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Re: Things To Do Before You Die
Old 08-31-2004, 06:00 PM   #41
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Re: Things To Do Before You Die

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Don't put your list in concrete. Once you retire, your world is going to open like you've never seen it. *Flexibility and open-mindedness is key to enjoying things that you've not dreamed of yet.
Couldn't agree more! Plus the list keeps expanding! Mine has expanded from:
  • travel to
    • Israel (again)
    • Central America (again)
    • African photo safari
  • play more with grandson's & become active in their schools
  • volunteer with agencies that I deem worthwhile
  • start a small tax preparation business
to:
  • travels:
    • Panama Cruise covering Central America <did w/i 2 months of retiring this spring>
    • New England <Oct '04>
    • Fall in British Isles with old friend who moved there <changed to next spring>
    • Israel
    • Khyber Pass <India>
    • Spend Ca winter in Australia with friend who moved there
    • African Safari will happen sometime ... just don't know when
  • remodel house
  • keep learning how to play all over
Humph! : Wonder where the small business fits in? And I'm discovering that being on 2 volunteer boards while remodeling seems a lot like work. 8)
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Re: Things To Do Before You Die
Old 08-31-2004, 06:08 PM   #42
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Re: Things To Do Before You Die

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Take me for instance; *i'm a federal employee. *By the time i have just 15 years tenure, i'll get max leave and only have to work 36 hrs/week if you count leave, and even less if you count federal holidays off. *I made and underwent major sacrifices (schooling, costs) to have a GS-12 job at the age of only 30.

Ive read some of those lists and I cant help but wonder why you guys cant do a lot of those things while working. *Do I just have an unusual job, that includes leave and no more than standard full time? *Perhaps ER isnt really appropriate for a job like mine. *Perhaps ER is only for hard jobs and/or ones with high stress/long work hours.
I was a county employee, technically in mgmt but really a single person department. Worked 50+ hours a week with no overtime pay. Yes, I got the vacation hours. But, without coverage, I never managed to get more than a week off at a time. Makes it a little difficult to spend the fall in England / Scotland / Ireland or Dec-Feb in Australia. I was always on 'use it or lose it' which is where you do not collect any more vacation hours because you have too many on the books. Still, many do manage to get 2+ weeks off and probably last a lot longer than I did.
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Define ER
Old 09-08-2004, 04:07 PM   #43
 
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Define ER

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Another group is not exactly retired. They are non-working spouses of workers. This may be nice work if you can get it, but I would imagine also has its stresses, both current and possible. Like becoming a non-working ex-spouse.
I think you make a valid point. Are you REALLY retired if you are just not working and living off your working spouse? If that's the definition of retired, then I know plenty of 20 year olds who are "retired" because they are just living at home with their parents and being supported by them. In fact I know one guy who managed to save $200,000 by age 26 while living with his parents. He quit his job and still lives with his parents but doesn't spend a dime of his money except for car expenses, clothes, and entertainment. His parents pay for food, shelter and most living expenses and even gift him money when he is short. He said he is retired because his investments are earning about 4% a year ($8,000) which is what his current expenses are. However, without having the majority of his expenses being paid by his parents, he would not be "retired." He said his parent want to work and don't mind him being "retired" since he drives them long-distances once in a while and can be at home for the cable guy between 8 and 12 when they are at work.

I wonder how many people here call themselves retired, when in fact they are just not working and living off their parents or spouses, either fully or partially.

Whatever works for people is fine with me. I'm not here to criticize whatever arrangement people create for themselves. I'm just curious if ER is defined as:
1. Totally self-sufficient, and/or
2. Partly self-sufficient plus depending on someone else, and/or
3. Totally depending on someone else.
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Re: Things To Do Before You Die
Old 09-08-2004, 04:38 PM   #44
 
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Re: Things To Do Before You Die

While I recognize the large value of my wife's paycheck, I am not living off her (nor she off me). I was fully
retired for 3 years before we met and doing just fine.
Not sure how this will change in the future. Kind of taking it one day at a time for now.

John Galt
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Re: Define ER
Old 09-08-2004, 04:54 PM   #45
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Re: Define ER

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Oh Pleaaaase !!- Can I still wear the F*cking Retirement Merit badge ?
Baby Snooks, you get my vote. I have seen pictures of you all over the world, making love to the shiniest, fattest, most toatally appealing fish I have ever seen.

If your wife were supporting you, she wouldn't let you go.

Mikey
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Re: Things To Do Before You Die
Old 09-08-2004, 04:59 PM   #46
 
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Re: Things To Do Before You Die

Hi Cut-Throat! CHP?? Anyway, I am sure I speak for everyone in that we hold you in high esteem. You have
permission to continue to fly our official flag

John Galt
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Re: Define ER
Old 09-08-2004, 08:06 PM   #47
 
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Re: Define ER

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Who the F*ck cares, it's not like were in line for the Supreme Court or Anything. I don't care if a kid lives with his parents, if he Can explain Bond returns and Social Security laws to me!

This is a lot like asking? - Did you really make all your retirment money yourself? Or did you have a head start, because you were born in the U.S.A instead of the poorest F*cking Country on the Planet and have to work your way up?

I have not worked in 3 years - My wife Still works, but would have to work another 15 years to work as long as I do. Also she would have to add about 1/2 a Mil to the portfolio to equal what I brought to the table. So can I continue to post here, or have you decided that you are going to vote me off the island?

Oh Pleaaaase !!- Can I still wear the F*cking Retirement Merit badge ?
I don't understand your hostility. You make it sound like I care about your personal situation. I don't. I don't even know you. I didn't attack any person here including you and I certainly didn't mention you by name. I'm just asking a relevant general question in a civilized way about how people here define ER. Like I said in my original post, whatever works for people is fine with me. If I offended you somehow, I apologize.

But it sounds like you think that the ends justifies the means in that it doesn't matter how you get to the point that you don't have to work anymore. So by your answer, I take it that you are saying ER is defined as either being self-accomplished, jointly-accomplished, or accomplished by total dependency on another person.
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Re: Define ER
Old 09-08-2004, 10:24 PM   #48
 
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Re: Define ER

Quote:
I'm just curious if ER is defined as:
1. Totally self-sufficient, and/or
2. Partly self-sufficient plus depending on someone else, and/or
3. Totally depending on someone else.
I have another category for you.

4. Those who carry their own weight, and then some.


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Re: Things To Do Before You Die
Old 09-09-2004, 04:07 AM   #49
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Re: Things To Do Before You Die

I thought this thread was better when it was actually taking about things you wanted to do before you die.

I know a couple of people who are retired and have working spouses. THeir situation is that between investments and pension the non working spouse brings in about $5500 pre tax monthly and the working spouse aboout $2500. Obviously the non working spouse needs no support from the working and they have more than enough to fully retire as a couple. Continuing to work in these cases is a matter of personal choice. The working spouse has their own investments as well (significant but not huge) and is eligable for a COLA pension

Things to do before I die maybe even before I retire

tour Yukon
learn that the worst seldom happens
visit people I have not seen for years
Tour my ancestral home in England
about a hundred other things I have not put down here.
Oh yeah learn to type.
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Re: Things To Do Before You Die
Old 09-21-2004, 12:36 PM   #50
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Re: Things To Do Before You Die

Cross one thing off from my list: Last week I visited the Pyramids in Giza and it was amazing!
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Re: Things To Do Before You Die
Old 09-22-2004, 04:00 AM   #51
 
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Re: Things To Do Before You Die

Well, I had pickled squid in pizza That was pretty
amazing too. And this for JohnBLake. Hey man,
ER is whatever works for you. I am more comfortable
relying on myself, but that's just me. I have no problem with other's approaches, goals, or even their politics
as long as they stay out of my way. You see, I love
people. What I hate is them mucking up my life. Some of them are more lovable at a distance.

John Galt
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Re: Things To Do Before You Die
Old 09-22-2004, 10:51 AM   #52
 
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Re: Things To Do Before You Die

Quote:
Well, I had pickled squid in pizza And this for JohnBLake. Hey man,
ER is whatever works for you. I am more comfortable
relying on myself, but that's just me. I have no problem with other's approaches, goals, or even their politics
as long as they stay out of my way. You see, I love
people. What I hate is them mucking up my life. Some of them are more lovable at a distance.
John Galt
I have no idea what you are talking about. Aurora insinuated that many people on this board are living off of others, and aren't really 'retired'. I just pointed out that there might be some that are actually helping to support others. I don't live off anyone's earnings but my own. If I did, I'd earn my keep in other ways. I like this place because many smart people here post opinions and facts on issues that matter to me -- like where to invest my short term cash, and whether or not I can purchase an assault weapon via mail order. I value people's opinions based on facts and reason (sound familiar?). You will not catch me dismissing your opinions claiming they're right-wing neanderthal trash.
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Re: Things To Do Before You Die
Old 09-22-2004, 11:00 AM   #53
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Re: Things To Do Before You Die

Everybody loves to push things into black and white boxes. Its all gray though.

I was freestanding ER successfully, now I'm married with a working wife.

But I paid off all the debts, including the mortgage and the car payments.

I can continue to drain my dividends from the ER account to boost her income.

Because we have no debt and I'm kicking in more than enough to pay the bills, she can increase her pre-tax contributions to the max and we can fully fund a Roth for both of us.

Everybody wins.

Back to the topic at hand. I'm afraid most of the things I've always wanted to do before I died I already did or theres a strong impediment in the way.

I'd love to go to australia and travel around there a bit. The area and the critters there just fascinate me. Same for the far east. But I've only been on a plane once for more than 12 hours and that was WAY past my antsiness point. The flight attendants were ready to hike me out of one of the back doors.

Love to try skydiving. But I cant get myself to jump out of a perfectly good airplane.
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Re: Things To Do Before You Die
Old 09-22-2004, 11:14 AM   #54
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Re: Things To Do Before You Die

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I'd love to go to australia and travel around there a bit. *The area and the critters there just fascinate me. *Same for the far east. *But I've only been on a plane once for more than 12 hours and that was WAY past my antsiness point. *The flight attendants were ready to hike me out of one of the back doors.
Pay for the upgrade to first class. The legroom is incredible and the service is excellent. Even business class in one of the non-US airlines would probably be fine - e.g. Singapore Airlines (great stewardess uniforms ) or Japan Airlines. Or if even those won't work how about some kind of trip on a freighter? These look to be pretty interesting in their own right. http://members.aol.com/CruiseAZ/freighters.htm
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Re: Things To Do Before You Die
Old 09-22-2004, 11:19 AM   #55
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Re: Things To Do Before You Die

First class helps, but I cant sleep on a plane or a boat thats underway. Weird quirk. And ask my wife about my sitting still...i have a 30 minute timer that goes off and makes me get up and roam around doing stuff. Which is not particularly desireable on airplanes, especially these days.
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Re: Things To Do Before You Die
Old 09-22-2004, 12:18 PM   #56
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Re: Things To Do Before You Die

Things I want to do before I die:

1) Surf the best waves on the planet.
2) Snowboard the best slopes.
3) Learn foreign languanges (currently Spanish)
4) Martial arts (maybe Jujitsu in Brazil).
5) Yoga and tantric sex.
6) Study Buddism.
7) Build a house or small hotel in Central or South America.
8) Maximize happiness.

I have a pretty good start on number 1 and 2.

Snowboard (primarily for work )
Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Colorado, California, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Vermont, Canada, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Norway, Germany, Japan......(favorites: Whistler and Verbier)

Surf
Washington, Oregon, California, Hawaii, Vancouver Island, Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Indonesia (favorites: Indonesia, Panama). Next up Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Peru.

Surf
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Skydiving & airplanes
Old 09-23-2004, 09:35 AM   #57
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Skydiving & airplanes

Hey, th, jumpers may be leaving perfectly good airplanes, but they do it because of the aircrews.

Our kid's riding lessons are at a ranch next to a recreational airfield. Over the last three years I've spent many an enjoyable afternoon watching the jumpers come out, hearing their chutes pop, hearing the yells & screams (presumably excitement & happiness) and watching them ride the airfoils down. Parachutes are a lot better since 1979 and the Army's T-1B "dual vent" models.

This airfield just added a jump simulator that may suit your desires. It's a kid's bounce room on steroids. It's basically a 15-foot-diameter blower (with a padded screen, of course!) at the base of a 20-foot-tall plastic tower. You put a jumpsuit, stroll in at the bottom, assume the position, and get drafted up. You can practice aerodynamic positions (no, not that kind, I'm still talking about parachutes here) and if you smile you can also practice picking bugs out of your teeth.

If George Bush Sr can tandem-jump for his birthday then you can probably find something between these two alternatives.

OTOH... I was lounging on the beach one day when we saw a chute hit the water. I paddled out (on a short board, my first mistake) and realized it was just the chute. The jumper must have popped the harness and pulled his reserve, which let the first chute drift out over the ocean. I tried to recover the chute from the reef, which was my second mistake. The owner eventually paddled his kayak out, loaded it up, and struggled back to shore (cursing all the way). Wet nylon sure weighs a lot when you're trying not to drown.

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Re: Things To Do Before You Die
Old 09-23-2004, 09:41 AM   #58
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Re: Things To Do Before You Die

Hmm...that jump simulator sounds interesting, but I'm afraid I'll have to wait until next march to try out any (cough) aerodynamic positions.

As far as the other observation, had that been me, you would have seen my primary hit the water, followed shortly thereafter by a loaded pair of pants. :P
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Re: Things To Do Before You Die
Old 09-23-2004, 04:37 PM   #59
 
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Re: Things To Do Before You Die

I'd prefer a loaded pair of Colts, but that's just me.
BTW, God may have created men, but Samuel Colt
made them equal.

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Re: Things To Do Before You Die
Old 10-01-2004, 04:14 AM   #60
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Re: Things To Do Before You Die

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7) *
Snowboard (primarily for work *)
Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Colorado, California, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Vermont, Canada, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Norway, Germany, Japan......(favorites: *Whistler and Verbier)
You got to snowboard for work??! Oh man! I felt pretty good about my job today until I read this...some people are just so damn lucky!

I am thinking of going to Whistler some day to snowboard, what makes it your favourite?

Jane
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