Mike Humfreville - 7-30-2004 at 09:49 PM
We had dinner tonight with a fellow I?ve worked with a big part of my career at JPL. He and his wife and Mary Ann and I have been friends forever.
This couple met Mexico because we introduced them and they?ve been going there ever since.
Dinner, with the masses of Friday night in a public place swirling around us, was focused on retirement. We are all just over 60 and the imposed or
necessary need for slowing down is staring us in our collective face.
Mary Ann and I will be getting a place in Bahia de Los Angeles. Our friends are not sure what they?ll be doing but Baja and Bahia are both big in
their lives. My pal is busier than I am with work. I?ve been sorting out just what it is that I?ll do in retirement. Writing, if I turn out to be
attractive in that regard, will be part of my life, but just what does one do when no longer involved directly in the 8-hour-a-day workforce?
I?ve been analyzing that lately, in background mode, driving an hour each way to JPL daily. Slowly an answer is coming to me: retirement is a time to
return to the values you held before you found yourself wrapped up in the efforts to provide a selected lifestyle to yourself and, perhaps, your
family. Over a few weeks time, that led my thinking back to my childhood. It didn?t hit me all at once. I had to consider it over time. And the
final concept wasn?t exactly like being reborn as a child.
As a kid, I never considered doing things I didn?t want to do. I just kicked back and did stuff that caught my attention-of-the-moment. Want to
crawl through the 5-foot water runoff conduits that are buried underneath our town? Sure! Want to hike the firebreak between Glendale and Burbank?
Sure! Let?s build a tree-house just on that limb and put windows in it and invite Jessica and Gloria to help us. Yeah!
But now I am just a little more practical. Now, if I quit work, I can see myself slowly letting the buried-by-work items percolate back into view.
Since I am still pretty much employed and involved in my workplace, I can?t see things quite as clearly as I?d like, but I can see several layers of
waiting-to-be-accomplishments just sitting there for me under the most-important things I?m supposed to do to earn an income. I know before long they
will reveal themselves to me:
A smoky story of pure fiction, something I?ve not yet accomplished; putting some effort into getting my existing work published; fixing the squeaky
and resistant-to-close rear door of my Jeep to work correctly? Collecting seashells to build a necklace, contemplating the wonders of nature after
several hours of uninterrupted observation, studying colors of the sunset that excites me and trying to capture them of canvas, re-wiring my
TV/VCR/DVD/stereo system at 2 A.M., reading comic books or studying religions of the world. Who knows? But what I do know now that I?ve thought it
through is that there are layers of involvement in our lives. We pay attention to those layers that are most important. For years my personal focus
has been exactly where I chose to put it: or our family and providing my side of our mutual contributions.
Things change. Time passes. We integrate our worlds. We will always be a family. But the demands are refocused now. My contributions will be
different.
A few yesterdays ago I didn?t know this. I didn?t understand what the future held.
But now I do. I know fully that as the needs for my contribution and support change, there are many more accomplishments waiting for my talent and
concern. They?re hovering there, just beneath the surface of my consciousness, and waiting for my mind to slow just a bit for them to regain their
original value. These needs of mine, waiting to be fulfilled for so many years, since my youth, will rise again and fill my remaining years with
value that I had long forgotten.
So, while I don?t fully comprehend the meaning of retirement, I am gaining a tangible understanding of what I will do there. I know now that there
are plenty of things that I will enjoy doing, but that I?m now just too busy to see them.
I?d like to say that I?m looking forward into my second childhood. But I can?t. I never really left my first.
Start with the seashell necklass.
jrbaja - 7-30-2004 at 10:43 PM
The rest will come naturally!
Beautiful thoughts....
BajaCactus - 7-30-2004 at 11:35 PM
Those are very nice toughts Mike, I hope you get to acomplish them all and much more...but specially.. that you get to enjoy your retirement a
lot....!!!
Looking forward...
Mike Humfreville - 7-31-2004 at 12:40 AM
While remembering the past:
I passed through El Rosario somewhere in the late '60's. I remember (even if it never happened) that there was an old manual gas pump out in front of
the Espinoza place. If we needed gas, an attendant, no doubt a family member, would come and press the pumping arm of the device until the glassed
and measured container above reflected the registered number of gallons (liters I would guess but cannot remember) you wanted (a max of 5 gals per
filling). Once the seller and the buyer had agreed that the glass contained the agreed upon quantity the seller would squeeze the handle and release
the fluid into the tank of the buyer. There was no challenge of honesty then. Only the recognition of integrity and need on both sides of the small
consumer and small, rural vendor. I loved Baja in those ways in a way other than the way I love her today.
I remember times, well before the pavement of '73, where we just had to buy gas from the farmers and deplete the supplies of locals for our own crazy
adventures. But somehow we all worked together. We helped each other where we could. We were all from the same ilk I guess and cared in a rural
sense more for each other than we do today.
Perhaps?
Bedman - 7-31-2004 at 01:06 AM
Mike,
I'll have to mull this one over for a while. We too, are thinking of retirement. God, it almost scares me.
The adventures I used to do on a whim, now take fore thought and planning. I still have the desire to do them, but alas, I don't have the stamina or
strength anymore. I'll have to set my sights just a tad lower. I hate "settling" for second choice.
Another loose end in that conundrum is my darling wife. We've been together for 35 years. Both working for a better life for our family. We haven't
drifted apart, but, we haven't had to put up with each other 24/7 for a long time either. She'll have me knitting or crocheting or God help me if it's
Yoga! I'll have to enroll her in half a dozen classes just to get some quiet time. Maybe, secretly volunteer "Her" time with several needy charity
organizations.
( Hmmmm.....I smell a plan unfolding here..........)
Whatever the outcome, Wherever the location, Whenever it happens, I hope to have a few friends close by.
Bedman
RETIREMENT, AAHHHHH
Capt. George - 7-31-2004 at 04:26 AM
Semi retired at 43......only thing I've found wrong with that is I couldn't afford to fully retire at 23!!
Is there life after work/career....more then you could dream....not enough hours in a day.....GO FOR IT MAN! you can always go back to (shudder) work.
Good Luck El Vikingo
Bob and Susan - 7-31-2004 at 05:54 AM
Mike
Thanks for sharing your thoughts...
30 more months for us.
Noble Thoughts Mike!
Skeet/Loreto - 7-31-2004 at 05:59 AM
Advice from and Ole Adventuer thinking about "Retirement".
It has often been said"Do Not Retire were you go for Vacation".
After a 5 Day Trip to my Beloved Sea Of Cortez and the once Small Village of Loreto, Baja Sur, MX, I have been able to finally leave behind the once
Small Village as it is no longer!
Many Smiles and Hugs from my many Mexicano Friends , their Children , Grandchildren. Good Men who helped Virginia and I build "Rancho Sonrisa' Rocks,
Sand , Ojas, Coco Palms, Chickens, and Memories of Happiness.
Mike, due to many Changes in my Physical Life , I have decided to "Go Back to my Roots". Amarillo Texas!! where I left so many years ago on a Freight
Train Headed North, going to California for Adventure, and Adventure it has Been!!
Now to expeirence Virgina"s Dream of Becoming a "Horsewoman" in the Quarter Horse Capitial of the World, to bring her Mare with Foal to Sweet Grass
where Clean Air and Water dictates where I may live 10 years Longer, where People Smile and say "Howdy'>
After all these years California Has lost its Character, its Air, its Water, its Respect.
Please do not set down Mike, "An Idle Mind is the Devils Workshop", keep living your Dream, keep writing so that in my dotage I can read about your
Life in Baja!
Skeet/Loreto
"In God I Trust"
.
hey Skeet,
capt. mike - 7-31-2004 at 07:34 AM
when i flew to AR late june we stopped for gas and weather check at Tradewinds poco airport just outside the Amarillo class charlie airspace. Very
friendly west texas persons. i'll see you there in the future.
Enjoy retirement and keep writing.
bajapablo - 7-31-2004 at 08:19 AM
You've got a definate talent in that area. Your posts/stories and well written. In fact, they are Hemingwayesque and a pleasure to read. Good luck
the tempests...
bajapablo - 7-31-2004 at 08:26 AM
I am printing off your "tempests of summer" to read to my kids. I loved the installments. Something to look forward to. I am not caught up yet but
am making a point to do so.
Marie-Rose - 7-31-2004 at 09:27 AM
Wow...my husband and I are with you, except that since our trip feb-may to baja we can think of nothing else but retirement!! We can't wait to return
to Todos and our soon to be Casa Loma. The experience was life changing for us. We are finding it very hard to be back in the land of excess and
waste. We miss the happy sounds of the Mexican neighbors, the music (at all hours of the night, dogs and roosters! It seemed so simple...we had time
to find ourselves, and more importantly we had time to really spend time with some incredible people. Retirement is hopefully not too far for us.
Baja made us realize we can do without many "things" we felt we needed before. Now we are "de-cluttering" in the hopes to get back to the simple life
as soon as we can. 
TMW - 7-31-2004 at 09:30 AM
Skeet when you head back to Amarillo drop down to Lubbock and have a steak at the 50 Yardline, south off the loop near Outback and Walmart. Best steak
in the South Plains-Pan Handle area. Owner is a Texas Tech/ Pro lineman.
Retirement
capn.sharky - 7-31-2004 at 10:44 AM
Mike---We are the same age. Due to health, I had to retire at 58---so its been four years now. You will find that you don't have as much time on
your hands as you think. You will really be busy---and you will wonder how you ever got anything done when you were working full time. I know what
you were writing about as I had the same thoughts when I retired. I felt that by not working everyday, I was worthless. But I got over that fast. I
tried writing, and still hope to finish the book someday, but I spend all my time doing other things. This is the best time of your life---enjoy it
without guilt. 
bajalou - 7-31-2004 at 10:59 AM
9 years ago, at 62, I "pulled the plug" and headed down to Baja Cal. with everything I owned. Now I find that there isn't enough time most days to
do the things I enjoy doing. (and I daily curse this forum for enticing me away from the desert for much of many days)
retire
Capt. George - 7-31-2004 at 01:38 PM
Sharkey,
I simply don't understand, is there something wrong with being worthless?
We all are, you know, to one degree or another! Well, all, except me of course!
In Cap[e Cod, no Baja,,,boo-hoo, boo-hoo!!! I'm certain your heart is breaking for me...And no Deborah (Queen of Baja)
to share my grief....one more week
adios, VIKINGO
If yall get on my case
jrbaja - 7-31-2004 at 01:49 PM
about being anti american, please explain to me why so many of you are moving to Mexico to retire.
Doesn't sound very patriotic to me !
bajaloco - 7-31-2004 at 02:05 PM
It's not that we are anti-american, just pro-baja. I'm sure you understand that.
#1 - 7-31-2004 at 02:37 PM
My dad retired when he was 52, he is 71 now and still says that he doesn't know how he ever found time to work. I firmly believe that remaining
active is one of the major keys to life. One of my customers is 87 years young, last winter we were visiting for a few minutes when he suddenly said
he had to catch a flight out. I asked where to and he said that he had to give his wife two weeks in Hawaii, in exchange for one week in Sun Valley
Idaho so he could snow ski. As he was leaving he told me when he was 80 he broke his leg while skiing. His doctor told him he had to stop skiing.
He said do you know what I did, not so much a question, more of a statement. I got a new doctor.
TW
Skeet/Loreto - 7-31-2004 at 03:02 PM
I will be at the Lubbock Auto Auction This coming Thursday, will try to get my old Friend to Stop for a Steak. Thanks for the heads Up.
Skeet
Retirement
Jack Swords - 7-31-2004 at 03:42 PM
Been retired for 5 years. I wake up in the morning with nothing to do, but in the evening I am only half finished! Do it as soon as possible!
4baja - 8-1-2004 at 05:50 AM
in my mind im retired but my body still needs to work, hopefully someday.
Retirement . . .
geobas - 8-1-2004 at 07:00 AM
I didn't retire until I was 67, for no particular reason, just didn't give it any thought. For years I had a retired friend who would come into my
store and have coffee with me. One day I asked him 'Joe, what do you do all day long'. Joe looked at me, smiled and said 'anything I want'.
George, now retired doing anything I want . . .
surfer jim - 8-1-2004 at 07:58 AM
Will retire soon myself...but first must evict the freeload tenet in my house so that I can remodel it before moving in....
Packoderm - 8-1-2004 at 01:06 PM
In my case, I just don't see it happening - ever.
Packoderm
Mike Humfreville - 8-1-2004 at 03:05 PM
When I first started working at JPL, in 1967, you couldn't keep me away from the place, evenings, weekends, all the time. I was young and rising in
the workforce and it was all a game and I was winning, the bucks were growing quickly and I was starting my own contracting company with the lab and
everything was a whoop. That lasted for over 30 years, before I started to get old and realize I didn't want to miss other things as well. You are
young enough that it will be many years before you want to slow down. I'm happy for you that you're still learning and experiencing new stuff. Just
don't wait so long to retire that you miss seeing new stuff before you're too old to enjoy it!!
Barry A. - 8-1-2004 at 03:52 PM
OOOOOPS -DOUBLE POSTING
Barry A. - 8-1-2004 at 03:56 PM
Mike, I am in Jack Swords camp. Been retired almost 10 yrs. (forced Law Enforcement retirement when turned 57) and Jack 100% reflects my experience. I
have not been bored 1 min.. Doing what you want is incredibly rewarding, and you never quite get it all done, so there is plenty to do the next day,
week, month----well, you get the idea.
Deffinitely keep up the writing, and publish. Best, Barry
Markitos - 8-1-2004 at 08:10 PM
Mike You ROCK! La vida es corta !! I was talking with my brother about Baja and San Diego and all the folks. Man it's changed. He lives in the hills
and dont like coming to SD except to head on down south thats the only reason he's even here. At 45 baby it's time. Retirement !?
Whats that? Ha. Go now or dont go !
Don't wait...
Jack Swords - 8-2-2004 at 08:38 AM
Mike, Dont't wait for "enough money, etc." as I've seen too many that think another year of work will pay off. Then when they do retire, their
spouse or they are in poor health or gone. I retired as a secondary science teacher, loved teaching. In fact, I teach English in one of the public
schools in La Paz during our winter stay, but there are too many adventures out there to become totally committed. If I could do both I would, but you
can never get time back, it is gone. So take the opportunity to become unfettered and do what you want, when you want. No regrets. You seem like a
person that could find retirement full and challenging.
Retirement
mcgyver - 8-2-2004 at 09:07 AM
RIGHT ON
Jack, you are 100% on the money with that don't wait advice! I have saw it happen more than once and to one of my best friends, he worked on & on and
had plenty of money, next year he says, one day his wife had a massive heart attact and 9 months later he died of lung cancer, while I was in Alaska
treasure hunting on the Yukon River- his dream trip.
Retirement time-filler
El Camote - 8-2-2004 at 10:33 AM
Hey Mike, I know something that will fill all your retirement free-time and fulfill a great need in your life....
Vehicular maintenance and repair!
couldn't help it. heheheheh
Retirement
BajaRob - 8-2-2004 at 11:24 AM
Right on Mike. I retired two years ago @ 52 and bought a beach house in Bahia Santa Maria. I too had been concerned that I would be bored and
underinspired without my " career ". Nothing could be further from the truth. I am now busier than ever but I'm doing exactly what I want to. The
people in the South Campos are incredible and diverse. The one exception to retirement is my neighbor, Don Heller 69, who works at JPL. He just
finished his portion on the Cassini Project and is now disussing a future assignment. Don is incredibly brilliant and requires the mental stimulation
that work provides him. I'm still working on him.
Everyone needs to do what works for them and I'll bet you will wonder why you didn't quit going to the office sooner. Good Luck, Rob
Semi-retired at 44 . . .
movinguy - 8-2-2004 at 11:53 AM
and loving it. Got bounced from my dot-com job and decided to stay home raising mis hijas for a few months - that was 4 years ago and the thought of
ever having a "real" job again scares the poop out of me. Life is too short to spend it on the San Diego freeway.
I'm also a closet journalist - actually, I have the degree to go with it but have never put it to any practical use. My ultimate goal: a motorcycle
journey down Baja, across to the mainland, around the Yucatan and back (with a book to follow, of course).
It's Pretty One-Sided -
Mike Humfreville - 8-2-2004 at 08:34 PM
Almost everyone says to go for it. I agree and that's what we'll do as soon as we get a couple of medical insurance items taken care of. And I might
try and align a periodic thing at the Lab, something sporadic and occasional.
Good luck to us all with our undertakings. I'm sure we'll meet up along the way. Looking forward to that. We have so much more time when south.
Movinguy: Post some of your stuff here. There are a number of writers on these Baja boards.
El Camote: All my finely tuned vehicles are listening, you know. They know what true care is! In the suburban, for example I had the airbags removed
and inserted wine bags in their place. It just got to be too much with all those damned boxes. And it causes me to drive VERY carefully, lest I leak
a drop of delicious red vino.
[Edited on 8-3-2004 by Mike Humfreville]
May God bless you Mike!
Skeet/Loreto - 8-3-2004 at 05:49 AM
As I read all the Dreams of you Youngins, I reflect on Our decision to move to Baja and live!
Your Life will be as you make it! Adventure and Risk , interaction with a different culture, Happy smiling faces of neatly dressed children emerging
from cardboard Shacks with Dirt floors, on their way to School will never be forgotton!
Finding that we could do with out so many "Things", "Not to Worry, Tommorrow we can do it, changed our lives forever!!
Watching the Fish and Bird Life in Front of "Rancho Sonrisa",as the Sun Rose over Carmen Island and Set over St. Javier is forever etched in our minds
and Hearts.
Never stop Dreaming Mike!
Skeet/Loreto
"In God I Trust"
Skeet
Mike Humfreville - 8-3-2004 at 09:59 PM
Very good point and I've spent a life, starting with the small Indian village next to us in Cuernavaca in the '50's. How could you live in a mud hut
and send your children off to school so crisp and freshly dressed every weekday?
I think the answer is somewhere between 1) one of our favorite bumper stickers, 2) what many Baja lovers believe, and 3) the latest Starsky and Hutch
movie:
Just DOO eet!
How much I have learned about the value of life from my friends south of our mutual border. God love 'em.