Reflections On Retirement
I see all the nonsense here and other places about making tons of money by next Tuesday and then.......then what? I retired once. It was the worst four days of my life. I'm never going to do that again. I'm going to work until they pry my mouse out of my cold dead fingers. Today I have reached the age that many Americans look forward to as their retirement goal. My buddy tells me I ought to go fishing. I hate fishing. Its boring. I haven't fished since they made me stop using dynamite. If I want fish I can buy fish in a store. I can go to Long John Silver's. Who needs it?
- Three years ago right now we were in the midst of an economic crisis the like of which this country hadn't seen since the 30s. Many were predicting the end the world. (Surprise, three years later we are still here and the crisis shows many signs of improvement.) What was I doing while this was going on? Setting new goals. Looking forward and moving forward. Three years ago today I bought a new notebook at Staples and I labeled it "Operation Poseidon". You remember him. Greek God of the sea, carried a little pitchfork with three tines. I set myself three modest goals. To make a million dollars in the equity markets, (stocks, options & bonds) to make a million dollars in real estate and to make a million dollars online. Who cares if I ever actually do or not. It isn't the destination that counts, its the journey. I don't want to live an extravagant lifestyle. I want enough to live well. I don't want a McMansion, I want my house paid for. I'd like a new car every couple of years but I don't want an Italian sports car that I can't spell and have to lay down to get in and drive. Beyond my needs and wants I'd like to be able to fund scholarships at the various colleges and university I took degrees from. I'd like to make meaningful donations to a couple of charities like St Jude's and the Arkansas Children's Hospital. As long as I feel well and wake up every day excited about what I do I'll keep on. When my journey is finished I hope someone will be kind enough to take my ashes home to the place of my birth and scatter them among the hills and lakes of northern Michigan.
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Anyone else have any thoughts on what you'd do if you had all the money you needed and all kinds of time on your hands? Would you really retire?
Thomas
- Three years ago right now we were in the midst of an economic crisis the like of which this country hadn't seen since the 30s. Many were predicting the end the world. (Surprise, three years later we are still here and the crisis shows many signs of improvement.) What was I doing while this was going on? Setting new goals. Looking forward and moving forward. Three years ago today I bought a new notebook at Staples and I labeled it "Operation Poseidon". You remember him. Greek God of the sea, carried a little pitchfork with three tines. I set myself three modest goals. To make a million dollars in the equity markets, (stocks, options & bonds) to make a million dollars in real estate and to make a million dollars online. Who cares if I ever actually do or not. It isn't the destination that counts, its the journey. I don't want to live an extravagant lifestyle. I want enough to live well. I don't want a McMansion, I want my house paid for. I'd like a new car every couple of years but I don't want an Italian sports car that I can't spell and have to lay down to get in and drive. Beyond my needs and wants I'd like to be able to fund scholarships at the various colleges and university I took degrees from. I'd like to make meaningful donations to a couple of charities like St Jude's and the Arkansas Children's Hospital. As long as I feel well and wake up every day excited about what I do I'll keep on. When my journey is finished I hope someone will be kind enough to take my ashes home to the place of my birth and scatter them among the hills and lakes of northern Michigan.
-
Anyone else have any thoughts on what you'd do if you had all the money you needed and all kinds of time on your hands? Would you really retire?
Thomas
Life: Nature's way of keeping meat fresh
Getting old ain't for sissy's
As you are I was, as I am you will be
You can't fix stupid, but you can always out smart it.
Life: Nature's way of keeping meat fresh
Getting old ain't for sissy's
As you are I was, as I am you will be
You can't fix stupid, but you can always out smart it.