It's been 3 years

[My Dream]

It's that time again and this time I don't seem to be hesitating on writing this review. Ok, let's start:


Below is a list of objectives I set for myself last year and will update.
Objectives from last year: .
Increase the rate of return on our portfolio to a point where there is money left over even after accounting for the rate of inflation. We all know what happend there, todate I'm down about 10% from Jan, 08.
Loose 25 pounds and get in better shape. I actually put on another 5 pounds, therefore I'm busted.
Educate myself more on the "world of investing".I'm still a member of the Financial Webring Forum and try to educate myself but still find myself lost in some of the jargen, I don't frequent as much as I used to so I converse with my neighbour who does his own investing and RE.
Stop the routine and take a vacation with my family as well as spend more time alone with my DW. Took a couple trips to the US. with my family. Am hoping to do something different next year but with just the wife and I.
Tackle approximately 90% of my to-do list and stop procrastinating.Only completed 50% and my list keeps growing.
Change my mindset and stop worrying about our financial situation. I don't seem to care as much as before since I try not to spend money any more then I should. With the market the way it has been I'm surprised I didn't flip out.
Stop whining!!!! Well at least I don't complain....... as much.

Conclusion:

I get along great with my DW and kids, it couldn't be better except I am still struggle with my teenage kids, but all in all, they're good kids. I'm no where near as concerned about our finances as I was during my first year of retirement and when the markets were at an all time low I wasn't as worried as I once would have. I still don't spend as I'd like in regards to doing repairs and updating our home/cars/vacations since our portfolio has actually decreased but I know it will rebound. The biggest change in my personality is I was diagnosed with very severe sleep apnea and am now on a CPAP machine which has increased my energy level greatly. I've done more around the house in the last year then the 2 previous years before. I'm not as depressed but it's left me with a sort of low tolerance and I don't care as much attitude. Don't know if that related but I think it has to do with listening to friends and family complaining all the time now. I never noticed it before but it seems it's easier to complain then do something about it. In conclusion, I can't see myself ever working again, and I'm content being with family but find it hard to bite my tongue when others complain. I wonder if I was like that before.

 

[Sarah in SC]

What a nice recap, My Dream.

Thoughts are that you are probably paying attention to what these folks are saying for the first time and just now noticed they complain a lot! I'd try to find some more positive people to hang out with when you can. You can't really fix things for them.

Glad you've had some fun traveling and that you've learned to worry just a bit less about the portfolio. And the CPAP can be a life-saver!

Thanks for the update!

 

[DangerMouse]

Congrats on making the 3 year mark.

Your tolerance for whining combined with a lack of willingness to do anything to change the situation sounds about on par with mine. However you are spot on when you say it seems easier to complain than do something about it. If you do something about it, you are acknowledging you are part of the problem. If you just whine it means it's plain not your fault.

Do you think the CPAP is weight related? Is your weight at a dangerous level or to a level where your Dr is concerned?

Keep enjoying doing nothing as I am sure it only gets better.

 

[bbbamI]

In conclusion, I can't see myself ever working again, and I'm content being with family but find it hard to bite my tongue when others complain. I wonder if I was like that before.

You have more time to notice these things now.

I'm very good at zoning out negative remarks. When the conversation starts to irritate me, I only hear "popping and clicking" noises, shake my head and say, "That's a shame." Then I start thinking about taking a nap.

 

[jimnjana]

It's that time again and this time I don't seem to be hesitating on writing this review. Ok, let's start:


Below is a list of objectives I set for myself last year and will update.
Objectives from last year: .
Increase the rate of return on our portfolio to a point where there is money left over even after accounting for the rate of inflation. We all know what happend there, todate I'm down about 10% from Jan, 08.
Loose 25 pounds and get in better shape. I actually put on another 5 pounds, therefore I'm busted.
Educate myself more on the "world of investing".I'm still a member of the Financial Webring Forum and try to educate myself but still find myself lost in some of the jargen, I don't frequent as much as I used to so I converse with my neighbour who does his own investing and RE.
Stop the routine and take a vacation with my family as well as spend more time alone with my DW. Took a couple trips to the US. with my family. Am hoping to do something different next year but with just the wife and I.
Tackle approximately 90% of my to-do list and stop procrastinating.Only completed 50% and my list keeps growing.
Change my mindset and stop worrying about our financial situation. I don't seem to care as much as before since I try not to spend money any more then I should. With the market the way it has been I'm surprised I didn't flip out.
Stop whining!!!! Well at least I don't complain....... as much.

Mydream, thanks for posting this. I will reach the 1 year mark on Oct 31st and your list could have been mine almost verbatim. Stopping the routine, procastination, worrying about finances or this or that, geez I though I was the only one... Today while walking the dog (part of my routine) I promised myself that I would take the "one day at time" approach to changing my mindeset and just stop worrying so much about this or that and start enjoying my time more.

Thanks

Jim

 

[walkinwood]

... but find it hard to bite my tongue when others complain.

A friend of mine has an effective way of dealing with this.. he just says "whatever" loud enough to be heard. Its amazing how fast people stop complaining when there's no one listening.. okay, some don't!

Congratulations!

 

[My Dream]

I will reach the 1 year mark on Oct 31st and your list could have been mine almost verbatim. Jim

Please post your review around that time. Give it time Jim, hopefully you'll adjust sooner than I did.

A friend of mine has an effective way of dealing with this.. he just says "whatever" loud enough to be heard.

Actually I hate it when teenagers, or adults for that matter say "whatever", it drives me nuts.

 

[Martha]

Actually I hate it when teenagers, or adults for that matter say "whatever", it drives me nuts.

I could put this on the pet peeve list for me as well.

I appreciate your being so upfront. I also have gained weight in retirement. I have been watching with interest the low glycemic diet threads and have ordered a diet book mentioned in one of the threads. Should be here from Amazon today!

I also found out that I didn't worry as much about the downturn in the market as I expected I would. Instead my worries concern family stuff. Somehow when I was working I was better able to separate myself from their day to day life issues and now I have managed to entangle myself.

 

[REWahoo]

I also have gained weight in retirement.

Whatever...

 

[haha]

I also have gained weight in retirement. I have been watching with interest the low glycemic diet threads and have ordered a diet book mentioned in one of the threads. Should be here from Amazon today!

It is best to jump on this weight thing before it gets very far along. Aging makes it harder. I walk 4-6 miles almost every day, but I find myself eating less than 1/2 of what I ate only 5 years or so ago. And my weight stays stable with this reduced intake, and I am not hungry. I think I would eat more with more heavy work, like shoveling gravel, but just walking up and down hills, even with a good sized pack, does not seem to burn calories like it once did.

Here is a piece on the difficulty of losing a lot of weight, and keeping it off, even on very low carb diets. The author Jenny Ruhl is a health writer and very careful reader of the literature in this area.

Diabetes Update: Why Weight Loss Stops on Long Term Low Carb Diets

"Why Weight Loss Stops on Long Term Low Carb Diets

The enthusiasm for the low carb diet as a weight loss diet arises in the first few weeks and months when most people experience dramatic weight loss.
What rarely gets mentioned--especially in the miracle weight loss books--is that very few low carb dieters ever get to their weight loss goal, especially those who start out with a lot of weight to lose.

I am enthusiastic about the power of carb restriction to lower blood sugar to normal or near normal levels. I am not as enthusiastic about low carbohydrate dieting as the solution to tough weight loss problems.

Because even the online low carb community tends to believe that people who stall out are "not doing the diet right" and respond to stall posts with that assumption, most people who do stall out long term leave the discussion boards, leaving only those who have succeeded to greet the newbies.

But as someone who stalled out for years on my own weight loss, and someone who has read the boards for years, I am convinced that permanent stalls are the norm and the people who get down to goal the exception--especially among those older than 45.

In this post I'm going to discuss a few reasons why this happens. "

Actually I hate it when teenagers, or adults for that matter say "whatever", it drives me nuts.

My ex did this, frequently. To me it is just a passive way of saying, "Eff you, I won't listen to any of your concerns." Then we, as targets of this passive aggressive slam are pften left feeling angry and frustrated ourselves.

Ha

 

[HFWR]

Somehow when I was working I was better able to separate myself from their day to day life issues and now I have managed to entangle myself.

FIRE up the Lazy Daze; time for a roadtrip!

 

[Khan]

I appreciate your being so upfront. I also have gained weight in retirement. I have been watching with interest the low glycemic diet threads and have ordered a diet book mentioned in one of the threads. Should be here from Amazon today!

I retired a/o 31 Dec '04 at 215#. About 6 months in I noticed my clothes didn't fit; I thought they were wearing out. I started weighing myself and noticed I had lost weight. Without any conscious decisions, I lost ~½/week for 3 years ending up at 135 (-80).

I am a stress eater: when the stress went away, so did the fat.

I also found out that I didn't worry as much about the downturn in the market as I expected I would. Instead my worries concern family stuff. Somehow when I was working I was better able to separate myself from their day to day life issues and now I have managed to entangle myself.

Family are all many miles away and I have minimal contact with them. This is also good for my health.