Retirement Talk for Boomers, Seniors, and Retirees

Health and the practice of Tai Chi keep being touted in the press. Seeing the flowing beauty of actual Tai Chi can be memorable. Perhaps more memorable that loosing one's wallet. (first ran in 2008)

Retirement may be a great time for having a dog. It can bring companionship and serve as a reason for getting some exercise. On the other hand, it may be the worst time to have a dog.

Waking up to an alarm clock is not something retired people need to do. Neither do we need to wake up to an alarm radio broadcast of the news. Where does this word 'alarm' fit into a retired lifestyle?

Choosing a place to retire is an opportunity and a challenge. We like to think we can make a good decision. A double murder in our back yard before we even moved in gave us second thoughts.

We have become use to flying around in what use to be friendly skies. Traveling by plane isn't what it use to be. It has not only became less enjoyable but now we find out it does a lot of damage to the environment.

We like to think we are on the right track if we are busy. We are a busy culture. We like to do things. We have elevated it to new levels with multi-tasking. But what is to be said for just sitting still and enjoying life?

Explaining to others what you do in retirement is not an easy task. People constantly ask that question but it is time consuming to answer it honestly.

Sometimes we can't decide what to do with our retirement. We can't decide if we want to become a writer or a gardener. Would it be better to travel or study art. What to do?

After ending our careers and passing through the stage of raising children many of us find ourselves once again searching for meaning during the retirement years. We search for something that will give meaning to our lives not just in retirement but in our lives.

Working with your hands brings a certain sense of satisfaction that many retired people pursue. Sitting behind a desk and tapping computer keys just doesn't seem to bring the same sense of achievement as fashioning a beautiful piece of furniture, creating a work of art or building a geodesic dome.

As retired folks do we really need to keep up with the latest technology? Can't we just sit back in the rocker and let the world go by? We can. But do we really want that?

What do you do when there is going to be no turkey at Thanksgiving Dinner? For us, it resulted in becoming vegetarians. It isn't really difficult at all. We have found it enjoyable and tasty.

Retirement is a time to reflect on our entire life. Sometimes considerations of our own death wade in for consideration. Is this something we need to worry about? Or, should we just focus on life?

Ever tell your grandchildren how important it is to tell the truth? We all know that it doesn't pay to live a lie. Sometimes truth doesn't fit our fancy but we know we have to deal with reality in life.

Taking a road trip requires some planning. It may be best for all of us to slow down a bit as we set about to enjoy a vacation. It's something to consider. Sometimes less is more and in respect to travel it is absolutely true.

Retirement may mean many more trips to the doctor. Sometimes we don't agree with the doctor's diagnosis and desire a second opinion. Here is an example that illustrates the importance of asserting ourselves when it comes to our health.(Update of Episode 016)

Are there special problems for couples who retire at th same time? Are the men always, "underfoot"? Here are some illustrations of what worked for us over 23 years.

Here is an example of how you can stay in your own home town and yet move away at the same time. Living in two places at once is possible - in a way.

Retiring and relocating are often times linked together. Once our job ends we are free to move about the country. Will be opt for that choice or not? It might work for us and then again....

Retirement gives us time to do many different things with our lives. Our choices are often times determined by our imagination and our concept of what will bring us the most happiness. Here are a couple of examples that illustrate the decision making process.

After retirement we are faced with the deciding what to do with the rest of our life. How do we address this question? Are there any guidelines or suggestions? One constant seems to be universal: the desire for happiness. We had best know wherein it lies if we ever hope to find it.

When considering retirement, we always wonder if we will have enough money. How can we possible know? Here is what we did - and it seems to have worked - so far.

Deciding if and when to retire are questions many or us wrestle. The pros and the cons can battle on endlessly. Here are some of the reasons my wife and I used making our decision. We are very happy with the consequences.

Retirement seems to be accompanied by the need to visit nursing homes. Parents or friends many times relocate to these facilities as we grow older. Dick Smith shares some of the lessons he has learned that might help with these sometimes difficult visits.

Ever notice how other people sometimes do the most interesting things? We can find examples and inspiration for what makes for a good retirement from others. Sometimes it is our own friends who help illustrate the range of possibilities.