Retirement Talk for Boomers, Seniors, and Retirees

What's it like to be a vegetarian? Why does someone decide to not eat meat? Doesn't it take all the joy out of eating? Isn't their diet very boring? When we retire may be the perfect time to try it. Here is my story.

We like to think that the longer we live the more we learn. We encourage education in our own children. We tell them stories hoping they learn something from them. We like to think the scientific method and rational thought can lead us out of the wilderness. Sometimes it appears we are going no where, or even backward.

We all know what taking a risk means. We also know the reward that may accompany it. We are excited. We feel the thrill of living on the edge. Stepping out on to new turf or emerging ourselves in something a bit challenging can offer big rewards.

Retirement gives us time to indulge in new experiences. One of our most interesting adventures came not from getting on airplane or driving away in an RV. We simple went down to the court room and witnessed a real murder trial. It was different from that we read of in the news, in books, or view on TV.

There is a big difference in questions. Some are big or important and some are small or relatively insignificant. One thing they have in common: they seem to never end. It would sure be nice if we could satisfy ourselves for once and all. Then we might find some peace.

It isn't good to be accused of waffling. We like people who make decisions and stick with them; especially politicians. But should we? What is to be said for changing our mind? Maybe that is a sign we have learned something. We older folks might want to keep that in mind.

We all have problems. Sometimes we slip into a giant hole by assuming problems that are not really ours. We think we carry the weight of the world on our shoulders. At times we may need to wake up or step aside so we have a chance at enjoying the day.

We all run out of gas: not with our car but with our own body. We get tired. When we retire and age we sometimes feel like this more often than we use to. Is there a way around this drain of energy? Something to think about.

Poetry sometimes cuts right through the chatter. We can learn things from poets. We might want to give poetry and poets a little more time now that we are retired - and have the time.

This podcast first aired in 209. It is one of my favorites. Retirement and heart attacks sometimes go together. We just retire and then... Guest, Dennis McKinnon describes his experience of exuberant retirement, heart attack, road to recovery and how he did it. The importance of taking care of your health is illustrated beautifully.

We know that without good health life itself disappears. That tells us how important it is when we consider what we are doing with our life on a daily basis. It is always best to put put health in first position.

Staying healthy is not easy. It is also not foremost in our minds most of the time. We get lost in other "important" things. Retirement brings the importance of our health more into focus. We are getting older and our bodies are surely changing.

Conversation consists of talking and listening. Many is the time my wife and I have walked away from talking with people and commented that "They didn't find out one thing about us." Listening is a skill that comes up short. What to do?

Imagining what you would like to do in retirement is something we have all done before we retire. Trouble is we have little practice in doing this on our own. We usually have parents, teachers, bosses or children helping to determine our choices. We need to resurrect this long lost art of imagining in retirement.

Life can become boring when we are working or when we are retired. How can we add excitement, novelty and change into our lives. These are important aspects that demand attention. They don't happen on their own.

Here is an example of planning for retirement and having it all come to fruition. The dream of living on a boat, writing, painting and enjoying nature all come true for some.

Doing nothing during retirement is a choice we might make. Some folks call it just being lazy and feel guilty. Others call it living at the moment and call it perfect.

Road trips are one of my favorite things to do. Winter road trips are totally different from those that are taken in other seasons. Here is a story of our first winter adventure going down the road.

This is the third in a series concerning retirement and finances. In this episode I give a little more detailed breakdown of an example of managing money month to month. It might help you clarify how you manage money on a more immediate basis.

Living within your means is easier said than done. But is key to retiring without having to worry about money. This basic truism must be followed both before and after retirement. That and good luck will provide.

How much money will I need to retire? What a difficult question; when you are working and when you retire. No one knows what will happen in your life or in your greater community. There are no guarantees. What to do?

We all die. The question that is troubling is the suffering that many times accompanies the end. That is what the medically assisted end of life issue is all about. "You Don't Know Jack" is a movie that deals with the issue. Here are some thoughts after a late night viewing.

Learning something new has a way of lifting us up. We gain a new view on a part of the world. Our curiosity leads us to new understanding. It is something we can do every day. It just takes a little imagination and a little effort.

Friends sometimes change when we retire. We move; others move; things change. Friends don't always just blow in with a fresh breeze. We may need to make an effort to establish new relationships.

Political elections demand courage. Our choices don't always win. Sometimes it seems like they never win. How do we maintain faith or hope?