As my days at IBM grow shorter, I’m beginning to realize how many “lasts” have already happened or are imminent.

Some passed unnoticed, because I didn’t realize they were the last of their kind:

• I’ve already changed my intranet and Notes passwords for the last time
• I’ve already created my last PBC (Personal Business Commitments)
• I’ve already submitted my last TEA (Travel Expense Account)
• I’ve already ordered my last set of IBM business cards (and didn’t get a chance to use any of them!)

Some happened after I got the word:

• My office has been vacuumed for the last time (at least while it’s my office)
• I’ve qualified for the Fitness Rebate for the last time
• I joined my last “Community Builders” conference call

And some are yet to come:

• I have the opportunity to attend a final Architecture Review Board call on Wednesday
• I’ll be giving a last GTD-at-IBM presentation on Friday
• I could even attend a final CIO DE community meeting on March 31st

No, they’re not all significant, but they’re all steps towards what comes next. And so they matter.

Back in 1976, I wanted to send Diane some flowers for her birthday. She was still living in Valley Stream, NY, at the time, and I was already in Boca Raton, FL. Most people would have used FTD, but I was worried that the order wouldn’t get there in time (since it was New Year’s Eve), so I went to the library, which had a huge collection of Yellow Pages, found a florist in Valley Stream, and splurged on a long distance call so I could order directly from them. And they came through.

Last week, I wanted to thank a colleague for help above and beyond the call of duty by sending her some wine. She lives just outside Des Moines, Iowa; fortunately, Iowa is a reasonable state as far as wine shipping laws go, but I thought I could do better than picking a big Internet wine merchant. I Googled and found Ingersoll Wine and Spirits, (who had a better selection of California and Oregon Pinot Gris on their Web site than either BevMo or Wine.com!). And they delivered in one day, far faster than I could have gotten delivery from a Web giant.

I’m glad that the Internet hasn’t quite managed to kill local merchants.