Posted on 12/06/2021 4:36:36 AM PST by outpostinmass2
So sorry that love turned to hate. Hope you can stay connected to any kids.
“nobody, on their deathbed, ever said,’I wish I’d spent more time at work’”.
I learned that from my maternal grandfather, who actually retired at age 65 and 30 plus years. He was in charge of new construction and upkeep at a major branch office in the oil business a few years after WWII was over.
He had equipped his large former garage/chick coop into a modern and incredible work shop. He was a master carpenter and electrician. He did nothing for 6 months except get his home and its surroundings into shape. Also, he and my grandmother, traveled to see adult children/grand kids and adult relatives not really seen since Pearl Harbor and WWII.
Then, he contracted out to neighbors and friends for retro jobs and new jobs. He preferred new jobs. His unsigned contract was if that customer became an a$$hole. They could finish the job without him. He fired a few a$$holes in his semi retirement.
He bought his wife, my grandmother, basically all new appliances to make her life easier. She wanted a tv to watch a couple of noon soaps. So he bought her one, and they often had lunch together watching the soaps. He would laugh, and she cried. He watched the evening news and labeled the talking heads as communists. Later we realized how accurate he was.
Then, they traveled about one week a month to see relatives and to see how the grand kids had grown and were doing.
He was a role model for most of the guys and a couple of his daughters re working.
My Mother had become a Master Reading Instructor. She was hired by a Virginia county in the DC area to set up her programs. When MLK was killed, that county said that her programs might be seen as racial in that each student was expected by her to read at certain levels.
She left at the end of that term and returned to her home state and contracted with a couple of school systems. She did her program until those local schools said actually testing for reading abilities was racist. They told her to change and she became fully retired in her early 70’s.
One of her sisters embroidered a hanging art piece for her that said: “Nobody, on their deathbed, ever said,’I wish I’d spent more time at work’”.
She kept that art work by her phone to remind her to say no re any job offers. She sent copies to many of us. I still have one in what I call her and my dad’s drawer in my desk.
I’m 83 now, and I was in my early 50’s, when she sent me a copy of that credo. Later, when my company went on the dark side and offered early retirement, I had zero problems saying, Yes!
” If you guys need me, I ain’t cheap but I am beyond excellent.”
Sounds like a great tagline for your consulting business!
Stay well, FRiend!
The problem with retiring early is Medical Insurance
Great story! Thanks very much for that.
I was in it for 38 years. Most of that time as a programmer. I really love that. However, when the wave of Indians came in, in order to keep my income up I had to go into being a business analyst. I never did really get into enjoying that, but at least it kept me in Golden handcuffs. I was very glad to leave.
My friend works from home and works very hard indeed. Her supervisor can listen in on calls, which she finds annoying and unnecessary.
I know, right?
I work from home now and I work nights and weekends too, and only log the regular 40 hours each week.
I know a good thing when I have it, and want to keep it.
Give ‘em the ol’ razzle dazzle,... cuz Laz’ll dazle ‘em!
My two sons and I have great relationships. Oldest lives with me, youngest is out on his own, making his way in this world. We get together often.
They don't see their mother and she makes no effort to reach out to either of them. That's completely on her.
I know. I've planned financially for it. I have four years of healthcare expenses banked. As soon as I get the fifth I'm done.
For me it's primarily about the biologic med I have to take that manages my Ankylosing Spondylitis. It's very expensive.
Probably their PC usage was being monitored. Worked two hours; cruised the internet six hours. That happens so much. If so, they definitely needed to go.
“I ain’t cheap but I am beyond excellent”
Damn, that’s what I told her...
It would be leaving too much money on the table for me. There’s a pension involved. The difference between punching out at 63 and punching out at 66 is about $1k a month.
If you can still accomplish what you want without it, why not go sooner while you still have your health and can enjoy life?
How much is enough? That's the question I had to ask myself.
Even if I have to minimize a few things here or there, I'm going early while I'm still mobile and can enjoy life. Sure some things will be simplified a bit but still, going to be worth it, IMO.
We have the money. It’s what to do with the time. I have 360 hours of PTO(perpetual) and unlimited sick time. If I want to do something, I just take the time off. We have no mortgage. I enjoy what I do (I just got an Innovation Award) and I am learning new things. I don’t like to travel, especially now. We live in a very small town in Appalachia so not much for me to do except hiking.
I have a friend who retired from the university and he did the same job. He went to work as a Sysadmin for a Federal contractor and he turns 70 next year. He can work for them for $$ or work for his wife’s business for free. Like me, he can work from anywhere. I could go to the beach and work, even before Covid because I do a lot of things no one else wants to do.
Biggest thing: I can walk away at any time. That reduces the stress level tremendously. There is no chance of a promotion so no stress about that. If I want to take a walk during the day, I take a walk. If I want to go downstairs and lift, I do that. During my work day, I have jazz and classic rock pumping through a Luxman amp into Klipsch KG-4s. I have done the same job for 40 years(programmer) but that job has constantly changed so never boring. As a friend put it, it’s whether to have a $1M or a $1.5M.
That sounds despicable on her part.Glad you are the one who stayed.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.