'm required to make perpetual small talk do me in. I got to talk to the retiree and give her a hug, then snuck out when the speeches began.

42 years. Godspeed to her.

Comments

[kimberlychapman.livejournal.com]

Wow, that is forever, especially when you put it in tech terms like that. Corran and I often discuss how old we must seem even to his students (university undergrads) just for having used actual typewriters and being impressed when IBM started having ones where you could backspace before it typed the line. Or for remembering Vic 20s with tape decks.

I can do okay in small groups, but large groups where I'm required to make perpetual small talk do me in.

100% with you on that. People are surprised. I'm by no means introverted, but I can still be timid and shy in large groups of strangers.

[pjthompson]

I know. I feel like such a dinosaur when I talk about Old Time Tech. Time has an insidious habit of moving forward--rather rapidly. :-)

[raecarson.livejournal.com]

I'm a very timid person who's learned to fake gregariousness. I can do okay in small groups, but large groups where I'm required to make perpetual small talk do me in.

Hahahahahahahahaha!!! Er...maybe laughter is an inappropriate response, but I soooo relate. I become bored into a coma at those social events where no one really knows each other or cares to.

[pjthompson]

I think laughter's entirely appropriate. There appear to be people who thrive on the mingling thing, but it's incomprehensible to me. Maybe everybody's faking it?

[raecarson.livejournal.com]

I've often wondered if these kinds of folks don't have any real relationships and therefore don't know the difference? Or maybe I'm the shallow one who can't take pleasure in such things? *shrug* It's mystifying.

[pjthompson]

Completely mystifying to me, too. Maybe if I was better at it, I could have had a career in sales and made lots of money. :-/