This move out of the Black Box world is something that I always planned to do at some point between the ages of 55 and 60. After assessing my current situation I decided that it was time to make my final walk out the Black Box door at the ripe old age of 57. Let the official records show that this ceramonial walk took place on Friday, September 23rd at 5:57 pm CST.
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| I may be retrirng but I won't need this.... |
The announcement of my retirement was a big surprise to mamy people and I was therefore inundated with questions about my decision. The quick answers to the 3 most commonly asked questions are as follows:
Q - Why are you retiring? A - Because I can
Q - How can you retire? A - I'm 57, had a very successful 25 year sales career, no wife, no ex-wife, no kids, no boats, no lake home, no toys, no debt...do I need to continue?
Q- What are you going to do? A - Whatever I want
A good way to try and understand how I felt about leaving Norstan/Black Box after 30 years would be to watch the movie Shawshank Redemption. As I approached my last day I felt a lot like the character named Brooks in this movie. I was excited about finally being set free from the corporate world but yet I was a little apprehensive about what life is really like "on the outside". As Shawshank was for Brooks, Norstan/Black was for me....it is all I have known for the last 30 years so the thought of leaving was a tad bit scary.....but yet very exciting.
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| The people I worked with at Black Box couldn't believe I was retiring |
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| My guy....Brooks....he knew what I was feeling |
My Photo Gallery titled "The Last Day" tells the rest of the story....
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| WOW.....30 Years.....I can't believe this is "The Last Day" |
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| "I can't get my name plate off the wall....been there too long I guess" |
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| It's really over now.....turning in my laptop....my whole work life is stored in it |
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| Going out in style....working late on my last day.....5:44 pm CST |
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| One last wave good-bye....."Hey, where is everybody"? |
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| Black Box "Soldier Boy"....one last time |
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| Out the door for the last time......."I'm going to Disney World!" |
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| Free at last.....free at last |
If September 23rd was "The Last Day" at work then Saturday, September 24th would have to be considered "The First Day" of being "on the outside".
THE FIRST DAY
One of my good friends from college, Darrell (Oly) Olson, decided that we needed to recognize my first official day of freedom. The plan was to celebrate this big day by meeting for breakfast on Saturday morning, September 24th.. In an effort to make this day extra special Oly invited people from several of my different worlds of friends to join us. The official name that Oly gave this event was "Palmer's Only Annual Retirement Breakfast" and it was going to be held at 9:00 am in downtown Maple Grove at a restaurant named "3 Squares".
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| Let the party begin...."3 Squares" in Maple Grove |
I didn't really expect many people to attend this breakfast because I thought that no one would have the time to drive up to Maple Grove early on a Saturday morning. I was however pleasantly surprised to find out that 14 people had accepted Oly's invitation. As it turned out 5 of my "worlds" were going to collide at this breakfast.
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| I can't believe that all these people showed up....worlds are colliding |
It was an all-star guest list - Darrell Olson, Kris Olson, Steve Hinrichs, Greg Owens, Darwin Kreft, Craig Johnson, Doug Boese, Tom Christenson, Mike Storbakken, Joe Sullivan, Mary Klauk, Julie Palach, Jill Lidstone, Kent Stadum. (Worlds - College, High School, Work, Pick-up basketball group, friends through other friends).
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| How do you know Palmer? |
Working in the world of sales for all these years has taught me that once a meeting has been completed one of the attendees is required to write up the "meeting notes" and list out all of the items that are on the "action plan" that was agreed upon during the meeting. I of course took on this responsibility for the group.
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| Greg (Big O) Owens and Doug (Count) Boese discuss the "Action Plan" |
BREAKFAST MEETING NOTES
-Palmer waived the $5 dollar ticket charge for the breakfast
-Darrell (Oly) Olson gave the opening address and welcomed the guests
-Palmer introduced all of the guests
-5 of Palmer's world's collided...Zumbrota, College, Work, Pick up basketball, friends via other friends
-Doug (Count) Boese gets the award for coming from farthest ..Rochester, MN
-Mary Klauk gets the award for knowing Palmer the shortest amount of time...24 hours
-Jill Lidstone and Julie Palach validated that Palmer actually did work as a sales rep at Norstan/Black Box
-A half-way house is recommended for Palmer as he transitions into retirement
-Concern is expressed about the life at the half-way house - see movie Shawshank Redemption (Brooks)
-Old stories are retold for the umpteenth time and everyone still laughs just as hard
-Palmer explains why fellowship saves lives....see Columbine High and Virginia Tech
-Oly does a sales pitch for "Tour de Doubleday", the official sponsor of the breakfast
-Palmer shows the Halloween costume that he has been required to wear for the last 27 years
-Dress Shirt, Tie and "Game Face" mask are cut into pieces by Palmer
-A rousing rendition of the song "Happy Trails" is sung by the attendees ...Oly carries the group
-All of the other customers in the restaurant responded by giving spirited applause once the song was completed
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| Mary (24 Hour) Klauk...Jill Lidstone...Julie Palach |
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| Joe Sullivan.....Mike (Storbs) Storbakken - Basketball gang..... Friend via Friends |
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| Greg (Big O) Owens..... Doug (Count) Boese - Cobber World |
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| Jill Lidstone..... Julie Palach - Work World |
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| Darwin (Dyno) Kreft...Jeff (Wolf Dog) Wolf - Cobber World |
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| Kent (Stade) Stadum.....Darrell (Oly) Olson - Cobber World |
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| Craig (Moose) Johnson.....Darwin (Dyno) Kreft - Cobber World |
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| Fellowship.....Saving Lives... |
MEETING - ACTION PLAN
-Continue to save lives.....see fellowship....google Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris if you need further validation
-Palmer must check into a half way house, carve his name into the ceiling and stay away from ropes (i.e.Brooks)
-Palmer will plan FACDAT - First Annual Cord Day at Target (Field) next summer
-Review the details of FACDAM - First Annual Cord Day at Met (Stadium) in 1976
-Save the date of Saturday, September 23, 2012 - Palmer's Second Annual "Only Annual Retirement Breakfast"
It's the start of a brand new life.....what will the future hold????????
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