Retirement Talk for Boomers, Seniors, and Retirees

Tucson is a town I have wanted to visit for a long time. We always think there maybe another place that we might rather live than where we now live. This visit was an eye opener for me.

Some things escape us as we move through life. The Mountain Meadow Massacre is one. A long road trip gives us time to take in things that may get overlooked by the masses. It is always good to get off the beaten path once in a while.

e point the car south and east to start an extended road trip. It is fall and it is beautiful all over the country. The Northwest is no different. We are off to a good start. And we find espresso everywhere.

One of the joys of a road trip is anticipation. Deciding where to go and making more detailed plans is required. How to travel? Where to travel? When to travel? Here is the plan.

Jar lids and morning sunrises; small cars and small houses; small businesses and small corporations. One doesn't seem to fit. Perhaps it should. Retirement is a great time to reread some old books and do some new thinking. Or at least do some new thinking.

Listening and talking to someone from another generation can be very rewarding. If we think about making an effort perhaps the label of "elder" can become meaningful in our lives.

How many hours does it take doing something before you become successful - or an expert? Perhaps a better question might be: "Must you become an expert at anything?" Is that what you really want?

Is it really worth keeping up with technological changes? It seems to move faster all the time and require constant updating. Does it enrich our lives? Or should we just shut the door and crawl in a hole?

Tai Chi is often times mentioned in connection with retirement and good health. I've practiced it daily for the last 15 years. Here are some of my thoughts concerning including it in life.

Sometimes choice of words affects us more than we are aware. Retired folks have years of experience on which to rely for clarity. We need to exercise due diligence, or we can be tricked.

The idea of downsizing brings many questions to mind. The location and size of the house in which we live is important. Perhaps more important than we realize. It can be an opportunity to reevaluate the way we live.

How long would you want to live? Looks like almost anything may soon be possible. You might want to give this possibility a little more thought. Be careful what you wish for.

Retirement is often accompanied by an impulse to be close to our children. The children, and/or the parents, find themselves considering the means to reunite the family. What's to be said for moving or staying put when it comes to reuniting the family?

Retirement gives us time to do things we could only dream of during our working career. We can be more careful with our health and with our moral judgments. Eating animals verses eating plants serves as a perfect example.

Demands on Social Security seem to be calling for changes in retirement. Maybe you have an idea that could change the system? This might be an opportunity for creative thought.

This would be a good time to sit down with our grandchildren and tell a few stories that must be learned - about the scientific method and reason. A return of the Dark Ages is not desirable.

It is nice to have a quiet, safe routine to our life. But sometimes it can be downright boring. Taking a risk doesn't have to end when one moves into retirement. Maybe this is the best time to step out on the edge.

Retirement might be the perfect time to pick a fight with some bully. Sometimes change doesn't come easy. We may need to throw our weight around at times. It isn't always a bad thing.

All citizens are entitled to a speedy public trial. Sometimes dramatic events occur close to home. Witnessing a murder trial can be an interesting and educational experience. The court houses are public places and you are welcome to attend.

Train travel is becoming a more appealing method of transportation. Roy Ingham shares some of his thoughts gained via riding Amtrak on many extensive trips over the last decade or so. From one corner of the country to another, he has ridden the rails.

An oft heard dream of many retirees is to, "Take a road trip around the America". We are gearing up for just such a trip. We will document our venture here through several podcasts. What works and what doesn't? When you take the trip you can avoid the mistakes.

We start asking "Why" at an early age. Is there any end? Seems like that by the time we are retired we would have the answers; at least many of them. Seems like we leave of a lot of them hanging.

Think before you act. Good advice? It takes time to think. Is that waffling? Procrastinating? Sometimes words appear to lead us a particular way that may or may not be very wise. Retirement gives us time to think a little more closely about what we are really doing with our lives.

Retirement is a time to leave some things behind. We make a major change in our lives. Perhaps there are a few problems we can also leave behind. We may want to rethink what are our problems and what are someone else's.

"Who am I? What am I? I don't even know who or what I am. What is retirement all about?" These questions are pretty common these days. Here is one possible answer.