Lenny, one of the guys from the club stopped by the specialty counter the other day. I can't remember his name! Chuck stops by and talks on occasion, too. So does Jay. The guy I spoke to the other day told me you're still there & so is Ray. He also mentioned Cheryl at Kings. She was there when I worked at Kings in 2001. Both you & Ray are hardcore for holding out this long, but it's nothing like what Cheryl's done. My wife says I have until October 2025. Then I can quit to be a "freelance creative." Those are NOT my words. I think the title is corny as hell. But the point is, I won't collect SS until age 67 or older. I will be writing and doing photography full time. Fishing too, of course. I will try to find time then to come over and visit! I keep telling myself I should, but I just work around the clock and never get over there. At least we're in touch, though. And Fred, even though he's in Ocean Cty now.
Everyday is Saturday in Ocean County!!!
ReplyDeleteFred, I was just thinking the other day of your former countdown. I remember when the count was over a thousand like yesterday. And now mine is somewhere around there. I'm really not certain when I can quit; the wife's plan as mentioned in the post really doesn't have to be on my birthday that year. And for all we know, maybe a year earlier. It all depends on the finances we have & what we project. You can tell I can't wait.
DeleteIt's great to hear! I bet you even wake up in a good mood!
Oh, Jeez. Senior moment. Maybe, hey, it already has helped , writing out this comment. That print I gave you. It's a black seabass, I think. Classic.
DeleteCrazy huh, agreed, like it was yesterday, so trust me, if you don't think you can retire, you probably can. And yes, always a good mood and ready to embrace the day! FM
ReplyDeleteI woke up in a good mood once many months ago, reminded that it's quite possible to wake up that way normally. It's all but a foregone conclusion that I will not only retire, but be enabled to finally quit jobbing before I actually do retire. "Freelance creative" is that corny title I've mentioned, but that does describe what I'll be doing. I look to 12-hour days as if, after job internment, I will finally be able to work. What a society we live in! A man is gifted with words and pretty good with a camera, but no, he can't do that. He has to spend decades at near minimum wage instead. A free society?
ReplyDeleteI know, I know. The same applies to me about responsibility. Have I ever complained until writing the previous comment? Well, in my private writings, millions of times, struggling to understand. Kind of easy to, when I get down to it. You go away and live in the sun on an island during more than a decade of your youth and never earn that degree. What else can you expect? At least in our world, it's not as if there's a society on the mainland just waiting to hail a literary hero upon return. Hell, I learned I couldn't really write up to snuff, anyway, because it's one thing to write in private journals and quite another to know an audience to write to. I'm just forever thankful to people who read my blog and articles. Very glad to hear you're waking up well to each day and I know it's because of people who do read my words that I might be able to, also, soon.
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