Retirement Talk for Boomers, Seniors, and Retirees

Jackie Spinks is my guest. Her recent conversation has focused on the 1940s and her memories of why she formed opinions she held at that time.

Retirement and birds; how do they fit together? When four birds are killed by flying into my windows glass during breakfast, it got me thinking. Retirement may be a great time to speak up on behalf of birds.

From birth to death, music is a part of life. The love of one type of music seems to be every changing. Is there yet another door into the world of music? Perhaps retirement offers us another, yet unexpected, opportunity to expand our appreciation.

Technological changes keep coming at us. Some retired folks give up, What's a person to do? Should we become exhausted chasing something that never stops, or, kickback and let the world roll on without us? Do any of these "technological gadgets" really help us older folks? Or are they all for kids?

Jackie Spinks look back with clear vision at part of what makes up our past. Time in the dentist's chair was all part of the "good old days". Lets be honest.

We all have moments when we think we don't have enough friends. Where can we get some new friends? That is a question that is often asked. Maybe if we look back we will find direction to developing new friends.

Retirement gives us time to examine ourselves better than ever before in our lives. Living with tension in our body can be something that has developed over a lifetime. We may not be aware of what has become, "natural". Learning to relax may still be within our grasp.

It is easy to let things slide. The paint on the house ages. The drapes fade and sag. The belt gets tighter around the waist. Upkeep is need for the house, furniture, body and the mind. Neglect upkeep and the slide into old age becomes all to evident to everyone. Of course, some go beyond just keeping up to actually improving. Life get better!

Telling old stories to folks that aren't interested is an open pit for retired folks. Dick Smith talks of the need for the telling and yet the care concerning when and where the telling takes place.

Traveling to Alaska is one activity the seems to be on many a retired person's list. The lure of the North and Arctic is well founded. And the time to go will never be better than the present moment. The journey is easier than you might think. Retirement is the time to actualize that long held dream.

Jackie Spinks takes a shot at 2030. She paints with a broad brush. She is familiar with making mistakes and seems only sure that more will be made, What will the future look like?

Communicating across generations is a challenge. We must all invent our own methods. Computer kids pose unique challenges. We need a plan. Grandparents have a unique position to pass on wisdom gathered from experience.

Each generation seems to have its complaints concerning the generation following. Understanding this common condition may help us better manage our own views of human behavior.

By the time we reach retirement age we have almost cemented in some habits. We all have them. Yet, changing them is possible. The trick is to develop good ones rather than bad ones. Aristotle gave us some good advice on this one.

Important political issues are like Elephants running through out living room. They are massive, numerous, and completely ignored. When it comes to politics, truth and common sense have taken on these Elephant-like characteristics.

New Year's Resolutions are intended to guide us through the year. A Life List can do that on a much more grand scale. Retirement is a great milestone when a new list might be in order.

Holidays can be trying times for the retired. We are suppose to enjoy them. Best that we not get caught without a plan.

Time takes a toll on a house and on a person alike. Repair and maintenance are needed. Retirement is a time to become a weaver of sorts. It is a time to repair and embellish. Dick Smith is my guest.

"I think old is better". Jackie Spinks has drawn some conclusions concerning various phases of life. She speaks from years of experience.

Transportation can be a serious problem as we move into retirement years. We live in a car focused environment and our car days may be numbered. Getting to the store, post office, restaurant, etc. can be challenging. How do we cope with getting around as we age

Experiences can take on new form when evaluated later in life. We may have learned to be a bit more compassionate - even to ourselves. It may be worth the time to reexamine some of our troubling thoughts.

Retirement is the last act in this drama called life. What will be the nature of this - final act? New dimensions other than work will have to serve to identify us.

Retirement can be a time of hesitation, retreat, and drift. Or, it can be a very busy time of doing exactly what you want. The key is to know what you want.

Human development is well charted for the young. There is little guidance for the retired. Retirement gives us time to come to terms with what makes us and the world go round. It also gives us time to find the center of ourselves.

Casinos have sprouted up like flowers, or weeds, - blooming all along the roads. They can be dangerous places; especially for retired folks