Wednesday, August 19, 2009

The Beginning!

(Originally written Sunday, July 26, 2009 at 2:12 p.m.)

They say you shouldn't make any major decisions in life during your first year of sobriety. It's been almost seven months since I got sober. Over the past few months I've been thinking about retirement. Actually over the past couple of years. The alcoholism spiral nearly ruined those dreams, but I think I may be able to pull it off after all. I won't be quite as comfortable financially, but I still need and want to retire in January 2010. Emotionally I am more than ready to retire.

While this definitely qualifies as a major decision in life, it is certainly not one I'm taking lightly or quickly. It is a carefully researched decision, and one I choose not to let my alcoholic past and current recovery jeopardize. In fact I view this decision as part of my recovery. Work over the past several years has become a drain on my emotional wellbeing for a number of reasons. My interest and ambition has long disappeared. Staying at the post office has turned into a daily chore rather than the pleasure it used to be.

Now that the decision is made, I'm excited about it! I'm looking forward to the challenge of the next few months, working out the financial kinks, staging the next part of my life in retirment, etc. It isn't that I hate my life at the post office, I'm just ready for change. Thirty-six and a half years at the same place is a long time!

I plan to continue working in retirement, but in a drastically different way. Not immediately after I retire for one thing. I want to travel first, for a while. "Impose on friends" for a bit. Visit some distant friends for a few weeks at a time and take a few car trips. When I do work I want to do something more in line with my hobbies; travel, photography, reading, writing, etc., rather than finance and spreadsheets. I am also only interested in working part time at the moment, just to make a little vacation money and to keep my self busy.

So, that's the current update. I'll see about keeping this journal going and posting a few videos along the way. Feel free to comment and provide your advice and encouragement!

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