I warned you I'd write a post about how things are going. The headline is all good, apart from one thing.
It is now nearly 4 months since I made the excellent, wonderful, absolutely correct decision to retire (I'm fairly certain about it, as you might be able to guess). So far:
* My blood pressure scores are down an average of 15 points (loud cheer).
* I can now hit a 7-iron 150 yards (plus roll) 40% of the time (slightly quieter cheer).
* I do not miss work one iota. I nearly message my friend, Geppetto Dynamite (you know your real name) to say I thought about what he calls a very exciting piece of strategic change... and didn't even feel a split-second of excitement at the idea of being part of it. Nothing. Diddly squat. Zilch. Nada.
* I'm making (on average) 4 breakfasts and 4 evening meals a week for Mrs M and I, plus I can work the new washing machine. Impressive, I know.
* I'm spending an increasing amount of regular time with the grandchildren. Weird being referred to as a grandad, but they're such fun and not quite one year old.
* Life on a fixed income is okay, so far.
* I'm trying to write TWO books in 18 months, plus research a third one (not crime fiction), but my time over the last 8 weeks has been somewhat diverted to...
* ... galvanising a bunch of residents to complain and generally make a formal darn nuisance of ourselves with a construction company that's happily generating clouds of dust WITHOUT any effective monitoring, mitigation, or care in the world. Thus, the image of my car 4 days after it was cleaned. Yes, that much dust (and we're hundreds of yards away from it, and not in a direct line of sight).
But all in all, it's going pretty well, thanks.
Of course, backing away from working life has meant some cosmetic changes which are surprisingly difficult to do. For example, whereas my LinkedIn posts were regular, used to get a fair viewing and a 3-5% 'response' ratio, I now get hardly any views, and virtually no reaction. Hey ho. I suppose it's a business social media site (although with the increasing amount of personal posts and pictures of cats, you've got to assume the brand edges are greying), but it's strange trying not to go onto the site - a 'Hard Habit to Break' as the Chicago song goes (the band, not the musical).
Still, I'm meeting some fab people over the next few weeks; many of whom I've got to know through my work, and I'm looking forward to starting to write my first non-fiction book (using a nom de plume). Still looking for willing guinea pigs to interview, to create the 20-22 characters I'll need. Anyone volunteering?
Okay, that's it, I'm off. No more posts, no more than one post per month on LinkedIn, and don't bother asking me if I'm interested in one more contract because the answer is a very firm 'no thank you'.
