We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
T.S. Eliot May you read a novel all day if you wish and know it as wise 62 year old. I love you Jonathan as do so many others.
I trust you realize how much people love you, more probably because you care and bring that caring to all of us, than for your particular financial expertise. If you never printed another word and went off to do the things you delayed because of your commitment, I'd be happy for you. Reading your post, I think of Valerie Harper's words when she beat the statistics of her diagnosis: "Don't go to the funeral before the funeral." You have my gratitude and appreciation.
Work sets a lot of the agenda and keeps you busy, then you retire and life asks you to make a decision or two. Do I want to keep busy because I don't know how to sit still, or do I want to learn to be comfortable being still. I chose the second and now when I want to be active it's not because I feel guilty about or am bored with taking my rest. Socially I'm lucky, I still go to AA meetings after 43 years, sponsor several guys and have friends. I go to the gym 3 times a week and talk with millennials (when they aren't looking at their phones and have their earbuds out). I hike with friends in the mountains in which I live, and make a concerted effort not to eat out in restaurants, most of which use more salt on one meal than I would eat in a week. My wife and I eat vegetarian and are both fit at 77. None of this has one iota to do with money.
Please redo the experiment at some point, but do not inform readers at the outset which articles are AI generated. That way you eliminate the bias people have against AI which colors their criticism. I'd be interested to see responses to articles, whether some people don't notice the difference, and/or others start seeing AI when it's not there.
Good for you. At 73 we moved from Denver to the mountains west at 8700 feet. Doubled the size of the house for half the money. The winters are longer, walking the dog uphill takes care of our aerobic fitness. At 77 we are mostly healthy and fit. For the most part we traded city amenities for the peace and calm of nature. Should we ever become too frail to manage this lifestyle, we'll deal with it then. I enjoyed reading your odyssey very much.
What a wild ride. Almost everyone can say that about their life, but I see you saying it with a big wide grin. For me at 77, that's worth all the tea in China.
Thanks for your heartfelt share. This reminds me of what a therapist once said as I was headed for an imminent breakup. "Steve you wanted a peach, Kiki is an apple." Today I am married to a woman who has much more difficulty asking for what she wants than I do (Minnesota meets New York). What has happened is that with a lot of work on ourselves, I have toned it down and she is bit more assertive. But more than that we learned to accept each other for who we are. Without that awareness, it doesn't matter who you marry, it will not go well.
Comments
We shall not cease from exploration And the end of all our exploring Will be to arrive where we started And know the place for the first time. T.S. Eliot May you read a novel all day if you wish and know it as wise 62 year old. I love you Jonathan as do so many others.
Post: Tasting Retirement
Link to comment from April 26, 2025
I think you're onto something, my friend.
Post: Don’t Push It
Link to comment from April 12, 2025
Thanks for helping us all to get real on the inside.
Post: Four Thoughts
Link to comment from March 1, 2025
Jonathan, it's a privilege to know you.
Post: No Regrets
Link to comment from September 7, 2024
I trust you realize how much people love you, more probably because you care and bring that caring to all of us, than for your particular financial expertise. If you never printed another word and went off to do the things you delayed because of your commitment, I'd be happy for you. Reading your post, I think of Valerie Harper's words when she beat the statistics of her diagnosis: "Don't go to the funeral before the funeral." You have my gratitude and appreciation.
Post: The C Word
Link to comment from June 15, 2024
Work sets a lot of the agenda and keeps you busy, then you retire and life asks you to make a decision or two. Do I want to keep busy because I don't know how to sit still, or do I want to learn to be comfortable being still. I chose the second and now when I want to be active it's not because I feel guilty about or am bored with taking my rest. Socially I'm lucky, I still go to AA meetings after 43 years, sponsor several guys and have friends. I go to the gym 3 times a week and talk with millennials (when they aren't looking at their phones and have their earbuds out). I hike with friends in the mountains in which I live, and make a concerted effort not to eat out in restaurants, most of which use more salt on one meal than I would eat in a week. My wife and I eat vegetarian and are both fit at 77. None of this has one iota to do with money.
Post: Sailing Away
Link to comment from June 8, 2024
Please redo the experiment at some point, but do not inform readers at the outset which articles are AI generated. That way you eliminate the bias people have against AI which colors their criticism. I'd be interested to see responses to articles, whether some people don't notice the difference, and/or others start seeing AI when it's not there.
Post: Bucking the Trend
Link to comment from May 29, 2024
Good for you. At 73 we moved from Denver to the mountains west at 8700 feet. Doubled the size of the house for half the money. The winters are longer, walking the dog uphill takes care of our aerobic fitness. At 77 we are mostly healthy and fit. For the most part we traded city amenities for the peace and calm of nature. Should we ever become too frail to manage this lifestyle, we'll deal with it then. I enjoyed reading your odyssey very much.
Post: A New Kind of Heaven
Link to comment from May 1, 2024
What a wild ride. Almost everyone can say that about their life, but I see you saying it with a big wide grin. For me at 77, that's worth all the tea in China.
Post: For the Fun of It
Link to comment from February 21, 2024
Thanks for your heartfelt share. This reminds me of what a therapist once said as I was headed for an imminent breakup. "Steve you wanted a peach, Kiki is an apple." Today I am married to a woman who has much more difficulty asking for what she wants than I do (Minnesota meets New York). What has happened is that with a lot of work on ourselves, I have toned it down and she is bit more assertive. But more than that we learned to accept each other for who we are. Without that awareness, it doesn't matter who you marry, it will not go well.
Post: Letter to My Ex
Link to comment from November 29, 2023