I will write ten posts on this 5th Retirement Anniversary addressing each category or "Label." I can also see the stats and which posts have had the most public views. At this time, my blog had 22,400 views. That's about 100 views per week in 18 different countries around the world! It is very rewarding to know that there is interest in what I have to say. By helping myself I must be helping others with similar interests. It is an incentive to continue.
Here are my brief summaries of the first five years of retirement and goal adjustments I want to make at this time. If you want more information on a subject, please scroll down on the right side of the main page and click on the first months in 2011 where you will see where I'm coming from.
My journey continues....
Outdoor Activities
To be sure, retirement has increased all my outdoor activities! Of course, I chose a career that allowed me to be outdoors when I collected data for generally 8-10 days then process it at my home office for four weeks. That was my basic schedule for at least 28 of the 30 years. At my home office, I could manage my time to get my work done early and get outside on a beautiful day! Even when I was traveling to collect data, I had opportunities everyday to see all the outdoor areas statewide. I absolutely took advantage of this flexibility in my workdays and developed interests in gardening, walking, running, hiking, bicycling, swimming, fly-fishing, and nature photography. This was all part of my regular workday.
Because of great flexibility in my work schedule with a home office, I had the management and organizational skills to get the job done and be involved in Girl Scouting and Boy Scouting as well as programs put on by the Missouri Department of Conservation that all contributed in developing my outdoor skills. These skills were developed even more when my children left home and I could go beyond being the teacher. I had reached a peak level before I had a neck injury that set me down for 3-4 years. The determination to get back on track through therapy had given me more stamina and strength. I got back all that I had lost and then some! I know what is is like to not be active outdoors and I was not having any of it! I got healthy again. I worked three years past my eligible retirement date and decided it was enough. I needed to gain back some of the time I lost and I valued my time outdoors more than working as long as I can for more money than I need.
No big changes at the time I retired except that all my outdoor activities can now be done more during the week when it is less crowded on trails, lakes, and other public use areas. I have more retired people to do things outdoors with from my Master Naturalists group. I have added kayaking as a major activity. I have time for more festivals and outdoor events. I have been traveling and sightseeing more. I do less motorcycling with Keith as he commutes 150 miles a day four days a week for work and recreational motorcycling just doesn't cut it right now. I have decreased my time fly-fishing just because I am on the water more with my kayak and fly-fishing is hard to do at the same time.
In the next five years of retirement, I hope to continue with all outdoor activities and keep myself healthy so I can! I might like to do more fly-fishing and/or add a different kind of fishing (crappie/bass) that I can do in my kayak. Probably not increasing recreational motorcycling with Keith unless he gets into it more when he retires in two years. I thought about camping again as there are new opportunities with the Master Naturalist group but that would involve putting out a large expense for equipment. Not sure I want to do that all again!
No big changes at the time I retired except that all my outdoor activities can now be done more during the week when it is less crowded on trails, lakes, and other public use areas. I have more retired people to do things outdoors with from my Master Naturalists group. I have added kayaking as a major activity. I have time for more festivals and outdoor events. I have been traveling and sightseeing more. I do less motorcycling with Keith as he commutes 150 miles a day four days a week for work and recreational motorcycling just doesn't cut it right now. I have decreased my time fly-fishing just because I am on the water more with my kayak and fly-fishing is hard to do at the same time.
In the next five years of retirement, I hope to continue with all outdoor activities and keep myself healthy so I can! I might like to do more fly-fishing and/or add a different kind of fishing (crappie/bass) that I can do in my kayak. Probably not increasing recreational motorcycling with Keith unless he gets into it more when he retires in two years. I thought about camping again as there are new opportunities with the Master Naturalist group but that would involve putting out a large expense for equipment. Not sure I want to do that all again!
No comments:
Post a Comment