Has PC changed your decision making?

It certainly has changed the way I look at life in general. I no longer sweat the small stuff! And stay clear of drama and dramatic nonsense! I look at the big picture a lot more today and don't let my self get upset about things that we have no control over! I always try to think positive and planning my retirement life with a summer home etc. down the road

Off to Paris.... not sure I would have gone before but,... things have changed.

Artist Mark said...
Cancer doesn't just hit guys with money and great pension plans. I suppose there are others here that are in similar circumstances as I.

If I was in your shoes... I'd buy the freaking boat!

LOL I love you man. (You know I'm not laughing at your situation Mark....uh no way.....but...you just have a way of putting things into perspective. The way you put things....it takes weight off *MY* shoulders...…?????? How dat work???? Thanks so much.

angel on my shoulder …………………………...much love man


thank you

Itime.....get that boat ....what will it all matter when whatever takes you.....live today and if you can make it work with the boat deal ...do it !..........motor on Brother ....or sail on....?....David

I had semi retired prior to my diagnosis, working with a couple guys I had previously worked with that had started there own company, same business. I was really enjoying it until my hip gave out and i was diagnosed just prior, hip was most likely cancer pushing on nerves so I was told. I am now fully retired.

My wife and I have fast tracked the down sizing of our current home and are moving into a new condo. It will be easier to travel and everything will be new so should not have any household repairs anytime soon.

The no yard work will be easier on me, and her down the road. We are traveling more now than before.
Definitely planning more trips whether daily , weekly etc... I do find that part of me wants to be cautious as not to run out of retirement funds and leave her short should I pass away in the timeline I was given although I remain optimistic. It is a fine line we need to walk sometimes.

Fl Drifter said...
Itime.....get that boat ....what will it all matter when whatever takes you.....live today and if you can make it work with the boat deal ...do it !..........motor on Brother ....or sail on....?....David

Power. I can't use a sail boat in E Tn.

dbell said...
It certainly has changed the way I look at life in general. I no longer sweat the small stuff! And stay clear of drama and dramatic nonsense! I look at the big picture a lot more today and don't let my self get upset about things that we have no control over! I always try to think positive and planning my retirement life with a summer home etc. down the road

heart attack this evening? I can't control that
The past? I can't control that.
What this PSA does? I can't control that..
Whether I'm still living in this house alone in 10 years sick with cancer? I can control that.

There have probably been small changes -- mostly in an I'm grateful for what I've been blessed with vs a whoa is me reaction. I do feel more mortal, but I do expect to beat my G9 and have it not affect my life expectancy.

I am perhaps more willing to spend, but to a point. I'm not worried so much about me, but I'm more conscious of making sure my wife has enough if I am not here (she will switch to my SS, but then lose the 1/2 of my SS and she'll lose the 7K a year I get in pension from a job 30 years ago). I'm pretty sure she'll be fine, but it does put a bit of a damper on the spending that can occur with the "can't take it with" perspective.

But, I do believe it will lead to more travel with my wife in the next couple of years and especially after I retire -- it will be travel while you can lest health issues possible not allow travel.

It's really been interesting reading these comments. My wife and I have been extremely frugal for decades and fully funded our own retirement, never really thinking I would end with a pension and Social Security. But I liked teaching and stayed long enough to have a good pension (I retired 6 years ago) and with Social Security and our own nest egg we are in really good shape.

An interesting aspect of the frugal living for so long is that it's a hard habit to change. Even with my myriad of hobbies (I have LOTS) I still wait for sales and find less expensive workarounds and I really don't want much, being satisfied with what I have.

My diagnosis did not change my outlook except that I decided to get around to all the projects that were languishing and get them done. Most of this is about fixing stuff so I now have my 1964 sailboat back on the water and I have made good progress restoring my early '70s quadraphonoc hi-fi system and even have expanded it a bit. My 1965 Triumph TR4 has a new hitch to pull the boat and I think I will finally get to the body work and paint on my 1959 Volvo. I live in Montana (originally from Los Angeles) so I don't need a second home in a vacation area as I am already there.

I heard some wisdom long ago that said retirement is in 3 phases. The first is great since you have freedom and resources. The second is where things unplanned might start cropping up. And the third is, well, don't save your bucket list for then.