How to retire

.. Today I went to the eye doctor's office for an exam, fully expecting to be fitted for new eyeglasses with an updated prescription. Imagine that office as a black box with front and back doors doors and no windows, and remember my expectation going in the front door.

.. An hour later, out of the back door of the black box comes a guy (me) wearing bifocal contact lenses!!! What happened inside there?

.. I imagine retirement could be like that. You set a process in motion which should have a certain planned outcome starting at a certain planned date. But this leaves out an important term in the equation: the unpredictability of Life itself!

.. As October 2009 approaches I take stock of talents, interests and material resources. I posit that somehow from the list of self-directed activities some will come to the fore and I will engage in them, given that the choice will then be all mine...

** Question: where are my spouse's interests and preferences in this equation? **

. amateur radio (K1MJC); astronomy; backpacking; birdwatching; general carpentry; chamber choir; computers, programming and applications; travel to family, including children, their spouses and any grandchildren; Frank's University (research in topics newly of interst and enrollment in C.E. and adult ed classes); French language and culture; gardening; GIS; holiday preparations; ...

** Another question: which will became "occupations" and which will remain "hobbies"? **

... home repair and improvement; keyboard -- need more lessons; languages and history of languages; maintaining section of Appalachian Trail; maps; music composition (sacred music); natural areas and preserves; natural sciences; other volunteer and charitable activities; photography (natural designs, simple & complex landscapes); reading, especially biographies and Nature; the spiritual search; ...

** Last question: if my schedule is my own, how will I know when it's time to do something? **

... travel to interesting places, such as national parks and possibly Southern Europe; web page design, maintain a personal page & maybe others; writing including nonfiction, blogs and online periodicals/zines.

.. I guess the answers depend most on what's inside the box!