On Being a Rookie Retiree

It's 3 AM and I'm sitting here trying to get myself motivated to do some work on a contract I've taken up. My Big Plan all along has been to retire & work my butt off for about 4 years then RETIRE retire without any financial worries. Thing is, I think many of us have been programmed to worry about finances and the most successful retirees are those who have managed to settle in and relax into their mostly fixed income. Maybe I've practiced that in my work life. About 10 years ago I decided to quit reaching for that stupid brass ring and enjoy myself in the workplace.

Suddenly I found myself having a lot more fun.

But retirement is different, of course. For starters, I'm WAY too young to retire. If I don't look in a mirror I'm still 35 and have 20-30 years to go before I can hang up my mouse and be done. On the other hand, I find myself looking at life very differently over just the last five years or so. The reality of time has shifted from a limitless, wide open expanse to a finite box that will hold whatever I have left in my life. AND, the good news is, I'm OK with that. I still have some things I'd like to do in my life and I have them sorted and prioritized - although if you were to ask me I couldn't give you a list. At least today's list is different than yesterdays, and tomorrow's will certainly be different than today's. And so on. What I really want to do is relax and enjoy myself in comfort.

. . . . . . and maybe go somewhere on my bike. Then do it again.

My pretty retirement plaque.

My pretty retirement plaque.  Thing is, it's signed by Randy Babbitt, who was drummed out of the Corps for getting a DUI.  That happened on December 6, 2011 but my certificate is signed December 31.  My boss pointed that out when he gave it to me, wondered if I'm legally retired.  I shall now go to my grave (many many years down the road) in wonder ...

Retirement is Very Real

Oh, I'm just coming down from my retirement party and it's very real now, my "official" career is in my past.  I had a most wonderful send-off and spent some time with people whom I care for, very deeply.   Professionally, I feel like a kite who's cut his own string. Personally, I feel like I'm being born with my eyes wide open.  I haven't blogged for some time now. Maybe it's time to start again.  Maybe I have a journey to share.  Funny how journey & journal are spelled so similarly.
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Fwd:

Kohlrabi....

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9/11

I was at work on 9/11/01, when I learned of the tragedy that was unfolding in real time back on the east coast. Of course, we're 3 hours behind, so the attack was complete but the towers were in the process of collapsing, and bits of news were drifting through the office. I took a sick day (I was truly feeling ill) and I went home.

I make my living in aviation, I grew up in aviation and I love everything about aviation. I could not believe anyone would take my passion and use it as a weapon, taking so many innocent victims in the process. As many of us recall, everything in the air was put on the ground, with the exception of Air Force One and necessary military aircraft. I live near a lake right next to SeaTac International Airport in Seattle, so I paddled to the middle of the lake and sat in the total silence. I was devastated, in shock. After I accepted the fact that it was all real, I went back to the house and wrote this:

Quiet Skies

I see the sky. Blue. Silent. Empty.

My joy, my heart, aviation mute

I walk in a dream as my soul cries

For the dead. For the loss.

I bury my anger in sorrow

Then I played this Crosby Stills & Nash song, over, and over, and over

Find the Cost of Freedom

Find the cost of freedom buried in the ground

Mother earth will swallow you, lay your body down

The harmonies in that tune haunted me, it seemed the lyrics were waiting for that day. I found comfort there.

Late summer in Seattle

55 degrees and rain.  Normal.

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Victory

Victory bike.  WAAAAAY overkill for my taste.  Not even sure I'd call it a motorcycle.