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12-24-2018, 06:12 AM
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#1
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 1,867
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Retirement Now What?
IMG_0316.jpgOn it surface this is what 36 plus years at one firm looks like - moved to their new home. Oh there where a few heavy acrylic service awards that I tossed but because I’ve worked out of a number offices, I adopted a king of office minimalism. For us oldsters It’s all the rage- it kind of statement- “I’m ready to go”. You’ll note: My excel books are a few generations old as the firm was always a generation or two behind. Those books have a special place in my heart as they were essentially the tools of my trade and served me well.
Big corporations have always been the target of much hatred - with good reason but, I have to be honest Chase/JPMorgan was always good to me. I like to say I worked during the golden age of benefits. Sadly that has all changed. Seems like a contest now who can give the least. We are savers but now the burden of building of ‘the pile’ has shifted fully to my younger colleagues shoulders - I cant help but worry about how many will do the right thing.
I kept my head down and survived countless RIFs (Reduction In Force). Technical aptitude helped: I took every course that I could. I used every idle moment to learn new skills. I don’t think that is likely to change in retirement. I think Dick Van Dyke advised “keep moving” and thats what intend on doing.
The thing is I have a sense of a few things Id like to do and I’ve started a few but I don’t have an absolute plan. (Should I be worried?) For One you know those Viking Cruises with all the Greys dancing.. I think I’d like to be one. Two might be figuring out where to live. I’ve vowed to get busy after Christmas.
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12-24-2018, 07:05 AM
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#2
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Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 9,182
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Congratulations. You’ll do fine without a plan. Take that cruise and decompress and the path forward will come to naturally. It might not (will not) happen in the time between Christmas and New Years, but by next year, you’ll be doing fine. It takes time. Enjoy the journey.
__________________
Every day when I open my eyes now it feels like a Saturday - David Gray
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12-24-2018, 07:50 AM
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#3
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 11,702
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Four months in and a very fuzzy plan is emerging. We feel no rush. Enjoying it as it comes.
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12-24-2018, 08:03 AM
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#4
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Santa Paula
Posts: 4,077
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Ray,
I still have my Excel book. I still use Excel in many ways. I used to do statistical analysis for a food bank, and loved using pivot tables.
Next month will be 10 years for me.
I am always on the lookout for opportunities to give back to the community. My most recent gig was repairing walkers and wheelchairs at a Hospice.
Good luck in your retirement.
__________________
Retired Jan 2009 Have not looked back.
AA 60/35/5 considering SS and pensions a SP annuity
WR 2% with 2SS & 2 Pensions
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12-24-2018, 08:17 AM
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#5
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Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Flyover country
Posts: 25,358
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rayinpenn
those Viking Cruises with all the Greys dancing. I think I’d like to be one.
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Be sure to get on the right one.
Viking cruise.jpg
__________________
I thought growing old would take longer.
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12-24-2018, 08:41 AM
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#6
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Huntsville, AL/Helen, GA
Posts: 6,002
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Ray: Congratulations on your next episode in life. I too am still using Office 2007 on DVD so I don't have to purchase it yearly.
Don't worry at all about what to do daily. Life starts again, and you'll find plenty to do. Sorry your PA weather is a little rough this time of the year.
We are always looking for the next cruise or the next cheap flight somewhere--and it's nice to have something to look forward to. We don't consider those Viking river cruises as we can take two or three trips for the price of one European river cruise.
Now if I can keep my wife from going on cruises with her girlfriends--like next week. Oh, well it'll be a vacation of sorts for my 7 year old granddaughter and me.
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12-24-2018, 08:47 AM
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#7
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 7,055
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Ray, relax and enjoy. We don’t take river cruises for the same reason as BM. We do love ocean cruises.
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12-24-2018, 10:05 AM
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#8
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 5,867
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Your plan will evolve in time. For now, relax and enjoy the fruits of your years of labor!
My "plan" has changed several times over the last two years, and that's OK with me, I don't report to anyone except DH now :-).
Have a wonderful holiday season.
__________________
Give a Man a fish, he will eat for a day.
Teach a Man to fish, he will eat for a lifetime.
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12-24-2018, 10:57 AM
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#9
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Hog Mountian
Posts: 2,077
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Congrats Ray!!!
I too had the good fortune to work for a fairly ethical company (and was well treated for the most part).
Spend some time in the moment and just decompress. As General Ike said many years ago, "Plans are useless; planning is essential."
__________________
Never let yesterday use up too much of today.
W. Rogers
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12-24-2018, 11:00 AM
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#10
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: New Orleans
Posts: 47,500
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Congratulations, Ray! So, have you worked your last day yet?
When I was a new retiree, priority #1 for me was to relax and completely de-stress. That task took months to years to complete. Consistent with that objective, and because I didn't quite know what to do with myself, I went to the gym for a couple of hours on most of those early days of retirement. Just remember your local gym isn't going anywhere and is always there if you need or want something constructive to do and a reason to get out of the house.
At some point it occurred to me (like a light bulb over the head of a cartoon character) that there is no requirement to have anything specific planned for any particular day.
You'll be fine! Enjoy your new freedom as a retired person - - it's wonderful IMO.
__________________
Already we are boldly launched upon the deep; but soon we shall be lost in its unshored, harbourless immensities. - - H. Melville, 1851.
Happily retired since 2009, at age 61. Best years of my life by far!
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12-24-2018, 11:15 AM
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#11
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Chicago
Posts: 13,186
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeWras
Four months in and a very fuzzy plan is emerging. We feel no rush. Enjoying it as it comes.
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12.5 years in and not even a hint of a fuzzy plan emerging. Enjoyed it a lot though........
From the Great Recession to the following wonderful bull run, from feeling great to DW's struggle with cancer and my miscellaneous aging issues, from continued wonderful long term friendships to having 3 very close friends die, from what we expected to what we didn't fathom, it's been quite a ride! But following a predetermined plan that's held steady over the course has defintiely not been part of it!
Other than a base foundation for investments and other financial matters, don't work too hard at developing a plan, even a fuzzy plan. Work on how you will enjoy your precious time and how you can and will be flexible as life takes twists and turns you never even came close to anticipating.
Just MHO.
__________________
"I wasn't born blue blood. I was born blue-collar." John Wort Hannam
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12-24-2018, 11:22 AM
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#12
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 13,150
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Congrats!
I still can't part with some of the great books that served me well, thought I've hung it up about a decade ago.
__________________
Have you ever seen a headstone with these words
"If only I had spent more time at work" ... from "Busy Man" sung by Billy Ray Cyrus
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12-24-2018, 11:29 AM
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#13
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 1,867
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Retirement Now What?
Quote:
Originally Posted by W2R
Congratulations, Ray! So, have you worked your last day yet?
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So I need to logon one more time...
1. Enter my time into a system so I get paid for unused vacation time
2. Run 3 last queries and send the results out. Less than an hours work.
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12-24-2018, 11:46 AM
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#14
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: northern Michigan
Posts: 2,215
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It's fine to have a plan (of sorts), but just realize that it will almost certainly evolve over time. Life happens, priorities can change, etc., but as long as you have the right attitude, you will enjoy it all.
Dick Van Dyke is now 93 years old, and still doing okay, as far as I know. His advice to "keep moving" is spot on. Staying active as you get older, and remaining enthusiastic about life (and learning new things) are important, at least for me.
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12-24-2018, 11:47 AM
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#15
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: New Orleans
Posts: 47,500
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rayinpenn
So I need to logon one more time...
1. Enter my time into a system so I get paid for unused vacation time
2. Run 3 last queries and send the results out. Less than an hours work.
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How exciting! Honestly I am so happy for you.
__________________
Already we are boldly launched upon the deep; but soon we shall be lost in its unshored, harbourless immensities. - - H. Melville, 1851.
Happily retired since 2009, at age 61. Best years of my life by far!
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12-24-2018, 11:50 AM
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#16
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: New Orleans
Posts: 47,500
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Quote:
Originally Posted by easysurfer
Congrats!
I still can't part with some of the great books that served me well, thought I've hung it up about a decade ago.
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I am in my 10th year of retirement now too, and recently I started thinking about getting rid of my engineering books and other reference books.
I really haven't looked at them in ages, and it would be one less thing to have to deal with when I'm older and feebler, if/when I need to move into assisted living at some stage.
Most of my reading is either online or on my Kindle these days. Paper books just aren't part of my life as much as they once were.
__________________
Already we are boldly launched upon the deep; but soon we shall be lost in its unshored, harbourless immensities. - - H. Melville, 1851.
Happily retired since 2009, at age 61. Best years of my life by far!
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12-24-2018, 12:17 PM
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#17
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Dryer sheet aficionado
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 26
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At Megacorp everything revolved around making a plan, providing status for the plan, being grilled about the plan, tweaking the plan and working like a crazy person to meet the plan.
Since retiring (5/31), we've been busy...weddings, purging, fixing up our house to sell (we're doing some and contractors are doing some). I'm sooooo looking forward to not having to have a plan. I want to get to our FL house and do nothing for about 6 months besides walking the beach, riding my bike, swimming, sitting by the pool, reading, drinking tea and sleeping. Only then might I even think about doing something "structured" like a yoga class or a pottery class or a volunteer job...maybe, maybe not.
I may well become bored without having anything that I have to do, but I'm willing to worry about that when/if it happens.
Live well!
__________________
Retired 5/31/2018 after 37 years as a software engineer at Mega Corp.
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12-25-2018, 07:07 AM
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#18
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 4,663
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Congratulations Ray! Enjoy your freedom. I agree with others that it’s best to let retirement come to you rather than trying to plan too much.
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12-25-2018, 07:41 AM
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#19
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,019
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Congrats and enjoy your retirement. I also went through a long phase where my megacorp wasn't what it had been "back in the day". Probably the best thing that ever happened to me, since that made it very, very easy to walk away and never look back.
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12-26-2018, 02:43 PM
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#20
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Hometown
Posts: 121
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Agree with not needing a plan, to just revel in letting retirement activities emerge and evolve. I left ALL of my reference books behind, actually many just got pitched, but I had moved out of being a technical doer into a management role many a year before, so I got past the sentimentality of having those book while still working. As an aside the community college I take a yoga class at makes available Office 365 for "free" to their students like myself - I also get gym access included (all for the cost of a single credit hour, and once I turn 60 that credit hour will be free). Now that you're free of the mega-corp you can get onto the most current software (although for my simplistic stuff I've just moved to Google Sheets and Docs).
__________________
Retired @55 in 2016 - enjoying every moment of it.
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