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10-02-2011, 04:14 PM
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#481
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: New Orleans
Posts: 47,501
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I edited the post above and changed that. Looks good!
__________________
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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10-07-2011, 09:08 AM
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#482
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: NC Triangle
Posts: 5,807
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10-14-2011, 05:00 AM
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#483
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 348
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 Quote:
Originally Posted by wishing4it
It's finally my turn! I was hoping to post my retirement date earlier this year after the sale of our house but that deal fell through and we had to wait all summer for another buyer. But, the house is sold now and my DH gave his notice on Saturday. I'll be giving mine today. Retirement date for me is offically going to be October 7th at age 58! We will be exploring the country in our RV fulltime for at least the next 1-2 years. Can't wait to get going!
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hope to see you on the road aswe have been full timing in our rv 7 months now... no regrets
__________________
I am FIRE'd... :)
contract on the house, bought an RV and now traveling across America
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10-15-2011, 08:13 PM
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#484
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Dryer sheet aficionado
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Silicon Valley
Posts: 44
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Greetings fellow ER friends!
Just picked up this iPad gadget and have downloaded the ER app. This is really amazing! Finally finished my part-time gig @ megacorp and have now joined the real retirees. I'm out there Jerry, and loving every minute of it. For those of you that like Seinfeld. Congrats to the newly inaugurated into this class. I can now walk without a crutch so things are looking up. Still waiting to get the bike back. No emoticons in the mobile app.
Cheers
Nook
__________________
nook
Retired 07/29/2011 @ 50
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10-15-2011, 10:22 PM
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#485
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 413
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Enjoy your iPad! (I do.). Some emoticons are there but you have to do it the old fashioned way. 
Correction: I access ER using Forum Runner on my iPad but I think the dedicated ER app operates the same.
__________________
Retired - Class of 2011
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10-26-2011, 09:45 PM
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#486
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Desert SW
Posts: 358
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I am nearing 5 full months of ER. I thought I'd post some of my realizations to see if others have had similar experiences.
Positives:
- First off, I love the low stress lifestyle of doing whatever I want.
- Not having the Sunday night blues.
- Able to exercise every day. I've lost about 10 pounds.
- Financially, it's been a piece of cake so far - dividends and cap gains are paying all my essential expenses. Although those really bad stock market days do bother me more now than before.
Negatives:
- It has been a little difficult for my DW, as she continues to work, even though she encouraged my decision to ER. But it's improving.
- Sometimes I feel like a fish out of water. No one understands how or why I would "retire" at my age. I now feel a bit ashamed to tell people I'm retired.
- All my friends are still working, and we are drifting apart as we lose commonality, and some are probably a little peaved that I was able to ER.
Being home so much is a significant change, both good and bad. Using a typical grading system, I'd give my ER a solid "B". How about others in the class of 2011?
__________________
Retired in 2011 at 54
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10-27-2011, 07:32 AM
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#487
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 517
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Good post, Packman! Glad to hear you have settled in with your ER. I totally missed celebrating - yesterday marked 6 months since my last day at w*rk, but I guess I can celebrate that 6 months ago today was my first day of ER!! I still have a consulting agreement to help the folks at work over rough spots as necessary. I have said before that I did have a good job with great people, and they are not taking advantage. I've clocked 18 hours in the 6 months. Nice to have the pocket change.
I have always liked structure in my life, but it's also nice to have a lot of freedom "not" to have to be anywhere at any given time. I spend a fair amount of time with my parents who moved 45 minutes away last year (close, but not too close). I volunteer Tuesday mornings at PetSmart with the rescue kitties. Love that. I joined a Wednesday morning ladies bowling league which is loads of fun. I attend 2 different knitting groups (one is weekly, the other once a month); knitting is my favorite hobby, and I have knit lots of stuff for charity. So I have a bit of structure but also lots of free time.
I do find myself sleeping later, and watching TV while I check my iPad for emails, etc. in the comfort of my bed.  Getting a bit lazy, but that's not necessarily a bad thing!!
Like Packman, I also have an issue with DH who in theory knows that we have enough to ER, but can't make the transition from earning & saving to spending what we have saved. He still works full time. But with me at home to do the errands and the cooking and the housework, we do have more time together, so it's not bad. He turns 59 next week and keeps saying he wants to retire, but I don't know how long it will take him to make the mental leap. He is definitely envious of my freedom.
I'll also give it a B, maybe a B+.
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10-27-2011, 03:01 PM
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#488
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 217
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I feel embarrassed over my measly post count, but back on topic, I'll start with Pacman's list:
Positives:- First off, I love the low stress lifestyle of doing whatever I want. (100% agree)
- Not having the Sunday night blues. (100% agree)
- Able to exercise every day. I've lost about 10 pounds. (100% agree - well I don't exercise everyday but do get more exercise and have lost 10lbs - BP dropped high 120's/high 80,s to High 110's/ high 70,s)
- Financially, it's been a piece of cake so far - dividends and cap gains are paying all my essential expenses. Although those really bad stock market days do bother me more now than before. (the big drop in august knocked alot off my portfolio), but it's worked it way back some - so I'll see where I'm at at 12/31/11). I do have a non-inflation indexed pension covering a large part of my living costs)
Negatives:
- It has been a little difficult for my DW, as she continues to work, even though she encouraged my decision to ER. But it's improving. (n/a, no DW, just a kid finishing up college - home enough to disturb my serenity at times)
- Sometimes I feel like a fish out of water. No one understands how or why I would "retire" at my age. I now feel a bit ashamed to tell people I'm retired. I don't feel ashamed, more like "I'm cool")
- All my friends are still working, and we are drifting apart as we lose commonality, and some are probably a little peaved that I was able to ER. I can relate to the peaved/jealous friends. I didn't socialize much with people I worked with other than showing up at enough official functions and happy hours to meet the unwritten rules for interacting with colleagues, management, etc in the not in the office environment.
I could probably add some more things, but just to give a grade I'll go with a B+, I'm still learning and adapting.
Cheers to all of the class of 2011!!!!!
P.S. Can someone add one of those neat dancing icons after my name on the 2011 list
Thanks
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10-27-2011, 03:12 PM
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#489
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Administrator
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: N. Yorkshire
Posts: 34,130
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__________________
Retired in Jan, 2010 at 55, moved to England in May 2016
Enough private pension and SS income to cover all needs
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10-27-2011, 03:30 PM
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#490
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: NC Triangle
Posts: 5,807
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Alan's right about the limit on icons that can appear in a single post. This change happened earlier this year and Midpack posted about it after discovering it when updating the Class list.
So what that means is that when someone stops working and turns green, they get an icon and the first person currently with an icon has it dropped and can give their arm a rest (stealing Midpack's joke there!).
As far as which icon is used, Midpack came up with the convention (which I totally support) that the most-recently retired person gets their time in the sun to do the happy dance; all others get the little yellow guy.
I made an exception to that convention for myself when my big day arrived because I think that nothing is cuter than that little yellow waving guy 
"I won't dance, merci beaucoup"
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10-27-2011, 09:31 PM
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#491
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,558
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My husband - 25+ years in the United States Air Force - officially retired as of 1 Dec 2011 - I'm very proud of him and will tell him he is inducted in the class of 2011.
__________________
Deserat aka Bridget
“We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.”
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10-28-2011, 04:52 AM
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#492
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: New Orleans
Posts: 47,501
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Congratulations to your husband, deserat! I can easily see why you are so proud of him. I hope retirement is all that he wants it to be.
__________________
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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10-28-2011, 07:38 AM
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#493
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: NC Triangle
Posts: 5,807
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10-28-2011, 09:16 AM
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#494
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 50
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I forgot to add my name to the list  My official last day was 8/7/2011 but the paperwork was not complete until 8/30/2011, don't even ask. Mrsin is officially retiring 5/2012 but he has enough banked time and vacation to stop working in about 3 weeks  He can't wait!!
I am still in the giddy stage of retirement. 
Forgot to add, I'm 57 and he's 59, so not real early, but better late than never.
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10-28-2011, 11:03 AM
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#495
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Dryer sheet aficionado
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 35
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My wife and I are now at the 4 month stage of ER.
We have been like two kids in a candy store!
Held a family reunion, kind of easy when you have 3 weeks to prepare and every day off.
Played golf 4-5 days a week or whenever I want.
Exercised, it's a lot easier when you are not wore out from your job.
Travel, one week at my sisters lake home, a week for the car show in Deadwood, took grandkids to Haydays snowmobile event, visit daughters in Colorado for two weeks, went on 1st Antelope hunt. We just rented a place in AZ for Jan. and when we come back we will go on a month long snowmobile trip.
Stress is gone although the financial markets do provide a little. However from information on this board we did start out with enough cash to last 2 years so not really concerned.
Thought I would miss the people (I used to talk to about 75 people a day)but that is not the case.
Life is good.
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10-28-2011, 03:33 PM
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#496
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: NC Triangle
Posts: 5,807
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10-31-2011, 10:29 PM
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#497
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Confused about dryer sheets
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: N/A
Posts: 1
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Packman
I am nearing 5 full months of ER. I thought I'd post some of my realizations to see if others have had similar experiences.
Positives:
- First off, I love the low stress lifestyle of doing whatever I want.
- Not having the Sunday night blues.
- Able to exercise every day. I've lost about 10 pounds.
- Financially, it's been a piece of cake so far - dividends and cap gains are paying all my essential expenses. Although those really bad stock market days do bother me more now than before.
Negatives:
- It has been a little difficult for my DW, as she continues to work, even though she encouraged my decision to ER. But it's improving.
- Sometimes I feel like a fish out of water. No one understands how or why I would "retire" at my age. I now feel a bit ashamed to tell people I'm retired.
- All my friends are still working, and we are drifting apart as we lose commonality, and some are probably a little peaved that I was able to ER.
Being home so much is a significant change, both good and bad. Using a typical grading system, I'd give my ER a solid "B". How about others in the class of 2011?
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Long time reader , first time poster. First off, I pulled the trigger on early retirement on 6/30 of this year, so I guess that I can belatedly by added to the already illustrious class of 2011. AGE is 54. Packman's post really did a great job of capturing the feelings that I have had in my relatively short time of "retirement" My decision was health related both physical and mental (severe burn out and fatigue ). The later no doubt contributed to the former.
The last 2 points in the Packman's note is what I feel are most poignant and shared in my situation. I guess from having been such a hard charger all of my working life to now having to say "I'm retired" has been a bigger issue than I fully anticipated or appreciated . During my career, to be honest, I always admired and respected the people that had arranged their lives such that they could change course on their terms when they were in their mid-50's. Now there seems to be more than a little jealousy and disbelief that someone could possibly be in a position to do this. You do get the sense everyone thinks that you must have been forced out, or there is more to the story etc..
Maintaining friendships with former co-workers also has some of these same issues of an undercurrent of jealousy and it also inevitably draws you back into work discussions when you are attempting to create a new mental state apart from work.
Sorry to be so wordy on first post, but I have liked reading the posts of peoples' experiences with this new chapter of their lives and find it interesting how similar some of these experiences have been in this new life as an "early retiree".
Overall I would give this new experience a solid "B" primarily because of improved health (drop in blood pressure, weight etc.), but still a mixed grade on this new identity and label of being "retired" while still in your mid 50's.
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11-01-2011, 11:13 AM
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#498
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: NC Triangle
Posts: 5,807
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11-08-2011, 04:23 AM
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#499
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,558
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deserat DH is 45 y.o. to update your list steelyman
I'm quasi-retired....but the official one from the Reserves will be in 3-4 years...will cavort with all then - may even be retired from consulting, or seriously curtailed activities along those lines...
__________________
Deserat aka Bridget
“We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.”
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11-08-2011, 04:31 PM
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#500
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: NC Triangle
Posts: 5,807
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