LOL! From pics I've posted in the past it is obvious that I rather like accent lights. Well I've done a bit of playing and, with a sale at work and my employee discount, paid $12.73+tax for the two hanging fake candles in the following photo. With the swag chains and ceiling hooks the total cost was ~$25.00. The lights are actually pretty nice and 'flicker' like a real candle with the flame below the level of the top of the wax. I LIKE it!

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That is just lovely, Jay! Very homey.

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Patty MacDuffie
Computer Haven Administrator

Live Long and Prosper
Mr. Spock

Thanks Patty. You know me and my accent lights.

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I love them they do look real and fit in really well Jay. Well done on the price as well.

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Joan Archer
http://crossstitcher.webs.com

Thanks Joan. The good price was largely due to my employee discount at work.

Before too long I plan to go from semi-retired to retired. I WILL miss my employee discount at work. The discount REALLY helps as to product costs. For instance, when I left work today, I grabbed a couple of DIGIORNO Supreme frozen pizzas. In a grocery store they cost ~$7.00 each. I paid $3.83 each. I WILL miss the discounts. I also got 3 2 liter bottles of Coke for $2.55 (That is the total cost for all three bottles.). I WILL miss the savings.

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Is this a retirement that has to happen or could you stay on for a few more years ? I know over here people are putting off retirement way over the retirement age, 60 for women and 65 for men, a lot has to do with cost and many can't afford to retire when they get to that age but also the government has moved the goal posts with regards to when they will start paying out state pensions and are encouraging people to keep working so they build up a pension fund so the government don't have to pay so much out, even though we've been paying into it for years.

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Joan Archer
http://crossstitcher.webs.com

The retirement would be my choice. I DO have some advantages as I don't have to deal with medical coverage as I am fully covered due to my military status. My medical military pension also covers all my rent and electric except for $100.00/month. My only other bill is cable/internet/phone. Since I'm 100% debt free my total bill outbut, other than my pension, is only ~$273.00/month. I'm pretty well set.

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Good for you, Jay!
I spent a good part of today gathering information that I need to bring to the table to review regarding my pending retirement. I have a pension coming from UPS, but I'm still 3-1/2 years shy of Social Security and have another 6 to 7 years of mortgage payments ahead of me, so I need to look at all of my options to make the right decisions regarding my investments and investment income. I'm planning to retire early next year.
-steve

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stephen boots
Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020
"Life's always an adventure with computers!"

LOL! Just be sure to have something to do when you retire Steve... I am considering starting up my computer business again but on a very small level just taking jobs that are of interest. That, along with being able to get out with my camera, should keep me occupied.

I have some work I want to get done on my car before I fully retire but am not far from getting that done. Some front end work that needs done such as struts. My car is a bit old but I REALLY like the thing and intend to keep. It is a 2002 Mercury Sable LS Premium fully loaded. It has 154,000 miles but, for this car, the milage really isn'y that high. I paid $1500.00 for the thing and have since put in another $500.00 due to an unexpected engine issue. That puts me at $2000.00 and it Blue Books at $4200.00. I can afford to have it brought back to where I don't really have to worry much and still have less invested than I could sell the thing. I don't drive much at all. Believe it or not I've had this car for ~1.5 years and have only put on ~650 miles. The body is fine with the only rust being light on one wheel well edge, no big deal. with the condition of the engine I really should not have to worry too much. Yes, I just DID drop $500.00 on the engine but how often does a mass air flow sensor fail? The $500.00 also included plugs, wires and vacuum hose replacements. I have zero interest in changing the plugs on this car myself as you have to pull the intake manifold to get to the back three plugs.

It is apparently an odd car as it apparently (according to a VIN number search) has the 260 HP SHO 3 liter engine instead of the standard 200 HP 3 liter engine. What makes this odd is that the SHO engine was not normally available on the Sable but was an option of the Ford Taurus which is pretty much the same car. From what I've been able to figure out the SHO engine was only available if directly ordered through the factory as a modification. It has a few dings but the body is totally fine and solid.

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@ Jay & Steve - I can speak from experience......retirement is great. And I wish both of you the best.

I've been at it (retirement) for almost 20 years, and I never looked back. Before retiring, I had a 33 year career in support of NASA, 30 years with the same company. I loved my job, but I wanted to have fun while I was still physically able. Like Steve, I did my investment and pension planning and was able to retire at 59-1/2. My monthly pension was reduced because of my early retirement, but I made up for it in fun. After a couple of years of total retirement and traveling the country, I did do some consulting work for about 3 years......this kept the rust off and also gave me a few extra $$ for more toys and more sightseeing.

Speaking of toys. Before I retired, several friends gave me the same advice.....buy all your toys (cars, boats, motorcycles, cameras, etc.) before you retire, then hopefully you can remain debt free.

Again, the best to both of you. Hopefully you will still have time for us lost souls on CH????

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BB
http://barrypatch.net

I hear you BB! If not for wanting to make my car in better shape and wanting some new electronic 'toys' I would have fully retired in January.

I have also made some moves to lower regular bill output. For instance I made a move that lowered my car insurance from ~$200.00 every 6 months to ~$138.00 per 6 months while actually adding to coverage by adding un-insured motorist coverage.

If you would remember my thread about getting the new TV turner, VCR and DVD deck for my main system it was also partially done for the retirement aspect. This adds to income as I can convert VHS to DVD; a bigger market than one would guess. I already have seen a profit from the setup.

As to starting my computer business again I really have only one goal. Yes, I will fix and repair systems but the real purpose would be to resume what I did when I had my business in Florida. I will maintain my practice of harvesting hardware including a 15-20% discount on labor if the client donates their old hardware. The purpose of this is so that I can, once again, take donated hardware to build viable systems to be donated to families with kids that cannot afford a computer.

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You are a good guy, Jay

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BB
http://barrypatch.net

Well I've been retired for about 14 years and I often wonder how I found the time to actually go to work. OK even though I can't do anything physical as such there just aren't enough hours in the day to fit everything in.

That car of yours looks fantastic Jay.

Good luck with your plan Steve, we don't have a mortgage, we've lived in rented accommodation since moving to Wales and been in the last property since 1993 with an assured tenancy, we even got sold at auction a couple of years ago, that was a bit of a worry.

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Joan Archer
http://crossstitcher.webs.com

For a 15 year old car it does look pretty good Joan. It is pretty dry here so there isn't much of an issue with rust. The red Dodge Neon was also mine that I got rid of when I got the Sable.

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Jay and Steve, concerning retirement: GO FOR IT!! Hey Steve, I worked at UPS loading and unloading trucks for one summer between college terms. Work was brutal but boy did it pay good.

Acadia

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The blazing evidence of immortality is our dissatisfaction with any other solution. -- Emerson

My stint in the Operation was during the 1997 strike -- August, in Syracuse, NY. I've been in IT with UPS since 1992. For the last several years I've been managing the Implementation and Support team for EDI. Yes, I'm going for it. It's time.

-steve

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stephen boots
Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020
"Life's always an adventure with computers!"

Went and did it today. I signed up for Social Security. The funny thing is that I'll net more income by not working by about $180.00/month. I am supposed to get my first payment the third wednesday of July. I'll work full time until the end of June and then drop to three days for July if they agree to the days I'm willing to do. After that... no more working.

The front end work on my car was done last week and cost less than expected which is good. The total bill was $1226.00 but, due to both military and senior discounts I paid $1061.00.

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I'm really happy for you, Jay. And I hope you truly enjoy your retirement.

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BB
http://barrypatch.net

Thanks BB.

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Here's Jay at the end of July:

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BB
http://barrypatch.net

Hooray!

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stephen boots
Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020
"Life's always an adventure with computers!"

LOL! The 'high' about all this is leaving and now I'm waiting for the hammer to fall that causes a glitch. I know that is silly as there is nothing that I can actually think of that should cause any issues but I think that I just jumped on an emotional roller coaster.

Actually a part of me is almost a bit sad as I will miss a lot of people. Since I will still shop at Walgreens I will see the people I have worked with but I'm talking about customers with whom I have established a relationship. A lot of these people I will rarely see after I am retired. For instance on my last birthday a customer got word as to the date and brought in a cake for me. I will miss these relationships. For some reason I am VERY popular with our customers. In fact last week I told a lady customer about my plans and she started crying. Some I will still see but most not.

This is a MAJOR life change and I supose that such feelings are normal.

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Enjoy your retirement Jay but if you're anything like me you'll wonder how you managed to find time to go to work because you'll never fit all you want to do in the time.

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Joan Archer
http://crossstitcher.webs.com

Congratulations Jay, I'm looking forward to see what you put up at jaylachsilversurfer.com

Yes, it's available

On a more serious note, i can feel exactly where your coming from albeit not from a retirement perspective.

I've worked in the same job at the same work place for over 14 years, in those 14 years I've spanned 5 different employers thanks to the site holders outsourcing the contract to third party contractors... in that time i definitely should have left and moved onto pastures new, not just for remuneration but also for sanity... but one thing kept me there... the people I've met and worked with.

Working and living, living in particular, is worth so much more than money.