Did Mimi know Wendy?

Oops, it's my Dads Aunt. Thats just what we all call her. Not possible, she's been dead now for at least 15 to 20 years. So, is Wendy 120 to 125 years old?

But then again, who's to say how old is too old. I hope I have enough time to see Europe and England, don't care to see the Middle East. I want to do Genealogy in England and South Tyrol Italy.

kv

 

Wow!

Surprised at many of these stories. I haven’t experienced much of what you’re talking about. I went out on disability at age 62. I’ve been collecting my maximum since then. So I haven’t seen many of the decisions you guys have had to make. Thanks for the education.

On the bright side, for the most part once you have made the decisions, that's it, you're done. Just for example on my pension checks I opted if I check out before my wife she will continue to receive my pension monies till she dies. That carried about a $75 a month lesser amount but at least when I am in the box I will know she will manage. Then too, it's a gamble I go before her. The next change period for my medicare I want to look closer at my prescription drug plan because I am on a med which is costly even with my co-pay. Anyway, for the most part when I retired the decisions don't really need much change.

Ron

 

I want to do Genealogy in England and South Tyrol Italy.

Most of that is available on Ancestry. Took both my maternal and paternal family back all the way to the 1500s using Ancestry. I first joined to figure out why my paternal great grandfather was born with one last name but ended up with my last name, all of the family knew it happened but not how or why. He also was born in Indiana but was raised and died in Ohio. Found all of the information on Ancestry with the help of a few member there.

 

Sent my DNA off to Ancestry, it came back I was wanted in three countries.
Max.

 

When my Uncle Sam retired he said he kept getting all kinds of calls to do things. It was "Sam is retired now so he doesn't have anything to do so call him to do it." He said he went and got a Real Estate license just so when they called him he could say "Oh no sorry I can't I have a house to show that day".

 

My wife and I did the Ancestry thing. Her family story was the was some west Alabama Creek Indian ancestry in the woodpile but it wasn't there. My paternal grandmother was one of 13 children and after the DNA test, I now have more relatives than I care to deal with.

 

Not official yet but I have 4 Signatures 3 to go, Senior VP, then the President of the Universities Admin secretary the final is the President.

Then I wait till Jan 1st, I'll party like it's 2020

kv

 

Congratulations. After 30 days, I was bored stiff and needed something to do. So, I contacted a local college, went to lunch with the chemistry chair and volunteered. Two years later I bought my full-time "hobby farm."

My advice, find something useful to do. For me, a lifelong hobby (model airplanes) didn't cut it.

 

Not official yet but I have 4 Signatures 3 to go, Senior VP, then the President of the Universities Admin secretary the final is the President.

Then I wait till Jan 1st, I'll party like it's 2020

kv

Well congratulations are in order. Just went to a retirement party for a few of my former co-workers. I tell them all the same thing, surprised I found time to work all those years. Kick back and enjoy, you owe it to yourself. Tomorrow I am meeting an old neighbor for lunch, retired people do a lot of breakfast and lunch meetings and the nice thing is breakfast can last till lunch and lunch till dinner.

Ron

 

Congratulations. After 30 days, I was bored stiff and needed something to do. So, I contacted a local college, went to lunch with the chemistry chair and volunteered. Two years later I bought my full-time "hobby farm."

My advice, find something useful to do. For me, a lifelong hobby (model airplanes) didn't cut it.

Planning on it, been that way for 10 years. I thought I would continue Electronics, but not sure after this time I want to pursue it. I have the opportunity to got to school for free. I've always wanted to know more about Physics. But I feel maybe I want to be more basic, I was offered a Job at Lowes, they pay up to $17 an hr, I could do that job without thinking, all I do is take a test, depending on my score will net me $17 an hr. I think I could easily place high on it. I could work part time to put some income in the bank till I'm 66.5 then file for Social Security and retire completely to pursue my own endeavors.

After I sell my Dads house I'll be out of debt. I would enjoy going to go to Europe and do research on my family, then put together a book for our families who know little about our heritage. After that I'll find something, I've alway enjoyed Guitar, been playing since 18. While I'm doing stuff during retirement my good Friend closed his Maco Business to pursue Music. I think I feel a bit wondering for the first time in many years. But, I'll get it I think, Thank you.

kv

 

My dad did a book on the family (his father was an immigrant from Germany 1890'ish, settled in Oklahoma and actually took part in one of the Cherokee land rushes). We have a copy of the ship's log that landed in Baltimore. It took a lot of his time to put all the stories and pictures together. Worthwhile.

John

 

My dad did a book on the family (his father was an immigrant from Germany 1890'ish, settled in Oklahoma and actually took part in one of the Cherokee land rushes). We have a copy of the ship's log that landed in Baltimore. It took a lot of his time to put all the stories and pictures together. Worthwhile.

John

The mormons did most of the work to 1846, then the English Historians did their work back to 1015, funny they were just farmers confused with royalty. The fighting Farmer were paid by a Danish King which the English got right, given land but the land was granted back to the nobles after 35 years, which made them farm again and fight for them. They came from Switzerland, who were freed from Roman influence by taking the coin or land from the Danish King, so from the time when Rome feel in the year 400, Roman legions stayed to form city states with Roman type Democracy. So, still today they are a fighting force in Europe as I understand it, they still practice the art of defending the borders in every family, a group of national states defending its borders. We will not intrude our boarder, but come across we will defend our Nation.


kv

 

My dad did a book on the family (his father was an immigrant from Germany 1890'ish, settled in Oklahoma and actually took part in one of the Cherokee land rushes). We have a copy of the ship's log that landed in Baltimore. It took a lot of his time to put all the stories and pictures together. Worthwhile.

John

In-between cooking, I'm the chief, so the 1800's was so full of emigration not to get off the "Topic" it's beginning to be one of my most favorite periods in time. So much history in America, my Grandmothers family came from Germany, sadly I do not know much past the 1800's.

kv

 

retired people do a lot of breakfast and lunch meetings

And we often miss the cue that they are ready for us to leave after we've been there several hours... Mostly Scots in my woodpile. Poor hungry farmers pissed off with their English landlords for the most part. Along with a few English Capitalists and Steam Engineers off to get rich in the Colonies.

 

Medicare is age 65 so unless you are disabled and maybe qualify for Medicaid you are looking at paying for your health insurance. When I retired I had turned 63 in February. I retired at age 63 in May and took COBRA which was expensive but we had money set aside for. COBRA has an 18 month limit leaving me with three months to cover so I just took a 4 month policy for catastrophic illness through State Farm Insurance.

Sure as heck I get a letter from the IRS under the ACA (Affordable Care Act) requiring me to show proof of insurance during those last 3 months between my COBRA running out and my Medicare starting.

Finally Medicare is no great savior. My wife and I have Medicare deducted from our Social Security and additionally pay about $350 a month for our supplemental health insurance.

I know guys who continued to work just for the medical benefits.

Ron

My work is offering retired folks here at the Uni, Part A and B and C reasonably priced. The VP refuses to approve my early retirement package with a Stipend of $830 a month for the next 3 1/2 years, so I sent it back through again with only benefits till age 66.6

 

Couple of things about retirement. You have to have something to do. The good thing is you do it at your own pace since there are no set deadlines set by others. Except for the HoneyDos. All that money you saved to have fun with when you retired? You're going to spend a LOT of it on medical. As to going to school to take classes, one of the major incentives I had to graduate is I got to the point I had more in common with my teachers than the other students because I stayed in school for so long. Also, there is that deadline thing I already mentioned. Retirement and deadlines are oxymoronic. Another thing is all that money you used to spend on gas to and from work and meals out is going to burn a hole in your pocket so a good hobby helps to justify spending it.

 

Couple of things about retirement. You have to have something to do. The good thing is you do it at your own pace since there are no set deadlines set by others. Except for the HoneyDos. All that money you saved to have fun with when you retired? You're going to spend a LOT of it on medical. As to going to school to take classes, one of the major incentives I had to graduate is I got to the point I had more in common with my teachers than the other students because I stayed in school for so long. Also, there is that deadline thing I already mentioned. Retirement and deadlines are oxymoronic. Another thing is all that money you used to spend on gas to and from work and meals out is going to burn a hole in your pocket so a good hobby helps to justify spending it.

I’ll have to work a little until I’m 70. My pension is only $978 a month. If I take Social Security at age 66.6 I only get $1278 but if I wait it’s $1789

kv

 

My work is offering retired folks here at the Uni, Part A and B and C reasonably priced. The VP refuses to approve my early retirement package with a Stipend of $830 a month for the next 3 1/2 years, so I sent it back through again with only benefits till age 66.6

That's one of the tricky parts. Somewhere back there I think I ran my own numbers. Currently we have Medicare and a supplement. Actually a good supplement through United Health Care which runs us about $350 a month. Real nice to have when Kathy developed cancer. Anyway I looked at pension amount and Social Security and made my decision to go out at 63 and will be turning 70 come February. Hopefully they will come around to your way of thinking on this.

Ron

 

Re: Retirement Hobby

I had a few hobbies which I had planned to occupy my time when I retired three years ago. I started painting. I became a Disney fanatic, traveling to Walt Disney World for a couple of weeks, twice a year. I became involved in theater again. I also returned to model railroading. And I wanted to stick with computing, and write software on the side. Plus electronics, of course.

Little did I know I would have no time to spend on them.

A little less than a year ago, I started to develop my own business. It takes a little from each of the hobbies listed above. My state (Massachusetts) has a Business Development Council and I’ve been working with a counselor. We’ve finished three years of financial projections and are working on a business plan. When both are done, I’ll start looking for financing. I approached one bank and met with a business development manager. Small world story, he turned out to be an old friend of the family from my father’s generation.

I’ve contracted with several potential candidates for certain deliverables that I need, in consideration for their possible future employment. I have five people this occupied.

If all goes well, my enterprise will launch next year at this time.

Now THAT’S how to keep busy in retirement.

 

While working my hiring manager and I would talk about retirement. He was looking at retiring in Mexico and I was looking at retiring in Thailand. We dreamed about it for years until he was transferred. When considering what I would do when retired the main picture I held in my mind was that of pouring hot water into a mug and adding a teabag so I could enjoy a cup of tea. Over my last year I resigned positions in professional societies and prepared my department to carry on without me trying to not be too obvious. I sold my house in Silicon valley and had a new one built in Arizona. I resigned from work and the moving vans pulled in. The next day in Arizona the moving vans were emptied and left. I went to the kitchen and boiled some water, found a cap into which I the water and a teabag. As I sat there staring at my cup of tea and thought "What next?"

@SamR is right, you need to think about how you will spend your time.