What is retirement without a retirement gift to myself? Well to that end I decided that a vacation rental somewhere warmer than home is just what I needed. I had been looking on VRBO casually starting in October once I decided that late December is when I would leave work for good. I wasn't committed to any one place and searched in California, Arizona, and Florida. All would have weather that was better than where I live and worked.
As luck would have it I was walking back to work after my lunch break where I met a colleague of mine in the gallery of Hydro Place. I stopped to say hi and found out in our brief conversation that she was anxiously waiting for her husband to pick up paperwork he was takng down to Clearwater, Florida to seal the deal of the condominium they had just purchased. Not missing an opportunity I had mentioned that I was looking for a place and if they were planning on renting it out when they were not there themselves. A deal was struck. As it turned out I booked my time at thier new condo from January 15 to the end of February.
When I sealed the deal all was well in my world. I had my health, I had Norm, and I was comfortable in my decision to retire, and more so comfortable with my status in life: I was single, happy, and had the freedom of adequate financial resources to do almost anything I chose to do with my soon to be significantly more spare time. Then that all changed in October when the love of my life with whom I was separated from for three years came back into my life. As noted I was happy where I was in my life and content in my singleness. However I was happier still having the love of my life back in my life. A great life change for me that I hope lasts for a long, long time. However with that was the realization that six weeks away wasn't the great escape I originally anticipated it would be when I made the deal. Now I had others that I would very much miss while away. I realized that my previous trips abroad (India, Timor, Nigeria, and Saudi Arabia) where all when I was single. Suddenly the thought process was completely different, good for sure, but different. While another blog in and of itself, thinking of others was also something new to me. Well that's a story for another time, either way my packing was done and I departed early on January 10th for the 3,300km journey to Clearwater, Florida. When I left it was -21c as I headed south to my first stop: Sioux Falls, SD. Thankfully the journey was uneventful, clear skies, and clear roads, staight south on I29. What struck me is how little snow there was, getting more and more sparse as I went south. I arrived in Sioux Falls deliberately early to be able to watch two key NFL playoff games. It was -5c in Sioux Falls. I was ahead of the temperature curve already by 16 degrees. After an uneventful, short visit to Sioux Falls I was on the road again early to my next scheduled stop in St. Louis, MO. Following I29 still south to Kansas City, MO. From Kansas City I found my exit to I70 that would take me due east to St Loius, MO. A couple of notes: the snow was gone prior to getting to Kansas City, these are big cities only a few hours away from each other, and weather finally found me in Kansas City with cloud and rain that would stay with me until just south of Gainsville, FL.Once you hit this part of the United States the rural plains are gone, replaced by large significant populations throughout the rest of the journey. Suddenly the sense of a population of some 330 million souls becomes apparent.
Unfortunately this was a longer day than the previous leg and I found myself arriving in St Louis in the dark in a driving rain storm, as I tried to navigate myself to the east side of the city on multilane freeways where visibility was at a premium. This is a big, big city. Good news I found a hotel and arrived, despite the rain to 1c, the weather getting a little bit better with each leg of my journey.
Day three of my journey took me east on I64 to Mount Vernon where I joined I57, to connect to I24 that would take me to Atlanta, Ga. This was a particularly interesting drive as you see the environment around you change to more temperate areas. From lack of growth typical of winter to areas not so hibernated. While not green, it wasn't dead for the season either. On my journey my first gas stop happened to be in Nashville, Tn. While I didn't see anything of the city I got a taste of being somewhere else at the truck stop where I bought gas. First off it is different getting gas here than at home: pay at the pump, or pay inside. If you choose the latter you must first go in the store and either give cash or credit card with an amount specified. Not a big deal if you are just putting in $20 bucks, more difficult if your filling the tank as I was. As gas is much cheaper here (everywhere was in the $1.90 - $2.00 range/US on my journey down south) a fill that normally cost me $40 now cost about $20 (albeit in US dollars carrying a 25% premium to the Cdn dollar). I arrived in Atlanta, much to my chagrin right at rush hour, and Atlanta happens to have a particularly actute rush hour. As it turns out the freeway I needed to be on went right thru downtown and I found myself on a 6 lane (one way) freeway that was clogged solid with commuters on their way home, Unfortunately, the fog/cloud/rain that started in Kansas City the day before continued through Atlanta, so despite being downtown I saw nothing of it as the fog was thick. What I find fascinated is that suddenly the stop and go traffic on a freeway that has no traffic lights goes from complete grid lock to starting to move at a faster and faster pace. I drove further with the idea of getting to east side of the city and thus not having to drive thru the city in the morning. I found my hotel in what turned out to be McDonnah, Ga., though I thought it was still Atlanta.
After three nights in three different cities this was that last leg of my long journey. This final leg of approximately 450 miles took me east and south on I75.
I really enjoyed this drive for several reasons: one, the temperatures were getting warmer: from 10c in Atlanta, to about 17c at the Florida - Georgia border, to about 24 degrees at Tampa Bay. Two, the terrain changed dramatically, to progressively more and more green, to changes of soil from dark earth to bright brown, almost sand like looking soil through the Georgia peanut and peach groves. Of course the best sighting was of the first palm tree shortly after crossing the Florida border.
Again population becomes apparent as there never really seems to be any break from civilization from Gainsville to Tampa Bay. The other thing that struck me was the billboards that line the interstates, mostly hocking fast food, but also legal, real estate, and tourist traps to stop at. One of my favorite was a banner for Ozarkland. What it was I can't really tell you - but a very effective billboard: all orange, the bottom was a banner detailing the exit to take and direction, in the center just large letters proclaiming Ozarkland. The top banner had a sample of items to be purchased: three things: candy, gifts, knives. Really? Only in America it seems. Having indulged in fast food for the last three days, the last thing I wanted was more fast food.
This final drive was pleasant and went quickly as the visual landscape kept me occupied. Also going back to the population, the interstate from Atlanta all the way to Tampa was a minimum of three lane in each direction (though that was restricted to two during a stretch of construction) and sometimes more.
Sunday, January 24, 2016
Saturday, January 3, 2015
Retired?
Well after a lifetime of being only a faint dream, the dream has become a reality. As of December 18, 2014 I am no longer an employee of my beloved crown corporation of Manitoba Hydro (MH), but a retired employee of MH. Technically I am not recieving any retirement benefits as I am still on the payroll for awhile using up vacation days, so-called pre-retirement. So far "fixed income" jokes are not applicable. There will be plenty of time for those in due course once I am recieving retirement money vs. regular salary. As an aside I have never really understood the concept of "on a fixed income" specifically for retireree's as most working people on a salary are also on a fixed income as well. While you may recieve periodic pay increases over your career to deal with inflation, bonuses, and skill sets, some are lucky enough to recieve the same with retirement if your lucky enough to have an indexed pension plan.
So this is my new life. One that will undoubtedly take some getting used to. Even though it is a good lifestyle change, it is a big adjustment no matter which way you look at it. For 40+ years of my 54 years of existence on this planet I have either been told/taught by my parents or in school to save money and don't be a spendthrift. Now after a lifetime of living by these practices you are supposed to turn all that off and spend all your money? It just doesn't come that easy; for me especially as I have always been a prodigious saver and "cautious" with my money.
Notwithstanding what my life will look like in a year from now (I have no clue), I enjoyed the kickoff to my non-working career. My last day at work was busy visiting with the constant stream of people who came by to wish me farewell and good luck on my new lifestyle change. My division had graciously got everyone together to send me off in style, complete with cake and a gift certificate in which to indulge myself with. I followed that with a small (7 colleagues and the love of my life) dinner with the people in my division I was closest too at Moxie's next door at the MTS center. I decided against a formal function for a variety of reasons, and kept my departure quiet and unassuming, preferring not to have all this attention focused on me. The private dinner was deliberately focused only on those in my division to limit the numbers invited, as I have been lucky enough to have made many friends over the course of my career. Deciding who is to be invited is a difficult task that reminded me how difficult invitations can be (I think back to my wedding list in 1985 where you must consider that if you include Bob, then you have to invite uncle Joe as well) and before long your 100 person guest list balloons to twice that size.
My first official day off started off with a good snooze and a lunch invite with a friend (and fellow retiree) to kick off my retirement in style. My friend Jim need only make a gesture to me to indicate his thoughts on retirement: both arms up to the side with a questioning look and smile and the word "hey"?
Two things became immediately clear to me about not having the burden of work as part of your life any longer: one, you don't realize the constant insidious thoughts of work that weighs on your mind. Be it the thoughts of meetings, work sitting on your desk, to the reminders that go off in your head to start your evening routine in getting ready for work, be it making your lunch, putting clothes out, etc. The second, more delicious realization is like the euphoria of leaving the office on Friday afternoon knowing your have vacation time ahead of you. The difference with retirement is that there is no end date when you have to return to work.
Either way it is an emotional ride those last few days of work. The range of emotions I went through were numerous. Suddenly as we are apt to do, I focused on the good things about work, versus all the bad. I thought of some of the routine I will miss, the building itself, the walk to the bus stop in the morning, walks with mates at lunch, and conversations with co-workers that you have got to know well over years of working with each other.
That's the other strange thing about leaving work, the loss of the many aquaintences you make over time but realize you will probably never see again. The work place is a place where you interact with many people, whom you spend more time with than your immediate family (excluding sleep time). However the fact is I made many friends over my career, some of which I will undoubtedly keep in touch with, however the vast majority of these people I will no longer keep in touch with. Its just reality, yet a strange feeling nonetheless.
As my retirement coincided with the Christmas season I have yet to feel "retired" yet as many people take time off over Christmas, returning to work on Monday, Jan. 5 of the new 2015 year. That said like anyone on vacation or not, is there anything more enjoyable than going to bed knowing there is to be no alarm to wake you up in the morning. Ironically though after 30 odd years working sleeping in is not something I am able to do. However given that it is winter I will sleep until first light around 8am.
My vacation continues starting Jan 15 when I drive to Clearwater, Florida where I have rented a condo from a workmate of mine for a month and a half to the end of February. I'm looking forward to this journey for a number of reasons. One, after missing a large part of the winter last year when I was in Saudi Arabia, I don't relish the thought of a complete winter without some escape from the cold. Second, I have decided to drive down to Florida, all 3,300 kms of it. Since I was younger I have thought of doing a long road trip with limited constraints on your time. Unlike summer holidays and the like, when a road trip is involved people tend to drive long days so as to make more time on your holiday and not getting there. So I look forward to driving until I don't want to any longer and stop for the night. As a rough guide if I give myself 5 days, I have to travel just under 700 kms/day to complete my journey. The journey as outlined by Google Maps - will take me south through Fargo, Souix Falls, Kansas City, St. Louis, Nashville, Atlanta and into Florida. This road trip will also provide good experiences on which to base the next installment of this new blog of mine.
I'm hoping that in the future with this blog that I can provide some insights, thoughts, and observations about my life as I start a new chapter of this existence of mine. I hope you find some interest in it as well. Though the thought of a retirement blog sounds quite boring - I will do my best to avoid that!
Tomorrow is the start of a completely new day
One of which I have no experience and have little to say
So this is my new life. One that will undoubtedly take some getting used to. Even though it is a good lifestyle change, it is a big adjustment no matter which way you look at it. For 40+ years of my 54 years of existence on this planet I have either been told/taught by my parents or in school to save money and don't be a spendthrift. Now after a lifetime of living by these practices you are supposed to turn all that off and spend all your money? It just doesn't come that easy; for me especially as I have always been a prodigious saver and "cautious" with my money.
Notwithstanding what my life will look like in a year from now (I have no clue), I enjoyed the kickoff to my non-working career. My last day at work was busy visiting with the constant stream of people who came by to wish me farewell and good luck on my new lifestyle change. My division had graciously got everyone together to send me off in style, complete with cake and a gift certificate in which to indulge myself with. I followed that with a small (7 colleagues and the love of my life) dinner with the people in my division I was closest too at Moxie's next door at the MTS center. I decided against a formal function for a variety of reasons, and kept my departure quiet and unassuming, preferring not to have all this attention focused on me. The private dinner was deliberately focused only on those in my division to limit the numbers invited, as I have been lucky enough to have made many friends over the course of my career. Deciding who is to be invited is a difficult task that reminded me how difficult invitations can be (I think back to my wedding list in 1985 where you must consider that if you include Bob, then you have to invite uncle Joe as well) and before long your 100 person guest list balloons to twice that size.
My first official day off started off with a good snooze and a lunch invite with a friend (and fellow retiree) to kick off my retirement in style. My friend Jim need only make a gesture to me to indicate his thoughts on retirement: both arms up to the side with a questioning look and smile and the word "hey"?
Two things became immediately clear to me about not having the burden of work as part of your life any longer: one, you don't realize the constant insidious thoughts of work that weighs on your mind. Be it the thoughts of meetings, work sitting on your desk, to the reminders that go off in your head to start your evening routine in getting ready for work, be it making your lunch, putting clothes out, etc. The second, more delicious realization is like the euphoria of leaving the office on Friday afternoon knowing your have vacation time ahead of you. The difference with retirement is that there is no end date when you have to return to work.
Either way it is an emotional ride those last few days of work. The range of emotions I went through were numerous. Suddenly as we are apt to do, I focused on the good things about work, versus all the bad. I thought of some of the routine I will miss, the building itself, the walk to the bus stop in the morning, walks with mates at lunch, and conversations with co-workers that you have got to know well over years of working with each other.
That's the other strange thing about leaving work, the loss of the many aquaintences you make over time but realize you will probably never see again. The work place is a place where you interact with many people, whom you spend more time with than your immediate family (excluding sleep time). However the fact is I made many friends over my career, some of which I will undoubtedly keep in touch with, however the vast majority of these people I will no longer keep in touch with. Its just reality, yet a strange feeling nonetheless.
As my retirement coincided with the Christmas season I have yet to feel "retired" yet as many people take time off over Christmas, returning to work on Monday, Jan. 5 of the new 2015 year. That said like anyone on vacation or not, is there anything more enjoyable than going to bed knowing there is to be no alarm to wake you up in the morning. Ironically though after 30 odd years working sleeping in is not something I am able to do. However given that it is winter I will sleep until first light around 8am.
My vacation continues starting Jan 15 when I drive to Clearwater, Florida where I have rented a condo from a workmate of mine for a month and a half to the end of February. I'm looking forward to this journey for a number of reasons. One, after missing a large part of the winter last year when I was in Saudi Arabia, I don't relish the thought of a complete winter without some escape from the cold. Second, I have decided to drive down to Florida, all 3,300 kms of it. Since I was younger I have thought of doing a long road trip with limited constraints on your time. Unlike summer holidays and the like, when a road trip is involved people tend to drive long days so as to make more time on your holiday and not getting there. So I look forward to driving until I don't want to any longer and stop for the night. As a rough guide if I give myself 5 days, I have to travel just under 700 kms/day to complete my journey. The journey as outlined by Google Maps - will take me south through Fargo, Souix Falls, Kansas City, St. Louis, Nashville, Atlanta and into Florida. This road trip will also provide good experiences on which to base the next installment of this new blog of mine.
I'm hoping that in the future with this blog that I can provide some insights, thoughts, and observations about my life as I start a new chapter of this existence of mine. I hope you find some interest in it as well. Though the thought of a retirement blog sounds quite boring - I will do my best to avoid that!
Tomorrow is the start of a completely new day
One of which I have no experience and have little to say
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