Indiana's Oldest State Worker Is Retiring at 102(npr.org)
npr.org
Indiana's Oldest State Worker Is Retiring at 102
https://www.npr.org/2020/01/17/797305975/indianas-oldest-state-worker-is-retiring-at-102-i-ve-been-a-pretty-lucky-guy
51 comments
Where in Africa? And what was the custom? I'm always interested in customs from different places.
I am from Zimbabwe, the area around the Victoria Falls. I have lived in South Africa for the last 15 years though.
By way of example say my brother in law gives my mother a present or does something for her. Typically my mother will accept the gift and then after supper when the whole family is seated she will thank my brother in law in front of everyone in our family. It is not uncommon to have the present if is is a present shown to everyone. The point here is to ensure that the whole family is aware of this good deed my brother in law has done. She will thank him then ask the rest of us to help her thank him. The rest of us will also thank him. The point being here we all acknowledge and see what you have done for our mother. The thanking itself can get poetic.
Last year I delivered some money sent to some rural aunts of mine by cousin working in the US (about US$ 20 each) . I made a video of each one of them saying thank you. One of the videos ended up being close to five minutes and I had to ask my aunt to stop because the file was going to be too big to send. Hope that gives idea of the old culture of thanking.
By way of example say my brother in law gives my mother a present or does something for her. Typically my mother will accept the gift and then after supper when the whole family is seated she will thank my brother in law in front of everyone in our family. It is not uncommon to have the present if is is a present shown to everyone. The point here is to ensure that the whole family is aware of this good deed my brother in law has done. She will thank him then ask the rest of us to help her thank him. The rest of us will also thank him. The point being here we all acknowledge and see what you have done for our mother. The thanking itself can get poetic.
Last year I delivered some money sent to some rural aunts of mine by cousin working in the US (about US$ 20 each) . I made a video of each one of them saying thank you. One of the videos ended up being close to five minutes and I had to ask my aunt to stop because the file was going to be too big to send. Hope that gives idea of the old culture of thanking.
This sounds really nice. Thank you for posting it!
Yes, thank you for sharing.
...after nearly six decades at Indiana's Department of Natural Resources.
I was trying to estimate how big his pension checks will be but the online Indiana Retirement Benefit calculator only let's you put in birth dates back 100 years. =)
https://myinprsretirement.org/calculators/retirement-benefit...
Scare Headline: Indiana Retirement System Broken by Oldest Retiree.
I was trying to estimate how big his pension checks will be but the online Indiana Retirement Benefit calculator only let's you put in birth dates back 100 years. =)
https://myinprsretirement.org/calculators/retirement-benefit...
Scare Headline: Indiana Retirement System Broken by Oldest Retiree.
They are almost always capped to avoid that situation for normal employees.
Even if it's not capped, his total pensions will likely be much lower than those of someone who retires at 70 and lives to 90.
What we don't know is where on the range between being irreplaceably productive and being an overpaid team mascot who uses the office as an elder daycare his last year's fell, I'd be surprised if it wasn't a bit of both. (not pointing fingers, there are days when I feel like I'm guilty of that myself, and I'm more than sixty years younger)
What we don't know is where on the range between being irreplaceably productive and being an overpaid team mascot who uses the office as an elder daycare his last year's fell, I'd be surprised if it wasn't a bit of both. (not pointing fingers, there are days when I feel like I'm guilty of that myself, and I'm more than sixty years younger)
Former land surveyor here. I "retired" young from surveying in 2008 when the recession happened in the commercial property market and became a web developer.
This guy is remarkable. I wonder what kind of land surveying he's been doing. I'm guessing geodetic or GPS/GIS, which is not as physically demanding. Property staking, engineering, forestry, and traffic surveying requires a lot of upper body strength, line cutting/bushwhacking, driving, and walking.
This guy is remarkable. I wonder what kind of land surveying he's been doing. I'm guessing geodetic or GPS/GIS, which is not as physically demanding. Property staking, engineering, forestry, and traffic surveying requires a lot of upper body strength, line cutting/bushwhacking, driving, and walking.
I have a 93 year old colleague. I think it says a lot about my employer. They value people and experience.
I once met a 93 (maybe 96) old woman working in a lab. I don’t know under which status she is employed, but her dedication to the project is amazing and her contribution unmatched by any other members (nor the total sum of every other contributors).
You should have befriended her, I'm sure that lady would've shared some wisdom with you and you would have a great friend.
Don't worry, I wrote the story like I never saw her again, but I actually did once. Also have her email and I'm in semi-regular contact with the project leader she works daily with.
"I've got a lot of things planned," with this attitude, I really hope you have a lot more years to see them come to fruition.
"60 Minutes" once interviewed a 102 year old research chemist tottering about his lab. They asked him why he didn't retire. He replied why should I retire, I love doing research!
My grandfather died last year at 102; but unlike Mr. Vollmer, he retired young.
I'm always impressed when I see people that age up-and-about. My grandfather drove until his late 90's, and was still relatively active until a few months before his 100th birthday.
He gave me the best advice about raising children: "Remember, they're people too!"
I'm always impressed when I see people that age up-and-about. My grandfather drove until his late 90's, and was still relatively active until a few months before his 100th birthday.
He gave me the best advice about raising children: "Remember, they're people too!"
I suggest watching an interview with Eva Zeisel and how sound her mind is:
https://www.ted.com/talks/eva_zeisel_the_playful_search_for_...
Cougher(7)
> "And I remembered that when I grew up," he adds. "Maybe I might go overboard sometime in saying thank you, but I assure you, that's very important. And my dad's the one that put me straight on that."
That's similar advice to what my mother always told me. For me the unspoken part of this advice is that it leads to you not expecting much from people. Not in a bad way, in the way that everyone has their own life and problems. They wake up in the morning to tackle their own life and problems and when they do take the time to do something for you be grateful because the do it by choice. Thanking people was a big part of African life accompanied by gestures such as clapping hands in a particular way and using poetic language to thank person. Seems to be a dying practice. People seem to complain more about things people haven't done for them.