Now This Is More Like It!

Wow .... why didn't I think of this before .... I guess my thought process is still not in the right mode. I'm sitting in heat and humidity that becomes oppressive at times and certainly limits all my outdoor activities .... when all I had to do was get in my car .... drive less than 120 miles .... and here I am .... in a place where the ocean breezes are a cool and refreshing 72 degrees! See, this is what I've been talking about .... it's hard to remember that .... I'M RETIRED!! It means relax and enjoy, you've earned it.  A friend recently sent me some retirement bumper stickers that she found on this website .... check out a couple, because I think they go along way towards explaining this 'Brave New World ' or is it 'Old World' .... whatever .... here they are .... Bumper Stickers.  See what I mean, it makes you think. Anyway, getting back to my fabulous get away, the weather is great .... the Pacific is blue and the fishing .... the fishing is still to come! I'm still finding all the cool places to frequent. Today's gastronomical expedition is taking me to the Pizza Port in Solona Beach .... sounds like my ship may come in there .... my two favorite diet busting entrees .... pizza and beer! But listen .... I worked out this morning .... ran on the beach .... remembered what my trainer taught me, (I had to promise to keep working while I'm away) .... and generally recovered from my first night's celebrations .... I deserve to relish in the culinary treats of beach comfort food .... I mean why not .... tomorrow's another day and anyway it's cool here ....  maybe I'll work out this evening .... or maybe not! .... Instead, I'll get back here and write about the great drive I took ....  along the coast with the top down .... the great views .... the smell of the salt air .... the wind in my face .... or maybe about how badly sunburned I got, and how much aloe vera I still need! .... Anyway, I'll keep you posted ....!

Okay, This Feels More Like It!

Wow .... writing this page is starting to feel like a job!  But wait, that's a good thing, it's forcing me into Semi-Retirement .... and now I'm only bored half the time!  I must admit, that all the years I taught English Composition to my students, I didn't realize the pressure they were under .... especially with my imposed deadlines. I am now the victim of my own lesson plans. Okay, in my first post I mentioned that my retirement was unexpected, much like when you wake up one morning and realize that you forgot to buy tooth paste the night before, and you are now faced with the prospect of slithering through the day with your mouth closed so as not to offend too many people. See .... most people can relate to feelings they have for their job .... feelings i.e. .... I work too hard .... I do more than anyone else around here .... I wish I didn't have to go in today.... I could have been an athlete/politician/actor/ writer etc. ..... okay, you get the picture! But fact is, most of us are doing exactly what is right for us, and what we like. Basically, we're just complaining, mostly to ourselves. I know personally I said, "I can't wait to retire and get out of this rat race."....  and then it happens .... they make you an offer you can't refuse .... and just like Mario Puzo's novel, there are strings attached! These strings are emotional strings .... afraid to stay .... afraid to go .... 'Oh Rhett, what is a soul to do' ....  Margaret Mitchell made it clear in 'Gone With the Wind', you finally get to a point where you have to do something! Alright, you're starting to get my mind set at the initial point of retirement. The good thing was that I still had to work four months .... in a career that I  wanted and worked hard to get for nearly twenty-five years, and now I was about to walk away. Of course I rationalized it, that's what we humans do when we're unsure of things. I told myself that education wasn't what it used to be .... thank God it's not! .... and that I have done all I can, it's time to let someone younger shoulder the educational responsibilities to our youth. Politically correct words, but really not what I believed. But it was done and time to plan for the future .... 'these were going to be the first days of the rest of my life' .... and I was starting to look forward to those days! Now that you know some of the process I went through, my future posts will detail some of the early trials and tribulations of my Retirement!

Here We Go!

I have been thinking about this long and hard since that magical day first dawned its relatively insane option. That's right .... RETIREMENT! Wow, I thought .... one .... I would never make it to this point,  two .... when and if I did I'd worry about it then.  By worry about, I mean of course the financial part ....  I never thought about all that extra time I'd have once that day actually happened!  See the problem is that many of us go through life and only give lip service to retirement. Oh sure, it's part of that great "American Dream" .... get an education, end up with a great job, meet the girl of your dreams, marry, have 2.7 kids, a wonderful home, work until your 65, and then, .... now wait for it .... RETIRE! Problem is .... that happens to less than 10 percent of us. Most others experience the "D Words".... Debit, Divorce, and Death! Okay.... so far I've only gone through two, a couple of times! Now you have to be thinking .... 'wouldn't retirement maybe be a better solution?' You'd think, but a whole new set of unforeseen problems grip me like a pair of old rusty barbecue tongs, left in the elements to fend for themselves with no protection. Somehow they still work, but there never going be the same as when they were new, so maybe it's time for me to RETIRE them! ....  Here I am .... too old to be young .... too young to be old .... but, at least I've made it this far! The next great adventure has begun and where do I go from here, what do I do with all this time, how about the financial end, can I make it on this fixed amount? .... stay tuned and I'll keep you posted.