One aspect of buying a vacation place in Florida that I haven’t discussed yet is the importance understanding nearby traffic. It’s a real consideration. Many of the most popular spots in Florida (or California) are jammed with traffic during snowbird season or in the summer. I was shocked to learn what a big consideration it is back in 2014. We stayed in Cape Coral, Florida, … Continue reading Traffic Kingdom
We watched the Golden Globes on TV last night and I was surprised by how many movies I haven’t seen in the movie theaters. I looked up how many movies we went out to in 2023 and it was only 4. 2023 Movie Theater Tickets: Oppenheimer, Guardians of the Galaxy 3, Indiana Jones: Dial of Destiny, & Talking Heads: Stop Making Sense Re-Release That might … Continue reading Movie Theater Musings
We went to 5 concerts in the last 5 weeks and they have all been outside … and terrific. It’s warmest in August in Minnesota, but that makes the evenings perfect for being outside. ⁃ Rick Springfield – MN Rib Fest ⁃ Minneapolis Symphony – @ Bandshell ⁃ The Jayhawks – @ Bandshell ⁃ Rare Form – Local Faves ⁃ Duran Duran – State Fair … Continue reading School Night Concerts
Every few days, a message will appear in my email box from someone looking for help on a consulting project. When I first retired, I’d do dozens of these in a year for as much as $500/hour. Many of them led to extended contracts. Lately, however, I hardly respond to them at all, other than to say “thanks for thinking of me.” The issue with … Continue reading Dialing Out Of Consulting
Since Roman times, they have described August as the “Dog Days” of Summer. Our little pupper, Riley, hasn’t gotten the message. When it is hot or humid outside, he prefers to stay inside … snoozing where it’s nice and cool. On Tuesday this week, I was up early to take him for a walk. The heat of the day had not settled in yet, so … Continue reading Outside … From Dawn To Dusk
My oldest brother joined the ranks of retired goof-offs with his final day of work last Friday. Unlike me, he said he dutifully put in a full days work. Now that he’s done, he’s enjoying his first Sunday night that’s not a “school night” in quite some time. It’s still cold in Minnesota, but summer break is here! Related: Sunday Night Blues I know he … Continue reading Sunday Night Blues No More …
I met a former MegaCorp colleague for a beer on Monday. He’s not someone that I worked with directly, but we had a lot of friends in common. He said he had heard about me from others at MegaCorp and had been reading this blog. He is in his early 40s and well on his way to FIRE. He was talking about ‘FIRO’ … Financially … Continue reading What Do You Do With Your Time?
After two years of full & partial pandemic restrictions, it feels like summer is really back in full force this year. The CV19 precautions had locked down a lot of the concerts, festivals, and events that summer typically brings. This year, the Thursday newspaper events listing for the weekend is fully-loaded again with car shows, new bands on stage, small town festivals, and blockbuster summer … Continue reading Summer Is Back … !
I don’t take a nap every day, but I’m not opposed to a good afternoon snooze. It’s one of the benefits of early retirement. After pulling out 7 shrubs, playing a softball doubleheader, losing a close tennis match, getting the Jeep in for an oil change, and going to 3 board committee meetings at our metro zoo – in just 24 hours – I deserved … Continue reading The Perfect Nap
My friend and neighbor, Jeff, has organized a great activity as he transitioned from the world of work to retirement. He has become a garage brewmaster and hosts backyard monthly ‘tap release events’. Brewing beer and getting people together fit perfectly with his background as a chemical engineer & MegaCorp operations executive. About a dozen guys got together a couple weeks ago for his latest … Continue reading Monthly Tap Release Parties
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