Ohhhh for f#*%! Sake!!

@Musicman They're shutting down this mill. Can transfer to another mill same company or find something else in the same industry.
There is another mill relatively close by but would have to start at the bottom. Keep my company seniority and vacation but the pay is low. Other mills they own nationwide with some looking for boiler crew. But still a hit on pay. Although the cost of living is much much lower. Mostly south east. A few up north east. Few all over the damn place but would be a risk. My luck move to another mill and have them pull the plug there too.

@icedsky I am so sorry to hear that ☹️☹️☹️ I am in the southeast, Florida. What would you like to do?

@Musicman I have no idea. Have so much time invested in this place. Was hoping to retire out of this mill.
Totally out of the blue. About 500 people here and countless jobs because of this mill outside of it. Trucking companies. Railroad. Barge companies. We were the biggest water customer the city had. And the loss of electricity production.
2 of my guys in the department just bought houses this year.

@icedsky How many more years were you planning on working before you retired?

@Musicman Shit I need 15.

@icedsky So will you relocate to another plant? Is there anything holding you there?

@Musicman Not a lot holding me here no. Sell my house and bail out. Was looking at a few of those solar plants in Nevada while I was down there. A couple are hiring for the operator position. Not a hell of a lot different from what I do except probably lots more stable. Single task for them. Make electricity. Mine was a juggling act with multiple boilers and steam users. Various steam powered departments and processes. A dedicated power plant would be a cake walk.

@icedsky That would be great! Plus it would keep you closer to your rocks. You could spend every weekend rock hunting. 🙂🙂🙂

@Musicman Wander abandoned Nevada for the rest of my days. Plenty of cool stuff to see.

@icedsky Yes there is! 😎 You would be so happy 🙂🙂🙂

@Musicman Definitely a change of pace. I'm lucky really. Dont have an expensive new vehicle payment. Owe less than 30k for my house and land. I see so many new vehicles here in the parking lot. So many people are so screwed by this. My coworker Patrick has 4 kids.

@icedsky Oh man! That is terrible. Will you apply out there?

@Musicman I'll be sending resumes out all over.

@icedsky I truly wish you all the best. Just make sure to drag Greg with you. No need to give up doughnut day. Lol!!

@Musicman Roll with the punches. Vested in my pensions already but would prefer to put more into them but dont absolutely have to. 401k is ok so far. In the low risk for the last couple years.

@icedsky That's really good news. Are you married? Do you have to worry about a family?

@Musicman Wife passed away in 2011. No kids. Me and my 2 hounds.

@icedsky I am so sorry to hear that 💔☹️ It does make moving and relocating much easier though.

@icedsky

:( You bring up a sharp, bittersweet memory of what I went through 40+ years ago. I once worked for a collapsing airline, in a seniority based industry. Made a complete career change in my early 40s while dealing with other personal tragedies.

Besides all of that, there are kids in school, mortgages to pay, etc., etc., etc. and the options aren't exactly crystal clear.

If I can offer a bit of advice, don't hesitate to go back to school or take other steps to best prepare yourself for a transition if you feel that you have to abandon the old and start over.