New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
chuckb84
Posts: 628
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2015 10:41 am
Location: New Mexico

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by chuckb84 »

tennisplyr wrote: Fri Apr 20, 2018 7:31 am For those of you who have retired within the past year or so, how is it? Have there been any major surprises or adjustments you've had to make. Anything you need help with?
Well, it's been 3 years now, so...

I don't have interest in the intellectual pursuits related to my former field of work. At least, not much. I'm on to different things.

I spend much more time on physical activities. Cycling. I got a scooter, rode that for 3 years, then got a 750 cc BMW motorcycle, and this week I'm driving to Salt Lake City to get the 1100 cc Touring Bike, and I plan to see much of the west on that bike.

Biggest adjustment has probably been the different nature of time and the rhythm of living. I --routinely-- cannot remember the date, or even the day of the week. Weekends are mainly an annoyance, because theaters and restaurants are crowded. Time is now governed by events and seasons, not by workdays and weekends.

I have time to do simple tasks and take satisfaction in that. Tomorrow I'll be cutting out a couple of tricky wood shapes to repair a gate at the house. Today, I finished painting a room and varnishing a new door. Despite my lack of skills, I often do a better job than people we hire to work on the house, because I don't care how long it takes to get it right.

Try it; you'll like it.
DorothyB
Posts: 113
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2012 6:17 pm

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by DorothyB »

I retired in Oct 2014 a few months before I turned 57. The biggest surprise for me is how little time I have. Some of that is due to spending too much time on the internet :) but I'm also involved at church, spend about 9 weeks on vacation each year, do endurance riding with my horse which involves several weekend trips each year plus conditioning rides, help a single mom for an hour or two or three every few weeks (4 hours each this week and next week), etc.
User avatar
Topic Author
tennisplyr
Posts: 3703
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 12:53 pm
Location: Sarasota, FL

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by tennisplyr »

It is fun and rewarding helping others. This week I fixed 2 elderly single female neighbors computer and TV. Time to give back.
Last edited by tennisplyr on Sun Apr 22, 2018 8:57 am, edited 2 times in total.
“Those who move forward with a happy spirit will find that things always work out.” -Retired 13 years 😀
TLC1957
Posts: 396
Joined: Sat Mar 18, 2017 7:49 am
Location: Pa

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by TLC1957 »

Wife and I both retired in 2015 at 58 after 36 years in corporate America. What I have determined is work is so overrated.....lol.

Thank god we both have pensions, we have done a lot of traveling including spending winter in warm places Florida and Arizona. We finally reached our goal of visiting all 50 states with the last 2 being Alaska and Hawaii in the last 2 years. In 2015 we downsized from a 3500 sq ft house on 2 acres in the country and food desert to a city lot and 1200 sq ft in a University town with 50 plus restaurants within walking distance. The University has been very fulfilling with 12,000 students 100' from our front door, it as been interesting to say the least. The University has a very large music program with daily free concerts the last 2 months of each semester along with many lectures that we attend. Several of our neighbors are professors at the University which results in very interesting conversations.....lol....

We seem to fill our days and I have no idea how we would fit in work. We both purchased bikes and ride and walk a lot it has been a lot of fun. We are close to our kids and see them often.

Retirement a wonderful thing!!!
User avatar
gasdoc
Posts: 2042
Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2014 7:26 am

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by gasdoc »

I was reading this thread to my wife (out loud) and she says, "let's retire today." We have a plan, however, and will stick to the plan. Thanks to everyone contributing to this thread. Great topic, OP!

Gasdoc
User avatar
Topic Author
tennisplyr
Posts: 3703
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 12:53 pm
Location: Sarasota, FL

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by tennisplyr »

gasdoc wrote: Sun Apr 22, 2018 8:48 am I was reading this thread to my wife (out loud) and she says, "let's retire today." We have a plan, however, and will stick to the plan. Thanks to everyone contributing to this thread. Great topic, OP!

Gasdoc
Thank you...it is truly a blessing to positively influence others' lives!
“Those who move forward with a happy spirit will find that things always work out.” -Retired 13 years 😀
LadyIJ
Posts: 607
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2014 7:00 pm

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by LadyIJ »

Good Listener wrote: Fri Apr 20, 2018 8:10 pm Retired 1 year. I walk a lot and read a lot and don't use an alarm. I now have medical issues I never had before I was 65 and have time to go to doctors. I walked 4.5 miles each way today today to a cardiologist whom I had to browbeat into a nuclear stress test in a few weeks when I will do the same 9 miles. I warn you all.... life is short and you never know.

Also I'm afraid to fly and don't like to travel. People keep telling me to enjoy my life and travel more and I keep telling them that I enjoy my life when I don't travel at all.
+1 -i hate flying, and that has really affected us, will have to bite the bullet and take car trips. Right, you never know when your good, healthy years will truly impede you. It is an adjustment for me NOT to have tons of goals and "to-do lists" and just "be".
LadyIJ
Posts: 607
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2014 7:00 pm

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by LadyIJ »

randomizer wrote: Fri Apr 20, 2018 8:19 pm I’ve been retired for a few months now, my employer just doesn’t know it yet. :D
lol - I retired a few years before my actual retirement date.
reggiesimpson
Posts: 1697
Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2011 11:47 am

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by reggiesimpson »

tennisplyr wrote: Fri Apr 20, 2018 5:57 pm To someone who asks, what do you do all day I say "whatever I want". With regards to activities I like to say I let the day come to me.
Agreed. 70 yo and retired 8 yrs. Further, Life Liberty and Happiness. I dropped the Pursuit part as i find i am happy not pursuing anything.......just being is enough.
User avatar
jabberwockOG
Posts: 3087
Joined: Thu May 28, 2015 7:23 am

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by jabberwockOG »

Retired 26 months ago, so far, so good.

First year it was a little tough to slow down enough to thoughtfully focus on building a new life but I spent a lot of it getting back into much better physical condition, losing 25lbs in the process.

Some realizations -

- I was initially afraid I'd be bored in slowing down, but nothing could be further from the truth. In retirement taking the time to really focus and perform simple as well as more demanding tasks/projects mindfully and with great care is extremely satisfying.

- As someone else posted, volunteer work involving serving others (primarily physical labor for me is what I craved) for a couple of days a week is tremendously fulfilling.

- Even two years on I still sometimes catch myself thinking about work related issues that don't exist for me any more. Also still wake up some nights from dreaming about work related projects/stress/issues - although that is more rare as time goes by. It is taking much longer than I thought for 35 years of stress and responsibility to fully let go.

- Financially we have found costs are less than anticipated but we did downsize, moved to a LCOL area, and have less than zero interest in pursuing expensive travel. Also lucky enough to retire into a rising market so investments are strong and that certainly is less stressful than average on that front.

Even for non gregarious types, in retirement it is important to replace the lost social interaction part of your working life. I think the most critical item for our retirement and new life was to move to a place we both love that also had a lot of like minded folks in it so that making new friends and finding engaging positive activities would not be a challenge. Retirement would definitely not be anywhere near as fun or fulfilling if we had stayed living in the region and city where we had been living while I was still working.
User avatar
quantAndHold
Posts: 10141
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2015 10:39 pm
Location: West Coast

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by quantAndHold »

i stopped working 15 months ago, but I’m young (early 50’s), and reserve the right to go back to work and pick up a few bucks, so I don’t call it “retired.” Yet. My wife calls it retired, though, and if I were smarter than I apparently am, I’d listen to her.

How’s it going? Fabulous! I don’t know how I ever had time to work. I’m in the best shape I’ve been in for 20+ years. Enjoying friends, projects, travel, volunteer work. Making art on a consistent basis. It’s especially fun to decide on a Tuesday that we want to go on a road trip, pack on Wednesday, and leave on Thursday.

I think the best part is not having a rush hour commute.

A couple of other comments. When I left my last job, I was very burned out. It took about nine months to recover. I spent a lot of time sleeping and sitting on the couch not doing a whole lot during those first months. I now recognize that I was licking my wounds, and I needed that time to recover.

And financially. Our expenses are considerably less than we expected them to be. It’s much easier to be frugal when I’m not stressed from work, so there are a lot fewer $4 cups of coffee, and $15 lunches out, or buying of things we don’t need.
Last edited by quantAndHold on Sun Apr 22, 2018 10:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
oldcomputerguy
Moderator
Posts: 17932
Joined: Sun Nov 22, 2015 5:50 am
Location: Tennessee

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by oldcomputerguy »

steve roy wrote: Fri Apr 20, 2018 7:03 pm My last year working was hectic. Lots of political pressures, and I had no idea who was going to replace me. (I ran a Hollywood entertainment labor union with a small staff and a lot of members. The days were full.)

Now it's a year and five months later, my successor is running the organization his own way, and seeks no advice from me. (Halleluiah!) And the farther I get away from the pressures and hassles of the job, the better I like it.
Sounds familiar.

Just prior to retirement last year, I was the Chief Engineer of a local television station where I had worked for 36 years. Knowing that it would be a bit difficult to find someone, get them hired, and get them trained on our installation before I left, I gave management six months' notice of my departure. Due to factors over which I had no control, my successor was hired and started on staff one week before I left, which left practically no time in which to train him on our facilities. So for the first year of retirement, I offered my services (for a fee :wink: ) as consultant to help him get up to speed. Over the past year, my successor has pretty well made the place his own, and I haven't been contacted for assistance in several months.

Do I miss the job? Not at all. I do miss the people sometimes, and I have many years of great memories along with several thousand photographs, and still get together with former co-workers once in a while over lunch. But I do not miss the job itself, what with the budgets, scheduling demands, midnight phone calls, ruined vacations, dealing with new regulations, procedures and protocols that changed way too often (our company went through five owners in my time there, and went through three ownership changes / mergers my last three years there), and the general stress of the industry. Now, I can deal with each day as it comes along on my own terms.

My wife is still employed (in just under two years, she will qualify for a full pension). She tells me that she really appreciates my being a "house-husband", taking care of all the stuff during the week that we used to have to tie up our weekends doing. And she likes having me at home to watch over things that used to worry her. So it was a "win" for her as well when I punched out.
There is only one success - to be able to spend your life in your own way. (Christopher Morley)
User avatar
cinghiale
Posts: 1365
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2007 4:37 pm
Location: A latare Mare Nostrum

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by cinghiale »

Now almost 2.5 years out from under the job. All has been good. I find some way to give thanks every day for the personal freedom that comes with retirement. The biggest surprise? It is tied to freedom: I’ve been surprised how fiercely I value negative freedom; that is, the freedom not to do things that I do not want to do. After decades of work responsibilities, social commitments, and so many built-in expectations about “going the extra mile,” and service to others, retirement (well, retirement and relocating to a different continent) has brought on a season of crap avoidance, stress avoidance, chaos avoidance...

Mind you, I’m still a nice guy. But my own visceral aversion to going places that are of no interest, social commitments that are guaranteed to induce ennui, or reading banal, predictable barking (read: anything political these days) has been both striking and sustained.

Upthread, poster 2015 nailed it. Amen to what s/he wrote. Changing location does, indeed, allow a changing of the mask. And those “unlimited possibilities” seem to flow better when not jostled by unnecessary and unfulfilling activities and commitments.
"We don't see things as they are; we see them as we are." Anais Nin | | "Sometimes the first duty of intelligent men is the restatement of the obvious." George Orwell
User avatar
VictoriaF
Posts: 20122
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:27 am
Location: Black Swan Lake

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by VictoriaF »

cinghiale wrote: Sun Apr 22, 2018 1:08 pm The biggest surprise? It is tied to freedom: I’ve been surprised how fiercely I value negative freedom; that is, the freedom not to do things that I do not want to do. After decades of work responsibilities, social commitments, and so many built-in expectations about “going the extra mile,” and service to others, retirement (well, retirement and relocating to a different continent) has brought on a season of crap avoidance, stress avoidance, chaos avoidance...
I use a variation of this freedom, but I am not sure if I do it right.

I am interested in various activities and sign up for many of them well ahead. But when the time comes, I sometimes find myself double booked or just having higher priorities. Importantly, I have selected these activities myself, based on my anticipated interest; they are not imposed on me by other people or entities.

Earlier in retirement, I tried to attend all activities I had signed for. Otherwise, I felt foolish and wasteful. More recently, I started forcing on myself an economic analysis of the sunk cost and opportunity cost. If there is a better opportunity to spend my time, I skip activities and try to ignore their cost.

A better solution would be not to over-commit. But as my interests keep changing it's hard to project ahead. Also, it's more efficient to sign for activities at the time I receive the announcement than to keep calendar reminders.

Victoria
Inventor of the Bogleheads Secret Handshake | Winner of the 2015 Boglehead Contest. | Every joke has a bit of a joke. ... The rest is the truth. (Marat F)
md&pharmacist
Posts: 262
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 7:05 pm

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by md&pharmacist »

Does it depend on how you feel about work? I feel that I'm helping people at work, in addition to helping the needy thru tithing.

I can retire tomorrow at age 45 but have no desire to do so. I know that when I do retire, that will include more volunteer work. I currently volunteer at a free clinic one day a month and it feels the most rewarding to me. I also mind the example I set for my children if I retire early and quit/decrease contributing to society.

I know in retirement I can wake up later and have fewer responsibilities, but I don't necessarily equate this to happiness.

Guess I won't really know until I'm there. Seems we are all different in how we perceive the current and the future. I think living for today is based on my faith...many never get to retirement and for them Carpe Diem is therefore that much more important.

Wake up tomorrow morning and believe you are going to have a great day. Do something unexpected for somebody. Continue this now and into retirement. Should make all phases of our lives better.
jlawrence01
Posts: 1908
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2013 12:34 am
Location: Southern AZ

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by jlawrence01 »

I retired in May 2013, a few days shy of my 54th birthday. I had intended to retire at age 57 or 58. However, the division that I was working for was sold to a private equity firm and I did not like the direction in which the company was heading.

Basically, it has gone like this:

Year 1: Find a place to retire. We lived in Chicagoland and after nearly 15 years, we were tired of the congestion, the ever increasing taxes, and the gradual deterioration of where we were living. My wife was working so I had the time to identify three locations where we would retire. After a few months of research, we decided to take off a couple of months and head to Arizona ... and we never left.

Year 2: Sell the old house, relocate, and modernize the new place. Somewhere in that process, my wife took over as general contractor for the remodeling projects and retired from her job.

Year 3: With both of us retired, we got into volunteering. Some of it was intentional as we had the time. In some cases, we were sought out for some particular talents that we have. With the projects done, we started traveling about 10 weeks a year and the like.

Year 4: More of the same. However, we came to the realization that we were busier in retirement than we wanted to be. We started to be less generous with our time to some of the volunteer projects and stick to those that are somewhat fulfilling. It is during this year that we determined to develop more friends locally and to reach out to some of the isolated seniors in our neighborhood. Also, I started feeding some of my neighbors who live on Stouffer's dinners so they can have a real meal occasionally.

Year 5: While we enjoy the volunteer work, we spend too much time getting to to This is the year where we are redefining what we are willing to do. Also, this is the year where we had back to the Midwest and see old friends for a few weeks. Also, it is the year that we are making more trips back to visit parents and to provide a break for our siblings who have been dealing with the issue of aging parents.


Realizations:

1) I have NOT missed working one bit. I have no regrets at all.

2) When you move to a LCOL area or a "low income" area, the pressure to spend or to "keep up with the Joneses" is gone. Our expenses in MOST areas are significantly less ... and we are having a lot more fun and have a lot more friends. Even items that are expensive - like health care - tend to be cheaper as physicians are far more cost conscious in this area than in Chicagoland.
chw
Posts: 1315
Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 4:22 pm

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by chw »

Retired 6 months ago at 58. Last 3-4 years were very intense, as business was booming, and I dedicated my time to maximize my income during these years in order to pad retirement accounts to help fund the gap years to age 70. I ended up giving 6 months notice -encouraged in part by a generous stay bonus to give employer time figure out transition of my clients to an Associate. At first I thought I would be ok with it, but the last 60 days were like watching paint dry.

I think the initial transition may be dependent on the time of year you retire. I retired in the fall and spent the first 60 days just enjoying losing the constant state of urgency, and being the "fixer", and taking time to relax- sleeping an hour later, enjoying a later breakfast routine/workout, and reading a book from the long list I have bookmarked. My pace picked up a bit with the year end holidays/light volunteering, and I enjoyed them more by being able to fully engage with friends and family without having the constant pressure of work projects lurking in the background. I didn't fully realize the distraction that my work had caused in my personal life and relationships, until it was no longer there. I enjoyed my work, but was surprised by how fast the process was to dealing with work and being constantly needed (via various communication methods), to nothing the week after retiring (which was awesome!)

My wife has continued to work part-time, and I've been happy to take on more of the home duties (primarily cooking healthy dinners for us), which she has loved immensely! DW and and l also have been able to more fully enjoy her days off during the week, and we took a few week long vacations this winter as her schedule permitted (DW plans to retire in June).

At present the immediate goal is prepping our home for sale to move in late summer/early fall- we are downsizing our lifestyle to the vacation home we have enjoyed for many years, and look forward to spending more time there, and getting on with the next chapter of our lives at a place we've enjoyed for much of our "downtime" for the past 15 years.
rennale
Posts: 110
Joined: Sun Apr 23, 2017 6:50 am

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by rennale »

tennisplyr wrote: Fri Apr 20, 2018 7:31 am For those of you who have retired within the past year or so, how is it? Have there been any major surprises or adjustments you've had to make. Anything you need help with?
Retired last year at 67.

How is it? It's very pleasant. I am calmer in myself, kinder to other people, and more interested in the world about me.

Have there been any surprises? The major surprise is how much I'm enjoying it. I find that I am curious about what the future holds rather than worried about it.

Anything you need help with? Yes, I need to get more involved with other retired people (everybody I know is still working!). It would be good for me.
User avatar
cinghiale
Posts: 1365
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2007 4:37 pm
Location: A latare Mare Nostrum

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by cinghiale »

md&pharmacist wrote,
I can retire tomorrow at age 45 but have no desire to do so. I know that when I do retire, that will include more volunteer work. I currently volunteer at a free clinic one day a month and it feels the most rewarding to me. I also mind the example I set for my children if I retire early and quit/decrease contributing to society.
I would like to offer a different take on this. You can be commended for wanting to set a good example for your children. I wonder, though, about the inseparability of paid employment and “contributing to society.” I retired from tenured professor position, a job that has far too many people chasing after far too few new postings. My retirement meant that a highly qualified person half my age could secure the kind of job her advanced degree— and all the years of diligent work and sacrifice it took to obtain it— prepared her for. I could have easily hung in there for five more years of a top-of-the-profession salary. But that would have nullified a fresh job opening for someone who truly craved it and needed it. Your profession may be far different. Or it may be similar.

Also, is the 9-5 job really such a significant and lasting contribution to society? Have you thought about what you might do if untethered from it? Perhaps that example, of breaking free and engaging in a meaningful life project, or two, or three, would be an example just as lasting and intriguing as anything you do while sticking out the job for another decade or so.

Maybe so, maybe no.
"We don't see things as they are; we see them as we are." Anais Nin | | "Sometimes the first duty of intelligent men is the restatement of the obvious." George Orwell
SGM
Posts: 3341
Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2011 4:46 am

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by SGM »

It will be 4 years in August since I retired. We don't travel a lot, but expect to do more as we were reluctant to leave elderly parents who are now gone. I like running into my old patients. I ran into one today at lunch. The lacrosse backstop I gave him years ago for his grandson was put to good use. The grandson is a high school student now and has committed to UNC for lacrosse. I enjoy meeting old buds at Grand Rounds. I have met a lot of new friends at art classes I have been taking for some time now. I go out every morning for coffee and have made some interesting friends.

I I have found the time to reconnect with old friends too. There is more time to exercise. My limbs are too long to fit into a bath tub. I do enjoy the pool though. I get a chance to fish and bird hunt with a group that live for the sport. I got a little more respect when I made a few terrific shots early last winter. When the commercial season starts I will get out on the Bay with the pros and bring in some very big rockfish.

We enjoy films, musicals, plays, and several museums. We have a beach house that is an area with a lot of other activities and good restaurants.

We are trying to simplify our real estate business and we have hired an accountant to simplify and computerize the books so that we can pay employees remotely. We may sell much of the residential apartments as they are the most labor intensive. Farm real estate almost runs itself.

Everything is looking up. :)
User avatar
winterfan
Posts: 826
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2015 10:06 am

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by winterfan »

md&pharmacist wrote: Sun Apr 22, 2018 9:24 pm Does it depend on how you feel about work? I feel that I'm helping people at work, in addition to helping the needy thru tithing.

I can retire tomorrow at age 45 but have no desire to do so. I know that when I do retire, that will include more volunteer work. I currently volunteer at a free clinic one day a month and it feels the most rewarding to me. I also mind the example I set for my children if I retire early and quit/decrease contributing to society.
I'm not sure if I'm retired or not. I think we are FI, but husband disagrees (he is attached to a certain $ figure). However, since I left work, I take care of the house and all kid related activities. Basically I am a mom/housewife, but we are tethered to our child's school schedule. DH doesn't like the idea of hanging around the house all day and he likes his work too. To be honest, I've been toying with the idea of PT work, but I haven't really find anything that works with our schedules. I volunteer some, but I have things to do at home so I don't want to commit too much.
ReadyToRetire
Posts: 64
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2016 8:47 am

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by ReadyToRetire »

This has been a great post! I always enjoy reading about folks who are a bit ahead of me on the time schedule. For a cubicle dweller, these types of stories are what keep me going.

Thanks!
User avatar
cfs
Posts: 4154
Joined: Fri Feb 23, 2007 12:22 am
Location: ~ Mi Propio Camino ~

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by cfs »

May 15th will be my 4th anniversary as a member of the Active Retired Force. I should have retired a couple of years earlier! I remain mentally and physically active. As a history aficionado, I read a LOT of history books checked out from my local library (I have no time for fiction), you are never too senior to learn.

I do a lot of travel, and before visiting I read the history of the country. Currently reading the history of Portugal, Lisboa is my next stop, plan to start walking north from there.

I continue with my daily LUng Distance workouts, don't miss a workout unless I am really sick, all my training starts and ends at my front door. Now I have time to admire Mother Nature, I do stop in the middle of my workouts to listen to the birds, observe the mountains, lakes, rivers, wildlife, meditate, and say a prayer.

Our boring retirement portfolio continues to grow, we have no need to withdraw a penny from our portfolio because ALL our expenses are covered by our pensions and social security checks, and oh, by the way, our mortgage was paid and it feels good.

Retirement is great, life is wonderful, God bless, gracias por leer ~cfs~
~ Member of the Active Retired Force since 2014 ~
cpumechanic
Posts: 186
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2010 10:42 pm

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by cpumechanic »

Retired year 2 as of this month. Pushed out of Megacorp at 60, plan was to leave at 62..

Glad they did it.. no regrets... I hated the thing they had turned my technical job into.

Sigh.

A good friend who worked with me at megacorp/high tech said it would take a year to get used to retirement.

I agree

Things I do/like

Travel more... bought small RV and drove across country, stopped in Sturgis, Mt Rushmore/Yellowstone and drove along the beautiful Columbia river in Oregon on way to Portland.

Visited some newly legal dispensaries in both Portland and across the river in Vancover.
Washington is "wide open" for newly legal stuff.. you walk in pay cash and leave.
In Oregon, you enter a locked room and must show DL to enter, they type it all into a database.
Big brother.. ... no thanks.

Of course I disposed of all that stuff the moment I hit the border.... it is so strong.. that 1/4 OZ would last years.
:sharebeer

Read more books, planted a larger garden, spent JFM in FLA to avoid the grey dreary weather in SW PA.

Slowly working on the house stuff that always needs repair refinish.
So far in year 1 I fixed front load washer (broken spindle) front load dryer (heat element) dishwasher (drain plugged with rubber one way valve I should have replaced 2 years ago).
Just repaired the 8 year old Maytag fridge... needed $130 circuit board swap.. found exact symptom on You-Tube, ordered part, 10 minute repair, 30 minute search to find fix.

Have time to listen to Rush in the afternoon.. he's usually pretty much correct, but maybe a little too angry.

Took RV to visit high school pal in Illinois... then up to Acadia, and on to far eastern Canada.

If you ever have time on your hands.. check out Prince Edwards Island beautiful place, great seafood, and beaches, friendly people.
Shame on me I did not know it was it's own province. We will definitely go back.

10 mile bridge is free to go there, $55 Canadian to leave.. nice place.

Long way from anywhere but very very nice.

Glad I don't worry about money or what day it is.. it just takes some time to get "used" to the freedom.

Regards
CPU
flounce
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2018 8:54 am

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by flounce »

I am not retired yet.

Most folks seem happy with their retirement. This is refreshing to hear.
I would like to hear from single folks. How do you spend your time? Do you also travel alone?
hirlaw
Posts: 464
Joined: Tue Sep 29, 2009 10:20 am

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by hirlaw »

I'm 61 and retired 3 months ago. As a sports nut, I have a part-time job as a tour guide for the local major league baseball team. I think it helps the retirement transition to have some regular activity, be it volunteer work, part-time work or whatever you are interested in. The first couple of weeks of retirement is a bit of an "adjustment." Just being around the neighborhood when everyone is at work is strange at first. But, you will adjust and enjoy.

My wife is still working for the time being and we have an elderly blind dog that is limiting our travel for now. But once she stops working (and the dog is in doggie heaven), we plan to do a lot more traveling.
fourwaystreet
Posts: 160
Joined: Fri Sep 14, 2012 1:15 pm
Location: Central NY

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by fourwaystreet »

I retired not quite 2 years ago at age 59. My DW (same age) plans on working until full retirement age (good for her I say). Retirement for me has been a wonderful thing. I play a lot of golf during the season although my game has only marginally improved. During the winter months I go to the gym several times a week and snow blow my driveway along with two neighbors when needed. My wife does not leave me honey do lists but I do both the laundry and the grocery shopping willingly. I get 7.5 hours of sleep per night, my stress level is way down, I have become a much more patient person in general. I even took in the Little League World Series last year. I could go on and on about my five grandsons but I will stop here.
When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure.
MandyT
Posts: 323
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2016 1:29 pm

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by MandyT »

tennisplyr wrote: Fri Apr 20, 2018 7:31 am For those of you who have retired within the past year or so, how is it? Have there been any major surprises or adjustments you've had to make. Anything you need help with?
I retired last summer. So far, I love, Love, LOVE being retired. I'm an introvert by nature, and it's fabulous to have peace and quiet as a default with the option to add activities and social contacts as desired.

Surprises? The main one is how easy it is to fill up my time. I'm never bored, even though I might go through a week and not be able to identify what I did all day, every day. (I've been involved in several musical activities, but that's mainly evenings and weekends.) I like to keep up with Bogleheads and a couple of other message boards, and it's nice to be able to go down some interesting "rabbit holes" on the Internet without having to feel guilty about the time spent.

Another thing that's sort of a surprise is that I haven't had an irrestible urge to move from the smallish town in which I taught at the university to a nearby larger city. I looked into some apartments which seemed promising online but turned out to have issues when I physically visited them. I have a nice apartment for a low rent, and, as long as I don't mind driving to the city, there are a lot of advantages to staying put. I'm going to keep looking around, but it doesn't seem particularly urgent.

Adjustments? Seeing my bank balance decline instead of increase is a change. I've run the numbers enough times to feel fairly secure, but it still takes getting used to. I bought a car last year, which I hope will last me a while (I traded in the last one after 13 years and 170,000 miles). I'm also trying to do the "right" amount of travel. There are some things I want to do while I have health and mobility (such as a bucket-list trip that's coming up in May). Those of the kinds of things I can reduce later to save money, if necessary (and will probably not want to do as much of, anyway). So far, I think my adjustment has been healthy: I have a frugal enough nature that I'll tend to balance an extravagance with a saving somewhere else (e.g., I scrapped a possible trip to DC in June) but my routine day-to-day spending hasn't changed much.

Anything I need help with? Not for now. I'm 56 years old with no family to speak of; because of that, I might end up in assisted living sooner than someone with family, but I hope that won't be necessary until a long time from now.
User avatar
VictoriaF
Posts: 20122
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:27 am
Location: Black Swan Lake

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by VictoriaF »

flounce wrote: Mon Apr 23, 2018 9:30 pm I am not retired yet.

Most folks seem happy with their retirement. This is refreshing to hear.
I would like to hear from single folks. How do you spend your time? Do you also travel alone?
I am single and travel alone. I travel quite a lot. In the first two years of retirement, I spent about 33% of time away from home. Now, I am down to about 25%. I think there are types of travel geared to couples and types for singles. For example, hiking vacations are great for singles, and couples come only if they share interest in hiking and are in similar physical shape. I like to go to el Camino de Santiago, where I walk for 6 weeks with a backpack and share lodging and meals with hundreds people from around the world. Most people on the Camino are single; and the environment is very friendly and supportive.

I also travel to meetings of interest groups. One such group holds annual meetings in rotating European capitals, frequently followed by tours of the country. This summer it will be Belgrade and a week-long tour of Serbia.

Victoria
Inventor of the Bogleheads Secret Handshake | Winner of the 2015 Boglehead Contest. | Every joke has a bit of a joke. ... The rest is the truth. (Marat F)
Cycle
Posts: 2047
Joined: Sun May 28, 2017 7:57 pm
Location: Minneapolis

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by Cycle »

VictoriaF wrote: Fri Apr 20, 2018 12:17 pm
3. I have always led a healthy life and don't have any diseases. But recently I started reading about and implementing advanced health-related activities such as intermittent fasting, barefoot shoes, Epsom salt baths, cold showers, orange goggles when using electronic devices, and a bed of nails.
Don't forget cold showers (Wim Hoff method), longer fasts (episode 117 tim ferris podcast with Dom D'Angostino), and the Rhonda Patrick episodes on the Joe Rogan podcast have lots of the super-aging stuff you might be interested in
Never look back unless you are planning to go that way
User avatar
PinotGris
Posts: 1115
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 8:38 pm

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by PinotGris »

In 2000 I was 50 when I decided to get my MFA in fiction and quit my job. My husband continued to work and retired 4 years ago. Those 2+ years of school were wonderful. I published several short fiction, one got honorable mention in Pushcart Prize for Fiction, and 2 years ago I published my first novel. Worked on that for ten years doing considerable amount of research. The book was well received. I feel fulfilled but have no more desire to write fiction. Done with it but I toy with ideas for some other kind of book.
I am active in my community, I volunteer with a TV production group of seniors, and today I interviewed a Poet Laureate for our show which is broadcast every day on a community channel. I also volunteer with a fix it shop to repair lamps and stuff that people bring in. I don't fix anything, just count the money! I love listening to all the stories we share while waiting for our "customers."
I discovered birds 3 years ago and I am now deep into study of birds, habitats, so much to learn and see. I will be traveling with the Audubon to Cape May to bird.
I am learning a new language - Sanskrit. It is very hard and I take my time, not in any hurry.
I cook a lot more than I used and my kids say I never cooked this way when they were growing up. We eat out occasionally with friends or family. We have always travelled and recently we decided to travel within the country. Life is good.
User avatar
VictoriaF
Posts: 20122
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:27 am
Location: Black Swan Lake

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by VictoriaF »

Cycle wrote: Tue Apr 24, 2018 10:01 pm
VictoriaF wrote: Fri Apr 20, 2018 12:17 pm
3. I have always led a healthy life and don't have any diseases. But recently I started reading about and implementing advanced health-related activities such as intermittent fasting, barefoot shoes, Epsom salt baths, cold showers, orange goggles when using electronic devices, and a bed of nails.
Don't forget cold showers (Wim Hoff method), longer fasts (episode 117 tim ferris podcast with Dom D'Angostino), and the Rhonda Patrick episodes on the Joe Rogan podcast have lots of the super-aging stuff you might be interested in
Excellent tips! Thank you, I will check them out,

Victoria
Inventor of the Bogleheads Secret Handshake | Winner of the 2015 Boglehead Contest. | Every joke has a bit of a joke. ... The rest is the truth. (Marat F)
UpperNwGuy
Posts: 9477
Joined: Sun Oct 08, 2017 7:16 pm

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by UpperNwGuy »

flounce wrote: Mon Apr 23, 2018 9:30 pm I am not retired yet.

Most folks seem happy with their retirement. This is refreshing to hear.
I would like to hear from single folks. How do you spend your time? Do you also travel alone?
I'm single and in my 60s. Been retired for almost five years. My favorite activity is travel, and I usually travel alone. I've made five trips to Europe (Switzerland, France, and Spain) so far and am about to leave on my sixth. (Victoria: I'll be in two cities along the main Camino de Santiago and two other cities along the secondary routes.) I also visit family here in the US. I live in a large city, so there's always lots of energy around me when I'm home. I do a lot of walking, cooking, shopping at farmers markets, reading, and listening to classical music. I'm happy so far with my approach to being single and retired. My father is also single and retired, and he's living in a large retirement community in the south where there is lots of social life and many planned activities. I visit him often and see what life is like there. For the time being I prefer my lifestyle, but I wonder if I will think differently when I'm older.
User avatar
VictoriaF
Posts: 20122
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:27 am
Location: Black Swan Lake

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by VictoriaF »

UpperNwGuy wrote: Wed Apr 25, 2018 3:10 pm (Victoria: I'll be in two cities along the main Camino de Santiago and two other cities along the secondary routes.)
You probably mean Camino Frances, the busiest path to Santiago. Which cities will you be visiting? My favorite ones are Pamplona and Burgos. They are early along Camino Frances, there are still not too many pilgrims, and people are more open to social interactions and friendships. Later, it gets more crowded and people tend to stay closer to the friends they have made earlier. If you are not a pilgrim, it's probably irrelevant for you. But if you have a chance, ask pilgrims about their experiences and impressions. May be you will decide to become one of them.
UpperNwGuy wrote: Wed Apr 25, 2018 3:10 pmI also visit family here in the US. I live in a large city, so there's always lots of energy around me when I'm home. I do a lot of walking, cooking, shopping at farmers markets, reading, and listening to classical music. I'm happy so far with my approach to being single and retired. My father is also single and retired, and he's living in a large retirement community in the south where there is lots of social life and many planned activities. I visit him often and see what life is like there. For the time being I prefer my lifestyle, but I wonder if I will think differently when I'm older.
I favor large cities. And, in my opinion, the older one gets the more advantageous it is to be in a large city. The social life of retirement communities and their planned activities are not interesting to me. I could politely tolerate them for a few hours, or even a few days, but spending the rest of my life there would be intolerable. In a large city, by contrast, you can always get to something exciting--by walking, by metro, by Uber.

Victoria
Inventor of the Bogleheads Secret Handshake | Winner of the 2015 Boglehead Contest. | Every joke has a bit of a joke. ... The rest is the truth. (Marat F)
UpperNwGuy
Posts: 9477
Joined: Sun Oct 08, 2017 7:16 pm

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by UpperNwGuy »

Victoria: I will fly into Madrid and take the Renfe train to Leon, then to Burgos, then to Valladolid, then to Salamanca, then back to Madrid, then fly home, all in 17 days. Last fall I spent three nights in Logrono as part of a three week visit to Spain, and to my surprise, discovered the Camino one block away from my hotel. I followed the Camino across the Ebro River on my way to visit Bodegas Franco-Espanolas and passed a number of pilgrims along the way. Of course, I was headed away from Santiago....
User avatar
VictoriaF
Posts: 20122
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:27 am
Location: Black Swan Lake

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by VictoriaF »

UpperNwGuy wrote: Wed Apr 25, 2018 6:46 pm Victoria: I will fly into Madrid and take the Renfe train to Leon, then to Burgos, then to Valladolid, then to Salamanca, then back to Madrid, then fly home, all in 17 days. Last fall I spent three nights in Logrono as part of a three week visit to Spain, and to my surprise, discovered the Camino one block away from my hotel. I followed the Camino across the Ebro River on my way to visit Bodegas Franco-Espanolas and passed a number of pilgrims along the way. Of course, I was headed away from Santiago....
Sounds wonderful! Buen Camino!

Victoria
Inventor of the Bogleheads Secret Handshake | Winner of the 2015 Boglehead Contest. | Every joke has a bit of a joke. ... The rest is the truth. (Marat F)
barry2ipa
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2018 1:36 pm

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by barry2ipa »

Very nice thread - lots of good insight.

Question:
Maybe i am being paranoid - but i wanted a somewhat rigorous plan for the 1st year of retirement. My wife wants to just take 6 months to relax and then figure out things.

My worry is that i dont want us to get into a habit of not making the most of each day.

Thoughts?
marc in merrimack
Posts: 577
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2007 9:15 am
Location: Massachusetts

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by marc in merrimack »

VictoriaF wrote: Tue Apr 24, 2018 9:17 pm
flounce wrote: Mon Apr 23, 2018 9:30 pm I am not retired yet.

Most folks seem happy with their retirement. This is refreshing to hear.
I would like to hear from single folks. How do you spend your time? Do you also travel alone?
I am single and travel alone. I travel quite a lot. In the first two years of retirement, I spent about 33% of time away from home. Now, I am down to about 25%. I think there are types of travel geared to couples and types for singles. For example, hiking vacations are great for singles, and couples come only if they share interest in hiking and are in similar physical shape. I like to go to el Camino de Santiago, where I walk for 6 weeks with a backpack and share lodging and meals with hundreds people from around the world. Most people on the Camino are single; and the environment is very friendly and supportive.

I also travel to meetings of interest groups. One such group holds annual meetings in rotating European capitals, frequently followed by tours of the country. This summer it will be Belgrade and a week-long tour of Serbia.

Victoria
Can you say a bit more about some of the special interest groups you've joined up with? Some examples of the groups themselves and how you found them would be helpful.
User avatar
VictoriaF
Posts: 20122
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:27 am
Location: Black Swan Lake

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by VictoriaF »

barry2ipa wrote: Thu Apr 26, 2018 10:51 am Very nice thread - lots of good insight.

Question:
Maybe i am being paranoid - but i wanted a somewhat rigorous plan for the 1st year of retirement. My wife wants to just take 6 months to relax and then figure out things.

My worry is that i dont want us to get into a habit of not making the most of each day.

Thoughts?
Before I retired, I've seen some articles and references to research that many people expire soon after retirement. "Expire" in physical or intellectual sense. I did not think it would happen to me, but I am well aware of the overconfidence cognitive bias and the need to consider the base rate when plunging into a new venture. I was retiring "to" rather than "from" and did not want to waste the best opportunity of my lifetime, when I had health, time, freedom, and money.

Two weeks before my retirement became final, I have moved from a suburban area where my office was located to the Washington metropolitan area. I wanted to have an easy access by foot or metro to numerous D.C. attractions, many of which are free.

I have not had a TV at home for over 10 years, and thus I was safe from this retiree killer.

More to your point, I have defined for myself 3 grand retirement projects that would keep me engaged. I knew that my projects may not proceed as planned, but I hoped that with 3 of them, I would have sufficient redundancy. I have accomplished one of my projects fairly quickly and successfully. One of my projects became infeasible due to geopolitical changes. And the third project has evolved into a different version.

The accomplished project was to walk el Camino de Santiago. I went to the Camino 6 months after retiring, but I started the preparations almost immediately. Today, when I talk about the Camino I am knowledgeable and confident, but when I have started my preparations I had doubts about everything. How much can I really carry in my backpack for several weeks? Am I in an adequate physical condition to walk 800 kilometers? Is my Spanish sufficient in tiny villages? Where will I be getting cash? What if I am robbed? What is the most appropriate rain gear? How to deal with a common problem of blisters? (Spoiler alert: I carried a needle with a string and popped a blister by sewing through it and leaving the string in.) In the retrospect, my preparations were a complex multifaceted project that kept me not "busy" but "excited."

Going to the Camino first thing upon retirement was a right approach, for me. If I did not do it then, I would have gotten busy with the Washington attractions which would have made it difficult for me to carve a large amount of time for the preparations and actual journey. (I spent 2 months in Spain, 6 weeks of which I was walking the Camino.)

Best wishes,
Victoria
Last edited by VictoriaF on Thu Apr 26, 2018 1:38 pm, edited 6 times in total.
Inventor of the Bogleheads Secret Handshake | Winner of the 2015 Boglehead Contest. | Every joke has a bit of a joke. ... The rest is the truth. (Marat F)
User avatar
VictoriaF
Posts: 20122
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:27 am
Location: Black Swan Lake

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by VictoriaF »

marcwd wrote: Thu Apr 26, 2018 1:17 pm
VictoriaF wrote: Tue Apr 24, 2018 9:17 pm
flounce wrote: Mon Apr 23, 2018 9:30 pm I am not retired yet.

Most folks seem happy with their retirement. This is refreshing to hear.
I would like to hear from single folks. How do you spend your time? Do you also travel alone?
I am single and travel alone. I travel quite a lot. In the first two years of retirement, I spent about 33% of time away from home. Now, I am down to about 25%. I think there are types of travel geared to couples and types for singles. For example, hiking vacations are great for singles, and couples come only if they share interest in hiking and are in similar physical shape. I like to go to el Camino de Santiago, where I walk for 6 weeks with a backpack and share lodging and meals with hundreds people from around the world. Most people on the Camino are single; and the environment is very friendly and supportive.

I also travel to meetings of interest groups. One such group holds annual meetings in rotating European capitals, frequently followed by tours of the country. This summer it will be Belgrade and a week-long tour of Serbia.

Victoria
Can you say a bit more about some of the special interest groups you've joined up with? Some examples of the groups themselves and how you found them would be helpful.
The group is Mensa. I am a member of the American Mensa and travel to Annual Gatherings (AG) and Regional Gatherings (RG) in the U.S. Every summer I am coming to the European Mensa Annual Gatherings (EMAGs). I also get invited to the meetings and trips of the Czech Mensa.

The Swiss Mensa keeps a concise list of EMAGs here, https://www.mensa.ch/emag .

Victoria
Inventor of the Bogleheads Secret Handshake | Winner of the 2015 Boglehead Contest. | Every joke has a bit of a joke. ... The rest is the truth. (Marat F)
marc in merrimack
Posts: 577
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2007 9:15 am
Location: Massachusetts

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by marc in merrimack »

VictoriaF wrote: Thu Apr 26, 2018 1:25 pm
marcwd wrote: Thu Apr 26, 2018 1:17 pm
VictoriaF wrote: Tue Apr 24, 2018 9:17 pm
flounce wrote: Mon Apr 23, 2018 9:30 pm I am not retired yet.

Most folks seem happy with their retirement. This is refreshing to hear.
I would like to hear from single folks. How do you spend your time? Do you also travel alone?
I am single and travel alone. I travel quite a lot. In the first two years of retirement, I spent about 33% of time away from home. Now, I am down to about 25%. I think there are types of travel geared to couples and types for singles. For example, hiking vacations are great for singles, and couples come only if they share interest in hiking and are in similar physical shape. I like to go to el Camino de Santiago, where I walk for 6 weeks with a backpack and share lodging and meals with hundreds people from around the world. Most people on the Camino are single; and the environment is very friendly and supportive.

I also travel to meetings of interest groups. One such group holds annual meetings in rotating European capitals, frequently followed by tours of the country. This summer it will be Belgrade and a week-long tour of Serbia.

Victoria
Can you say a bit more about some of the special interest groups you've joined up with? Some examples of the groups themselves and how you found them would be helpful.
The group is Mensa. I am a member of the American Mensa and travel to Annual Gatherings (AG) and Regional Gatherings (RG) in the U.S. Every summer I am coming to the European Mensa Annual Gatherings (EMAGs). I also get invited to the meetings and trips of the Czech Mensa.

The Swiss Mensa keeps a concise list of EMAGs here, https://www.mensa.ch/emag .

Victoria
Thanks for this, Victoria.
User avatar
cinghiale
Posts: 1365
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2007 4:37 pm
Location: A latare Mare Nostrum

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by cinghiale »

barry2ipa asked,
Question:
Maybe i am being paranoid - but i wanted a somewhat rigorous plan for the 1st year of retirement. My wife wants to just take 6 months to relax and then figure out things.

My worry is that i dont want us to get into a habit of not making the most of each day.
This may be a case where you can have it both ways. One great positive surprise in finishing work is how much cognitive, physical, and emotional energy is released by not having to commute and work. I finished up 2.5 years ago and changed countries of residence a month later. Life has been packed with travels, language acquisition, meeting new people, discovering a new city, and regular visits to good museums and live symphonic music. And, at the same time, our days include two hour lunches, regular naps, long walks in the park, visits to the open air markets, and extended stretches of time with a good book.

Point being, relax. Set some goals for the first 6 to 12 months, but get rid of the word “rigorous.” Relax and enjoy. This is the time, finally, finally, to embrace both new discoveries and deep relaxation. It’s one of the few, the very few, “both-and” arrangements in life.
"We don't see things as they are; we see them as we are." Anais Nin | | "Sometimes the first duty of intelligent men is the restatement of the obvious." George Orwell
jaxbmw
Posts: 20
Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2008 6:45 am

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by jaxbmw »

First let me say that I loved my job. I worked long hours and traveled frequently but looking back there is not much I would have changed.

Now, I retired when I ran the numbers and there was no financial reason for me to work. In addition I had many interests outside of work that I had little time to do while working. This made it easy for me to decide to retire at 56.

In my situation I developed a plan focusing on volunteering, exercise, playing a musical instrument, playing golf, travel and education. I have maintained this strategy with modifications as some things worked and others did not. I do not know how I HAD time for work. I enjoy my time now, however long it is. One of the best decisions I have made.

JT
User avatar
Topic Author
tennisplyr
Posts: 3703
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 12:53 pm
Location: Sarasota, FL

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by tennisplyr »

jaxbmw wrote: Thu Apr 26, 2018 2:01 pm First let me say that I loved my job. I worked long hours and traveled frequently but looking back there is not much I would have changed.

Now, I retired when I ran the numbers and there was no financial reason for me to work. In addition I had many interests outside of work that I had little time to do while working. This made it easy for me to decide to retire at 56.

In my situation I developed a plan focusing on volunteering, exercise, playing a musical instrument, playing golf, travel and education. I have maintained this strategy with modifications as some things worked and others did not. I do not know how I HAD time for work. I enjoy my time now, however long it is. One of the best decisions I have made.

JT
+1. Yes many say they don't know how they had time to work. You only have 1 life why not live it on your terms.
“Those who move forward with a happy spirit will find that things always work out.” -Retired 13 years 😀
UpperNwGuy
Posts: 9477
Joined: Sun Oct 08, 2017 7:16 pm

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by UpperNwGuy »

VictoriaF wrote: Wed Apr 25, 2018 6:58 pm
UpperNwGuy wrote: Wed Apr 25, 2018 6:46 pm Victoria: I will fly into Madrid and take the Renfe train to Leon, then to Burgos, then to Valladolid, then to Salamanca, then back to Madrid, then fly home, all in 17 days. Last fall I spent three nights in Logrono as part of a three week visit to Spain, and to my surprise, discovered the Camino one block away from my hotel. I followed the Camino across the Ebro River on my way to visit Bodegas Franco-Espanolas and passed a number of pilgrims along the way. Of course, I was headed away from Santiago....
Sounds wonderful! Buen Camino!

Victoria
Gracias, amiga.
User avatar
VictoriaF
Posts: 20122
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:27 am
Location: Black Swan Lake

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by VictoriaF »

Cycle wrote: Tue Apr 24, 2018 10:01 pm Don't forget cold showers (Wim Hoff method)...
I have now watched several videos about Wim Hof's breathing method, including those featuring Wim and those by other people describing their experiences. This is one of the most valuable pieces of information I have learned in the Bogleheads.

And it's relevant to retirement. You must be retired and in control of your time to experiment with these kinds of exercises. It's far more difficult to find even 5-10 minutes in the morning when you are squeezed between an inadequate sleep and a brutal commute.

Thanks a million! (AKA as a Two-comma thanks),

Victoria
Inventor of the Bogleheads Secret Handshake | Winner of the 2015 Boglehead Contest. | Every joke has a bit of a joke. ... The rest is the truth. (Marat F)
User avatar
22twain
Posts: 4030
Joined: Thu May 10, 2012 5:42 pm

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by 22twain »

My transition to retirement a year and some months ago was probably different than for most people here because I was a college professor, so I was used to dealing with large blocks of unstructured time during the summer. Also, my last day at work was the end of fall semester, so I first entered what would have been a 2-week Christmas break anyway. I simply never went back to work after break!

I haven't cut ties completely, however. I usually pass through my old college on my regular walks, and often run into former colleagues. My wife has still been teaching there part time even though she's also officially retired. I meet her there for lunch in the dining hall once a week.

I mostly enjoyed my teaching career, but I'm glad I no longer have the pressure of grading, and of "live performance" 10-12 times per week. Even if I hadn't been forced out of teaching and into administrative work because of cutbacks here, I think I would have been psychologically ready to retire at the time I actually did.
Meet my pet, Peeve, who loves to convert non-acronyms into acronyms: FED, ROTH, CASH, IVY, ...
amitb00
Posts: 530
Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2012 8:04 am

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by amitb00 »

Nice thread. Great to read about retirement experience s Enjoy folks.
NoMad18
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Jun 18, 2017 9:10 am

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by NoMad18 »

This was a great thread to read. For those of us not yet retired, but close, it helps to hear from others with real life examples. Thanks to all for sharing!
User avatar
gasdoc
Posts: 2042
Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2014 7:26 am

Re: New retirees: so whatdayathink ?

Post by gasdoc »

I don't have anything to add- but I am not quite ready for this thread to end. Thanks for all the comments, people! I am close enough that I am really paying attention!

gasdoc
Post Reply