The Class of 2011

[cj]

Yeah, I'm seriously loving this not working stuff. I don't know how I'd fit it into my schedule these days.

 

[NeverBored]

Well, the first major improvement I've found (after less than a week), is the acid reflux issue is GONE.

I've also ridden my bike over 60 miles this week. Feels really good.

 

[Alan]

Congrats to the new graduates. It really is amazing how busy you can be after retiring.

We had lunch today with our friends of 30+ years and agreed on a day out next week together, however they had not properly checked their diary and we've had to put it off until anther day. They have been RE'ed over 10 years now and their calendar is always packed. They are counting on another 5 years of good health (when they'll be 75) to fully enjoy their vigorous lifestyle, but they are so fit, energetic and vibrant I expect they'll still be running up mountains in their 80's.

When I first read Younger Next Year, I thought, "I know a couple of folks who are perfect models for this book".

 

[freedom42]

Wohoo! Gave my notice today! I feel better already, I've been in that place for 24 years and I'm out on July 28th. Don't tell anyone but on the 28th I'm gonna leave half way through my shift ) Can someone please add me to the list? thanks

 

[Alan]

Wohoo! Gave my notice today! I feel better already, I've been in that place for 24 years and I'm out on July 28th. Don't tell anyone but on the 28th I'm gonna leave half way through my shift ) Can someone please add me to the list? thanks

Congratulations

afntrn56 (55) 11/30
Arnie (55) 7/15
Beryl (56) 1/31
bizlady (55) 4/11
bob boag (55) 7/1
casky (58) 6/29
chas57006 & DW (a twofer) (57) 6/30
chinaco (55) 7/29
cj (56) 5/1
Coolius (60) 4/1
crispus (56) 2/?
dessert (60) 3/31
freedom42 (??) 7/28
frugal-one (??)
gsparks2 (55) 8/1
heirloom (61½) 6/1
heyduke (55) 3/1
Jacmac (53) 1/1
Jacmac DH (56) 5/31
jimbohoward69 (41)
jerryo (61) 8/31
JJPIES60 (61) 7/15
JmfromTx (56) 1/31
KingB (62) 1/31
KingB DW (63) 4/1
kwblack (54) 1/1
martyp (55) 3/1
Midpack (57) 6/30
NeverBored (59) 6/30
NookWine-n-Tinker (50) 7/29
norske69 (59) 6/13
nvestysly DW (48) Jan
nvestysly (52) 7/8
NW Landlady DH (55) 5/31
OhSoClose (54) 6/6
Packman (54) 5/31
Prototype (55) 1/15
Purron DH (55) 3/1
REattempt (46) 7/30
RunningBum (49) 3/15
Seeking Hobbes (48) 5/13
Sixteen Tons (57) 5/1
SomedaySoon(53) 5/10
Skye (62) 1/1
slj455 (62) 6/1
Southern Geek (55) 7/4
steelyman (53) 8/16
Sullidc (58) 1/1
Surewhitey (40) 9/5?
Surewhitey DW (46) 8/5?
TodaysTheDay (55) 3/14
Tomcat98 (43) 7/10
zaqxsw (57) 8/12

 

[steelyman]

Congratulations to nvestysly!

afntrn56 (55) 11/30
Arnie (55) 7/15
Beryl (56) 1/31
bizlady (55) 4/11
bob boag (55) 7/1
casky (58) 6/29
chas57006 & DW (a twofer) (57) 6/30
chinaco (55) 7/29
cj (56) 5/1
Coolius (60) 4/1
crispus (56) 2/?
dessert (60) 3/31
freedom42 (43) 7/28
frugal-one (??)
gsparks2 (55) 8/1
heirloom (61½) 6/1
heyduke (55) 3/1
Jacmac (53) 1/1
Jacmac DH (56) 5/31
jimbohoward69 (41)
jerryo (61) 8/31
JJPIES60 (61) 7/15
JmfromTx (56) 1/31
KingB (62) 1/31
KingB DW (63) 4/1
kwblack (54) 1/1
martyp (55) 3/1
Midpack (57) 6/30
NeverBored (59) 6/30
NookWine-n-Tinker (50) 7/29
norske69 (59) 6/13
nvestysly DW (48) Jan
nvestysly (52) 7/8
NW Landlady DH (55) 5/31
OhSoClose (54) 6/6
Packman (54) 5/31
Prototype (55) 1/15
Purron DH (55) 3/1
REattempt (46) 7/30
RunningBum (49) 3/15
Seeking Hobbes (48) 5/13
Sixteen Tons (57) 5/1
SomedaySoon(53) 5/10
Skye (62) 1/1
slj455 (62) 6/1
Southern Geek (55) 7/4
steelyman (53) 8/16
Sullidc (58) 1/1
Surewhitey (40) 9/5?
Surewhitey DW (46) 8/5?
TodaysTheDay (55) 3/14
Tomcat98 (43) 7/10
zaqxsw (57) 8/12

 

[Midpack]

Congratulations to nvestysly!

+1

 

[freedom42]

Thanks Alan ..oops, I'm 43 if you can add that. Birthday was a month ago so I missed my goal age but I dont care! this feels great.

 

[steelyman]

Added recent retiree RobertFrost (welcome!), who is just starting dinner

afntrn56 (55) 11/30
Arnie (55) 7/15
Beryl (56) 1/31
bizlady (55) 4/11
bob boag (55) 7/1
casky (58) 6/29
chas57006 & DW (a twofer) (57) 6/30
chinaco (55) 7/29
cj (56) 5/1
Coolius (60) 4/1
crispus (56) 2/?
dessert (60) 3/31
freedom42 (43) 7/28
frugal-one (??)
gsparks2 (55) 8/1
heirloom (61½) 6/1
heyduke (55) 3/1
Jacmac (53) 1/1
Jacmac DH (56) 5/31
jimbohoward69 (41)
jerryo (61) 8/31
JJPIES60 (61) 7/15
JmfromTx (56) 1/31
KingB (62) 1/31
KingB DW (63) 4/1
kwblack (54) 1/1
martyp (55) 3/1
Midpack (57) 6/30
NeverBored (59) 6/30
NookWine-n-Tinker (50) 7/29
norske69 (59) 6/13
nvestysly DW (48) Jan
nvestysly (52) 7/8
NW Landlady DH (55) 5/31
OhSoClose (54) 6/6
Packman (54) 5/31
Prototype (55) 1/15
Purron DH (55) 3/1
REattempt (46) 7/30
RobertFrost (62) 7/1
RunningBum (49) 3/15
Seeking Hobbes (48) 5/13
Sixteen Tons (57) 5/1
SomedaySoon(53) 5/10
Skye (62) 1/1
slj455 (62) 6/1
Southern Geek (55) 7/4
steelyman (53) 8/16
Sullidc (58) 1/1
Surewhitey (40) 9/5?
Surewhitey DW (46) 8/5?
TodaysTheDay (55) 3/14
Tomcat98 (43) 7/10
zaqxsw (57) 8/12

 

[SecondCor521]

Seasonality of FIREees...I didn't do the statistical analysis, but it sure looks like most FIRE folks retire in the first half of the year. If true, why is that?

2Cor521

 

[W2R]

Seasonality of FIREees...I didn't do the statistical analysis, but it sure looks like most FIRE folks retire in the first half of the year. If true, why is that?

2Cor521

It is best if you get any payout for unused vacation/sick time, or any severance pay, for it to be taxed in a year in which you don't receive a lot of income. So if one retires earlier in the year that works out better tax-wise. I retired in November, and if I had had any of the above it would have pushed me into AMT territory. I didn't have much of that sort of extra payment, so I had no reason to wait.

 

[nvestysly]

Mix Tape.... er Mix CD... iTunes Playlist

I'm only 52 but in the old days people would make mix tapes for parties, etc. With all the modern conveniences we have today I guess you just press the suffle button.

Anyway, DW suprised me on Friday (my last day of w*rk) with a mix tape. Well... it was really a CD. Here's the list:

Hard Working Man - Brooks & Dunn
Workin' for a Livin' - Huey Lewis
9 to 5 - Dolly Parton
Five O'Clock World - The Vogues
Forty Hour Week (For a Livin') - Alabama
End of the Line - Traveling Wilburys
I'm Free - The Who
Golden Years - David Bowie
Touch of Gray - Grateful Dead
I'm Free - The Soup Dragons
Aready Gone - Eagle
The Best is Yet to Come - Frank Sinatra
Take This Job And Shove It - Johnny Paycheck

 

[Seeking Hobbes]

Seasonality of FIREees...I didn't do the statistical analysis, but it sure looks like most FIRE folks retire in the first half of the year. If true, why is that?
2Cor521

For me... so that I could enjoy the summer!

 

[Midpack]

For me... so that I could enjoy the summer!

Actually that was a factor for me. I proposed leaving in Jan-Feb but my boss balked. When we start working toward an agreeable date I thought 'not much to do in winter up here,' so might as well wait until summer (and an extra final bonus check). If he had asked me to wait until Sept or later, I'd never have agreed to it...I did want summer off.

 

[dessert]

Seasonality of FIREees...I didn't do the statistical analysis, but it sure looks like most FIRE folks retire in the first half of the year. If true, why is that?

2Cor521

For me when I was planning my exit, I learned that I had to work one day into the next year to qualify for another 6 weeks of vacation. Then I could either take that vacation or sell it back.
Beyond that, my pension was calclulated from salary plus bonus. The bonus was paid out in March and used in the pension calculation so It was advantageous to stay until end of March which I did.
Where I worked hardly anyone retired in the fall of the year.

 

[steelyman]

For me when I was planning my exit, I learned that I had to work one day into the next year to qualify for another 6 weeks of vacation. Then I could either take that vacation or sell it back.
Beyond that, my pension was calclulated from salary plus bonus. The bonus was paid out in March and used in the pension calculation so It was advantageous to stay until end of March which I did.
Where I worked hardly anyone retired in the fall of the year.

That's pretty much what's happening with me. I have a contract year that ends in mid-August, and vacation payout is factored in to earnings, which translates into pension calculations. That's why I'm not one of the early 2011 graduates.

 

[steelyman]

Looks like Tomcat98 retired while no one was looking . Congratulations!

afntrn56 (55) 11/30
Arnie (55) 7/15
Beryl (56) 1/31
bizlady (55) 4/11
bob boag (55) 7/1
casky (58) 6/29
chas57006 & DW (a twofer) (57) 6/30
chinaco (55) 7/29
cj (56) 5/1
Coolius (60) 4/1
crispus (56) 2/?
dessert (60) 3/31
freedom42 (43) 7/28
frugal-one (??)
gsparks2 (55) 8/1
heirloom (61½) 6/1
heyduke (55) 3/1
Jacmac (53) 1/1
Jacmac DH (56) 5/31
jimbohoward69 (41)
jerryo (61) 8/31
JJPIES60 (61) 7/15
JmfromTx (56) 1/31
KingB (62) 1/31
KingB DW (63) 4/1
kwblack (54) 1/1
martyp (55) 3/1
Midpack (57) 6/30
NeverBored (59) 6/30
NookWine-n-Tinker (50) 7/29
norske69 (59) 6/13
nvestysly DW (48) Jan
nvestysly (52) 7/8
NW Landlady DH (55) 5/31
OhSoClose (54) 6/6
Packman (54) 5/31
Prototype (55) 1/15
Purron DH (55) 3/1
REattempt (46) 7/30
RobertFrost (62) 7/1
RunningBum (49) 3/15
Seeking Hobbes (48) 5/13
Sixteen Tons (57) 5/1
SomedaySoon(53) 5/10
Skye (62) 1/1
slj455 (62) 6/1
Southern Geek (55) 7/4
steelyman (53) 8/16
Sullidc (58) 1/1
Surewhitey (40) 9/5?
Surewhitey DW (46) 8/5?
TodaysTheDay (55) 3/14
Tomcat98 (43) 7/10
zaqxsw (57) 8/12

 

[Midpack]

Hey, steely - you're doing a great job keeping the class up to date. I am nominating you for class president.

 

[steelyman]

Hey, steely - you're doing a great job keeping the class up to date. I am nominating you for class president.

Thanks, but as you know the updating of this list has been a team effort, not just you and me, but Alan and several others. It is so great to see more and more people reach their goal!

You got the ball rolling here, so by virtue of that, in my opinion, you are the leader of the class.

So... I will decline the presidency but will be happy to settle for vice president. Or Homecoming Queen. And nooooo..... that has nothing to do with sexual orientation, more like a baseball analogy. All the people in our class are steadily rounding the bases and are finally Safe At Home. A bunch of Ted Williamses steadily hitting singles

I do reserve the right, however, to color myself happy when my own happy day arrives.

 

[casky]

I have only been retired for two weeks but one thing that I really like is Monday mornings. I always hated sunday night as my mind would switch from weekend to the start of another work week. Now sunday nights are great and Monday morning is even better! The first monday I put the tv on and watched the traffic tie ups and just smiled with my morning coffee.

Life is good!

 

[Midpack]

I have only been retired for two weeks but one thing that I really like is Monday mornings. I always hated sunday night as my mind would switch from weekend to the start of another work week. Now sunday nights are great and Monday morning is even better! The first monday I put the tv on and watched the traffic tie ups and just smiled with my morning coffee.

Life is good!

The thing I noticed right off the bat was not dealing with 50±10 emails every day (many of them people trying to hand me their problems) and not being glued to my BlackBerry 24/7. One night last week when I was going to bed I was looking for my new cell phone to put on my nightstand and realized, I don't have to do that anymore! These two changes alone have been a big relief, and I am sure I'll grow into more pleasant changes. Life is good indeed...in fact I put a Life is Good sticker on my car last Fall.

 

[heyduke]

yes indeed life is good, we have been sitting down in the lower Florida Keys for the past month in our RV and will be heading to Melbourne on Friday for a bit before heading to the northeast and we too love Mondays now...

 

[Midpack]

Congratulations to Danijoh, a new forum member!

afntrn56 (55) 11/30
Arnie (55) 7/15
Beryl (56) 1/31
bizlady (55) 4/11
bob boag (55) 7/1
casky (58) 6/29
chas57006 & DW (a twofer) (57) 6/30
chinaco (55) 7/29
cj (56) 5/1
Coolius (60) 4/1
crispus (56) 2/?
Danijoh (83) 1/?
dessert (60) 3/31
freedom42 (43) 7/28
frugal-one (??)
gsparks2 (55) 8/1
heirloom (61½) 6/1
heyduke (55) 3/1
Jacmac (53) 1/1
Jacmac DH (56) 5/31
jimbohoward69 (41)
jerryo (61) 8/31
JJPIES60 (61) 7/15
JmfromTx (56) 1/31
KingB (62) 1/31
KingB DW (63) 4/1
kwblack (54) 1/1
martyp (55) 3/1
Midpack (57) 6/30
NeverBored (59) 6/30
NookWine-n-Tinker (50) 7/29
norske69 (59) 6/13
nvestysly DW (48) Jan
nvestysly (52) 7/8
NW Landlady DH (55) 5/31
OhSoClose (54) 6/6
Packman (54) 5/31
Prototype (55) 1/15
Purron DH (55) 3/1
REattempt (46) 7/30
RobertFrost (62) 7/1
RunningBum (49) 3/15
Seeking Hobbes (48) 5/13
Sixteen Tons (57) 5/1
SomedaySoon(53) 5/10
Skye (62) 1/1
slj455 (62) 6/1
Southern Geek (55) 7/4
steelyman (53) 8/16
Sullidc (58) 1/1
Surewhitey (40) 9/5?
Surewhitey DW (46) 8/5?
TodaysTheDay (55) 3/14
Tomcat98 (43) 7/10
zaqxsw (57) 8/12

 

[steelyman]

Whoops - Danijoh is still just a kid

afntrn56 (55) 11/30
Arnie (55) 7/15
Beryl (56) 1/31
bizlady (55) 4/11
bob boag (55) 7/1
casky (58) 6/29
chas57006 & DW (a twofer) (57) 6/30
chinaco (55) 7/29
cj (56) 5/1
Coolius (60) 4/1
crispus (56) 2/?
Danijoh (63) 1/?
dessert (60) 3/31
freedom42 (43) 7/28
frugal-one (??)
gsparks2 (55) 8/1
heirloom (61½) 6/1
heyduke (55) 3/1
Jacmac (53) 1/1
Jacmac DH (56) 5/31
jimbohoward69 (41)
jerryo (61) 8/31
JJPIES60 (61) 7/15
JmfromTx (56) 1/31
KingB (62) 1/31
KingB DW (63) 4/1
kwblack (54) 1/1
martyp (55) 3/1
Midpack (57) 6/30
NeverBored (59) 6/30
NookWine-n-Tinker (50) 7/29
norske69 (59) 6/13
nvestysly DW (48) Jan
nvestysly (52) 7/8
NW Landlady DH (55) 5/31
OhSoClose (54) 6/6
Packman (54) 5/31
Prototype (55) 1/15
Purron DH (55) 3/1
REattempt (46) 7/30
RobertFrost (62) 7/1
RunningBum (49) 3/15
Seeking Hobbes (48) 5/13
Sixteen Tons (57) 5/1
SomedaySoon(53) 5/10
Skye (62) 1/1
slj455 (62) 6/1
Southern Geek (55) 7/4
steelyman (53) 8/16
Sullidc (58) 1/1
Surewhitey (40) 9/5?
Surewhitey DW (46) 8/5?
TodaysTheDay (55) 3/14
Tomcat98 (43) 7/10
zaqxsw (57) 8/12

 

[Alan]

It has been a few days since I last checked in on this thread - congratulations to the recent ER's

2011 is a pretty big class!!

I RE'ed in the first half of the year but that is just because my first possible date for ER with benefits was March 1st. I waited until March 2nd so I could earn another 5 days vacation as I passed the 25th year of employment. (I took those days paid as cash, plus it increased my pension incrementally). If my potential ER date had been in November I'm sure I'd have hung on until Jan 1st to maximise annual bonus for the year.