After letting this sit idle for a time, I am getting ready to begin this online blog about life after working for nearly 20 years. I have been a teacher in various parts of the world (Japan and NYC) and will retire from the DOE in NYC at the end of this school year. This decision was not made lightly, and took time and planning. Mostly, the planning involves being financially able to support oneself for as long as necessary while not working. After over 15 years with the DOE here, I will get a full retirement package…when I reach the age of 62…which will not come for nearly two decades haha. So when faced with this, one needs to be ready with a savings stash to face this time, or a plan to earn income in the years between. I will not draw from any ‘retirement’ accounts, wanting to save those for the real retirement years after 62 years old. I know full well that I will need to return to some sort of regular employment in the future…perhaps an adjunct teaching position, or part time at a local HS, or out of education all together. One good thing about not having many strings to tie one down, you are free to do almost anything.
This blog will highlight the next few years to come. My thoughts and feelings and adventures after working life. I know it will be a difficult transition, and one the will require adjustments. Here is my tentative plan:
Leave NYC in the summer of 2019. Return intermittently in the fall to help advise the next teacher and ‘show them the ropes’ of computer science education at the school. Final leave off payroll as of the end of October 2019.
Spend a time in SE CT cleaning/fixing/working at my parents house. Many tasks still need to be done there.
Prepare for a cross country musical tour in the late spring of 2020
Return to overseas adventures/touring in early 2021
There is more to do, more ideas on the table (like taking a boat across the Atlantic so my mom can visit Normandy, where her father served in WWI). In all honesty, I am a bit nervous, and that’s what makes this exciting. I have no idea what the future will hold, and after many years of living a secure, ‘known’ life -regular job, gf of 6 years - now done :( , I am ready for the uncertainty of the unknown…