Retire.
If you break up the word it become two parts - Re and Tire. Re means to do it again as in retry and reboot. Tire means to be exhausted, to be fatigued. The word sounds bleak doesn't it? To retire these days is not to sit back in your home, blessed with people who would support you. I think the image is going to be replaced by one which you have to work to support your own subsistence. Thus to retire means that you have to work again (in an environment that you are not appreciated and are lowly paid) and be fatigued by it all. Gloomy, isn't it?
I don't want to have such a bleak future. Thus, I think it would do good to think about retirement. I think the main concern would be health and money. It's good to think about a time when you can not longer function as well as you do when you're in your prime days. A passive income stream to support your own keep is great. A healthy savings to last beyond what you can spend is a blessing. And most importantly, good health to make it all meaningful and worthwhile.
Got to start planning.
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After reading this again, I felt that I had left out something. I realised it now. It's no point having good health, good money for retirement. You need someone to grow old together too. May be your loved ones, may be your children, may be your best friends or even a cat :)
23 comments :
Hi LP,
Thanks for your thots!
I also believe in doing our part in health, $ and family.
I like MM model of "retirement" tho.. pm->sm-->mm. :) higher value added; not neccesary in monetary term but in experience & knowledge.
*Dad finally decided to retire next year at 72. This is his second attempt to retire. :) first was 10 yrs ago.
Cheers!
hh
Hi LP,
You will outlive your cat. ;)
The nature of cat doesn't make it a good campanion
Hi HH,
Wah, your dad must be having fun so that he don't want to retire :)
It's good also because it fills the mind and soul with purpose :)
Hi AK,
Cats have 9 lives :)
If mine don't have 9 lives, then probably I'll get another one, haha :)
Hi bro8888,
Oh, I violently protest that cats are not good companions! It highly depends on the personality of the cat, which is unique, just like dogs. Some dogs are friendly (ok, most dogs are) and some are not friendly at all. The same goes for cats.
Cats are like fishes to me, the joy is not so much to elicit a emotional response (though cats do provide emotional response). The sight of them napping and grooming themselves, snuggling up to someplace which is comfy and warm, is enough pleasure for me. It's a quiet sort of pleasure, a life lived in gratitude knowing that the cat can go anyway it wants to go but chooses to be beside you.
On the other hand, dogs are too eager to please. I prefer the independence of the cats anytime.
To all,
As I returned back home yesterday night and waiting for the lift, a cat which is familiar to me walked up to me, with tails straightened and meowing visibly at me. Irresistibly, I knelt down and she walked around me, making the ritualistic cat's greeting of rubbing her scent onto my jeans and bag. I 'returned' the greeting by stroking her cat and just behind the ears and under her chin. Satisfied, she sat down with her back facing me watching the lifts, seemingly ignoring me.
As the lift came, I walked into the lift, giving the cat a final pet on her head. Surprisingly, she followed me into the lift. As there are others in the lift, the lift stopped at 7th, way before my floor. The cat went out of the lift meowing all the way out. I tried to ask her to come back but she didn't want to, so I let her be on her way.
I felt highly honored by her short presence. That is enough for me :)
Hi LP,
A cat used to come over for makan at my place. She had several places to go for makan(different storeys). We knew because she didn't come to our place whenever we were on holiday. Sometimes she will sneak in and got to sleep over in the living room.
One day as usual we left her food outside but she did not come for several meals. When I saw her at the wheel of my car I said "hey, æ»åŽ»é‚£é‡Œ,we left food for you..."
She died. We didnt' know how she died :( but we knew she died at the wheel of my car so that we knew she died. What a cat.
We buried her near a tree.. & sometimes we talk about her.
So thankful for all the lovely cats :)
Cheers,
hh
Yeah cats... Companionship. That's why we have old ladies keeping a roomful of cats! :p
brolp, may be you are special and so it is just an exception.
Generally, dogs are faithfully to their masters and will make a good companion.
Most cats bo chap their masters and live in their own world and at their own time.
Dog or Cat? Are you a Dog Lover or a Cat Lover, I like to ask this question quite often. If you are a Dog Lover then you are someone who needs a lot of love and attention but if you a Cat Lover then you are someone who gives love and attention to others. A lot of cats are more independent, wondering freely around and will go back to their home after sometime but a Dog, have you seen a dog wondering around your neigbhourhood or are you prepared to let your dog wandering around. Dogs are so protected. Cats are not so, why - is it because they really have 9 lives.
Just wondering ....
Gal,
Hi Gal,
I like cats! mainly to observe them because they are so "cool"! aka bochup. Someone published a book abt Singapore cat. He said cats from different countries behave differently. Hey, its quite true :)
One reason I like cats more because I am not able to give so much attention to neither cats nor dogs. cat is "lower" maintenace?
cheers!
hh
Soon the retirement age in singapore will be pushed to 65 in 2015 and then to 67. I won't be surprised if the government makes us work till the last day of our breath =)
Hey LP,
That's really true for some cases that having money and health isn't good enough.
Without a soulmate to share the joy and happiness, everything seems empty.
Having said that, guys...everyone should really work towards multiple streams of income if you don't want to work till that old.
Dan
Hi LP
I've read "The Four Hour Workweek" and internet articles pertaining to "lifestyle design" and realise the entire concept of "retirement" is out-moded in today's context.
My own plan is to keep working as long as I can in my current career (internal audit) but at the same time prepare myself by looking for independent directorship opportunities which can be considered a plan b or alternative career post 62.
But I intend to take care of my physical and mental well being to be able to still keep active and keep a cashflow going.
I'm also exploring the possibility of migrating to a lower cost ASEAN country when I am in my 60s to make my income from whatever I'm doing then stretch more than I am in Singapore :-)
Be well and prosper.
Get out of Rat Race as soon as possible and be ready to fire your boss at your own time.
If you still to kowtow to your bosses' KPIs and get their blessing for your next pay rise and bonus to meet your expenses. Your worklife can't be that good, right?
Hi HH,
Hmm, sad story. Jade saw it and cried actually. Very thankful for the company of cats :)
Hi Buggery,
Haha, it must be quite CATastrophic when they start meowing for food :)
Hi Gal,
Hmm, I agree with your analysis. I've seen studies of such before and I must say there are a lot more dog lovers then cat lovers. Even the movies will often portray cats as evil compared to dogs which are good :)
I guess dogs don't wander around the neighborhood because they are perceived as more dangerous than cats. They can bite small children. Cats, though technically not allowed to wander without them being neutered, are allowed more free reign cos they generally do not disturb people. In fact, they will often run away.
Hi Shud'n,
Hmm, 67 might not be enough. I guess you're right, it's going to be pushed later and later.
Hi PG,
I guess it's the definition of retirement we're talking about here. For some, retirement doesn't mean an absence of work but rather a more leisurely pace of work. Work for money and work for occupying one's time can be quite different, I guess.
Going thailand seems a good choice :)
Hi bro8888,
Haha, for me, there's no KPI to meet in the first place. Alas, I'm a harsh slave driver to myself too :)
Hi Dan,
Haha, I also want multiple streams of income :) What will it be? Bonds, stocks, business, properties, kids??
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