A Conversation with Elizabeth
2016
Retiring

From:           Elizabeth 
To:             Larry
Sent:           Monday, May 16, 2016 12:26 AM
Subject:        RE: Isao Tomita Dies
 
Larry,
 
I was just about to call it a night after watching episode 2 of the Final Season of Wallender, but I noticed your email.  I have a former co-worker who had major surgery a few weeks back, and I keep checking my email regularly to see if I've heard from her, which I haven't, even though I sent her a card and a book a few weeks ago. 
 
Incidentally, I don't know if you've ever watched it, but Wallender is a Swedish police drama that has been playing on PBS for many years now.  The Final Season started last Sunday.  Since I don't recall what episodes I may have missed over the years, I also started back tonight by watching episode 1 of Season 1, which Netflix has made available on streaming.  Often anymore, when a TV show I've watched for years finally comes to an end, I don't readily find a replacement for it in any new series.  I just don't take to many of them.  I've never found anything that stands up to Battlestar Galactica or West Wing.
 
The reason I wanted to reply right away was because of what you said about your 40th reunion.  It reminded me of something I had forgotten about high school.  I didn't think I was "in" at all, but one of my teachers secretly told me that I had come in second on one of those elections held for the Senior year--you know "Best Likely to Succeed," "Most Athletic" and such. I was floored to find that while one of the very "in" very popular people got voted number one for "Most Well Liked or Most Popular" (I forget which it was), I came in second.  I couldn't figure out why until I found out that my votes came largely from all the other folks.  It seems like many of the people not in the "in" crowd liked me and sort of looked up to me, in part because like you I was in the Science Club, on the Brain Team, and so on, but I wasn't in with the cliques!  Of course, being second, I didn't get my picture in the annual, but it was nice of my teacher to let me know!
 
The turntable I just recently got will allow me to also digitally record albums, but I just haven't gotten around to doing it yet.  I'll probably do my Dylan albums, but also my even older Peter and Gordon (!) albums, although I may only have one, as I don't recall right now.
 
I ended up retiring a year earlier than I had planned, Summer 2013, instead of Summer 2014 (the ends of the academic year).  My goal was to make it to five years in my community college teaching position, but the end of four years coincided with me turning 65, making me eligible for Medicare so that I wouldn't need expensive private insurance, so I called it quits at that point.
 
Retirement has brought a few surprises for me in terms of pursuing interests and hobbies.  Some of the things I really looked forward to doing, things I often had little time for while working, turned out to be things I didn't much really want to do!  I concluded that their appeal may have been that I simply had little time for them while working, so sporadically when I could do them, they were fun.  When I could do them whenever I wanted, they weren't as regularly appealing.  A simple example is that I thought I might finally master making a good sourdough bread or a good whole grain bread, as well as try some of the many recipes I've clipped and saved over the years!  What I found is that I don't much like spending time in the kitchen--although I still may try doing the bread at some point.
 
So for you, three whole years, plus some, until retirement, or maybe two!  I think Gainesville might be a satisfying place to retire to.  Plus, don't you still have relatives in the vicinity and in FLorida in general?  Are you going to move down with the woman you were in a relationship with?  I've expected the past year or so that you might announce you were re-marrying!
 
I used to love the Sunday afternoon classical music concerts and the foreign film festival, as well as the other cultural events.  Gainesville also has a  little theatre group.  I also used to love to zip out to Cedar Key on the weekends and go crabbing.  I haven't been back in years though, so I may be shocked about changes!  I wonder if it has become really congested.  One of my students had parents who I met, and they had moved out of a retirement area in Ocala, saying it had become so congested they couldn't stand it!
 
From time to time I have some concerns about doing what is called "retiring in place," i.e. staying here in my own home as I age, living alone, without not too much of a social support structure.   I've contemplated relocating, but other than some nostalgia for Gainesville I don't feel a strong desire to move to any particular place.
 
Enough for now, if you've made it this far,
 
Elizabeth

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