At Last! Retiring for GOOD!

I do understand that furniture designers have to make a living, but - this is just wrong . I've tried "ergonomic" furniture. I've sat in those hard-seated chairs and couches. They are NOT comfortable. They are NOT conducive to working on for extended time periods. They are NOT what I want. Apple LOVES them - well, yeah, they would. 20-somethings can sit anywhere comfortably. What I want is furniture that fits a senior, with a bad back and aching knees, and a need to get to her feet INSTANTLY, when the call of nature sings out. I don't need a seat so hard that my butt goes numb. I've seen seats like the ones shown, and a LOG has more 'give' to it. I don't need a couch for "two" that can only fit MAYBE 1-1/2 - IF they are on the 1 meal a day, semi-starvation diet (SO healthy!). I don't need a fixed table that encroaches on my already-diminished seating space. That "table" won't allow more than a small laptop/ta...

Last spring, after my husband had to travel to Cleveland to deal with a medical situation, he requested that I start substitute teaching in a local school. As he would be missing some time at school, he wanted to make sure that our budget was covered. It was a reasonable request, and I agreed. I ended up subbing about 2-4 times a week. I have to admit, I found it actually easier to keep up on housework and other things, due to the need to plan ahead. I could no longer procrastinate endlessly - I had to schedule tasks and writing, and meet my goals. I was able to put out two short stories, and make a lot of progress on a new book.  In addition, I improved my physical well-being (all that walking around the schools and in the classrooms), and got away from the fridge. This fall, I went back, primarily to get sufficient days in to get a qualifying year in Social Security. If I teach more than 53 days in a year, at $100/day, it meets the minimum requirement. Which does 3 things: ...

Here is a summary of the average expenditures - NOT luxury living, just comfortable. If you have some time before you retire, here are some ideas for you.

That's good news, generally. The increase in the CoL (Cost of Living) means somewhere around $39 a month for the average recipient, less for those earning less than $1400/month. Those whose medical bills or rent has increased will not see as much in their pockets. I'm one of those who don't fit the standard advice. I receive pensions from teachers systems (one that actually reduces my Social Security check), still work part-time subbing (mostly to boost my SS by eliminating zero years), and have savings in annuities - both variable and fixed. When the experts suggest you stockpile half-a-million to a million dollars in savings/investments, pensions are not considered. I used one of the many retirement calculators to determine that, if I were retiring one year from now, to receive an income equal to my current pension, I'd need to have $370,000 in savings/investment. Wow! I just checked again, and to replace my husband's pension (both current, and what he ...

My husband and I have differing ideas about what it means to retire. My idea is that it should be a real change, not just changing jobs. Now, our ideas were formed, in part, from our different experiences. My dad retired - for good - at 60. He had just received a diagnosis of cancer, and he wanted to take advantage of the freedom of retirement. He never did much travel. My mother's ill health made that difficult, at best. She was resistant to getting a motor home, and using that as a base for their life. Even after her death, 12 years later, he seldom was able to see other sights. He died four years later, never having been far from home. Den's father died before he could retire, at 52. Even when he was in the hospital, dying, he was planning to oversee building and operation of the new plant in Bradford. After his death, the new structure was never built, and the original plant eventually closed. Den has already retired, once, from his job in Cleveland. Even before the...

I now answer my landline phone (where 90% of the calls happen) with: Fraud division, Sheriff's Dept. Stops them in their tracks. Cold.

Mostly, very well. The Good: My stress levels have plummeted. My skin is clear, my respiratory system is vastly improved, and my overall physical condition is healthier. Some of that is having time to visit the doctor BEFORE I get run-down and sick, but some is just having the freedom to take care of myself. For example, a recent cold sidelined me for nearly a week, but I'm back to normal now, rather than dragging myself around for weeks of back & forth to the doctor's. When I am more tired than usual, I have the freedom to take a nap when it's needed. I found that I got more done when I added in some substitute teaching, 2-3 times a week or so. It's actually easier to tackle the household tasks when I have the opportunity to get out of the house a few times a week. The money is sufficient. I like the extra money from subbing, and if I make more than $5,000 in a single calendar year, I can wipe out one of those zero years in Social Security, making my eve...

Short Answer: No. Long Answer: Hell, No. I'm 67. I retired last year, after realizing that the old age I'd been waiting for had arrived. In addition to finally getting off the merry-go-round of too little time, and not enough spent with people who matter to me, or activities that I truly enjoyed, I said: enough. Was my first year what I'd expected? Not even close. To begin with, I was humbled to realize that, planner though I was, completely unstructured time is not something I handled well. Before the year was up, I'd started taking local teaching sub jobs, 2-3 times a week. I actually made better progress with writing after I had less time in which to accomplish it. The district I sub in has generally nice kids, the work allows me to plan and make notes on my writing, and I am still able to reject jobs and have fun instead. Due to an unexpected illness on my husband's part, I did not get as much travel as I would have liked. However, he is better now, ...

This isn't about money (although, not having to worry about money is also a GOOD thing). This isn't about health, medical care, or how to pay for it all. This is about building habits that will make this the Best Part of Your Life. I had been aimlessly browsing, ahem - I mean strictly reading what was absolutely necessary, when I happened upon a reference that intrigued me. It led me to this site.  What Ann Voskamp wrote about struck a chord in me. She wrote about habits and how they can transform your life. Not just by the immediate outcomes, but how they can bring God's Grace to your life. Now, I'm not the most knowledgable about religious matters, but what she said struck me as true. One of the things she said seemed unbelievable. “ Forty-five percent of what we do every day is habitual ,” say the researchers, “ performed almost without thinking in the same location or at the same time each day, usually because of subtle cues . ” Other sources have c...

Short answer - probably not. By retirement age, your investment portfolio should be more conservative, less speculative. Yes, the market is down. NO, it's not that serious a slide. Here is a picture of my Duke investments for the last year. It went up most of the year. It's down, but no more than it was at the beginning of the Trump administration. In that time, jobs have also grown, manufacturers have brought money home to the USA, and we've gotten an decrease in the tax rate. I would NOT expect a implosion in the investment market.

In general, well - I've managed to get a few pieces published at Medium: Dream: I'll Retire and Write Books All Day. Reality: Things I've Learned in 10 Years of Blogging Medium is changing their format to a paid membership arrangement - I'm not sure that I'll be adding to my work in the future. In terms of my book, I've not made much progress since just before Thanksgiving - too busy with holiday plans, a funeral, and illness (first my husband, now me). My cold is better, although I'm still way down in energy, and I'm finally able to function without taking a nap 1/2 way through the day. I even made it to the gym twice in a week. Most importantly, the brain fog has lifted. For over a month, I've been unable to concentrate on anything substantial. Over the last week, I've started writing in my journal, planned the outline of a short story, and done some background thinking about my next book. Tomorrow (Tuesday), I'm planning on ge...

Alas, I was sidelined with a particularly nasty virus. I was horizontal since New Years Eve. This is my first day up for more than an hour at a time. I'm deep into unpacking, cleaning, and catching up on mail, messages, bills, etc. I'll be back tomorrow with an update on how you might be affected by the flu/pneumonia this year.

And, it was lovely. We traveled through Erie, PA, before the snow started coming, which was a good thing, as they are around 70 inches accumulation on the street right now. 70 inches! Christmas was all that I wanted: Family and friends around Good food, but not too much Fun - we went to see the new Star Wars Time on the trip for DH and I to talk Rest I'm ready to take up my regular schedule, starting next Tuesday. Until then, I'll be spending time at home, getting back into regular workouts at the gym, and clearing out temptation from the kitchen. Next week, I'll begin regular posts again.

No one needs handkerchiefs anymore. Many people would love to come up with better gifts, but have trouble thinking of something both appropriate and indulgent. Why indulgent? Because many seniors can afford what they NEED, but hesitate to spend money on something unnecessary. Here's some ideas: Gift certificate for a plane trip, or transfer your Frequent Flyer miles to their account. Gift cards at nearby restaurants. Gift card for an Uber or Lyft ride. There are times you just can't drive - after visits to the eye doctor (particularly if they have to have drops put into their eyes), when recovering from injury or illness, when roads are unsafe, after dark. 1 year's free fitness club membership. Time and help - make a date to come over to help them wrap Christmas gifts, address cards, bake cookies. Let them set a date for a get-together with friends, and be the caterer and clean-up person. Lawn service. Find a younger person to help them with weeding and gardening....

I did National Novel Writing Month again this year. I gave up about 1/3 of the way through. Life smacked me in the face a few times, and I gracefully bowed to the inevitable. I had thought it would be easier this year, without a job. Turns out, the reality is more complex than I expected. Read about it here.

I'm not an organized or particularly neat person. As a kid, I cleaned up my room immediately after my mother pitched a massive fit about its disgusting condition. Well, she was right - I only cleaned up when absolutely necessary. I did the same after marriage. In my slovenly ways, I was encouraged by my husband, whose unspoken motto is: If there is a flat surface, that's where I will put my stuff It wasn't too bad when we were first married. There is only so much clutter that 2 humans can make in a 3-room apartment. A quick pick-up a couple times a week, deep cleaning once a week - we were good to go. Even after we had kids, the mess was SOMEWHAT controlled by the fact that we moved - a lot. Some of the clutter never got unloaded from move to move, staying in boxes stashed in corners. It got bad - REALLY bad once we stayed in the same place for more than 10 years. Fortunately, that house had both an attic and a basement, where a lot of the junk ended up. When I...

ADD and ADHD have been studied in schoolchildren, and adults in the working years, as well. There are medications for those individuals whose disability is manifesting at a level that hinders their coping skills. Meds have their place, but use over a lifetime is still a question mark. Long-term studies indicate that there are many side effects, and the effect on brain and body health over time is still unknown. Seniors are in a unique place. Few of those with attention issues were diagnosed or treated. Most developed some coping skills. Sadly, some fell by the wayside. Those people with supportive spouses, who fill in with assistance, may not even be aware of the extent of their disability. Things change as we age. For some, that helpful spouse may no longer be with them, either through death or divorce. That spouse may be suffering memory issues, and not be able to assist. Life in retirement is different - the things that helped keep many of us on track - schedules, secretaries,...

Number One - don't be in a hurry to dump your landline. On Puerto Rico, the cell towers are GONE. If the island were still using landlines, part of the service would still be available, even if some of the lines had gone down. Some other things that have come out of that nearly complete disaster: If your government is a total disaster before the incident, it will take even longer to recover. PR's economy has long been in the toilet. Roads, electric, water, and other infrastructure were known for blackouts/unavailability long before Hurricane Maria. If you want the US Federal Government to believe that you're serious about distributing the aid that is ALREADY THERE, you have to come up with a way of persuading/forcing your truckers to cooperate. Only about 20% of them have shown up for work. The rest are allegedly on strike. The Feds didn't cause that problem. The Trucker News has more on the story, which has been disputed by both the PR government and the Teamst...

Finder for Fitbit - available for IPhone, and for Androids . I've used it twice in the last week - it's absolutely AMAZING! I've bought 3 Fitbits (one got washed and died, another was lost somewhere at school before I found this app). It's one of the few products that does EXACTLY what it's supposed to do. It works like You're Hot - You're Cold, with a meter to indicated how close you are to the device. FREE! for the Lite version. This is an absolutely indispensable product for owners of the devices.

I've done a lot of business (and, some family-related) travel over the last 15 years. I've learned a lot about streamlining the process. Below are a few of the things that can make the experience better. Air Travel: If you have a bag that is on the cusp of being too big to be a carry-on, DON'T check in at the gate. Instead, go through using your home-printed passes or phone app, and just get in line. IF it's too big, they will tell you to check it - but, generally, WON'T charge you for it. I didn't do this on a recent trip, and found a half dozen people with bags that were bigger than mine either being permitted to put it in the overhead, or just having it taken on the boarding ramp (again, no charge). The closer you are to your plane, the less likely they are to charge you. Ziplock bags are your friend. Use the Freezer type - they can make it through multiple trips without damage. Use for unmentionables, small electronics parts/cables, shampoo/conditioner/...