I never expected to retire. I honestly expected to keep working until one day I leaned over my desk and never woke up. Another option was suicide. It never seemed like a strange option to me. Given what I had seen retirement do to my father, it was anything but a desirable or welcome state of being.

I do think I need a break from constantly trying to perform for the corporate world and not appreciated, under-appreciated, or simply ignored.

I have, for now, left social media, except for LinkedIn, which I honestly feel is no better than Tinder in many cases; in some cases, more scammers are trying to reach you on LinkedIn than on any dating platform. Some LinkedIn posts are no better than other social media posts; correction, other social media posts are generally better than LinkedIn.

The corporate world has made me an addict for recognition, even when it rarely arrives. I have become an adrenaline addict, always trying to deliver the best solution where others would give up.

I feel useless now. I should not, I know.