I Quit.

[ER Eddie]

Congratulations on the step you’re taking. We’re also urban / city people and your desire to relocate resonates. Many forum members have relocated after retirement and been quite successful finding the right location. HaHa, W2R, Alan, and FIREd come to mind, just to name a few. Good luck finding yours.

F**k Yeah! Way to go. Excited for you. It's one of the most gutsy things you can do. Be proud!

Thanks to you and to everyone who's expressed support (97%, not bad, better than most internet forums, ha). I really appreciate it.

I look forward to joining the ranks of the retired. I know it's going to be an exciting adventure ahead, with lots of positive changes.

 

[ugeauxgirl]

Nice. Maybe there's a hint in there somewhere about friends.

Joeea- you're being rude. Again. If you can't say anything nice...

 

[Scuba]

Thanks, Scuba.



I think I will relocate, yes. I'm just not sure where yet. I plan to do some travelling once I'm retired and scout out some possible new locations. I'm currently in a small southern college town without a whole lot to do besides shop, go to church, or eat out. There are occasional classes or events, but not enough to keep me busy. I need a bigger city with more going on. So that will be part of what I'll be trying to sort out.

Good that you can take your time. Might help to rent first in an area you think you might like. I’m sure you’ll find the right place.

If you enjoy traveling, I’d wait on another dog. As much as we love ours, we’ve agreed not to get another one for a while when this one is gone. It’s heartbreaking to lose a pet, but they are a major restriction for traveling freely.

 

[brucethebroker]

58 is a good year. Still plenty of energy left. I'm glad I did it then.

If your best friend was your only pet, think for a bit if you want to travel or move soon. Less complicated with no pets.

Yeah, my idea also-travel before replacing dog. We brought home our first dog 6 mo. before DW retired...what were we thinking? Love the dog, but she gets sick on long drives...

Congrats on looming retirement!!

 

[GR111]

Congrats Eddie. A few months ago I was right where you are. I gave six month notice as per the company policy- longest six months of my life. The day I walked out the last time it felt like all the stress and toxicity was gone from my body before I reached my car in the parking lot! FIREd almost two months and never looked back. Life is great in retirement so far. Best of luck!

 

[ER Eddie]

Thanks, guys. I agree that pets can restrict freedom of travel. I'm not a big travel buff, though. I do small trips, but long ones tend to make me impatient. I guess I'm more of a homebody. In my younger years, I liked long adventures on the road, but somewhere along the way, it just lost its appeal. Maybe that'll change in retirement, I don't know.

I will be spending a fair amount of time driving around to different states, scouting out new locations, and that would be easier without a dog along for the ride. So I need to think about the timing in that regard. I can't envision my life without a dog, though, so it's just a matter of time.

Thanks again for all the hurrahs, folks. I'm looking forward to being out the door at the end of June. It's a little sad to say goodbye to some of my colleagues, but I'm confident that leaving work is freeing up space in my life for relationships with a whole new set of interesting people.

 

[ivinsfan]

Eddie what states are you looking at? Lots of knowledge here about many states and cities. You could open a new thread about that and see if we have anything to share.

Congrats on the beginning of the rest of your life!

 

[Shabby]

I gave six month notice as per the company policy- longest six months of my life.

You aren't kidding. I needed to give 90 days and I have 44 left. Each moment under these fluorescent lights crawls.

 

[ER Eddie]

Eddie what states are you looking at? Lots of knowledge here about many states and cities. You could open a new thread about that and see if we have anything to share.

Congrats on the beginning of the rest of your life!

Thanks, ivinsfan. My top candidate is east TN. It has the mountains/hiking, southern friendliness, and about the right-sized cities (Chattanooga, Knoxville) I'm looking for, and it's not too far from family. I started a thread on east TN about a year ago, and it got plenty of really good responses. I have yet to make a trip out there and do first-hand scouting, but I plan to do that soon.

There may be other states in the mix, too. Colorado, maybe. I know this is a great place to ask questions, so I'll be sure to do that. Cheers.

 

[kimcdougc]

Congrats on your upcoming retirement. The grass is greener on the other side of working. Good luck and look forward to hearing about your new adventures.

 

[ER Eddie]

Man, I feel so relaxed. Just making the decision, and knowing the next chapter of my life is starting in two months, is so freeing. It's like that happy feeling of anticipation you get when you're looking forward to a vacation ... except that it's a really long vacation.

 

[Carpediem]

It's like that happy feeling of anticipation you get when you're looking forward to a vacation ... except that it's a really long vacation.

Or like another poster said, it's like that anticipation you got when you were about to get out of school for the summer.....except you never have to go back and you have your own money to burn.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Eddie, if you feel that relaxed it’s the right decision.

 

[Cassius King]

Or like another poster said, it's like that anticipation you got when you were about to get out of school for the summer.....except you never have to go back and you have your own money to burn.

This is exactly how I see it in my mind. Hopefully I can experience it sooner than later!

 

[scrabbler1]

Or like another poster said, it's like that anticipation you got when you were about to get out of school for the summer.....except you never have to go back and you have your own money to burn.

I have sometimes compared my ER to the 7 weeks off I had between my last college final exam and the start of working at my first and only full-time job. Those were 7 fun, freedom-filled weeks, for sure!

 

[ER Eddie]

Or like another poster said, it's like that anticipation you got when you were about to get out of school for the summer.....except you never have to go back and you have your own money to burn.

Yes, that's better, because it captures a little of the childlike or adolescent feeling of adventure that I'm experiencing, too. It's a sense of discovering and exploring a new side of me/life, a new frontier. I can't claim that I'm going "where no man has gone before," but I can at least claim that I'm going where I haven't gone before.

 

[SnowBound]

Thanks, ivinsfan. My top candidate is east TN. It has the mountains/hiking, southern friendliness, and about the right-sized cities (Chattanooga, Knoxville) I'm looking for, and it's not too far from family. I started a thread on east TN about a year ago, and it got plenty of really good responses. I have yet to make a trip out there and do first-hand scouting, but I plan to do that soon.

There may be other states in the mix, too. Colorado, maybe. I know this is a great place to ask questions, so I'll be sure to do that. Cheers.

Congratulations and maybe see you in east TN. Remember CO is fixated on weed. Literally just got back from TN minutes ago. We are looking for land for a retirement home (and garden).

 

[MRG]

Yes, that's better, because it captures a little of the childlike or adolescent feeling of adventure that I'm experiencing, too. It's a sense of discovering and exploring a new side of me/life, a new frontier. I can't claim that I'm going "where no man has gone before," but I can at least claim that I'm going where I haven't gone before.

+1

Very true for us. The best summer vacation ever and you are an adult.

Good choice on possible relocation, both were on our short list. We went west(CO) and I'm glad we did. I spent 3.5 months in Memphis in 1978. Memphis is completely different from the rest of the state, but we couldn't go there.

 

[ER Eddie]

+1

Very true for us. The best summer vacation ever and you are an adult.

Good choice on possible relocation, both were on our short list. We went west(CO) and I'm glad we did. I spent 3.5 months in Memphis in 1978. Memphis is completely different from the rest of the state, but we couldn't go there.

Yeah, I don't hear much good about Memphis. Here's a video I saw a while ago, Top 10 Reasons Not to Move to Tennessee. Memphis is #1:

https://youtu.be/EaGnSnlPW1c?t=466

"Memphis brings down the whole state of Tennessee. Memphis is always on the 'worst of' lists. Whenever you're making a list of cities that suck, Memphis is always toward the top."

I'll probably avoid Memphis. :/

 

[MRG]

Yeah, I don't hear much good about Memphis. Here's a video I saw a while ago, Top 10 Reasons Not to Move to Tennessee. Memphis is #1:

https://youtu.be/EaGnSnlPW1c?t=466

"Memphis brings down the whole state of Tennessee. Memphis is always on the 'worst of' lists. Whenever you're making a list of cities that suck, Memphis is always toward the top."

I'll probably avoid Memphis. :/

OMG! My belly hurts from laughing. Not sure who the guy is, but he nailed it. I had no idea it was illegal to import skunks but I think I know why.

I was taught how to tell a dead, skinned possum from a dead, skinned cat when we lived in Memphis. Apparently possum tastes better than cat. You didn't want to be the fool who brought cat home for dinner!

 

[ER Eddie]

OMG! My belly hurts from laughing. Not sure who the guy is, but he nailed it. I had no idea it was illegal to import skunks but I think I know why.

I was taught how to tell a dead, skinned possum from a dead, skinned cat when we lived in Memphis. Apparently possum tastes better than cat. You didn't want to be the fool who brought cat home for dinner!

 

[Out of Steam]

I was in Memphis for a conference about five years ago, and have to agree with the narrator on the city.

 

[Elliotgb183]

Sorry about your fur friend. I lost my second of 2 Shelties in 2017. Still mourn him and them every day a bit.

 

[ATX78701]

Congratulations on your decision! At this point you have about 52 days left. I'm still a working drone but eyeing ER Feb 2021 so a tad bit jealous lol.

So sorry about your pup. My dog is my best friend, too, and it will be difficult when he goes. And I agree that an immediate replacement is not the thing to do.

I've seen some posts about Memphis and also cities in eastern Tennessee. I lived in Memphis from 2006 - 2011. I moved to it hoping that it could be an up and coming future Atlanta or Charlotte, but nope...that city has too much baggage on many issues, and the opposing views can't seem to come together. The day I left was a great day for me.

Eastern Tennessee is absolutely gorgeous. And you'll be close to Atlanta for a large city fix, and also close to Asheville, NC for an occasional change of scenery.

Enjoy your new direction and path!

 

[ychuck46]

Great Post

Well thought out and rationalized. I applaud you for getting to that point. Took me two years longer along with a surgery due to old sports injuries to convince me to do the same.