Retirement Talk for Boomers, Seniors, and Retirees

The most terrifying words we could hear would be, “There is no government. You’re on your own.” Just close your eyes and try to imagine that for a minute. It won't be a pretty picture.

I find that if I really want to do something good for my brain I will lace up my running shoes. No kidding. Exercise. Exercise like big body movements are what really perk up the old brain.

I recently made contact with an old friend of mine. He retired and then did exactly what he wanted to do. Then lo and behold. Society did value it. And he does get paid. This is his story. I never had such luck.

A friend asked if we knew; What group of people in the US commit the most suicides? The correct answer: white males over eighty. "Why do people think that is a negative thing"? Responded another friend a white male, over eighty. "It only makes sense that many people when they get that old, and perhaps have severe health problems take their own life".

A few years ago I received an email from Sherri Robinson who lives in Spokane Valley, Washington. She evidently felt interested enough in this topic of retirement to share some of her thoughts. It is definitely worth sharing.

Frustration comes in various ways and at odd times. The question is always what to do when it does work its way into our lives. Of course, the responses vary sort of like the reason for the frustration.

Creating and maintaining a retirement of your own choosing isn’t easy. The world is so very busy, outside stimuli is so great. It’s easy to get overwhelmed in many ways. Eternal vigilance is required to maintain one’s sense of self.

Staying fit is an all encompassing goal. It isn't enough to be fit for one thing only; we want to be fit for life. That is much different than being able to stack baled hay all day, run a marathon, or do the hundred yard dash.

For whatever reasons eating out has come to play a major role in our lives. Retirement and eating out certainly seem to go together. Thus retirement and gaining weight seem to go together. That’s a problem.

Most of us have time to consider dying, especially retired people. We have managed to reach the retirement phase of life. We know that death awaits. Why is it then that we hesitate or refuse to plan for this definite destiny?

This podcast comes to me from a listener in Australia. The listener has definitely given some serious thought to retirement. Enjoy.

Last week my wife and I went to a dermatologist for a skin scan. A friend of ours who has had skin cancers removed for over thirty years insisted that we do this. He claimed that it went with retirement.

Since you are listening to this program - a podcast - I assume you make an attempt to keep up with technological changes. The thing is – just when you think you have caught up, here comes another “thing”.

"He who has many friends, has no friends". I think Aristotle said that. Life experience has supported the truth of it. It seems like developing friendship requires a certain amount of time; but not always.

We have told our kids that as we grow older we want them to always speak freely and bring us up to speed when they visit. Throw out what needs to be thrown out, and go shopping for things that could use replacing.

Travel is one thing that people in retirement and those nearing retirement seem to always have on their agenda. I remember my mother at age 65 bouncing up and down on some tundra just above Anchorage smiling and exclaiming, "Imagine, I am in Alaska!"

Communicating across generations is something of a challenge that we retired people have to learn. There are no classes, college courses, or how to books on this one. We must all invent our own method. Or, we can just let it happen if it does.

“We don’t have good habits because we are good,” Aristotle said. “We are good because we have good habits.” That line sticks in my mind from somewhere in the past.

When it comes to retirement and getting around, the best answer seems to be choosing where you live carefully. If you can walk and find everything you might need or want the problem of getting around can disappear – along with your car.

How long does it take to shave? Five minutes – maybe ten. Not longer. This morning while walking to a health club my wife noted that I had not shaved for a few days. “I haven’t had time to shave," I responded.

Here I am, retired, no child in our society. Casinos and gambling are very much part of our culture; yet I find them beyond understanding. For many of the retired gambling is part of their life. Why?

All the murders, yet no one advocates for gun control in this country, at least not gun control as I came to understand it on that African plain many years ago. Here is my story of what constitutes real gun control.

There is something about unconditional love. It isn't easy to find. But that is what a dog gives to a person. It can be a great boon to retirement.

Eternal quote: The older generation really messed up this world. When we get older, when we get some younger people elected to office, we will straighten things out. We will leave this a much better world than we found.

I especially want to encourage anyone fairly new to this podcast to go back through the archives to the very earliest episodes to find thoughts on considering retirement that were in my mind shortly after I retired. Enjoy.