The Tuesday through Thursday workweek slips by very quickly. There is a lot of discussion and thought going into the reduction in force (RIF) offer by Northrop Grumman. A number of people have picked up on my idea to negotiate the final date by demonstrating that they are needed past the end of this year but should still be allowed to take the retirement incentive. When I spring the thought that I am considering taking the offer, my functional manager doesn't speak for quite a few seconds because he says he was shocked by the possibility of me leaving. And other people, knowing that I am writing a rationale for staying longer but still being entitled to the package, ask me for words to help them write their packages.
On Tuesday after work I just go walking - it seems that Tuesdays are the days where I'm recovering from lifting weights on Monday and all of the weekend's cycling such that it is an easier workout day. I lift the same weights on Wednesday and Thursday as I have for a couple weeks now. I shouldn't lift two consecutive days, but the shoulder only hurts a bit during lifting and not at all after icing it down. And later on Thursday I fill out a lot of paperowrk for will and trust transfers.
I water the impatiens and lawn before getting out cycling to the pier and back on the mountain bike. Today it is very foggy along the ocean but it provides respite from the recent heat wave. As I'm finishing up my ride I see Terry's van parked at my Del Amo exit so it is good that he is out cycling again but earlier for cooler temperatures. After a shower at home I clean the bathroom fan vents, try to glue my cycling shades back together (as the nosepiece broke after the last ride), clean up the kitchen a bit, cook some vegetables for the week, and pull my old ice hockey equipment out of the closet and dust it off. I'll be taking it to a sports consignment store where they will try to sell it. I guess this means that after not playing ice hockey for about 8 years, I have decided that I am completely finished with it.
I get up and almost decide to skip today's bicycle ride or ride later, but I put on my cycling clothes and get out the door. I meet up with Derrick and we're riding along and he eventually says, "Can we catch up with that guy in yellow?" So pretty soon I'm leading the charge and we catch up with the guy in yellow well before the end of the Los Angeles river trail. We proceed to the pier and take a quick re-hydration break and head back north. We run into Terry and his brother and we have to stop and talk with them because Terry is back on the bicycle after fainting twice last week and because we are friends. After the break Derrick says, "That guy up ahead is going pretty fast" so pretty soon I'm leading the charge at 22 mph or greater and Derrick says, "I can't lead because you're going too fast". But we easily catch up to many riders in front and at some point we separate ways and each head for home. My legs are tired by now and I'm fighting a headwind back home, but it feels good. When I get home I run a quick errand and stop at Subway for a takeout sandwich and watch an exciting MotoGP race from San Marino, Italy. Person Ti_CA and I do homework for a bit and when he leaves, I watch the Moto2 race from San Marino and watch the Manning Bowl - Peyton Manning of the Denver Broncos against Eli Manning of the New York Giants.
On Tuesday at work I am very productive outside of meetings and during meetings. And I also turn in signed paperwork indicating a negotiated attempt at early retirement. I am not hopeful of my offer being accepted, but it's worth a try. When I get home I lift weights with the same weight as last week except the bench press is a bit light because that is the exercise that hurts my shoulder the most. After the workout I trim, feed, and water the roses, have a teleconference for next week's volunteer day at a middle school, and then help Person Ti_Ca with homework.
On Friday I get to work, make some good progress on tasks, and then call the Human Relations lady and tell her that I have to rescind my request for retirement because I didn't get the extension and exit date that I tried to negotiate. She takes me off the list of early retirees. The rest of the day, though I am productive, is a bit of a letdown because I start counting over the working days left to retirement. I leave work a bit early and go for a mountain bicycle ride down to the aquarium and the vicinty of the Long Beach Red Bull Flugtag event scheduled for tomorrow. Some of the entries are present and I take a quick look at them as I turn around and head back for home. I mow the lawn when I get home, grab a shower and food, and then help Person Ti_Ca with homework.
On Sunday I ride up the Los Angeles river, meet up with Derrick, and turn around and ride down to the pier. It's a fast ride as we catch up to other riders and and just keep going. After the ride I watch the Formula One race from Singapore where my favorite driver wins again by a large margin. Throughout the rest of SUnday I help Person Ti_Ca with some homework, do some cleaning, watch some football, and just be a vegetable.