So I'm Retired...Now What?

It's been almost 8 months since my husband, Mark and I moved to Fort Collins, Colorado after living in northern Virginia for 20 years and we haven't looked back once. It's the best decision we've made in a long time! We traded the rat race that comes with living in the Washington D.C. metro area, the general lack of customer service in area stores, and the "Gotta be first, Gotta be first" attitude exhibited by the majority of drivers on the highways and byways there for blue skies, friendly people, smiles and courtesies all around. Sometimes I think I'm dreaming because it seems too good to be true!

Oh there are plenty of good memories from our days in Virginia but with our daughters grown and living across the country, it was time to move on. It no longer made sense to live with the daily irritations if we didn't have to. So, now as we start to settle in as Coloradans, I want to share our experiences as we transition into a fulfilling retirement life. You'll see the mundane aspects of retirement and as well as the exciting changes, new activities, and personal thoughts.

For the first 4 1/2 months living here, I telecommuted and transitioned to part time for the company I worked for in Virginia. The company lost the re-compete on the new contract so along with me about 30 people lost their jobs. I was a little taken back by the abruptness of this action but in the long run it opened the door to many other opportunities for me to explore.

So the shock of no job had surpassed after a day or so. But, now what? At 57 years old did I really want to do the resume and interview processes one more time or was it time to just try something completely different? Realistically, I know my age isn't a plus to most employers despite all my experience. I'm fortunate to have a military retirement pension as income so perhaps by really focusing on a budget and leaving the credit cards at home, I just might be able to try something else, something completely different. Maybe volunteer for a good cause, start a new hobby or take-up an old one? After all, I'm still new to the area and haven't met a whole lot of people yet; I need to get involved. I need to do something that really interests me.

So, I thought about the things that make me happy. What do I enjoy doing or what have I enjoyed doing in the past? Guitar. I've played guitar off and on since 8th grade, mostly off for the past 25 years, and thought it might be nice to learn some new strumming and picking patterns. I did a search on Craigslist and found a great guitar teacher.

If guitar lessons weren't enough, I also went into a local music store and signed up for drum lessons! Yep, I've always wanted to try my hand at drumming! After a few lessons, I knew I had the timing and ability to play drums so I visited Craigslist again and found a used drum set and purchased it! Who knows, I may advertise someday on Craigslist to put together a "classic" rock band.

Photography is something else I've always enjoyed doing so with the beautiful scenery that surrounds this area I try to keep my camera with me most times. I found there is a creative photography center in Fort Collins that hosts classes on different topics so I may look into that later.

We are really lucky to have chosen this area to live in because there are quite a few things to do. From outdoor activities, hobbies, fairs, festivals, theater, music, restaurants, breweries, the list goes on and on. The local newspaper lists activities and events as well as volunteer opportunities everyday. There is also a newcomers club that we joined and can be a member for four years. There are so many ways to meet people and so many ways to become involved in the community! I'll keep you updated on my music progress and any other activities I pursue.

In my next post, I'll share my thoughts about family and the anticipation surrounding grandbaby #3!