Retirement Talk for Boomers, Seniors, and Retirees

An often 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 have all heard the words in the title of this retirement podcast. Sometimes they were said to us and sometimes we said them to others. Dick Smith believes retirement gives us time to change our mind and attitudes.

Being taken advantage of is a lifelong problem. Retirement does not exempt us from this difficulty. We all fall victim sometime, or we know someone who has. We can learn from sharing our stories.

A senior lifestyle can include taking a risk. As we age we tend to avoid big risk taking. Sometimes we need to screw up our courage and step out on a limb. It makes life more exciting and interesting.

We all remember people who had exceptional influence on our lives. In this memoir, Dick Smith relates some of his favorite people who played a role in making him who he is today.

Lessons learned in early life can stay with us throughout life. Guilt - unwarranted guilt - is one of those lessons that can remain undiscovered but yet produce life long stress. Overcoming stress is necessary for an enjoyable retirement lifestyle.

Jackie Spinks looks back over eighty years of personal experience related to the issue of abortion and how our values are formed. One thing about getting older; it gives us perspective. We retired folks might want to share it.

Retirement Talk is one hundred episodes old and still growing. The role it plays in my retired life serves as a focal point for using projects as a method of retirement living.

Neighbors can make retirement miserable, or if approached with care, become tolerable if not enjoyable. Retired folks need to move cautiously when they venture into the neighborhood. Care must be taken.

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.

We know our muscles, lungs and cardiovascular system needs to get some exercise. We may not connect this exercise with the best thing in the world we can do for our brain. But, it seems to be true.

One topic of conversation that is prevalent among the retired people I know is politics. There is a lot of experience and history among we older folks that can make for varied thoughts concerning the way we govern ourselves. This podcast offers a glimpse into a recent political discussion.

Retirement brings many topics of discussion into our lives. Some may continue on from youth. Dick Smith shares with us his everlasting interest in geodesic domes.

Some times society values what we choose to do with our life in retirement with continued income. Imagine, doing what you really want and getting paid for it? My friend, Lewis, created a perfect match.

Many of us imagine ourselves recording stories of ourselves, or someone else, before it is too late. It is a great thing to do in the retirement phase of life. In this retirement podcast, Dick Smith shares a story written in his Senior Memoirs Writing Group about doing the very thing.

Suicide is a topic that is rarely discussed and yet remains a very real possibility. This retirement podcast is not taking an advocacy position but is just relating the story of four people I know who have chosen this path. It springs from retirement talk with some friends.

Frustration seems to be part of life. Retirement and being a Senior Citizen doesn't make one immune to sleepless nights and worry over trivial matters. Hopefully, with all of our life experiences, we can manage it a bit better.

Retirement gives us time to find the beauty in former daily routine. Jackie Spinks takes a moment to reflect on a time when life was hard and people were close. The Monday morning wash set the tone for neighbors, families, and towns.

Having a retirement of our own choosing is what most of us desire. We want time in our life to do whatever we choose. Other people and events have a way of under mining this dream of independence. We need all of our resources to live the retirement we have always imagined.

Retired people and seniors have experiences and knowledge that needs to be shared. We all need to be heard and we all need to listen. Dick Smith shares with us his current experience in a memoirs writing group for seniors.

Staying fit is needed throughout life. Enjoyment of retirement calls for special attention to this need. Luckily, we have a head start on all other segments of society. We've had more practice.

Retired people like to eat. We have time and tastes that make good eating possible. The problem: eating too much good food . It is easy to, "do lunch". It is easy to linger over a good meal. It is easy to gain weight and ruin our health.

Dick Smith shares a story of a retirement activity that might be well used by many of us. Writing a book with a grandchild, or young child at a school, might be just the thing to create a little mystery and change our lives.

Death happens to each of us. Lying silently, tied to a container of drugs, in a nursing home for days or weeks waiting for death to finally end our pain is one way. There are many ways to die. Thinking and talking about this process is something that is in short supply

Physical beauty is of paramount importance most of our lives. With age comes retirement and hopefully wisdom. We learn that there are more important attributes to beauty that the physical. This may be one of retirement's greatest benefits.