Being Still or Still Being

"Standing calmly at the crossroads, no desire to run.....there's no hurry anymore when all is said and done." 

— “When All Is Said and Done” from Mamma Mia, lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc, Universal Music Publishing Group

Those lyrics? Perfect way to describe my state of mind right now: "no desire to run." We are finally feeling settled here...both the "here" of retirement as well as the "here" of Loganville*. Not so sure about the "no hurry" part, but when Pierce Brosnan sings the song, heck...I can believe anything!

So what's your secret? you might ask. Well, when we entered the Red Zone of Retirement**, I did what I usually do when faced with something new or different entering our lives that must be managed: I researched and I read.

I discovered much of what has been written about retirement is by financial companies or purveyors, and therefore focused on preparing your finances to face your golden years. This is the all-important “how am I going to pay for it?” I went through the process of creating a detailed retirement budget...without really knowing all the relevant details yet. I learned the inviolate 4% withdrawal rule...and the many reasons it may be wrong for the current economy. I finally came to the conclusion that it all comes down to [(whatever funds you have managed to save for retirement plus whatever you receive from Social Security) minus (whatever your expenses are in retirement)]. And, if you are past the point of saving more of the first part of that equation, then you need to get really good at managing the second part. Period...at least for the financial aspect of retirement.

Sadly, a first-focus on the financial aspect...while necessary...is putting the cart before the horse: “pay for ‘it’?”...pay for WHAT exactly? It has been said that “Emotional preparedness is just as important to a happy retirement life as financial readiness.” I might say "more important, but that's just my opinion.

This not-as-well-documented functional aspect of retirement means going through the process of examining the emotional and social sides to determine the answers to “who, what, where, and when do I want to be and do in retirement?” As you can see just by comparing the number of words, this aspect ought to be the most important focus of retirement planning.

It isn’t.  Why? Maybe because it is harder. Maybe because there is no equation, no percentage. Maybe because there are far more “financial advisors” who charge a lot more but know next to nothing about the so-called soft-side that is the domain of retirement coaches? (Do NOT get me started on that one...:-) 

Anyway...

In looking back at my life (metaphorically), I could see a long line of activities and adventures...in other words, an awful lot of DOING. So, I initially thought that retirement might offer me the opportunity of BEING...still...quiet...calm. Reading books, working crosswords and jigsaws, knitting, watching TV...maybe a little blogging now and then.

Nah. Being still turned out to be too difficult and frankly too foreign for my personality. I cannot seem to simply read...or knit...and watch TV; no, I try to do them at the same time! I have said all of my life that I have two speeds: 0 and 100 mph. I’m either going at my top speed...or I’m asleep.

So, here I am, loving retirement...mainly because I have decided to let go of BEING STILL and to embrace STILL BEING me by continuing my activities and adventures.

All of that was a way of saying why my blog has suffered my silence since the New Year. But I was (lovingly) reminded recently that I had some catching up to do, so here we go!

Most of you who follow me on Facebook know that Missy M gifted me with a trip to Walt Disney World on my birthday...and that trip had been planned for last September, for the same week that Hurricane Irma shut central Florida down, including WDW for only the 5th time in its history. Fast forward to the end of January, and we enjoyed our first Mother-Daughter Bonding Trip (MDBT) in several years. Really enjoyed it, as these pictures hopefully show!

First night of WDW MDBT - 2018

Selfie at our hotel, the Boardwalk

The Quiet Pool...before all the noise!

A clothesline of Candied Bacon 
at Edison's in Disney Springs

Maredith snapping Tower of Terror
at Hollywood Studios

Parade at Magic Kingdom

On the Train at Magic Kingdom

Illuminations at Epcot

Dinosoar at Animal Kingdom

Indiana Jones Stunt Show at Hollywood Studios

Epcot at night

Magic bands mean they know where you are
at ALL times...even on the It's a Small World ride!

Many of you also know that in retirement, we have made a commitment to lifelong learning through the Oscher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at University of Georgia, which provides us with a community in which to expand our minds as well as our waistlines. We have enjoyed being in both the Lunch Bunch and the Supper Club SIGs (let’s eat!), and I have taken advantage of several classes. This month already, I have learned about how to use the GALILEO system in genealogical research, as well as taking a photographic “trip” to New Zealand: The Land of the Long White Cloud (more on that in an upcoming post).

OLLI class on GALILEO for Genealogy

No doubt by now you’ve picked up on my Master Gardener transfer from Guilford County, NC to Walton County, GA. Being an active MG volunteer is very important to my plan for a happy retirement, both because I love to garden and because I love to teach people about gardening. And 2018 has been in high gear since early January when I began to fulfill my commitment to class-managing the Tuesday and Thursday morning training classes (9:00-12:00), along with doing my part on other projects (writing a bi-weekly gardening column for the local paper, helping with restorative pruning at the historic McDaniel-Tichenor House in Monroe, working on the bylaws committee, developing a Mentor program and a Help Desk, and delivering a workshop presentation on Seed Starting in conjunction with the inauguration of our Seed Library...which I did yesterday).

MGs - Restorative Pruning at the McDaniel-Tichenor House

New Class begins MG training - January, 2018

Walton County MGs at McDaniel Tichenor House

Mr. T and the MGs at work on Raised Beds for the
Monroe Senior Center Community Garden

And we are only 7 weeks into the new year!

Any areas that you haven't put your retirement plan into action? you ask. Well, yes. That trip to Disney reminded me that I had put "walking for regular exercise" on my plan for a happy retirement. While I was able to have three great step-count days then, I still struggle to carve out the time (and left-over energy) for the same here at Casa 303. Sigh. Ah well...a goal!

Screen capture of my Apple Watch
for Day 3 at Disney

So, if I am not being still and writing my blog posts, you can rest assured I am still being active and involved in my adventures. 

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* For inquiring minds who know about M's imminent departure from Popeye's (which is beign moved to Miami by the "new" parent company RBI), rest easy: she was offered and has accepted a job in ATL...they are completing her background check. As soon as she gives me the high sign, I'll write some more about that. Bottom line: she's staying here...so we get to stay here, too!

**Retirement Red Zone has several definitions, depending on who is speaking or writing. I choose to use the 5 years before retirement and the first 5 years after retiring. So, we are 7 years in at this point.