Today’s post takes a different turn from my usual photography topics, so bear with me as I share some personal thoughts on the next chapter in my “Life is a Journey.”

After 35 years, today May 1st, marks the official first day of early retirement (or “re-wirement” as my husband and I like to call it) from a life-long career with Coca-Cola. Having joined the company just one month shy of my 20th birthday, the time has come to close the chapter and embark on new adventures that await me.

There is an unwritten tradition for those leaving Coca-Cola to write a farewell note. The tradition is usually a note of “thanks,” “I’ll miss you” and “stay in touch.” And so, just before handing in my laptop and cell phone, I hit the “SEND” button for my own personal “Obligatory Farewell” below:

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Yep, here it comes……time for another obligatory farewell. Starting tomorrow (4/26), I’ll be swapping out my red badge for the official “Alumni Green Badge.”

What an incredible experience to have been part of the Coca-Cola family for my entire career. 35 years has gone by way too fast, but I can honestly say that each of you played an important role in my journey and I thank you for your sharing this great adventure with me. Many of you, I have known most of my time with Coca-Cola; we worked together, we played together (sometimes a little too hard J), we traveled together and raised families together. And, we have experienced a lot of change and evolution throughout the years: from Columbia Pictures, to the forming and later refranchising of Coca-Cola Enterprises; from ground breaking innovative packaging promotions (i.e. “Magic Can,” “Pop Music in-pack mini cds,” “Contour Commemorative bottles”) to the many numerous brands that have come (PowerAde, Dasani, Fair life) and gone (“Ok Soda,” “Tab Clear,” “Tab Energy,” “New Coke”).
I am grateful….I am humbled…..I am blessed to have worked alongside so many talented individuals who, together, we have helped mold Coca-Cola into the Brand it is today.
My next chapter is unwritten, although I’m sure there will be photography ( a lot of it!), travel and perhaps, one day, that bar in the Caribbean Michael and I have long been chasing after! If you want to see what I’m up to, please feel free to follow my photography blog (website and e-mail contact links below).
In closing, I share with you a quote Joe Walsh gave in an interview about his journey with the Eagles. To me, it pretty much sums up my personal Coca-Cola journey:

“You know, there’s a philosopher who says, as you live your life, it appears to be anarchy and chaos, and random events. Non-related events, smashing into each other and causing this situation or that situation. And then, this happens, and it’s overwhelming, and it just looks like what in the world is going on ? And later, when you look back at it, it looks like a finely crafted novel. But at the time, it don’t.”

Cheers, everyone! This Party is Going Mobile”
“Life is a journey, not a destination. You are the artist, paint what you will.”

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Credits: The featured photo for this post is of a building that was painted by our very talented brother-in-law, Dean Janik, for the movie set of “Live by Night” which was filmed in Brunswick, GA in 2015. The title for my post (and for the obligatory farewell) comes from my husband……how did he come up with it, you ask? Well, that is a story for another day…..stay tuned!