My Big Day: Retirement and Birthday - and a story behind retiring

Today is a big day. It's a milestone birthday, but more so, it's the day I retire after working at NASA as a meteorologist and communications officer for 24 years. Although this is a good milestone day for me because I can now concentrate on my books, blogs, animal rescue fundraisers, classes I teach, and more, there's a history of why I didn't work past 62. Today's blog explains my highs and lows.

GREAT PEOPLE - I had highs and lows as anyone does over that time. The vast majority of people I worked with were great. I made some great friends whom I will always cherish. With some I bonded over superheroes and other things: Lynn and I were always known as Lois Lane and Clark Kent. (One year we came to work and Lynn was Supergirl and I was 

(Photo: Lynn and Rob one Halloween as Supergirl and Superman) 

Grey and I were comic-con and superhero buddies; Troy and I became medium buddies on a paranormal team; Tom and I "adopted" Thaddeus as family when he came to NASA seeking a job. Laura is like a sister to me. 

Steve and Jane are two of our best friends, and he created and runs a newspaper in Baltimore (like the Perry White he dressed up as one Halloween, when I was Superman). There's also Michelle H, Jamie, Jeremy, Nancy,  and Dewayne who is not only a friend but a hero to me - He always had my back, and he cares about everyone. 

(Photo: Tom, Rob and Troy, on a paranormal investigation back in 2014) 

DIFFICULT PEOPLE - That's not to say everyone was great, as I encountered several people who were extremely difficult, lied to me and lied about me. One was hostile and threatened my job for writing a paranormal book (that wasn't about work). That's a story for another time, but I'll just say that Karma is about to bite her in the butt with my exit interview. :)  

MY LEGACY - One of the things I did there that made a difference to people around the world who accessed it was the development and daily posting on the now-deleted NASA Hurricane page. For 15 YEARS, I posted updates daily (even weekends and holidays) using NASA satellite data to study and explain tropical cyclones (hurricanes and typhoons) from beginning to end all Around the World.  I spoke about hurricanes at museums and schools, too. My friend Lynn J. always posted the updates I wrote, also on weekdays, weekends and holidays. We were THE best team, ever, and we are best friends. 

LEGACY ERASED -  Unfortunately, poor management was responsible for killing the Hurricane page, and without explanation in October 2020 (oddly, during one of the busiest hurricane seasons in the Atlantic). In a comprehensive report, I showed the Hurricane Page was one of the top 10 most visited pages for the agency.   Managers were irritated that Hurricane page received much more attention than other earth-science pages and at least 1 called for its immediate cancellation (there's more, like he lied about who killed it, and finally admitted it was him- I'm not naming "him.").   THAT WAS IT. On Oct 14, 2020, I published my final hurricane update "Tropical Storm Nangka made landfall south of Haiphong, Vietnam." Then the page was essentially Dead. 

It lay dormant for a few months then they changed the name of it. Finally, they deleted it.  So, 15 years of the ONLY Worldwide record of every single tropical cyclone from birth to death, wiped out. 

THAT CHANGED ME - That also wiped out my motivation. That was 4 years ago and it was a horrible birthday (2 days later our Weimaraner, Dolly passed, 5 months after we lost our dachshund, Franklin- so it was a brutal year).

Afterward, I was never the same at work. There was no incentive,  nothing to be proud of anymore. But my Dad instilled in me a strong work ethic, so I continued to work hard, no matter how devastated I felt.  But, each day was just a countdown to retirement. So, I left feeling empty except for the wonderful friends I made.  

Earlier this month, you read a blog about my career that a young science writer named Ashley insisted on doing about my career there, and I appreciate her so much. That gave the forward-facing story. Now you know the rest of it.  Regardless, I have MUCH TO DO- books, blogs, appearances, Animal rescue fundraisers, book launches, teaching classes, and more. 

The Takeaway: Find what makes you happy and do it. If something doesn't make you happy, find something that does.