Hi guys, I'm so happy I'm just bursting. I just retired from church and college. I've been waiting for this day for a long time. I've been doing church since 1965 when I was 15 years old. It was a great career, but I'm ready for a change. I will still do my shows, in fact, I'll probably increase the number of shows I'm doing. The rest of the time I plan to spend with my grandson, also at my condo in Ocean City, MD, and sailing with Gary Diamond. I've got a 4 day OC weekend coming up and I can't wait!

Later,

Joe

Songman ... CONGRATS ...

Retirement from the '9 to 5' is the best thing I've done since getting married and having kids ...

I will be making my annual pilgrimage to OC for golf May 21 - 25 ... we stay at the Quality Inn right on the boardwalk ...

Congrats Joe- That's awsome! I can't wait retire too - at least from the day job. I don't think I'll ever retire from music though.

Enjoy the extra time to spend with family and friends!

The boat goes in the water in two weeks

Gary

Joe,

Congratulations on your semi retirement enjoy it!

Coincidental that you would post that, since today I'm accompanying my wife to the state retirement board to get all the details and paper work for her to exit from her long time state government job later this year. In mid 2013 I'll follow suit from a job in private industry. We hope to make a move to central Florida, but right now there are too many unknowns some of which is that we are now both only children ( my wife lost her only sibling a 54 year old brother last June) my wife's parents and my mother are all living and have medical problems.

I will be 68 soon, and I just took on a job which will take 4 years to complete.

Not even close to retiring.

Different strokes, for sure.

R.

OC Maryland or OC NJ?

The band ( Just in Time)is at the CrabTrap, Somers Point, NJ..on the way to OC...Stop in..Wed Fri or Sat nights..

OC Maryland ...

Come on guys I am 68 never retired, still working like a dog, just waiting to die now, there nothing else except the T4 the Audya got weighed in 2 weeks back, don't miss it one bit. Retire my ass....

You need to get out more!

Gary

Gary,

I will get out more, more work. heeeeeeeee Money Money Money

I could retire right now if I wanted, and, in fact, could have at age 55 and I'm still working and wondering why. Lately, I have been thinking of hitting it hard for a year and a half more, when I reach 60, and then spend my time on having as much fun as possible, philanthropy and making music. Working gets in the way of all three of the latter. There are only so many hours in the day.

Congrats, Joe!

I have spent the past 40 years having fun and making music. Retire to WHAT?
DonM

Not being as fortunate I had to retire to get to making music and having fun ...
Don, maybe you could retire to a 9 - 5 office gig ... NOT!!!

I was thinkin' about retirement, but Carol said I had to be dead three days for that to happen. Kinda' like Weekend At Bernie's. I'd be sitting at the keyboard, an MP3 of me playing and singing would be coming over the sound system, she would spray some insect repellent and deodorant on me to keep the bugs off and the smell down, and after she collected the paycheck, she'd put me back in the frig.

I figure I'll test the retirement waters in October when I sail south to the Florida Keys and the Bahamas, locations where I'll trade a couple nights of Tiki bar performances at the marinas for a weeks slip rent, water and electricity. If I can swing it, which I believe I can, that's about as close as I can get to retirement till I'm too damned old to play and sing.

Cheers,

Gary

What retirement means? Based on some of the comments I can't help but throwing this in. First those who are talented enough been able to make a living their entire lives with music God bless you. Wish I had the talent to have taken that route, but I'm also smart enough to know that would attempting to do so would have been like spitting into the wind. Although I have plenty of blessings being a great musician is not one of them. However, at 61 my age next year I'll be able to retire and do what I want without financial worries. It also doesn't mean sitting in the rocker and watching the Price is Right or TV reruns. Golf...... if it weren't for a bad back that goes out easily when I swing a golf club maybe I would?

It will however give the the chance to play more senior facilities mainly to have some fun and earn some dollars too since I'm not fond of refusing money. My current career as MIS manager of a greater Boston area law firm will also give me some opportunity to do some consulting. Nice thing I will be under no pressure to do anything but what I like and want to.

I also think that's what Joe Ayala was trying to say i.e. enjoy life and work less.

Hi guys,

Ocean City MD. But I do plan to get up to New Jersey to see Fran and Donny. BTW guys, I'm not retiring from playing, just the day gigs. I do 250 to 300 shows per year and I plan to keep that up. There's no way I could ever sit home and watch the birds fly over. I have a condo in OC that I plan to spend more time at. Also I have a camper that I'd like to take on the road more often. I have 6 time shares I'd like to spend more time at. Like most of you guys, I'm very lucky in that I do work that I love to do, and therefore I would never give it up entirely, I just want to enjoy some of the pure fun side of life as well. Some of us do reach a point in life when we just don't want to go to any more meetings or do any more bs things.

Joe

Congratulations Joe. Cool that you will able to choose how to spend your time now.

To me retirement is getting up and asking myself "What do I WANT to do today?"

Six Saturdays and one Sunday each week ... only difference is we go to Church on Sunday ...

As one 'retiree' said "My wife asked what I was going to do today" ... I said "Nothing" ... she said "You did that yesterday" ... I said "Yeah, but I didn't finish" ...

Yup, retirement is the best job I ever had.

I am coming out of retirement....I am tired of being broke

Actually my lifestyle (workwise) was the same when I "worked"..I did what I wanted to do

Been semi retired from a "real job" since '95....been playing music professionally 45 years with no end in sight!!

"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life"

~~~~ Confucious

Hey, I've just done the same. Put music on the back burner, moved to Michigan to take on a 5 year project for a chemical company! Don't think the keys will stay in closet too long with the number of facilities to play at night (occasionally).

Zuki ... Congratulations and best wishes ... that's quite a step ... Based on your prior postings here, I would think you left a rather lucrative music business behind ...
I know what that's like, having made a job related move from NY to RI some 28 years ago ... left a good, working 'general business' (weddings, dinner dances, etc.) band and eventually became a OMB in RI ...
How far a move was it from your former home?

Once again, best of luck in the new venture ...

Fran,

Perhaps you are doing something wrong? have a drink.

Jim, after all the hard work you put in the deck

Thanks guys. Not to fret, I'll be playing some gigs down the road, after I get my feet wet on this assignment. A change of scenery is good for us. My wife (being from MI) is joyous. I'll post some pics of our lakefront home

Well, at least your address here stays the same ...

And is that "Michigan lakefront" ?!?!? ... biggest non-ocean body of water I've ever seen ...

Thanks T - nice and warm comment Lake MI is awesome, but we were fortunate enough to grab a home on a private (17 homes) small, non-wake lake. Perfect for retiring. Never been on water, so I guess the money hole starts collecting for a dock, boat, etc.........yikes.

Jim,

If you are planning a move in 5 years, after the job is completed, I would highly recommend NOT buying a boat, at least not one that you would have trouble towing. My current boat tips the scales at nearly 14,000-pounds, is 33-feet long, 13 feet wide and can only be moved by water. From the looks of it, you're almost in the middle of the peninsula, which is a good trek to both Lake Erie and Lake Michigan. If you had a trailerable boat, you can take it anywhere you wish, launch the boat and at the end of the day, week, etc..., trailer it home.

Good luck old friend,

Gary

Hey Gary,

Not buying ANYTHING at this point. House has 'broken' us. The hole in the lake will have to wait

Question: our lake is a non-wake and little. What dock is recommended? One of the Castrol reps has said 'floating'. Mother-in-law (usually right on) has suggested 'permanent'.

Purchases in order:

1. Dock
2. Trees down
3. Sandy beach
4. Fence for dogs (no, this is #1)
5. Kitchen upgrade
6. New driveway
7. Landscaping
8. etc, etc
9. Boat (hey, someone has left a row boat on our lot - goodie)

As you can see, change is really fun and we are excited. Won't forget my synth pals and will do a few bookings (have to start all over...ugh) in a few months.

later..............

As for the dock, it depends on how much of a tidal change there is. Usually, up north the tidal changes are more pronounced, at least along the coast. From the looks of things, though, the tidal changes on Lake Michigan are tiny--often less than 2 inches. The floating dock is probably the last expensive way to go, no pilings to drive. And, you can always take it with you when you leave. All the other stuff is honey-do things.

Have fun,

Gary

zuki ... with that list you will just be getting done when the project is over ...