saving for retirement?

Plans are nice, especially when they work out. But life can be a bitch. I retired 10 years ago with some money and plans but bad health put my son out of steady work and his family among the uninsured. He died six years ago. His wife works hard and is willing but unable to meet the needs of two , now teen age, kids. My son's family are poor but not inferior in any way.

My retirement plans are now them, keeping them socially active and involved.

I also take pictures now and then.

Don't wait too long to fulfill your plans.
 
I'm reasonably sure there will be no retirement for me (if not for medical reasons or forced or something like that).
Note to self: On the way home, stop by 7/11 and buy a lottery ticket.
 
I've got 30 years to go, my life bears no resemblance to ten years ago and so I haven't a clue what I will be doing when I retire apart from photographing something somewhere in some way.
 
Turtle said:
I've got 30 years to go, my life bears no resemblance to ten years ago and so I haven't a clue what I will be doing when I retire apart from photographing something somewhere in some way.
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If you live so long. I'm not trying to be unpleasant, as I am sure you know; merely pointing out that none of us knows if he or she will be here tomorrow. That appendicitis could have killed me. Because it didn't, I'm that much more enthusiastic about doing things NOW. Dum vivemus, vivamus, or for non-latinists, while we live, let us LIVE!

Even if things turn out well, as you say, you never know where you're going to be in 10, 20, 30, 40 years' time. Could I have guessed at 29 that at 59 I'd be living in my own house in rural France, married to an American? No!

Cheers,

R.
 
Roger Hicks said:
Could I have guessed at 29 that at 59 I'd be living in my own house in rural France, married to an American?
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But it is somewhat easier for me to guess that at age 48, I will not be where you are at age 59. Except for the 'married to an American' part.

Besides, why would I wish bad luck upon myself? ;)
 
bmattock said:
But it is somewhat easier for me to guess that at age 48, I will not be where you are at age 59. Except for the 'married to an American' part.

Besides, why would I wish bad luck upon myself? ;)
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Dear Bill,

As I've noted elsewhere, you and I do tend to have very different appreciations of what constitutes 'good' and 'bad'. Often, diametrically opposed.

Cheers,

Roger
 
I used to have a large list of trips and other things I wanted to save until retirement. Then I figured I might not live that long, so I made a list of things I want to do, and as I do them I add new items to the list. So far, I finished all but one item from the first list I made after my father passed away in 2002.

Although current lack of funds has made me "retire" from doing things though...

(Well, I am working on another list of 5 to 10 things to do when I can afford them).
 
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When I was younger (I'm about to turn 67) I used to tell people that I became a photographer because it was the easiest way I could find to make money without really working. Along the way I had an editor friend con me in to writing. I hated it then but now I'm very glad that Jim convinced me to write. Forty+ years later we're still good friends. He also got me interested in politics, which has been a big help in my photography. A lot of my photography either involved people in public office from the local city council to presidential candidates, while other clients I met while working with the the political establishment. I also spent some time living with the Miccosukee and Seminole Indians, and I was involved with the rock & roll scene including the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane.

Now I have nearly half a century's worth of negatives and contact sheets and I've been going through them, posting photos on my blog http://thepriceofsilver.blogspot.com, and writing about what was going on at the time. I've still got a lot of writing to do, a lot of printing, and I'm still on a couple of city advisory boards.

If you look at the blog a lot of the recent scans were directly off of the old contact sheets, dust, stains, and all.

As for friends dying in their early fifties, it's all too common to have a heart attack at that age. If you can live past 55 you'll probably live well into your seventies or beyond.

My house is paid for but more money would be nice.
 
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Al mentions his list. Guess it's like the "bucket list": things to do before you die. Does anyone care to share (part of) their list? Mine includes going back and living in (and photographing in) Japan for a year or so.
 
No bucket list, just intentions to relax and live without worrisome expectations. I often say I will retire and the next day walk into a flower shop and offer to be their delivery man. Part time escorting flowers around, and the rest of my time for golf and photography.
 
Go on walks with my wife and practice photography without time constraints as long as there is film for me to burn and develop and print; I have a few thematic projects in mind. Read what I want; travel a little to places my wife and I have always desired to visit. If I am able, I hope to scare a few trout with flies.
 
Now that I am here I can't remember what I saved for retirement but it dose not matter as there is always something to do, if you want to. Just putting into practice Rover's idea to relax and live without expectations, someone else's that is. Do what ever it is you want now, money permitting. You never know how long the ride will last.

Bob
 
My father passed away at age 61. If it taught me anything, it was to get your ya-ya's out.

TO THE VIRGINS, TO MAKE MUCH OF TIME.
by Robert Herrick

GATHER ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old time is still a-flying :
And this same flower that smiles to-day
To-morrow will be dying.

The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun,
The higher he's a-getting,
The sooner will his race be run,
And nearer he's to setting.

That age is best which is the first,
When youth and blood are warmer ;
But being spent, the worse, and worst
Times still succeed the former.

Then be not coy, but use your time,
And while ye may go marry :
For having lost but once your prime
You may for ever tarry.
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I'm just saying. The trout will wait for you, but...
 
FrankS said:
Al mentions his list. Guess it's like the "bucket list": things to do before you die. Does anyone care to share (part of) their list? Mine includes going back and living in (and photographing in) Japan for a year or so.
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The idea came from "1,000 Places to See Before You Die", which pre-dates "The Bucket List" by a few years. Anyway, since 1,000 things makes for a long list I picked 10 places to see. On the early list were places like the Grand Canyon, Hearst Castle, Durango and Silverton Railroad, Horseshoe Curve, The Getty Museum (both of them) and a few others.

I've added some national parks after seeing the recent Ken Burns piece, and still have a few tourist railroads to get to, but I'm glad I didn't put everything off until some future date.

And for those of you outside the USA, I'm going to finish the current list of things to see in the lower 48 before I add places like Alaska, Canada, Europe or Hawaii. (Been to Toronto and Montreal already, but these days I need a passport. Thanks to bin Laden and W. for that...)
 
Al: You only need the passport to get back into the Excited States. I don't see your problem. ;)
 
I like Zion National Park better than the Grand Canyon. But Lake Superior tops everything.
 
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