I was at my dad's retirement last Friday

Saint Nick

Lifer
Jan 21, 2005
17,722
6
81
Preface:
My dad has been able to do a lot of stuff that others haven't. He's done a lot of stuff in his life, too. He left west Nebraska after high school, tried to go to school, ran out of money, went hungry, got into the Navy, went to Vietnam, came back and got a full time job at OPPD in downtown Omaha and got married. He's been able to provide for my brother and I and my mom anything we need, clothes, a nice house, financial security, everything. He recently bought a really nice Harley :D

But, anyways, while I was at his retirement ceremony, I just realize how much I want to be like him. Everyone was saying so many nice things about him, about all he did. Sure there were screwups and they were laughing about those there, but everyone came up and had something really nice to say about him and how valuable he was to the company. I want to be in that position someday. I just want to be able to get into a company and hold a job there, and when I'm done, I'll be able to say that I helped that company and that everyone appreciated the work I did there. I want to be able to provide for my family, that I hope to have someday, just like my dad did. They told all these stories about dad's first day of work and then his last day.

I just felt really proud and hope to be like him someday.

Cliffe's Notes:
1) Dad has hard life
2) Dad gets good job at OPPD
3) Dad stays for 30+ years
4) Dad retires and everyone appreciated his work
5) I hope to be like him someday.
 

Linflas

Lifer
Jan 30, 2001
15,395
78
91
I hope you told him this, it would probably make him happier than you would believe.
 

PingSpike

Lifer
Feb 25, 2004
21,751
595
126
Yeah, I respect my dad a lot too.

But you better build a time machine so you can go back to 1950 to work if you want to do the same. The days of working for one company your whole life are pretty much gone.
 

EKKC

Diamond Member
May 31, 2005
5,895
0
0
:thumbsup: to ur dad
but i think he's been lucky. many people do get fired regardless of how long you've been in service, i've only been working for 5 years and have seen companies fire people who stayed for 20+, 30+ years without thinking twice, hearing how HR fired people after a group meeting and handed him a letter before going on the departing flight, and some other very soulless crap that went on.

corporate loyalty doesn't mean a damn thing when it comes time for a company to downsize, all they can see is that you're bleeding their money out and they need to get rid of you to make the bottom line for another month. sad. but is the way corporate america works
 

bennylong

Platinum Member
Apr 20, 2006
2,493
0
0
No way will you get to work for the same company for 30 years like your dad. Your company will try to outscource your job or axe you to save on medical cost
 

axelfox

Diamond Member
Oct 13, 1999
6,719
1
0
Originally posted by: EKKC
:thumbsup: to ur dad
but i think he's been lucky. many people do get fired regardless of how long you've been in service, i've only been working for 5 years and have seen companies fire people who stayed for 20+, 30+ years without thinking twice, hearing how HR fired people after a group meeting and handed him a letter before going on the departing flight, and some other very soulless crap that went on.

corporate loyalty doesn't mean a damn thing when it comes time for a company to downsize, all they can see is that you're bleeding their money out and they need to get rid of you to make the bottom line for another month. sad. but is the way corporate america works[/q]

:thumbsup:
 

MrWizzard

Platinum Member
Mar 24, 2002
2,493
0
71
That's cool, most guys don't seem to relize how great their dads are they just focus on their mistakes.....

 

nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
60,217
15,153
136
Unfortunately, it's hard to find a company that you can work at for 30+ years these days.
 

Saint Nick

Lifer
Jan 21, 2005
17,722
6
81
Well, I know that its hard today, but I'm going to definately do my damnest to keep up a good job and do what I can.

I felt so motivated from it, I just want to get on with my life and get my degree and do what I can for SOMEONE.

I really needed that motivation anyway... I was wondering if I could actually finish my studies. But, I feel very confident now. I feel great, I feel wonderful :)
 

Saga

Banned
Feb 18, 2005
2,718
1
0
See if he can put in suggestions to improve the OPPD website infastructure. Not only are you completely unable to access the website without using the full proper URL (http://www...) but the secure connections once logged in are just downright horrible. Ever since the creation of the website the payment area has been horrendous - no matter where I am, home, work, school, or even out of state on business, I ALWAYS have to spend thirty minutes trying to pay my bill simply because the site takes 2-5 minutes to load (and that is WHEN it finally loads, typically there is 20 minutes worth of timeouts first) and that is in between every single page of their payment section. =/

Paying my monthly OPPD bill has turned into something I do while watching a good movie, it simply takes that much time and dedication. Completely pathetic for something that has been there for five years.

Oh. Congratulations for your father, and I hope your dreams of becoming admired come true.
 

skyking

Lifer
Nov 21, 2001
22,543
5,589
146
Originally posted by: Linflas
I hope you told him this, it would probably make him happier than you would believe.

^^ what he said ^^

write it down like this if you have to, but let him know:)
 

Saint Nick

Lifer
Jan 21, 2005
17,722
6
81
Originally posted by: Izusaga
See if he can put in suggestions to improve the OPPD website infastructure. Not only are you completely unable to access the website without using the full proper URL (http://www...) but the secure connections once logged in are just downright horrible. Ever since the creation of the website the payment area has been horrendous - no matter where I am, home, work, school, or even out of state on business, I ALWAYS have to spend thirty minutes trying to pay my bill simply because the site takes 2-5 minutes to load (and that is WHEN it finally loads, typically there is 20 minutes worth of timeouts first) and that is in between every single page of their payment section. =/

Paying my monthly OPPD bill has turned into something I do while watching a good movie, it simply takes that much time and dedication. Completely pathetic for something that has been there for five years.

Oh. Congratulations for your father, and I hope your dreams of becoming admired come true.

Actually its funny you mention that--we had been talking about that because he is trying to get a good word in for me to work in IT in the next few summers as an intern. He is very close with the vice-president of the company after all :D So I'm hoping I can do something. Anyway, off topic, I was trying to get my resume online and the website was so slow. Even dad told the people who run the website to get it more streamlined.

Hmmm... Maybe something I could do ;)


Changed my name about three days ago.
 

Armitage

Banned
Feb 23, 2001
8,086
0
0
Originally posted by: skyking
Originally posted by: Linflas
I hope you told him this, it would probably make him happier than you would believe.

^^ what he said ^^

write it down like this if you have to, but let him know:)

I was thinking the same thing. It will mean alot more to him then anything that was said at the retirement thing. :thumbsup:

I hope my kids can some day say as much.
 

GuitarDaddy

Lifer
Nov 9, 2004
11,465
1
0
Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Unfortunately, it's hard to find a company that you can work at for 30+ years these days.

QFT

I also planned on following in my dads footsteps, as he worked for the same company for 35yrs. I spent my first 15 years out of college with the same company and progressed from a lowly staffer to a senior manager, then the company fell on hard times and started looking for ways to cut cost. I hung on for another year before I read the writting on the wall and finally bailed before the enevitable axe came down. In the last 10yrs I've worked for many different companies with 2yrs being the longest at any one company. Company loyalty is a thing of the past:(
 

Saint Nick

Lifer
Jan 21, 2005
17,722
6
81
I really figured that it would be hard to "get in" to a company/corporation and stay there. After college I hope to hit the ground running, I'll take what I can get, and just take it one step at a time from there. I won't plan on anything, but I do want to follow my dad's footsteps and continue his legacy.

Honestly, I really want a job at OPPD because, well, that place rocks :eek: He said he would try to help to get my foot in the door
 

nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
60,217
15,153
136
Originally posted by: Izusaga
See if he can put in suggestions to improve the OPPD website infastructure. Not only are you completely unable to access the website without using the full proper URL (http://www...) but the secure connections once logged in are just downright horrible. Ever since the creation of the website the payment area has been horrendous - no matter where I am, home, work, school, or even out of state on business, I ALWAYS have to spend thirty minutes trying to pay my bill simply because the site takes 2-5 minutes to load (and that is WHEN it finally loads, typically there is 20 minutes worth of timeouts first) and that is in between every single page of their payment section. =/

Paying my monthly OPPD bill has turned into something I do while watching a good movie, it simply takes that much time and dedication. Completely pathetic for something that has been there for five years.

Oh. Congratulations for your father, and I hope your dreams of becoming admired come true.

NPPD > OPPD
I have my bill paid online in less than five minutes :D
 

Saint Nick

Lifer
Jan 21, 2005
17,722
6
81
The CEO of NPPD and CEO of Lincoln Power Company were at dad's retirement party. Everyone was :shocked:
 

SearchMaster

Diamond Member
Jun 6, 2002
7,791
114
106
Congrats to both of you :). In light of the PAB threads, it's nice to see a kid (in this context) who appreciates the hard work a parent goes through to make things right for the family.