• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Retiring in 2021 ........ Anyone Else?

#102
Ok so more pointed to OP...I retired in August of 2020 after 47 years at my trade (minus a a couple working motorcycles). We moved from the Phoenix area to the White Mountains in August. My full retirement age was actually in March of 2021 but my Honeywell pension didn't care and my wife was at 100% SS so I had enough of the Phoenix heat to go 7 months early. At first I missed the craziness of management and daily fire fighting. I mean I was glad to get away from it but at the same time there was a void to fill I guess.

We are the type who are always doing home projects so that quickly filled to void. We just finished building a 10x12 green house. We've plated plants and trees, landscaped, fenced, built a screen room and storage shed. We've placed truck loads of rail road ties plus removed and repaired others and more and more.

Music wise I sold off all my heavy amps and some pa stuff (Mixers, lights, subs, electronics). I sold all but two Fender basses (a Tele and a Jazz) then built five more (one PJ, three Jazz and one Aerodyne). I still have a bunch of acoustic instruments including a stand up bass.

My frustration is that I cannot lift heavy stuff so I went with a Rumble 500 and 115 cabinet. My memory is to the point that I have to work a lot harder to learn songs for the band I just joined and I need notes. But I am playing again which is glorious! We have a gig on Friday that I was given 20 new songs to learn. In the old days I would say that is not acceptable as 2/3 of them were country songs that I have never heard (not a country guy). This band does not have a core of songs they build around, I have been with them for four gigs now and it's always way different. But I am look at this as a challenge to keep my old mind as fresh and moving along as possible. But damn...I don't know how long the will and ability to do this will last.

Have any of you noticed the greatly increased struggle to remember songs, schlep equipment, have patience with BL, find time to really want to learn new songs, etc. in retirement? I thought it would easier...like riding a bike.

Further I would like to start my own band or duo just so I can have a reliable core of songs to remember and play, but I just don't know if I have the mind to do it anymore.

Anyway retirement is what we worked for all of our lives and I am thankful.
 
  • Like
Reactions: covermego, Jackcrow, gtmalone and 1 other person
#105
Working until the very end of this year and retiring. Full Social Security age is 66 and 2 months. The end of the year will be about 2 months past that. Can’t wait. Looking forward to it. 40 years at my current job. Had enough. I have some original music and recording to do. It’s going to be a lot of fun.
 
#106
I had rotator cuff surgery when I was 57. Luckily I had a desk job so I was able to get back to work within 2 weeks. I was mostly recovered in 6 months and fully recovered in a year. I am currently doing home remodelling and lifting heavy objects. I keep forgetting that a few years ago I could barely lift a cup of coffee!
 
  • Like
Reactions: covermego
#109
Got about 22 more months give or take a few as my S.O. is younger and retired but on my insurance at employer's. I did do the Medicare sign up and pay thing IN CASE the virus caused me to get laid off....and it also is a secondary if something really bad happens. Got the budget spreadsheet already(engineering does that to you) and these last 20+ months will be to get completely debt-free AND lock-in our property tax rate. Retirement from petrochem engineering(electrical I&E) happens when wifey hits Medicare age. Band is already in place and uses a good bit of my "vacation time"....much less in 2020. Got pension and a small bit of 401k left(used a lot to put children through college so they'd not be saddled with debt while I had $$$$ in my 401K).

You may want to find a copy of the book "You Can Retire on Social Security" as it gives an entirely different view using real numbers as compared to the "investment folks" who want you to work and save to millions as it keeps THEIR fees coming in. I have seen some retirees blunders(buy expensive toys and other things that drain their nest egg). Free if you have Kindle...
https://www.amazon.com/RETIRE-Social-Security-Scandlen-Sustainable-ebook/dp/B07V9NKJN2/
 
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
  • Like
Reactions: covermego
#110
June 6th I end a 39 year career as a special education teacher in Los Angeles and Detroit and ACT/SAT test prep with Kaplan. My most “notable” assignment was working with learning disabled students at Mumford High School in Detroit that included duties as Mumford’s Data manager. I trained special needs students to create Excel spreadsheets and graphs which were presented to the staff during weekly Mumford staff meetings.
I also developed an alternative method to teach whole number and decimal multiplication to learning and cognitive challenged elementary students: “The No-Carry Method”. Copyrighted and in the Library of Congress!
Next up? Teaching my grandkids how to fly fish and tie their own flies. Also, spending more time with my StingRay 5. Maybe start up a jazz trio? Who knows!
Looking forward to never having to write lesson plans while watching football on Sundays........all football now!!!
Happiness to all of you retiring this year!
 
  • Like
Reactions: covermego and mikewalker
#111
I'm turning 71 this year; no major health issues and just finished a year-long contract analog circuit design for a chip. Been doing this since 1974. I'm "in between" contracts now and will take on one more short job and then retire. Was gigging regularly at festivals, music in the park, wineries and sometimes bars until 2019. I wanted to take a break and start up again but COVID got in the way. Now that a lot of us are vaccinated, I'm considering doing it again. I've got tons of home projects I've put off and will be happy to get to them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: covermego, mikewalker, Rocknroller4 and 1 other person
#113
juancaminos said:
Ok so more pointed to OP...I retired in August

My frustration is that I cannot lift heavy stuff

Have any of you noticed the greatly increased struggle to remember songs, schlep equipment, have patience with BL, find time to really want to learn new songs, etc. in retirement?


Hi Juan

I probably won’t retire till the Fall - I am 65 now.

I know the frustration with the lifting.

I was always the band roadie - load up the van get to the club set up the PA my amp - usually someone else’s too.

I had few gigs last year during the Pandemic and I was doing this routine and by the time I got things set up, I was exhausted.

Fortunately, these were 2 to 3 sets so I made it through but getting ready to start playing somewhat more regularly again and I am not sure I have the energy to be the roadie anymore.

I do fine learning songs etc.. but just running out steam.

Problem is I still the sound of some of the heavier equipment (even though I do have some pretty light gear too.

Guess it’s just part of not staying young. :roflmao::roflmao:
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
#116
D.A.R.K. said:
After 39 years of gigs, 32 of it professionally, I’ll never be able to afford to retire lol. Good on all you folks that are good at making money.
Click to expand...
Nothing wrong with that. Look at Lemmy. Did what he loved right up until the end. I guess I'd rather try to keep working and keep busy until the full SS age limit and get my PERS retirement.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: covermego, D.A.R.K. and Jon Lars
#117
Nephilymbass said:
Exactly. I didn’t want to mess with my 403b back when I started my job either. I mainly did it because they would match me up to a certain percentage. So I looked at it as free money and started out with putting just what they would match. But my dad passed away in 2011 and He was never able to retire so I really started focusing on retirement more then. Things changed at my work over the years. They ended up freezing our pensions and stopped giving pensions to new hires. Most people my age that are serious about retiring before they die are not depending on social security to even be there by the time we’re old enough(that’s part of the reason no one wants to work these no benefit jobs imo) But as a sort of trade off my work doubled what they would match on our 403b which was a consolation. I’m only 39 and have been pretty frugal. I think the financial traps a lot of people fall into is they do things like buy the most expensive house they can get a loan approved for or buy new vehicles too often. Our yearly household income is higher than our house here in NC cost. I have a lot of friends and coworkers making similar kind of money that have much nicer houses or they are buying new cars every other year, but many of them will never be able to retire. They can post pictures on social media of their half million dollar homes and new cars. All I see is debt
Click to expand...

You 100% get it. Constant lifestyle inflation will ensure all but the most wealthy never accrue enough to willingly retire. That, and they're often creating a life they will not be able to afford if they can manage to retire. No way you're gonna order in 5x a week on a 500k IRA.
 
  • Like
Reactions: covermego, mikewalker and Jon Lars

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back