Last day of work. Cleaning out my office.

[Aristus]

How did I accumulate so much stuff in my desk? I've worked here four times longer than I've worked anywhere else, and three times longer than I was in the Army. So much stuff, man.

Agenda for today: Bought doughnuts for the team. Saying goodbye to my supervising physician over at the main clinic. Exit interview (still no word on what time that will be). Keep clearing out my electronic in-box (Yep, they're still sending me med refills and lab results.) Pizza for lunch (Admin is buying everyone pizza, thinking this will be an acceptable substitute for not getting Veterans Day off. Another reason why I'm leaving.). Hauling my immense storage crate out to the car (It's cute how, in movies and TV, someone who quits his job or is fired is able to pack up his desk into a cute little carton that he carries under one arm). Dismantling all three lamps that make up my office 'mood lighting' and taking them to the car. (I hate fluorescent overhead lighting; drives me crazy. I always set up my office with a nice, green-shaded library lamp for my desk, and a couple of floor lamps throughout the office. Makes for soothing, relaxing area lighting without all that soul-crushing overhead stuff.)

Turning in my clinic key and returning my laptop will pretty much wrap things up.

Home for a celebratory drink. Hope to see you all there.

[waterwatcher123]

1. Congratulations - enjoy the journey that lies ahead.

[SWBTATTReg]

2. I guess that Congrats are in order, if this is what you wish to do. You didn't mention that this was a

retirement, but moving on to another task or something better to do in your future is always a good thing, so Congrats!

[Aristus]

5. I start my new job on Monday. No rest for the wicked.

Looking forward to it. I have a much sweeter contract this time around.

[SWBTATTReg]

12. Ahhh, just as good, better pay, and you're looking forward to the new job, how nice and best wishes to you!!

[Aristus]

30. Thank you.

That's very kind.

[brush]

28. Way to go. That's how it's done.

[MOMFUDSKI]

3. Congrats.

Good luck in your new adventure.

[Diamond_Dog]

4. An emotional day, for sure.

Wishing you all the best in your new position, Aristus! Sounds like you’ll be a lot happier there.

Bottoms up!

[Aristus]

7. Thank you.

I'm sure I will.

I've known all the major admins at the new clinic for nearly twenty years now. The CEO has been begging me to come work for them, but I didn't want to leave my homeless patients. Once I found out that my patients go there when they can't get in here, I applied with them, and resigned my position here.

[niyad]

6. GMTA. Was just about to ask how this day is going.

Celebration in the Lounge tonight!

[Aristus]

9. It's quiet. Getting the final stuff done. Surfing the net a little.

Ready to blaze out of here.

See you tonight!

[AllaN01Bear]

11. hit the turbos and get outa there .

[chillfactor]

8. Do hope your new position is all you want it to be.

Enjoy your weekend and relax!

[Aristus]

10. I made sure my contract doesn't require all the things I don't want it to be.

Hell, at my new job, they get Veterans Day off. Not like here. I'm leaving a week too late.

[erronis]

34. Veterans Day - the place I work is closed so we can't serve meals

to many of our clients who are veterans. We (Meals-On-Wheels) do give them some frozen meals to tide over. Still, this things are not always logical.

Congrats on your new post!

[PJMcK]

13. The end of an era

The beginning of another.

[Medical_Mom]

14. The Dude wanted me to tell you ...

he wishes he could join you partying on the Ask Me Anything thread on this momentous Friday Night.

Congrats!

[Aristus]

17. As long as He Abides, he is welcome any time.

White Russians are on me.

Welcome to DU, Medical Mom.


I'm a Physician Assistant working in healthcare for the homeless. How about you?

[Bundbuster]

15. A job well done

and a better one to come. There's nothing better than helping other humans. Congratulations and best wishes.

[montanacowboy]

16. Hope you are still staying in the Evergreen State

we don't want to lose you!

[Aristus]

18. I'm changing organizations, but I'm only moving a few blocks away from my current clinic.

Because most of my patients are homeless, my name gets around on the street. Someone will find out where I have gone, and they'll let everyone else know. I know I'll see them again, and I can't wait. I'm not ashamed to say I love my patients.

[ZonkerHarris]

38. You are a good person.

[Aristus]

43. That's very nice of you to say.

My patients help me as much as I help them. I can’t think of any other sphere of clinical medicine that would have been as rewarding as healthcare for the homeless.

[S/V Loner]

19. Congrats...

[Mr.Bill]

20. I will be raising a toast tonight

to wish you the best on your new job.

[Aristus]

21. Thank you.

Very kind...

[BumRushDaShow]

27. On to the next phase!

[debm55]

22. Aristus,? Enjoy yourself tonight.and congratulations for all you have done.

Congratulations, I didn't know if you were retiring or going to another clinic

[Aristus]

24. Jut leaving the clinic. Joining a similar organization nearby.

I've got at least ten years left before I can retire. Twelve if the target is 67.

[Trueblue Texan]

23. Congratulations! nt

[Warpy]

25. Can't drink, but will a commiserating piece of loaded chocolate do?

I agree about the overhead lighting for general use, but I imagine the cleaning staff who came in to vacuum and empty the trash can appreciated it at the ungodly hour they were going through your office.

Some habits die hard, like running your hand under counters and checking the pay phone in the waiting room for baggies of various substances so you'll have fewer ODs to cope with.

Honestly? I missed the downscale patient population when I went to work at an upscale hospital.

I hope your next job is better for your mental health than the old job was.

[Aristus]

26. Our cleaning staff is a guy named Heraclio.

The only proper word to describe him is intrepid. He gets the job done, he's friendly and kind, and he keeps the clinic ship-shape.

I'm going to miss him.

[NJCher]

31. go get yourself a taste of downscale

at that movie I recommended on Kanopy in the Netflix/streaming forum. I know it's hard for you to watch movies but maybe you can enjoy the soundtrack.

"Love in the Time of Fentanyl."

[Permanut]

29. Two words..

Their loss.

Okay, more than two words -

"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances: and one man in his time plays many parts." - quote from you-know-who.

All the best to you in your new endeavor.

[badhair77]

32. Good for you.

Hope you have adequate time to decompress so you’re ready for the new position. At least it sounds as if you’re going to a better situation. Good luck and good wishes in reuniting with your former patients and helping new ones. Has to be satisfying.

[George McGovern]

33. A standing ovation for you Aristus. For a solid good job no doubt well done and

best of all for changing over under your own terms. May your new position inspire you to greater heights of achievement.

George

[Aristus]

35. Thank you very much.

to the namesake of a man I admire very much. A true American hero.

[Aristus]

36. I just turned in my badge.

I feel like a disgraced cop.

Not really.

[PatrickforB]

37. A warm congratulations! I'm two years away from being able to retire, primarily because of

health care debt. But I still like my job.

[Old Crank]

39. Glad you are getting out

While you can enjoy life.

If you travel, give me a shout if you are in my neck of the woods.

[Aristus]

44. Oh, I've still got years to go before I retire.

But I’m hoping the daily firing will be a little less exhausting from now on.

My wife and I are planning to visit Germany next year. I’ve lived there several times. She has never left North America.

[Old Crank]

48. If you come near Munich

Let me know. My wife and I can give you a tour. Price, a wurst and bier each. If you fly into Munich and like bier, there is a good brewery at the airport. Just a warning, small bier is half liter, large is a liter.

[Aristus]

54. I attended Oktoberfest in Munich in 1990.

Not long before I was deployed to the Gulf for Desert Storm. I can’t remember how many Maßes of beer I drank, but I lost count after five. Never been so drunk in my life!

I was twenty-two and going off to war. Thought I’d have a good time in case I didn’t make it back.

If we get to meet, I promise not to do that again. Mrs. Aristus would kill me if I did.

I’m so looking forward to visiting Germany again. My absolute favorite place in the world.

[BigmanPigman]

40. Glad you got to do that

I wish I had that opportunity when I left the two long time jobs I had. The first time my "last day" was ruined when a skunk sprayed my dog the night before and it was so stinky in my apt that when I opened my purse at work the next/last day skunk fumes filled the workroom and lunch was ruined when my boss had to leave suddenly.

My next "last day" was when I was too ill to even return to my classroom to finish the afternoon lessons. I hated that job with a passion and would have loved to tell the admin who made me work while I had pneumonia to fuck off. I still am pissed off that I didn't get to do that 10 years later.

[2naSalit]

41. Congrats!!!

Sorry I'm late!

I am thrilled for you, made it all the way through the gauntlet! You deserve a nice beverage, I hope it was a favorite.

Have to agree with you on the lighting thing. I have astigmatism and overhead light, any flavor, is a drag and often gives me headaches. Fluorescent lighting drive me crazy at any time.

So glad you made it out, the rest should be more palatable on a daily basis from now on.

[70sEraVet]

42. Congrats on moving on to better things!

On 'being able to pack all your things into a tiny box' ....
When we would get word that layoffs were coming, I would start bringing my stuff home so that if I got the axe, I could pack up and be out in five minutes. It was always embarrassing to watch somebody spend a couple of hours packing, then needing help getting the boxes out to their car.

[Ziggysmom]

45. Happy trails to you; may you earn lots of money as well as lots of free time.

[honest.abe]

46. Contgrats! May your next chapter in life be full of adventures.

[FailureToCommunicate]

47. Maybe think of it as "redeployment" rather than "retirement". There is other work to

be done. Congratulations!

Veterans Day !

(I'm looking forward to that "redeployment" myself someday...)

[malthaussen]

49. Did you find a petrified egg salad sandwich yet? n/t

[3catwoman3]

50. I'm chuckling at your comment about fictional...

…office folk always leaving with a single, modest-sized box. I always think the same thing - so true, and so unrealistic.

[people]

51. Good luck Aristus!

I always enjoy reading about you, your good work, and all that you have to say. Your patients are and will be very lucky.

[pandr32]

52. Congratulations to this new life chapter!

I'll drink to that!

[Bayard]

53. Congrats!

I hope your new job is rewarding and less stressful. And includes a large desk.