Retirement Countdown 2025

Last month was my 60th birthday. I can't believe it arrived. For almost a decade I was dangling around telling people I'm in my 50s. Now that is not the case, I ponder what now? An R&B singer, Aaliyah had a song titled,  " Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number". I thought of this, and say, really is it just a number?  To me, it's a statement that I'm no longer in "that" demographic of individuals who are under 60. I'm with the group now that borders on pre retirement age to full on, no longer working. Well generally. I think of my high school classmates who are all turning 60 this year in 2025. To think just 35+ years out of high school we were young and invincible. As life moves on, we take on our careers, family, and new lifestyle of being adults. i.e. paying taxes, voting, and managing our lives as best as we can. Surreal.  Union Square, San Francisco, CA   Personally, as I prepare my impending retirement from my current employer, I'm a bit a...

It's 2025. My countdown to my retirement date is July 1st. I'm quite anxious at the same time scared. But, I've been planning this for years and now that I want to pull the trigger, I have this unease, at the same time excitement to leave my present employment and really take some time off.  All these emotions running through my head lately is not a surprise. It manifests in my constant checking of my financial health. I'm always logging into my account to see if I have enough to retire. In addition, I'm scrambling to fund a healthy emergency fund, for the just in case moments. Also, taking stock of my health at this time. I have not been running or working out as usual. I walk alot but it's not quite what I find as good. Sleeping hasn't been any easier, for years, I don't sleep a full 6 hours. If anything, much less. Wonder if it's because I'm getting older and "we" old people don't sleep like our days of going to clubs at late ni...

I'm taking in the stormy weather we've been having in the Northern California area to stay in to do a little writing. It's been a few days after Christmas and I'm really feeling the sense that my desire to retire in 2025 is literally around the corner!  As I select July 1st as my last day in the office, standard protocol in submitting a retirement/resignation to my employer is generally 3 months. This allows all the paperwork to be processed just in time before I walk out the door. So starting in April I'm letting my director know I'm leaving.  Personally, I still feel the anxiety and wonder if it's the right time, will I make a mistake by retiring too early, all these crazy thoughts start to surface in my head and making me second guess my decision.  But as there is constant rain pouring outside my window, I'm given some calmness that all my preparation has been more than enough. I've crossed all my T's and dotted my I's, and it's really...

Well, it's confirmed, I'm fully engaged in planning to retire in 2025. Why 2025? Well, I'll hit 60 and I think I've worked long enough to really take in the moment to call it quits. I'm excited, it's surreal, and at the same time I'm afraid and hopeful that this move will be what I hope for. I'm surrounded by a number of friends and colleagues who have left the corporate, job, world to pursue other passions or adventures. I've thought about it for a few years now and it's slowly becoming a reality for myself. I know I'll have to figure how to navigate this route to get there. I have a feeling, I have to deal with finances, where to live, how to adjust a new life after working for so many years. I'm not sure where to begin, but I'm hopeful writing this blog helps be sort things out in my head and putting it in perspective on a blog to document my journey.  Cross fingers, I'm doing this right. It can be lonely, but hopeful again the...