Will the class of 2010 please rise...

[Birdie Num Nums]

[M]y physician took me off my Hyzaar (blood pressure) and omeprazole (GERD). Don't need either any more due to weight loss, exercise and loss of stress from job at Megacorp....

Before I ER'd, I was on prescribed medication for what I believed was stress-related health complications. Long story short: I no longer ingest (expensive) pills.

 

[metabasalt]

Yesterday marked my one-year anniversary being ER'd. Wow, the year went by quickly! I've de-cluttered and thoroughly cleaned my home, exercised much more, read a ton of books, worked on my hobbies, and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast almost every day. So far, so good. As someone else said here some time ago--which became my motto (after repeating "Life is short" while deciding whether to ER): "Everyday is Saturday."

How's it working out for you, my fellow classmates?

A little over 13 months for me. As with you the year passed by so quickly that I hardly noticed it. Though I'd hoped to do things like clean up home and exercise more my art 'hobby' has taken up all my time. But that's really why I quit work. I wanted to be able to devote full time to it. In fact I was going nuts not being able to do so.

So now after a year of that, and a very happy one, I think year two is one in which I should find more balance and do some of those household chores, and in particular get more exercise. I do get some but not the daily exercise I'd planned on. One reason I quit was to do the best I could to assure good health. Exercise has to be part of that, at least for me.

What's amazing to me is that there still is nowhere enough time in the day to do everything I'd like. And I hardly even have noticed that I'm no longer working. I guess my mind had left work long before my body. Once I was gone it was just like a minor distraction had disappeared.

 

[Rascal]

ER'd since 7/2010
DW says, "retired for two weeks and you've got the Fiat on the road again!" Poor thing was in the garage for 14 years.

Life is too short to NOT drive a convertible.

Then it was off to Maui for a month. My stress level is way down. My company got bought out by Megacorp and moved from 1 block away to a 45 min drive. Am I glad I'm not doing that!

 

[Gone4Good]

How's it working out for you, my fellow classmates?

14 Months, 65 Stops, 22 States, 1 Province, No Complaints.

 

[Moscyn]

10 months have passed. How did it go so fast? I love reading the updates above esp those with improvements in health and low stress. Ditto for me too! DH who is still working also benefits from my ER as he gets lots of home cooked food and peace at home. Those are the important gains. Exercising everyday enables to keep my weight constant and tone up. Other than that, taken good vacations (been to Japan, New Zealand, China and Singapore). Will be going to Italy next month. Also, keeping brain alert by learning new things and monitoring my investments. One thing I note is that I've not made any new close friends - a few acquaintances but no new close friends. I still have the same old close friends which is fine.

 

[flyfishnevada]

11 months for me. It's been an eventful year. The first 5 months were like I expected. A lot of settling in, travel, relaxation. Then my father-in-law took ill and we had to move him into a home in December. He looked to be OK, but then went downhill, had a stroke on Feb 28 and died on Mar 18. We're in the middle of probate now.

Life is getting back to normal. I still managed to finish the first draft of a book and start a second. Fished a lot last fall and will more this summer and fall. Been to South Carolina, Jamaica, Dunsmuir CA and Elko NV, among other places. Been to Bandon OR 8 times taking care of my FIL and his estate. Golfing Bandon Dunes is on my bucket list. We stay with a friend across the friggin' street from the place, but still haven't gotten a chance to play a round. Oh well, I'd probably rather do it under happier circumstances anyway.

Stress is down overall, FIL issues not withstanding. Rarely think about work, but have been asked to fill in some attorneys on an old project for a pending lawsuit. I'll make $1500 for a 6 or 8 hour day. Not too shabby and I'll use the funds for a trip to Disneyland and a new DSLR camera to jump-start my photography hobby.

Spending lots of time with my boys, going to their games, taking them fishing, etc. School is out next week and looking forward to a whole summer with them. DW and I were in the habit of getting out of the house once a week or so (she works PT from home) for movies, bowling, lunch, hikes, whatever, but those kind of slid to the back burner. This fall when the kids are back in school we'll get back into the habit.

Overall, its been great. Even though we've had to deal with my FIL's death, I'm happy I'm doing it retired. Probably never going to work for real again. I'm now a writer, and I love it. Life is good. Congrats to all my classmates and I hope your retired lives are nothing but smooth sailing!

 

[Alan]

Overall, its been great. Even though we've had to deal with my FIL's death, I'm happy I'm doing it retired. Probably never going to work for real again. I'm now a writer, and I love it. Life is good. Congrats to all my classmates and I hope your retired lives are nothing but smooth sailing!

Thanks for the update, it's great to hear these positive ER updates.

In the last few months before we RE'ed and the following 18 months, all 3 of our surviving parents plus 4 of their siblings died. Very sad, but we were pleased to have the time available to be with the family during this stressful period. Being a whole continent away, we wouldn't have been able to do much if we'd still been working.

 

[Moscyn]

Very sorry to hear of the deaths of close ones. My father's health is deteriorating too. He finished 3 sessions of cancer treatment and seems fine but then other problems relating to liver sets in. Since we live in different countries, retiring gives more time for travelling to see him.

 

[flyfishnevada]

Very sorry to hear of the deaths of close ones. My father's health is deteriorating too. He finished 3 sessions of cancer treatment and seems fine but then other problems relating to liver sets in. Since we live in different countries, retiring gives more time for travelling to see him.

While loved ones becoming ill and/or dying is tough, not being retired would make it that much tougher. I don't know how we could have handled it.

 

[FIREd]

Ten months into retirement and I am loving it. I would say that my quality of life has improved markedly even if I haven't done a lot of exciting things yet. I stopped losing my hair and I think it actually is growing back!

 

[Alan]

I stopped losing my hair and I think it actually is growing back!

Isn't that remarkable. - congratulations.

3 years ago I was back in Louisiana and met up with my old boss and friend who had retired a year earlier. His hair was back to being mostly black, he'd lost a lot of the grey. I asked him about it and he assured me it was natural.

 

[Moscyn]

Isn't that remarkable. - congratulations.

3 years ago I was back in Louisiana and met up with my old boss and friend who had retired a year earlier. His hair was back to being mostly black, he'd lost a lot of the grey. I asked him about it and he assured me it was natural.

Oh, then maybe there's hope for me. My grey hair is still growing in its usual pre retirement rapid rate. For my case, I think it is not stress that gives me grey hair. I heard that too many surgeries and anesthetic contributes to faster grey hair growth which if it is true would explain why I still have so much grey hair.

 

[Alan]

Oh, then maybe there's hope for me. My grey hair is still growing in its usual pre retirement rapid rate. For my case, I think it is not stress that gives me grey hair. I heard that too many surgeries and anesthetic contributes to faster grey hair growth which if it is true would explain why I still have so much grey hair.

In my case, I wish had hair - grey or otherwise. No re-growth in evidence after 16 months of retirement.