Faded Jeans Living

Thirty years.

---

February 11, 2026 marked my last day as a programmer analyst — thirty years of writing code, solving problems, and completing projects. Twenty-seven of those years were with the same company. That’s a lot of work. And a whole lot of life lived in between.

Along the way, I learned more technologies than I can count and had the privilege of working beside some truly incredible people. The kind of souls who make deadlines, tough projects, and conquering obstacles meaningful.

Looking back, it’s not just the work that gets me — it’s everything happening outside the office during those years. The growing, the struggles, the milestones, the losses, the wins. I found myself more emotional than I expected.

And now, here I am. A new crossroads.

For the first time since I was 18, there’s no “have to.” No “need to.” That kind of freedom is hard to describe. Part of me just wants to put some distance between all those old thens and this new now.

So that’s what I’m going to do.

I’m heading down to wander the Southwest aimlessly in my camper van for a while. No tight agenda. Just space. Just movement. Just seeing what shows up.

After that? No master plan. I’ve got hobbies, ideas, goals — and I’ll let them sort themselves out in these upcoming ENCORE years.

I turned 60 on the 8th. Plenty of light and goodness still ahead.

-Dwight