The Saturday Morning Post: Retirement Plans

 We had dinner with neighbors recently, a retired school teacher and a rocket scientist.  We have some fun neighbors.  I mentioned my impending retirement, 6 months and 21 days - not that I am counting or anything. I was asked what my plans are for retirement.  

I am back going to the gym, carving out time, multi-taking to do so.  I look forward to having time without compromising or making dinner late to spend an hour everyday maintaining my being.  

I love going for walks, and hour or so.  During covid I walked almost everyday for a year in the nearest swamp.  When I returned to the office, that time was spent on my commute, when not at the office it was extra hours at my desk to make up for the time spent in the commute.  Yes, circular excuses.  I look forward to long walks in four local venues.  

I have been taking photos since I was about 10 years old.  I have a drawer full of cameras and lenses (and Nikon has discontinued the series, I will probably buy another backup camera body, and there is one more lens I want to own (18-300).  I look forward to long walks with cameras, to having time to do some of the things I know how to do, and to learn new things about the art of photography.  One of the reasons this blogs exist, was to share photos with the world. I enjoy creating and sharing photos, I hope you enjoy seeing them. 

Travel, I have a feeling the first few years will be packed with going places. There is an urgency to do a few of the potentially more taxing adventures while we are still able.  I am a realist, we won't always be comfortable on long flights, long walks, with complicated transit in foreign places.  I don't want to sit here 15 years from now and regret having not gone when I could have.  A couple of the trips I want to do, will take 4-6 weeks. 

I look forward to blogging.  I carve out time - on the weekend to select images and write.  I enjoy it.  I look forward to having more time to do it.  And to reading and commenting on blogs.  About half of the one's I read, I seldom comment on - I should say something even if it is just I was here.  

I want to do other writing.  I have promised my colleagues that I won't meddle in the work my office does, but there are other issues in my professional realm, I would like to have time to write about. I would love a seat on the commission on ethics in the profession, and a seat in the policy making body. I love to cook, I have been rattling around the idea of a food book titled "Sauced." Sauces are the core of classic French cooking and the very idea freightens most people, yet simple sauce making need not be precise or fussy and is the key to so many great foods (a decent mac and cheese starts with a good cream sauce). 

I have a feeling after a few months I am going to wonder how I ever found time for work.