Well, I'm done for sure now.

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Jags, 58 the end of March this year.
Left work back at the end of '06.
I saw WAY too many keep working, finally retire, then die within a couple years. I wanted to have time for things before I go.
 
58 here too. That's a pretty good age, I think. It should be mandatory at 60 for most, but instead we are talking about making it 70.
What a joke! I really hope people aren't fooled. Nothing wrong with continuing to take part in the economy, but being forced to the salt mines each morning against your will is another story.
 
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58 here too. That's a pretty good age, I think. It should be mandatory at 60 for most, but instead we are talking about making it 70.
What a joke! I really hope people aren't fooled. Nothing wrong with continuing to take part in the economy, but being forced to the salt mines each morning against your will is another story.
I can get out at age 57 with 30 yrs of service on railroad retirement if I play the 'disability' card. And by age 57, after working 30 years in those heavy repair shops where I work, almost every one of those guys has some sort of problem or another. 60 yrs old and 30 years of service will give you full retirement. But, that all said, in 30 years there won't be any such thing as retirement! :p
 
I can get out at age 57 with 30 yrs of service on railroad retirement if I play the 'disability' card. And by age 57, after working 30 years in those heavy repair shops where I work, almost every one of those guys has some sort of problem or another. 60 yrs old and 30 years of service will give you full retirement. But, that all said, in 30 years there won't be any such thing as retirement! :p

Get out at 57. I promise (most of) your retirement will be there....

30 years of heavy work is a career. More than a career.
Of course, it beats the old days being put to work rowing some Greek Warship. Those guys only lasted a few months, from what I hear.

I often read books from the bargain bin at B&N, and recently finished Ozzy's bio. He comes from working class England where virtually everyone died either before retirement or, at best, a year or two afterwards. It was that "future" which drove him to look to make a living in a rock band. Oh, and he says 100% that all the Devil stuff was completely fake.....not a lick of reality to it. Good book - still on the rack for $5.99 at B&N if any of you get down there soon.

As it stands our entire educational system and culture seems to try to fool people about that golden years stuff. It's a fine tale. I always tell my dad that people would be VERY different if we were taught about REALITY in school. Can you imagine? We'd go a "life class" in junior high and they'd say "Your body and brain are gonna be going downhill from about 20-on, so make sure you LIVE for now". Another class could be on disease. The riff there would go like this "You know when you hear that 1 in 250 get's lupus, 1 in 150 for brain cancer, etc. etc? Well, as a statistics major, I'm here to assure you that if you ADD UP ALL THESE RISKS, you are screwed beyond belief. Therefore, live for today".

What do you think? Can we adopt my curriculum or will it result in a decrease in industrial production?
:)
 
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Webbie, my kids are starting to have the reality sink in that 'back to school' is just around the corner. I hear the complaints already, mainly from my 14 yr. old son who, although is autistic, is in the regular classes and near honors. "Dad, I hate school. I wish I was out working for money like you...." I tell him and the other two every time they start that mantra "You think you hate school, I wish I was back in school and living at home!" >> It ain't all what its cracked up to be out in the real world! :mad: Ah, to a kid and carefree again.....
 
PapaDave, sorry for the hi-jack. Like I said earlier, glad to hear you can enjoy your wood cutting, splitting, and stacking activities without the worry of 'working' again......wait, was that an oxymoron or what!!:rolleyes:;)
 
At 56 1/2 I'll have 30 yrs in,that's just over 8 1/2 yrs from now.Not sure exactly but was told that I'd lose 2% if I left early instead of waiting til I was 62.You can retire at 55,& get full pension,but only if you have 30 yrs.Body in great shape still,but it most likely wont be when I'm 62 or so.Gonna tough it out until I'm 55,then see what else I can do for less pay & much less physical abuse until afterwards.Working in the woods part time since I was 17 & construction full time since 21 is a two edged sword,its kept me in shape,but as the years go by has started to take its toll also.
 
I'd love to retire but the needs for good family health insurance right now have trumped this.
 
Good for you doing something for yourself. The good life aint about cash anyhoo, PapaDave. I think the folks that gravitate to this site understand that better than most. Take good care of yourself. Do something aerobic every day in your retirement.

I'm a bit jealous. At 42, I expect that I'll be working for a while, but I might see if I can be a part time chemist and full time potter instead of the opposite. Test the waters. If I go full-time potter (what I'm calling retirement), I think I'll work a lot more than I do now.
 
My wife's been retired a couple years now.
I could retire now.
The 24x7 thing is one thing holding me back.
 
Thanks AP. More cash would be gooder, but we're doing ok and will continue to.
For me, this life isn't about things... I tried that, and found it too difficult and silly to keep up.
I sat and figured one day (didn't take all day) how many years I've actually been working, including when I was a kid with a paper route and crap jobs while in high school. I'm sure most of us could do the same.
More than 40 years is plenty and I'm thankful for the ability to be able to be "retired".
Oh, and I take at least one walk out back to the "stacks" every day the weather allows.:cool: I'd like to stick around for a few more years, at least.
 
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