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8 days a week

It is very easy to become a hostage to your Job, your belongings, your Ideas, the norm or your upbringing... and tomorrow is not guaranteed. Climb that mountain!

We all live in prisons of our own making. One old colleague saved and scrimped and bought a Vagabond 42 then spent five years sailing the Caribbean. He never graduated college, but managed to raise four kids before he cut the dock lines. Another colleague is a counter-lesson. She has $200k in uncollateralized debt, so much that she works two jobs and avoids unknown callers; but ask her what is the biggest threat to her 'freedom' and she'll spout the last thing she heard on AM radio. She has been duped to selling her labor to the banks for the rest of her life with nothing but credit card receipts to show for it. No sailing for her. Maybe she deserves it.

People fail or succeed in spite of their circumstances. That doesn't mean that everybody has to cut the dock lines. But if there is something you want, look for it in the mirror.

Thanks for letting me tag along SB. I enjoyed Ribfest.

m
 
We all live in prisons of our own making. One old colleague saved and scrimped and bought a Vagabond 42 then spent five years sailing the Caribbean. He never graduated college, but managed to raise four kids before he cut the dock lines. Another colleague is a counter-lesson. She has $200k in uncollateralized debt, so much that she works two jobs and avoids unknown callers; but ask her what is the biggest threat to her 'freedom' and she'll spout the last thing she heard on AM radio. She has been duped to selling her labor to the banks for the rest of her life with nothing but credit card receipts to show for it. No sailing for her. Maybe she deserves it.

People fail or succeed in spite of their circumstances. That doesn't mean that everybody has to cut the dock lines. But if there is something you want, look for it in the mirror.

Thanks for letting me tag along SB. I enjoyed Ribfest.

m

Debt is a cruel taskmaster for sure. Most people out there are trying to sell you something you didn't know you needed.
I bet your colleague, if she had the 200k debt disappear tomorrow would end up back in the same place. Debt has to be dealt with from the inside out. I know from past experience. $ is neither good nor bad.
 
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How strange finding this thread now. I have been thinking about my life in these later years, not knowing how much is left. I turned 60 10/29 and was following a plan set years ago. I must admit my gut tells me to change if I want to enjoy what life is left. I'm struggling with it because I was raised traditionally which means work, pay bills, save for retirement no frills etc.
My father died at 52 yrs old, retired military, he was a workaholic.
Before he passed the one thing he said that stands above all else was "I wish I had done more fun things to enjoy my life". That statement coming from a man that all my young life, preached hard work with little play time has always haunted me.
I get it now and don't want to say that when my time is up. I've already begun a new mindset. I own my small company and with the right hires I can free "me time" up and go have some adventures.
Thanks for this thread..... Lots of good wisdom and food for thought.
I hope to catch on with some of you occasionally and go on an adventure somewhere soon.
 
at almost 50, this thread is really making me think hard about my future.
 
I think it was Scott that mentioned a while back that it's pretty common for folks to have difficulties with life issues in their 40's and 50's. People don't talk about that much and when I went through it I thought it was only me.

I was never very good at the work life balance thing and work always took priority. The last few years I had the very clear idea that I was going to die sitting in that chair reconciling inventory reports. In 2015 at age 56, I decided I'd had enough. I'd had enough of the corporate nonsense and I thought I had enough to live on so I quit. I gave up a lot of income, but I think that overall I gained my sanity and I've spent time with my wife that I wouldn't have gotten to otherwise. Seeing first hand what she does each day has increased my appreciation for her. She is now 73 and although she's still in pretty good shape it ads to the pressure. I was able to quit only because I had stopped working for the banks several years before and I had abolished our debt.

The downside is that I had planned financially to retire at the end of next year as I was turning 60. Things will be a bit tight until then. Midway through this year I decided we shouldn't wait too much longer so we started doing a few more things. I also bought the Tenere' which is the most expensive toy I've ever had. It's actually kinda hard to spend money that you spent a lifetime accumulating and know you can't replace. On the other hand I didn't accumulate it to look at. We still have a strange year or so in front of us, but I see light at the end of the tunnel. I don't think it's a train this time.

I'm still concerned. As a Patriot Guard member, I get lots of obituaries in my email. Many of these guys are in their 60's and a good portion are in their lower 60's with some even younger. I'm still saying someday to a lot of things. The danger of doing so seems greater everyday.
 
better way to check out than Elvis did. :eek2:

And that is the other piece of the puzzle, being fit enough to enjoy you leisure time. I've been watching the older generation of my family succumb to smoking and diet for the past ten years. My dad and his wife just cut short a trip because she couldn't breath in Colorado. There have been three cases of COPD. Heart disease, on and on. Funny part is, my eldest uncle was an actuary and started exercising and eating right in the 1960s. He's in his mid 80s, looks like he's 60 (his girlfriend just turned 60) and he till walks about five miles a day. I want to retire because I have other things to do, not because I can't do anything anymore.
 
Ralph Emerson spoke it well. "Life is a journey, not a destination."
Me personally, I just try to enjoy where I am, and break at least one rule a day, as long as it helps somebody.:-D
 
Fitness is a big deal and the lack of it is playing a big role in my life now. I was hoping that just getting out from behind the desk would be enough to improve my situation. It wasn't. I hope to start taking active measures soon.
 
Man, you guys are bringing me down. All this seems a little cliche. It seems anecdotally to fall under the mantra of "get out there and do something".

I had written three or four paragraphs of deep philosophical drivel, that I deleted. I'm going to go take a good nap.
 
Fitness is a big deal and the lack of it is playing a big role in my life now. I was hoping that just getting out from behind the desk would be enough to improve my situation. It wasn't. I hope to start taking active measures soon.

Keep at it. I'm about your age and started a year ago. It's just now taking hold. 4 hours a week in the gym minimum and diet. I'm not religious about the DASH or New American plate, especially on vacation, but I don't eat bacon for breakfast, barbecue for lunch and a chicken fried steak for dinner any more. For me many of the problems that I thought were age related were really just lifestyle related.
 
Man, you guys are bringing me down. All this seems a little cliche. It seems anecdotally to fall under the mantra of "get out there and do something".

I had written three or four paragraphs of deep philosophical drivel, that I deleted. I'm going to go take a good nap.
Nap? Come on we all know you'll go jump on the bike and ride until dusk or later.
You're already living the life. How many weeks did you spend exploring North and South America on the bike? Your bucket's not filling up.

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I have always been the thinnest male in my family. Started riding MX at 14 and rode at a pretty good clip in the woods with my buds until about eight years ago. It kept me in pretty good shape but the eventual aches and pains here and there convinced me that it was time to hang up my dirt only boots. I had a good run and lady luck smiled on me as in all those years I only suffered one clavicle and one wrist break. But in my late 50's and now early 60's I have finally began catching up to my brothers a bit in the belt size department. Slowing down and smelling the roses do seem to allow the calories to accumulate...
 
I'm with you Joe. Most folks don't truly appreciate the value of a good nap...



...
 
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I'm with you Joe. Most folks don't truly appreciate the value of a good nap...

Coffee takes care of that.


Or regular quality bowel movements :-P [emoji38]2:

Coffee takes care of that also. As well as diet and hydration. Not sure how you gauge quality though, I typically don't look. TMI


Y'all sound like you're ready for the rest home already. Lol

_

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Coffee takes care of that.




Coffee takes care of that also. As well as diet and hydration. Not sure how you gauge quality though, I typically don't look. TMI


Y'all sound like you're ready for the rest home already. Lol

_

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Ditto and Ditto...:coffee:
 

Have to admit I've haven't watched many of his shows but his quotes in the above link are spot on to how I roll. Travel for me is about adventure not tourism.
 
Not sure I have seen any of his programs. I do agree with many of his comments. Except for that part about not over planning your travel plans. Everything should be planned out in great detail ... so you can experience the disaster of everything going to **** in a handcart. Such has been this last trip to Europe.

Chuck has said that the ride through Hurricane Miguel, the day before yesterday, was the worst day of riding he has ever experienced. I planned that! šŸ˜
 
Good thoughts all. Exactly what keeps me awake at night. If all goes well, I will retire in just over a year at age 70. I have a total knee replacement scheduled for November, long overdue. I'd like to retire in better shape than I am right now.
 
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