Want2retire is retired!

[W2R]

W2R, when I retired, my brain was still going faster then my body or something. Anyway, I'd find myself running around my house trying to get things done but it was like my brain was pulling me in 5 different directions...not knowing what to do first.

I guess I am doing a little of that - - it seems to take me a couple of hours over coffee to decide what to do first (like the gym on Monday and Tuesday, or the grocery store yesterday). Then after lunch it takes an hour or so to decide what if anything to do in the afternoon, too. But instead of running around the house not knowing what to do first, I am posting on the message board while leisurely thinking over my choices.

Thank goodness that phase stopped and now I can just take my time and do one thing at a time and my brain isn't reeling any more.

It sounds like you are settling in quite nicely.

Thanks! I feel like I was BORN to be retired!

 

[TromboneAl]

I'm getting more things done around the house, because we sold our couch and we still have 3-5 weeks before our new La-Z-Boy recliners arrive. Right now I'm sitting in a camping chair.

 

[W2R]

I am planning to go to the gym this afternoon. Then I plan to come home and feel accomplished and virtuous for doing so.

 

[Kroeran]

Unfortunately, it's worse than that!

The cast iron pipes underneath the slab of his house have to be replaced due to age before he can put it on the market. Think $$$$.

are you speaking allegorically here?

I think I am starting to understand your retirement strategy - seems to be following the plot of HBO "Hung"

 

[Kroeran]

I think many cubicle-critters would be VERY disappointed in what they got to watch for their money! Because, most of the time, all that they'd see is an empty chair in a quiet room with nothing going on.....'cause the web-show 'host' is too dang busy enjoying retirement, and doing things, and going places (a.k.a. livin' life)...and doesn't have the time (or desire) to be hanging around in front of the webcam!

I think we could rig up a mobile cam fairly easily

or do it up like house hunters and folllow them around with a camera....another person retires and is in search of a hobby - tries three of them out..

which one will he pick!!!:
1) ghost hunting
2) powered parachute flying
3) naked bungy jumping

 

[CoolChange]

Congratulations!

New Orleans loss will be Missouri's gain when you two get up here.

 

[Tesaje]

That is sort of how I did it. I reached "use or lose" status in December, 2008, and then used as little leave (=vacation time) as I could for the first six months of 2009. Then, I used most of my leave up. I took four vacations in my last four months: A week off in July for purposes of sanity, and then two 2-week vacations and a 2.5-week vacation in September and October, with only a week between these last three. These vacations really lessened job-related stress, which was getting to be toxic for me. Also, they allowed me to adjust to ER gradually which helped. Work issues stopped seeming so important after distancing myself from them during those vacations. The vacations were not quite as good as ER, though, because I knew I had to return.


Oh, never fear!! I have never been guilty of not posting enough, at least not so far...

Can I ask why you chose to burn your AL instead of saving it and taking the lump payout after retirement?

I've been saving mine all year + the carryover for a payout of over 20k.

 

[mews]

I'll bet because the medications would have eaten through the accrued payment ...

ta,
mew
who thinks sanity is a nice thing to keep

 

[W2R]

Can I ask why you chose to burn your AL instead of saving it and taking the lump payout after retirement?

The reason I used most of my annual leave right before retirement was that I wanted the time more than the money (which is why I am retiring). The reason I didn't retire earlier and take the lump sum at that time is that I first qualified for retirement last weekend.

Some people spend money for a vacation in Europe after they retire. Some buy RV's that cost even more. I don't want these. I preferred, and in fact needed to spend that money on several "staycations" at home before retirement for reasons of stress reduction and health. So that is what I did, and for me it was the right decision.

I'll bet because the medications would have eaten through the accrued payment ...

ta,
mew
who thinks sanity is a nice thing to keep

BINGO!! We have a Winnah...

 

[dessert]

.....expend some energy and walk over to the door to open it, because the weather is PERFECT outside. Life is a bowl of cherries!

AHA! See W2R.....I told you each day would be like having dessert.

Anyway, glad to see you are enjoying your new-found freedom.
I think this thread is shaping up to be an all time new record for responses.

 

[Tesaje]

Makes sense to me. Goes to show that the right answer is what is right for you!

I'm getting a little antsy but I still have a lot of clean up to do before I'm ready to walk out the door and the work I have to do is mostly getting another person familiar with the processes I set up to carry out the job. My stress levels are pretty low because I really no longer care about the job or workplace. None of the politics bother me, none of the stupidity, because soon it just won't be my problem. I just do my part and show the guy what is important and what is not. When I leave it will be up to others to carry on.

 

[Alan]

My stress levels are pretty low because I really no longer care about the job or workplace. None of the politics bother me, none of the stupidity, because soon it just won't be my problem.

Spoken like a true "Wally" - I feel the same way.

 

[megacorp-firee]

W2R, congrats and welcome to the club. Now step back and enjoy the view.
Your decoder ring and secret handshake instructions will be coming in the mail.

 

[Khan]

Another thing you can do is listen to traffic reports during rush hour.

December '08, I was awakened by the sounds of my neighbor who spent 30 minutes scraping off ice so he could go to work.

 

[Alan]

December '08, I was awakened by the sounds of my neighbor who spent 30 minutes scraping off ice so he could go to work.

I trust that you complained to him at the next opportunity

 

[Khan]

I trust that you complained to him at the next opportunity

I considered it, but think he might have whacked me with said scraper.

 

[unclemick]

Unfortunately, it's worse than that!

The cast iron pipes underneath the slab of his house have to be replaced due to age before he can put it on the market. Think $$$$.

$6000 - 1978 - Duplex New Orleans East - I hate to think what time and inflation have done to plumbers rates. The digging under the slab took over a week if memory serves. I may be off(memory wise) as to time and cost but it was that order of magnitude.

I Roto - Routered for a while before tossing in the towel and doing the big fix.

heh heh heh - I had forgot that part of my 15 yr career as a landlord. .

 

[Stevewc]

Don't intend to hi jack W2R's congrat's thread but: if any of you folks know how to pray please start now. I approached one of the higher executives in my megacorp on Thursday and ask for help on acquiring family health care so I could retire at the end of this year. The person told me they would take the idea to the top and see what happens.
I'm hoping and praying for positive results. Just maybe they would like to get rid of me as much as I would like to go .
Steve

PS. I learned they helped a guy 16 months ago in a big way. I made it clear I knew about that transaction. But I also let it be known that I was not pushing and would be OK with what ever they decided. Didn't want to go to far with it.

 

[W2R]

W2R, congrats and welcome to the club. Now step back and enjoy the view.
Your decoder ring and secret handshake instructions will be coming in the mail.

I'll check the mailbox for them every day.

December '08, I was awakened by the sounds of my neighbor who spent 30 minutes scraping off ice so he could go to work.

What a great feeling that must have been, knowing that you never had to do that again!

$6000 - 1978 - Duplex New Orleans East - I hate to think what time and inflation have done to plumbers rates. The digging under the slab took over a week if memory serves. I may be off(memory wise) as to time and cost but it was that order of magnitude.

I Roto - Routered for a while before tossing in the towel and doing the big fix.

heh heh heh - I had forgot that part of my 15 yr career as a landlord. .

It costs more now, unfortunately, plus he has to have his driveway dug up and replaced (it needed that anyway). They didn't tell him how long it would take ("Until we're done!" most likely). It's no fun but will help when he puts his house on the market.

Don't intend to hi jack W2R's congrat's thread but: if any of you folks know how to pray please start now. I approached one of the higher executives in my megacorp on Thursday and ask for help on acquiring family health care so I could retire at the end of this year. The person told me they would take the idea to the top and see what happens.
I'm hoping and praying for positive results. Just maybe they would like to get rid of me as much as I would like to go .
Steve

PS. I learned they helped a guy 16 months ago in a big way. I made it clear I knew about that transaction. But I also let it be known that I was not pushing and would be OK with what ever they decided. Didn't want to go to far.

Good luck, Steve! I had to work two years after I was FI, to qualify for the federal health insurance benefit after I retire. Even if the health care bill goes through (which it may not), I suspect it will take a while for the bureaucracy to get straightened out so it will still be great if you have health insurance from your company.

 

[Stevewc]

Thanks for the good thoughts W2R.
I'm hoping for good results from megacorp but have pretty much made up my mind that I'm cutting out either way it goes. If I bale out I'll just have to row with the flow until I see where the congress critters are going with the ball. Hope they don't do any magic tricks and the ball totally disappears on me.
Steve

 

[Walt34]

December '08, I was awakened by the sounds of my neighbor who spent 30 minutes scraping off ice so he could go to work.

Yeah, we still get a kick out of watching the DC area's traffic reports on TV. It's a constant reminder of why "we are soooo glad we left that area!"

Well, I did end up with another job, but it's so low-stress that often the hardest part is staying awake, has a 3.4 mile commute, and if both traffic lights are red it takes ten minutes. And last week I got an almost $2/hour raise!

 

[vicente solano]

Bravo, Muy bien, Ea, Cojonudo....well not the last one-that´s a four letter word here in Spain, not suitable to a lady like you!

 

[Eagle43]

Congratulations W2R. I hope (know) you'll like ER as much as I do. Have you gotten into the nap habit, yet? It took me a couple of weeks to adapt, but now it's part of my answer to "what do you do all day?".

 

[W2R]

Thank you, Vicente and thank you, Eagle 43.

As for my napping so far, well, one day I took a nap for two hours in the middle of the afternoon. And then this morning, my napping was really bizarre - - I got up early, showered, dressed, made and drank my morning coffee, and then thought about the fact that I could sleep whenever I want to. So I went back to bed just because I could, and slept three more hours and got up a second time.

 

[Gotadimple]

Thank you, Vicente and thank you, Eagle 43.

As for my napping so far, well, one day I took a nap for two hours in the middle of the afternoon. And then this morning, my napping was really bizarre - - I got up early, showered, dressed, made and drank my morning coffee, and then thought about the fact that I could sleep whenever I want to. So I went back to bed just because I could, and slept three more hours and got up a second time.

Yep! She's retired now.