Surprise! An Update from Sydney

(Photo Details:  That's me at the piano in my first jazz combo performance--playing Take the A Train)

 

How long I have been retired now:  11 years.

Questions I never ask anymore:  Do I have enough money to get me through the rest of my retirement?  How will I fill my time?  Should I be more productive?  What will people think when I tell them I’m retired? 

Oh, and I never feel guilty about being retired.

In fact, I never think about my life as “retired life.”  It’s just life.  Which is probably why I haven’t been blogging about retirement at all the last couple years. I don’t contemplate the “issues” of retirement anymore. 

Questions I do ponder now: Will I ever be a really great jazz pianist?  (Heck, I'd settle for really good.)  Am I practicing in the best way to improve my skills?  Will I ever be able to perform without feeling nervous?  When will I be so comfortable playing with other people that I can listen to the other musicians and respond in real time?

Oh and will I survive another Trump presidency if it comes to that? 

But mostly it’s the music that consumes me.  It is my passion. 

In a lot of ways, my life now looks much like it did when I was working.  I actually get up earlier, because now I have a cat and she wakes me up early because she doesn’t know how to make her own breakfast.

I spend hours in the morning at my computer.  But instead of working, I’m checking in on the stock market, reading the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and the Washington Post.  (Well actually, that’s a lot like when I was working too, to be totally honest . . .).  I’m answering email and planning my day.  Because I’ve got to squeeze in a workout and an hour or two (or three) of playing my piano. Because Monday night is small jazz combo class, and Thursday night is jazz big band class with my dad.  And Wednesday is piano lesson day.  Tuesday I have a regular walking date and Fridays a regular lunching date.

It’s a lot like work, I mean if you totally loved everything you were doing every minute of every day when you were working.

And just like back in the day, we’re on the couch with a glass of wine at 5pm watching Anderson Cooper. Unwinding from our day’s activities.

Things I still love to do when I can squeeze them in:  Painting my house, gardening, reading.

Things I used to love but not so much anymore:  Travel.

Things I used to love but am now taking out for a test drive again:  Blogging.

 

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Related Posts:

    Postcard from Retirement

    Are any of You Still Out There?

    How Did I Ever Have Time for Work?

Comments

[Dickson Pratt]

Missed this post because the notification hit my Spam filter, to my annoyance. Glad the follow-up on travel made it through!

Good to see that you are keeping busy and happy!

[Sydney]

Cece: Very funny.

Dickson: I fear my posts may be going to other's spam folders too--it's been so long since I posted!

[Patty]

Hope you're going to keep blogging because I'm just about to retire finally! Four more months!

[Sydney]

Patty: I hope I am too! Congratulations--home stretch!

[Bob]

Sydney, I'm still here too and love to read of your exploits in retirement! I've still got another 18 months of the working world left and I've got a few years on you (my goals of early retirement are only being met by being able to retire at 61 vice 65 or later, LOL!). Love hearing from you!

[Helen]

Lovely to hear your blog voice again. I'm 2 years retired, age 53, and life just gets better and better, have to take care not to be too busy - need the space and time to enjoy too. Looking forward to more (occasional) posts.

[Sydney]

Bob: Congratulations on your home stretch. 61 beats 65 any day of he year.

Helen: You sound like a quick study figuring that out already only two years in!

[Sharon]

What a wonderful surprise! It is almost hard to believe - is this the same blog??? You began your retirement blog just about the time I retired!!! So glad to be hearing from you again.

[Sydney]

Sharon: It is indeed the same blog. Thank you for coming back to read!

[Dave]

I am thrilled that you are back. I saw a comment of yours on Bob Lowry’s site so I came back here. Next week I will be pulling my pension at age 57. I have followed/read your blog for two years to help with my decision of retirement, it wasn’t easy. I am fortunate to have a generous pension which is enough to live on but I struggle to pull money from deferred accounts and normal investment account as it is tough to go from saver to drawing down assets. A 1% problem I realize but it is a new mindset

Thank you again for your assistance in my decision making

[Sydney]

Dave: Well that's so nice to hear, thank you. And congratulations!

[cindi]

It's so nice to have you back.
I've been retired 18 years now. Would not have it any other way.
So nice to see that other long time retirees came to the same conclusion: vacation ain't what it used to be.
Love staying close to home more.
Still like wintering somewhere in Florida.
Still like spending summers at the beach.
I've settled into a nice routine.
That's what I think long term retirement is/should be.

[Sydney]

Cindi: I'm with you on the travel stuff--although I reserve the right to change my mind at some point . . .

[Bernadette]

Wow...so happy to have logged on and see that you have posted again....I love the way that you write and I followed along on your retirement journey. I check in here every few months and you have made me smile on this beautiful autumn day!!

[Maverick]

Yea! Glad to see you are still blogging and enjoying life after your career. You don't know it, but I based my financial independence budget on your budget categories/percentages from way back when. Six years now after I pulled the trigger, and they still hold close to my reality after both my wife and I took separation packages. So, many thanks!