Chapter 1

 

Retirement! Wow! Almost here. In three days, I will close my work laptop for the last time. I will hand it in on day four. Then, for the next twenty days, I will be taking some saved up vacation. On day twenty-one, I will be officially retired. That is a lot to take in. My forty-three-year journey is coming to an end and the next phase will begin.

A lot of thought has gone in to what my next adventure will look like. Purging my basement, tending to lots of neglected yard work and travel have been on the list for quite some time. I think these are most likely on everyone’s list. I will have lots of time and I am going to be productive damn it! Well, truth is, I question if I will attack the basement and yard with as much vim and vigor as I see in my mind’s eye.

Lately, I’ve been trying to think with more of a hint of realism. Work is not necessarily what I want to replace work with. Deep down, what are the things I’ve put off from my “want to do” list? I must say, the list grows each day as this new reality becomes more than a light at the end of the tunnel. Obviously, family comes first and will always be my priority. But now is my time. How am I going to fill my days?

Early in my career, I had a job that required me to do a fair amount of writing. Surprisingly, I became very passionate about it. Over the years, I’ve tried to find opportunities to practice this hobby but, like with most things, life got in the way. Now I have no more excuses. Let’s just say my calendar has opened up.

All that to say I’ve decided to commit to myself to follow my passion and write. I’ve thought about what type of medium to utilize to express my thoughts, and what the focus of those thoughts might be. I’ve had a bit of experience with blogging, and it is a relatively easy process, so this is where I’ve chosen to share my words. A while back, I took time to think about topics that are important and interesting to me. Given my new “career”, I’ve decided to use this forum to document my retirement! Am I too young to retire? Do I have enough money? Will I be happy without a structured day? So many questions that will only be answered with time.

I don’t know that anybody will find my writing interesting, or if it will bring any value to anyone. Hell, I don’t even know if it will ever be read. If it is, great! If somebody is intrigued and comes back for more, fantastic! If not, that is okay too. After decades spending my days playing to the beat of somebody else’s drum, this song is for me. I invite you to come along for the ride.