I always joked that my retirement would kick-in the day the paramedics cut the skin-tight security uniform off my C-cups and failed to revive my clogged heart. For some reason I’m always old and wearing a security uniform in these scenarios. But… it appears a proper retirement might actually be possible. I’m skeptical about it, as is my nature, but the numbers seem to indicate it’s an actual possibility. Who could’ve predicted such a thing?
Oh, there are still five or so years to go, and many terrible things could happen between now and then. So, I’m not spiking the ball just yet. But it’s fun to dream and plan. And Toney and I are doing a lot of that now. It’s not the only thing we talk about, but it’s definitely in the rotation. Is it a threshold you’ve already crossed, or is it close enough to be a subject of discussion? I’d like to get some of your thoughts.
Like, where are you gonna live? We’re not planning to stay here, for various reasons. Mainly: snow and ice in the winter. Funk dat. Plus, there’s not a whole lot to do here. It’s not a terrible place, and it’s actually pretty good for raising kids. But we want our final chapter to be somewhere where there’s shit to do. And when I say shit, I mean a beach (maybe) and a vibrant beer and restaurant scene. And plenty of places to walk that are not straight up a steep grade, or down one. Cost of living is also a consideration, of course, and just the general quality of life.
The Myrtle Beach area is high on our list at the moment. Not Myrtle Beach itself, of course. We don’t crave that level of insanity (or crime). But somewhere close enough that we can dip in and out of the craziness. We’ve walked through many model homes around that area, and it’s appealing. But we don’t feel like we’ve even scratched the surface of the tip o’ the iceberg. We’re definitely open to other ideas.
What are your thoughts on a location for retirement? What criteria are you using? What’s important? Do you have any off-the-radar super-secret suggestions for us? Like I say, we’re still in the early stages of the hunt, and welcome all information.
And speaking of “here,” something occurred to me a few days ago that blew my mind a bit. I left West Virginia when I was a couple of months shy of my 23rd birthday. And we’ve lived here since early 2000. So… almost exactly the same amount of time. When I retire — if it happens — this will be the place I’ve lived the longest. Also, I was with Time-Warner for 17 years, and in November I will have been at my current job for 15 years! I’ve NEVER worked in the same building for that long, not even close; the TW run was in three different states. That shit is wild. To me, anyway. This chapter of our lives has clicked along at a terrifying tempo.
If you’ve moved around, like me, what places have you liked and disliked? I loved Atlanta, but that was when I was in my 20s. No way I could deal with that cluster-fuck at my current age. I have romantic feelings about it, but it’s because I was young and swinging for the fences when I lived there. California was not a favorite, and I have no desire to live there again. Too congested and expensive and one-seasony for me, thank you very much. I loved growing up in West Virginia, and will always be fond of it, but I can’t see myself returning permanently. The only place I’ve lived that’s a possibility for retirement is North Carolina. For some reason the Raleigh area is calling me a bit, Toney too. We’ll likely schedule a scouting expedition there, in the not too distant future.
Our previous scouting trip, to Tampa/St. Petersburg, was inconclusive. We weren’t blown away, to tell you the truth. It, like California, seemed ridiculously congested. Every time we had to go to Publix, or whatever, a substantial amount of time was sucked from our day. And it added to my blood pressure/teeth grinding problems. Also, people weren’t super-friendly, which was surprising. The South is generally filled with friendly folks, but I’m not sure Florida is really part of the South. Lotsa transplants, right? The trip didn’t disqualify that area, but it knocked it down the list.
What do you have on the whole general subject of retirement? Please share in the comments if you’re so inclined.
And before I call it a day here, I’ll share a couple of articles that list the “best places” to retire. Some of the selections are ridiculous, in my opinion. Completely ludicrous! Let me know your thoughts. Here’s one, and here’s another. I don’t know much, but could draw a line through many of those places, automatically. Sheesh.
Also, be sure to check out the podcast and the monthly column at Substack.
And I’ll see you guys again soon, very soon.
Have a great day, my friends!
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