The Countdown to Retirement

[Grabber]

I like the number 2 this week.

 

2 years 2 months left.

[stpracer43]

Keep at it Grabber!

 

I just retired from 27+ years in the Air Force on Sept 1. Really, I'm semi-retired... now just looking for something to tide us over here in Northern VA while our son finishes High School in next 2 years. Cost of living is a bit on the high side here, so I want to add some extra $$$ to the end of the month. No doubt could be comfortable on retirement income back home down South, but not so here in NoVA.

 

All the best!

Keith

[Grabber]

Exactly 2 years left

 

Nice round number.

[joebob948]

Grabber ,that time will pass you buy soooo quickly!!! I can't believe that I have been retired for 4 years now--where did the time go? I just know that it will be the best time of your life!!! Getting up on your time,taking the Shelby out on your time,just plain having fun!!!!!!!!!!! Remember---you've earned it!!!

[Grabber]

Grabber ,that time will pass you buy soooo quickly!!! I can't believe that I have been retired for 4 years now--where did the time go? I just know that it will be the best time of your life!!! Getting up on your time,taking the Shelby out on your time,just plain having fun!!!!!!!!!!! Remember---you've earned it!!!

 

I work for a really good union company and enjoy my work and the people I work with. I mean that too. Not everyone can say they enjoy their work. Next month I will have 24 years of continuous employment with the company. In the construction field, that is very rare. I started with them when I when I was 27 years old and have worked my way up thru the ranks. It is nice to still be fairly young...but be considered a old timer at work. I say that because I enjoy mentoring some of our newer employees and helping them become part of our team. I am not looking for the time to go by fast....however I am just counting the time and tracking my eligibility.

 

I forgot what business you retired from? Are you glad you retired when you did?

[IngotSilverSnake]

I work for a really good union company and enjoy my work and the people I work with. I mean that too. Not everyone can say they enjoy their work. Next month I will have 24 years of continuous employment with the company. In the construction field, that is very rare. I started with them when I when I was 27 years old and have worked my way up thru the ranks. It is nice to still be fairly young...but be considered a old timer at work. I say that because I enjoy mentoring some of our newer employees and helping them become part of our team. I am not looking for the time to go by fast....however I am just counting the time and tracking my eligibility.

 

I forgot what business you retired from? Are you glad you retired when you did?

 

 

Retiring young enough to enjoy yourself is a great advantage. You can still work (at doing something you like) if you are so inclined but, assuming you have prepared yourself financially, you can set your own rules. I retired at 49 years old after 27 years in the USAF in 1996. Could have stayed another 6 years but decided it was time to go. I "worked" on and off for 12 more years doing things I WANTED to do (drove 18 wheelers, sold motorcycles, sold yachts, etc.). Never had more fun in my life playing with all those machines. Since 2008, I retired completely and my job now is playing with my own toys (like my Shelby). Love every minute of it and I think you will to.

[MY500SS]

2 years sounds fantastic Rob .

 

I'm still looking at 8-9 years, but just this week Marji and I started talking about simi retirement. So starting January 7th, she's gonna work 2 days a week at the shop and I'm gonna do 4 days. It's not much but it's a start.

[Grabber]

2 years sounds fantastic Rob .

 

I'm still looking at 8-9 years, but just this week Marji and I started talking about simi retirement. So starting January 7th, she's gonna work 2 days a week at the shop and I'm gonna do 4 days. It's not much but it's a start.

 

 

Doe she normally work at the shop ?

[svtkeith]

It'll be 4 years this Jan 5th I semi retired...looking back it's the best move I ever made but the first year was still a little strange getting used to as

 

things changed so much..you keep finding yourself thinking what you gotta do the next day just to find out you can do what you please..like I say

 

takes a bit of adjusting but you'll not regret it one bit..missed the guys more than the job.

[twobjshelbys]

I'll die in my office. Just like my grandpa and dad (although his was close but be never really retired). Just can't do nothing challenging. Not doing what I'm doing and being a greeter at Walmart won't work for my psyche

[joebob948]

Grabber, I too really enjoyed my work-I was in education for 38years , having spent the last 18 years as an elementary school principal!!! You will know when you are ready to go and take the time to do things that you were unable to do because of other commitments!! I find myself less stressed now and with a perpetual smile on my face!!!! 38 years in the same occupation could take its toll on you!!!!!!!

[MY500SS]

Doe she normally work at the shop ?

 

 

Yes, 3-4 days a week. She's President of our women own shop, which is a good thing because the customers really enjoy working with her.

[Grabber]

It'll be 4 years this Jan 5th I semi retired...looking back it's the best move I ever made but the first year was still a little strange getting used to as

 

things changed so much..you keep finding yourself thinking what you gotta do the next day just to find out you can do what you please..like I say

 

takes a bit of adjusting but you'll not regret it one bit..missed the guys more than the job.

 

Now that you mention that...I can see myself doing that same thing.

I'll die in my office. Just like my grandpa and dad (although his was close but be never really retired). Just can't do nothing challenging. Not doing what I'm doing and being a greeter at Walmart won't work for my psyche

 

As long as you are happy and make the ones around you happy....that's all that really matters.

Grabber, I too really enjoyed my work-I was in education for 38years , having spent the last 18 years as an elementary school principal!!! You will know when you are ready to go and take the time to do things that you were unable to do because of other commitments!! I find myself less stressed now and with a perpetual smile on my face!!!! 38 years in the same occupation could take its toll on you!!!!!!!

 

I have been a carpenter since I was 18 years old. That's 34 years of building things so far. In 2 years I will have 36...so that is close to your 38. I might be ready in 2 years. We will see. I just want to get there....and then decide.

 

Yes, 3-4 days a week. She's President of our women own shop, which is a good thing because the customers really enjoy working with her.

 

Well, cutting back hours and days is a great way to start enjoying life to it's fullest. I too enjoy my vacation time and with my seniority I get 37 vacation days a year and a week of sick time and a 3 days of bereavement time that I hope to never have to use. I split the time up over the year and it makes the year go by fast. They treat me so good....I may never want to leave.

[Bill Hamilton]

Well I’m at retirement plus 6 months now. I’m enjoying it but there’s this 15 pounds of mid-waist bulge I’ve been out running for years that finally seems to have caught up with me. Have to get serious about losing it again after the holidays.

 

The thing that makes me feel bad about retirement is my wife. She’s 4 years behind me so she still has to get up and go to work every day. I don’t want to rub it in so I get up, fix her coffee, and walk her to her car each morning. I have become a better housekeeper to try and “earn” my keep. I’m still involved with an aviation consultant group on a weekly basis through teleconferences which may eventually pan out but if not, I’m fine with life the way it is if it doesn’t.

 

Usually one day a week I’ll meet up with some other retired Mustang buds for breakfast. Once or twice a week I met up with a couple of other friends from my former squadrons for lunch and listen to them complain about leadership, management, and the way things are going. Makes me glad I’m retired and realize they’re talking about the same things we complained about 20 years ago. The names and faces change but the problems are the same. They talk about flying and going to exotic places but I’ve been to all of them and don’t miss it. After 10,000 plus flying hours, years overseas, and months TDY with the Air Force I’m glad to be home. Now days if there’s not a car show or automotive related event at a location, I’m not going (LOL).

[HARALD KELLEY]

364 days as my target date is Dec 31, 2013. My wife also has about 5 years after me. Time will tell what I decide to do.

[joebob948]

Congrats, Bill !!!!!!!! Retirement seems to be suiting you well!!!!!!!!

[Bill Hamilton]

Congrats, Bill !!!!!!!! Retirement seems to be suiting you well!!!!!!!!

 

Thanks, Joebob .... 38 years in education, Wow! ---- You Sir, deserve a medal!

[Grabber]

1 year

11 months

11 days.....................left

 

 

The ONES on my computer desktop countdown caught my eye today.

[Glenn Greenwell]

^{I sure wish there was more information on how to retire. The past three years I have paid down bills and really started managing my IRA more closely. I have been in deferrred retirement for 14 years and will have 35 with the city in May of this year and 38 in the profession. I still struggle with when is the correct time to leave. I guess there are some of us out there that know when to hang it up. I wonder how many folks really struggle when you get right down to writing the letter telling everyone you enjoyed your career and it is time to let someone else step up.}

 

^{I have really enjoyed following this post. I believe that you can actually stay too long in a job even though you are productive and enjoy it. We work all our lives to get our kids through school and married off and pay off bills and houses and then you have the empty nest stuff to try and overcome.}

 

^GG

Edited January 20, 2013 by TAPD117

[Grabber]

^{I sure wish there was more information on how to retire. The past three years I have paid down bills and really started managing my IRA more closely. I have been in deferrred retirement for 14 years and will have 35 with the city in May of this year and 38 in the profession. I still struggle with when is the correct time to leave. I guess there are some of us out there that know when to hang it up. I wonder how many folks really struggle when you get right down to writing the letter telling everyone you enjoyed your career and it is time to let someone else step up.}

 

^{I have really enjoyed following this post. I believe that you can actually stay too long in a job even though you are productive and enjoy it. We work all our lives to get our kids through school and married off and pay off bills and houses and then you have the empty nest stuff to try and overcome.}

 

^GG

 

 

I have been watching my dad and taking note. He is 76 years old now. When he was 54 he retired after 28 years with the Portland Police Bureau. He was the deputy chief of Investigations. He took his 80% pension and then took a part time job for 2-3 years running the police museum. This gave him the needed medicare hours to qualify for it later on. I have watched him have fun with his life for the last 20 years. Golfing, 2nd homes, traveling a little and enjoying motorcycles and cars. Now he is starting to have some serious health problems. I'm sure glad he pulled the plug to get those 22 years of fun in while he was still young.

 

I am going to follow in my dad's foot steps. Life is just to short to work for fun.

[NMAv]

9 years, 4 months (unless kids do graduate school ....)

[Grabber]

1 year 9 months

 

odd to see the 2 single digits.

[Bill Hamilton]

Some of you guys are starting your "countdowns" a little early but at a certain point you'll need a "Short-Timer's Calendar" (LOL). I did one at work about 3-months out. However during wartime for military guys we would start on day one if you knew your length of tour. I've attached one like we used during the first Gulf War in 1990-91. For all us Air Force guys deployed in-theater we used 179 days. After all we were just TDY (Temporary Duty). Because if you were there 181 days it became a short PCS tour (PCS=Permanent Change of Station or new duty assignment) and they'd have to pay your moving expenses and a host of other details. One of the ingenious guys designed a calendar that showed a camel blocked off into 180 little squares that you would color in each day until your "TDY" was completed. Most of the guys were back between 150 and 175 days but I stayed there over 200 days. On the calendar you can see that you were supposed to exit out before day 181 with the arrow. I color coded mine to show DESERT SHIELD (the pre-war build-up), DESERT STORM (the actually shooting war itself), the post-war (for lack of a better term at the time I called it "DESERT CALM"), and then finally if you were there more than 181 days you qualified for a short-tour in a combat zone and I called that DESERT EXCESS. You can see from my calendar I drew was a big pile of camel dung divided up into another additional 30 days of so to cover that time. For some guys, it was the highlight of their day to color in your chart with a highlighter pen.

[verlyn12]

7 Months from tomorrow!!!!

[Bill Hamilton]

7 Months from tomorrow!!!!

 

Congratulations, but I didn't know farmers and ranchers could retire? Just kidding, enjoy it, leaves more time for the grandkids too. B)

[MY500SS]

I have been watching my dad and taking note. He is 76 years old now. When he was 54 he retired after 28 years with the Portland Police Bureau. He was the deputy chief of Investigations. He took his 80% pension and then took a part time job for 2-3 years running the police museum. This gave him the needed medicare hours to qualify for it later on. I have watched him have fun with his life for the last 20 years. Golfing, 2nd homes, traveling a little and enjoying motorcycles and cars. Now he is starting to have some serious health problems. I'm sure glad he pulled the plug to get those 22 years of fun in while he was still young.

 

I am going to follow in my dad's foot steps. Life is just to short to work for fun.

 

I hope your Dad's health issues subside and he pulls in another 22 years of fun retirement.

[HARALD KELLEY]

9 months at the short end, 13 months at the long end. Yes, life is way to short and it can be gone in a second.

[joebob948]

All of you that are getting close..........it will really be worth it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Lgs ShelbyGT]

Some of you guys are starting your "countdowns" a little early but at a certain point you'll need a "Short-Timer's Calendar" (LOL). I did one at work about 3-months out. However during wartime for military guys we would start on day one if you knew your length of tour. I've attached one like we used during the first Gulf War in 1990-91. For all us Air Force guys deployed in-theater we used 179 days. After all we were just TDY (Temporary Duty). Because if you were there 181 days it became a short PCS tour (PCS=Permanent Change of Station or new duty assignment) and they'd have to pay your moving expenses and a host of other details. One of the ingenious guys designed a calendar that showed a camel blocked off into 180 little squares that you would color in each day until your "TDY" was completed. Most of the guys were back between 150 and 175 days but I stayed there over 200 days. On the calendar you can see that you were supposed to exit out before day 181 with the arrow. I color coded mine to show DESERT SHIELD (the pre-war build-up), DESERT STORM (the actually shooting war itself), the post-war (for lack of a better term at the time I called it "DESERT CALM"), and then finally if you were there more than 181 days you qualified for a short-tour in a combat zone and I called that DESERT EXCESS. You can see from my calendar I drew was a big pile of camel dung divided up into another additional 30 days of so to cover that time. For some guys, it was the highlight of their day to color in your chart with a highlighter pen.

 

 

Nice calendar for the countdown

 

On our ship in the Gulf of Tonkin in the early '70s we had short-timer belt buckles numbered 10 thru 1

 

When #1's time was finally up and he left the ship, then that buckle would be passed on to #2 and the next newest "short" crew member would get to wear #10

It was a big deal to be part of this elite short-timer's group, as all wanted to come home

[Lgs ShelbyGT]

1 year 9 months

 

odd to see the 2 single digits.

 

 

Rob

In the wink of an eye, it will be single digits of days left

Enjoy every day until that happens

Lg