Retirement: 1-Year Anniversary

My last day as an active Corning employee was Monday 9/30/2024. The last few weeks of employment were a bit challenging. I tried to pass along as much information as I could to the people who might run into issues after I was gone. Mentally I was also saying goodbye to some folks I might never see again. I'd watched enough video on the subject of retirement to know my relationship with my work family was coming to an end, and it would never be the same. I didn't feel very melancholy about this situation because I'd been through something like it many times. The ups and downs of working in manufacturing means an almost predictable cycle of meeting new people and saying goodbye to others. I'd already shed a lot of tears, but not last September.

During the last year of employment, I spent too much time trying to figure out what the best date to retire was. I thought I'd settled on June so I could visit my mother for her 90th birthday in July. Then there was some delayed compensation that would vest in August, so I thought I'd stay for that. When I realized I'd have to be on the retiree healthcare insurance plan for only a month before moving to Medicare, it seemed easier to wait one more month and retire directly into Medicare.

Retiring into the last quarter of 2024 turned out to be good for both me and my wife. She works retail and is typically busy in November and December. I always feel like I have too much to do during the holiday season. It was nice to retire into our family "busy season". I had plenty to do. It also seemed to take those 3 months to iron out the kinks with my pension, 401k distributions and healthcare insurance. No critical problems. Just things to follow-up on.

When January 2025 came around, I felt like I was finally in retirement mode. My calendar was pretty sparse. My to-do list was smaller. It felt like a good time to define a new routine. The TV didn't automatically get turned on every morning. I didn't want to become a couch potato. I don't own a recliner. I started walking at a local park. The weather mostly cooperated. I listened to podcasts while walking. I started to note the regulars at the park, and there was some exchanges of "good morning" and waves. I eventually replaced my old bicycle with a new one, and ride it in the neighborhood rather than walk some mornings. Give my feet a break. My only advice is that if you increase your physical activity after a long period of no physical activity, your body will probably complain.

So far, 2025 has been pretty full of family visit travel. Every few weeks someone was going somewhere. We didn't plan any grand vacation trip in 2025. Maybe we'll sneak away for a few days this Fall. Packing bags and driving for hours seems more like work now, but at least there's no scheduling stress. You don't have to drive all day. The yard can be mowed another day.

I've been blessed with Corning colleagues who've reminded me of what great people I've worked with. I receive lunch invitations every month. Wendy sends me post cards she's collected over the years, which are quite entertaining.

The most nagging thing about retirement for me has been finances. I'm thankful for my pension but it doesn't cover the bills, so I watch the bank account balance drop, then do an ad-hoc 401k distribution. I don't have a money problem - it's a work flow problem. I need to do better here.

I've "partnered" with a financial advisor for a couple of years. The stock market has done pretty well, so it's no surprise that our accounts have done well. Every time we've met with them, I remind everyone in the room that we're all smiling because the market is up, and we'll see what happens when the market is down. It's inevitable. The one thing I didn't expect with having a financial advisor was feeling like I have someone I need to get permission from before I spend money. Yes I know I can do whatever I want, but now I have this 3rd party who I feel I have to justify my spending to. I'm not sure that's good or bad.

Next on the "I should have done better" list would be estate planning. My wife and I rushed through this in 2023 because we knew it should be done before I retire, but after a year of retirement I think we got some things wrong and need to revisit it. We have a bit of an unusual situation because we have an adult son with special needs.

The frequency of the "how's retirement going?" question has certainly tapered off. My answer to that question has never been very good. I tend to include aspects of getting old that are not strictly features of retirement. Nobody wants to hear about your physical problems, recent funerals you attended, etc. There are times when it's difficult to separate these things though. Sometimes they come in waves. I've learned to expect the unexpected each week, and "pivot" (as my wife likes to remind me.) Retirement might be shuffling your priorities on a regular basis to do the things that seem most interesting.

I had shared a few videos from "Norm and Tina". Their YouTube channel is called "This Is Our Retirement".

https://www.youtube.com/@ThisIsOurRetirement

Recently, husband Norm passed away. He had just turned 70 years old. I'm sharing this information because it was quite a surprise to me. Norm and Tina had shared so much of their retirement journey on their channel. They seemed like very nice people. It was a harsh reminder that life is short, and I think we all need that reminder from time to time. We delay. We put off things. We use the word "someday" too often.

So year #1 is a wrap.