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TOT _ My Swan Song


Freeman Keller

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Today I retired. After 43 years in the designing of industrial controls, the last 32 with the same company, today was my last day. Yesterday was my wife's last day in her job - we are free!

I get to go out on a really good note - for the past year I have been working on absolutely the coolest possible project that a controls engineer can imagine - bringing industrial robots to do back breaking work that has traditionally been done by hand. My company supports the fruit industry and apples and other fruits are shipped in 25 to 45 pound boxes that are stacked on pallets, the top about 8 feet high. Young strong guys lift 1500 or more boxes per day above their heads onto these pallets - an average year will see 3 or more back injury claims that result in "permanent partial disabilities".

We have installed four robots that are designed for the automotive industry - welding, painting, assemblying cars - in a fruit packing warehouse, built the conveyors and safety equipment and all of the controls and are now palletizing 16 to 24000 boxes a day. Don't worry, most of the young guys where were previously doing this have moved up to better jobs within the company - in every case they welcomed the technology.


I wish I had videos of my robots doing their dances, but a couple of still pics will have to do..

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Now back to your regularly scheduled guitar talk. Mrs K and I have a bottle of champaign to attend to.

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Congrats on joining the rest of us old geezers !!!

Automotive robots, huh? Are we to assume that apples will soon be available in a variety of "trim options" and perhaps Corinthian Leather packaging with twice pipes?

rolleyes.gif

See you at the lawn bowling tournament .....

Paul

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Welcome to the club, Freeman. You're gonna love it!

Now you can just take each day as it comes. Just keep up with your hobbies, stay active and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

One of the things I enjoy the most is when there's a foot of snow on the roads and I don't have to be out in it playing bumper cars on the beltway with the rest of the idiots! I can sit back and watch all the traffic action I can stand on TV and have another cup of coffee while I do it.

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Great Freeman!! Happy for you! I retired myself this year too! It's a great feeling, and I don't have any free time anymore! Love your robot too! What fun to be a part of making stuff like that. I did some robotics working in the movies and just loved the problem solving. We all deserve this time for ourselves and I look forward to seeing more of your musical creations!
Bob

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Thanks, all. I'm not too worried about not having things to do (altho my wife thinks I'll miss some of the structure of my engineering career). I've got a couple of old cars that need attention, an old house that needs attention, an old wife that needs..., er better not go there. My climbing shoes and bike and kayak want to get out and play more.

Quote Originally Posted by Opa John View Post
One of the things I enjoy the most is when there's a foot of snow on the roads and I don't have to be out in it playing bumper cars on the beltway with the rest of the idiots! I can sit back and watch all the traffic action I can stand on TV and have another cup of coffee while I do it.
On days when there is a foot of snow on the ground I'll be able to grab my skis and head to the mountain instead of going in to the orifice. Skis are over in the corner quivering with anticipation - they can smell the snow.

Quote Originally Posted by Terry Allan Hall View Post
Are you going to now consider your luthiery as your 2nd career? You really should! thumb.gif
It will stil be a hobby, but I'm sure not going to stop building. Got some very nice mahogany and plans for an L-00 and you are on the short list if you want a new 12 string.

Who knows, I may actually find the time to learn to play guitar
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I'll add a personal note here. They had a nice little cake and ice cream function for me at the office yesterday. I looked out at the sea of faces and realized that I had been working there longer than some of the guys had been alive. I also knew that several of them would be happy to see me go - I've been a tough taskmaster on this project and I knew a couple of guys kind of resented that.

I gave my little speech and one of them stood up - he said "I'd like to say something". I thought oh,crap, here it comes. Instead he talked about how much he had enjoyed working with me and that if I hadn't pushed him the project would not have been a sucess.

I'm particularly touched by those of you on the forum who I consider my friends. You know who you are - we've never met but I value our conversations here and I value you wishes for me and Mrs K. Life is good.

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Congrats on your retirement, FK! thumb.gif I think I should share something with you and the wife so it doesn't sneak up on you. Most people, including myself, go through a type of depression shortly after their retirement. It usually lasts a few months. There are periods of boredom where one really doesn't feel like doing anything at all. For me, I also questioned whether I was worth a damn to anyone anymore.

Retirement is an interruption of a person's internal schedule that has been set over years, and it can be tough, in the beginning, for some people.

But you have a lot of toys and it shouldn't be a really big thing for you. You are also very fortunate in that both of you are retiring at the same time so you can help each other through it if it happens.

But after that little bit of depression passes, PARTY DOWN! You got all the time in the world!!!! wave.gificon_lol.gifcool.gifthumb.gifTotally_jammin_out.gifrimshot.gif

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Quote Originally Posted by kiowa1 View Post
Congrats on your retirement, FK! thumb.gif I think I should share something with you and the wife so it doesn't sneak up on you. Most people, including myself, go through a type of depression shortly after their retirement. It usually lasts a few months. There are periods of boredom where one really doesn't feel like doing anything at all. For me, I also questioned whether I was worth a damn to anyone anymore.

Retirement is an interruption of a person's internal schedule that has been set over years, and it can be tough, in the beginning, for some people.:
Truer words were never spoken. I felt the same way for almost a year after I (got) retired. Hell, for the first year I was even still going to bed at 10 and getting up at 5:30 just like I'd always done! Finally it dawned on me that I was still as good as I ever was, I just didn't have to go out and prove it five days a week anymore!
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I'm insanely jealous and more than a little concerned. Firstly I think it is important that you at least leave some stock at LMI/Zootman/AHix etc for those of us that don't have time to build guitars every day. Secondly I think we're going to notice a subtle rise in global warming caused by forest degradation as supply tries to keep up with demand due to the number of guitars you'll be building. Worrying.

I've gone the opposite way and had to increase my hours staring into gubs due to expensive children facepalm.gificon_lol.gif

Many congrats FK ... enjoy all the free time thumb.gif

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Finally! an area where I feel I have some expertise!

 

I retired several years ago at 53. stocked up on photo and music stuff, a nice big iMac and coasted into a more contented state. I never felt at all devalued by moving from what I was paid to be to who I wanted to be, though there was inevitable guilt from years of conditioning.

 

Probably the biggest negative is this bizarre kind of fear and uncertainty that comes with 'coming out' as your self, and putting your self and stuff you care about out there.

 

But with time comes contentment and the relaxation which allows you to stretch your fingers out for those elusive chords, rather than your hand clawing in barely suppressed desire to wrap round some bastards wind pipe.

 

Relax, take time with the girl you married, she is still there and so are you.

 

Above all post plenty on your future builds.

 

Be well and enjoy:thu:

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