Retirement thoughts Past Present Future

[buckeyefarmer]

Where's my crystal ball when I need it?

.

 

[old and tired]

I just retired 2 months ago, at 61. I would have worked another year but my bones (ankles) said otherwise. Back when I was younger, I joked that if I was still working in 2021, someone needs to just shoot me... (I was "looking" to retire early but the pension $$ get better looking at "closing time".)

As it turns out, we don't need the extra money... we'll never spend what we saved. I'm taking my SS at 62 and leaving my wife's SS in until 70. Hoping to live long enough to get whatever I can out of SS.

I tested Agriculture chemicals my whole life, been sprayed on by helicopter, airplane and by my own spray boom when the wind changed direction. I'm not planning to live all that long... and what do I need (more) money for by the time I'm 70? Premium diapers?

My wife and her whole family live to a few years around 100. Her mother, at 93, is still going strong and living in her same house since 1969.

 

[old and tired]

"...is that {USA} we emphasize rescue care, acute care at the expense of investing in, supporting, and enabling health promotion and disease prevention...”

Nice link to the death rate paper... What I got out of it, is why I don't plan to live that long. Have not been to the doctor for 10 years and don't plan to go anytime soon... I rather drop dead than to be kept alive on machines... with them sucking the money out of my wallet.

 

[MossRoad]

On that note, I was once drunk at an outdoor party at Tommy Shaw's farm somewhere around Niles, Michigan back in the early 80s. They had a semi flatbed trailer for a stage, the music was loud, and there were sooooo many people. Crazy times.

 

[Darth_DMack]

Just before I retired from the US Army Corps of Engineers 4 of my cohorts, all about my age (~60) that could have retired (and were planning to do so soon) died from unexpected causes.
I got out, and have enjoyed the last 13 years. If I had stayed longer I could have got about another 10% in 5 years. So far it wouldn't have been worth it.

I just hit the retirement roll on 01 MAR 23. I joined 05 AUG 87 and served continuously. I decided to transition to Warrant Officer late in my career (I was an E9, had to get a SERIOUS exception to policy waiver to do so) and it was the best thing I ever did. I stayed until it was not "fun" anymore. I could have retied sooner, wish I had... but, at 54, full retirement, and 100% VA P&T, I hope I can get another 20-25 trips around the sun.

 

[Oaktree]

My wife and her whole family live to a few years around 100. Her mother, at 93, is still going strong and living in her same house since 1969.

The women on my mother's side, with only a couple exceptions all lived well into their 90s or beyond. My mother's going on 96 and still living in the house she and my father bought in 1951.
I don't think any of the men on either side made it to 85, my father coming the closest at only a couple months short of that landmark.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Death charts are for Average people.

Outliving your entire generation is a problem for those left behind. It's easy to become isolated. I'm already seeing the effect. I just lost another friend yesterday, from kidney failure. She loved plants, and I have a crab apple tree that she gave me, a keepsake like so many others in my life. I watched it happen to my grandfather, who died in 1961 at 98. He came from the era of chautaquas and debating societies, but the world had moved on. My mother lived to 95, and buried half a dozen best friends before she got too old to make any more. I'm only an average old guy, but the ghosts at Christmas far outnumber the living.

 

[two_bit_score]

My wife and her whole family live to a few years around 100. Her mother, at 93, is still going strong and living in her same house since 1969.

I had two great uncles who both lived into their 90’s and seldom, if ever, went to a doctor in their lives. One was reputed to have ‘never had so much as a toothache’ in his life. They both farmed and worked hard all their lives. Their parents and grandparents were some of the earliest settlers of Williamson County, Tx. Their sister, who was my grandmother, died at 94 years old. Her favorite activities in her later years were playing dominoes and reading her Bible. Their family obtained a headright grant from the Republic of Texas. Some of that land is still in their family today.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Outliving your entire generation is a problem for those left behind. It's easy to become isolated. I'm already seeing the effect. I just lost another friend yesterday, from kidney failure. She loved plants, and I have a crab apple tree that she gave me, a keepsake like so many others in my life. I watched it happen to my grandfather, who died in 1961 at 98. He came from the era of chautaquas and debating societies, but the world had moved on. My mother lived to 95, and buried half a dozen best friends before she got too old to make any more. I'm only an average old guy, but the ghosts at Christmas far outnumber the living.

That's one way to look at life.

At 72 I am planning for my 2061 birthday party. If the kids hang in there they will be turning 65 and I'm looking forward to that.

Actually, I'm just starting to learn all the exciting things that can happen in life and looking forward to that as well.

Long COVID took a lot out of me physically and mentally, but I'm working back through that. I really want to learn as much as I can in this lifetime. The Tesla Model Y dual motor long range was my son's idea to keep me focused more on living than dying. Mastering it's FSD hardware and software is demanding for sure and has me interested in getting a Cybertruck in a few years when the Tesla Full Self Driving hardware and software no longer requires human intervention.

The twins being 25 makes me seem more like 45-50 to some.

As long as I can see a curve in the road, I want to make it around the curve to see what's there.

 

[WinterDeere]

Outliving your entire generation is a problem for those left behind. It's easy to become isolated.

My mother and stepfather just returned to PA from Naples, FL. They winter down there, and summer here. My stepfather is getting close to 90 (he might be 87?).

He said something funny in a conversation the other day, "I used to think I was old and rich. Then I moved to Naples, and now I realize I'm neither."

Point is, no matter what your generation, there's always someone older than you!