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Retired and Inspired at 55
Thoughts and Musings on Early Retirement
Early Retirement Can be Yours
Welcome to my blog on early retirement. It took a lot of planning and discipline but I was able to retire at 55 in February 2020. I'll share how I did it, and my experiences in retirement.
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Spring Cleaning
I know spring officially started a couple of weeks ago, but with a little April Fool’s Day snow in my area, it wasn’t until this past...
fhoth3
Apr 5, 20213 min read
Life Changes – Parallels between Divorce and Retirement
Retiring from a long career is in many ways like going through a divorce. The parallel is particularly strong if you have been at the...
fhoth3
Mar 29, 20214 min read
Taxes – Plan for Retirement Changes
We just had our taxes done for 2020 and we weren’t sure what to expect since our financial situation has changed so drastically. I had my...
fhoth3
Mar 22, 20212 min read
All 50 States – the Journey Is the Goal, pt. 2
…Oklahoma was tricky due to flights so I flew into Dallas and drove 90 miles north to Durant, OK, a small rural town with a huge...
fhoth3
Mar 15, 20214 min read
All 50 States – the Journey Is the Goal
I got the bug a little more than 10 years ago when I looked at a map of the United States and realized I’d been to almost 40 states –...
fhoth3
Mar 8, 20213 min read
Wardrobe Change
This post is a follow-up to Cleaning Out Your Closets. While I donated most of my business attire, I retained the “old guy” clothes I...
fhoth3
Mar 1, 20213 min read
Financial Advisor?
I’ve had this topic on my list since the beginning of this blog, but never got around to writing it until I was reminded of it when...
fhoth3
Feb 22, 20213 min read
New Bike
After a lot of miles on my mountain and road bikes last year (record mileage for me!) I took advantage of the brutal cold and storms...
fhoth3
Feb 8, 20214 min read
It’s Been a Year
It’s been about a year since retirement (2/7/2020) and it’s been a helluva year. Not what I expected or planned by a longshot. I’m...
fhoth3
Feb 2, 20213 min read
Reading
I’ve always loved reading but working long hours put a serious crimp in my energy for it. I often thought of the Twilight Zone episode...
fhoth3
Jan 25, 20212 min read
Home Staging Can Change Lives
A slightly different post this week but the message resonated with me so I am sharing it with you. Reaching back to an earlier post about...
fhoth3
Jan 18, 20212 min read
Neil Peart Tribute
My inspiration for starting this blog, and the best drummer to ever grace our planet, passed away a little over a year ago after a 3 ½...
fhoth3
Jan 11, 20212 min read
Taking Down the Christmas Decorations
Having survived 2020 and happily sent it packing, it’s now time for the ritual of taking down the Christmas decorations and the tree. A...
fhoth3
Jan 4, 20212 min read
2020 Year End
As we come to the end of 2020 it’s time to reflect on the year that was…. I’ll let you finish that sentence. For sure no one saw the...
fhoth3
Dec 28, 20202 min read
Snow - No Need to Shovel Between Zoom Calls
Since I became the primary shoveler I have not been a fan of snow, but in retirement I view it a bit differently since the urgency to...
fhoth3
Dec 21, 20203 min read
Enjoy the little things
The title and theme this week come from one of Woody Harrelson’s character’s mottos in Zombieland (highly recommended if you like stupid...
fhoth3
Dec 14, 20202 min read
Changing Priorities
As we evolve through life, our goals and priorities ebb and flow with age. Coming out of college I was the typical idealistic, naïve,...
fhoth3
Dec 7, 20204 min read
Wakeup Call - Exercise and Diet Together
I had my annual physical recently and it was a wakeup call regarding some of my new routines. Even though I have been working out more...
fhoth3
Nov 30, 20202 min read
Thanksgiving in Covid-Land
Thanks to Covid, the holidays will be very different this year. Different doesn’t have to be bad though, and you have the power to keep...
fhoth3
Nov 23, 20202 min read
Remodeling in Retirement (or, My Wife Wanted Change)
Fear not, the change my wife wanted was with our home, not with me (she gave up on that a long time ago). Once I retired, the...
fhoth3
Nov 16, 20203 min read
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The articles in this blog are for informational purposes only and are not intended as legal advice, financial advice, emotional advice or counsel.
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