My Three (3) Retirements
at 28/32, 39½ & 60 years ol 

AMBITION

In my teens & pre-teens I recall having little ambition. Even becoming an Eagle Scout was really just a mix of 1) my joy of doing Boy Scout stuff like winter camping, 2) my exposure to the variety of Merit Badge skills (e.g. the Gutenburg method of 'movable type printing" with individual lead pieces called 'sorts.' ("out of sorts" comes from running out of type pieces), and 3) my father's constant pushing.

I was sent to Manlius Military High School (for delinquent or rich kids) and was nfected with amobition because 1) I was a passable athelete and 2) learned I had an affinity for command,.

In my last Manlius year I aspired to be accepted to the United States Air Force Academy because 1) it was totally new, 2) flying jets seemed exciting although I'd never been in a plane, and 3) it seemed a natural segue from my Manlius Military High School success. Unfortunately, perhaps , n my 2nd year I decided I did not want to be told how to thnk and quit with highest respect for USAFA and all m,otivation disappeared.

Anecdote: Basketball team rejection: 

Anecdote: pre-mature Lietenant:

AMy one Lewis & Clark College was to get thru & out even though I cannot recall asking myself what I would do once graduated with my lofty political science and history majors. Looking back now my lack of awareness of my future seems incomprehensible.

Immediately after my college graduation (kinda) my sole ambition became  survival's raw brutal quest for shelter, food, & clothing thru any means I could find. I slept on an office floor, a doughnut stock room floor fellow employee's basement matresses and a friend's basment workbench, eating whatever went the farthest. At 1st I sold Cutco Cutlery door to door & available menial work until I discovered corporation's slary & benefits

In my mid 20s I worked constantly as an advertising account executive, managing and maintaining my rental units and/or doing handyman work for others to make my real estate loan payments.

I jokingly used to say that I retired to four times depending on how you choose to define 'retirement.' never with slightes conscious ambition for anything other than my financial security.

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Webster defines it as , " the act of withdrawing from one's position or occupation or from active working life." while Grok says, "...: stops working full-time, typically after reaching a certain age or meeting specific financial or career milestones .... living off savings, pensions, investments, or government benefits, but also can imply a shift to leisure, personal pursuits, or part-time work, with the goal of financial independence and freedom from regular employment.

Actually, I never called it "retirement" except as whimsical bit of humor. Retirment as many seemed to interpret it is a the long range vague view  burdensome years to toward fluffy indistinct Pearly Gates of Heaven, .... if only he can get there. Or as my favorite college professor described,  it, "A 30 year funeral March of work and family burdens at which a person can finally lay their burden down" and do nothing." The mondset seems to be the death knell of death.

Our conceptually vaguely it's a worthwhile future goal for the 60s.

MY RETIREMENTS: 😀

First -- In 1968 I was fired by Alberto Culver, but a couple of hours earlier I had been hired by Thermos Compnay who fired me 2 years later ... to spend the summer partying down in the upscale beach town of Balboa Island, California.                                    That was NOT retirement.

In 1969 I woked successively for 2 (3?) large LA advertising agencies and a small computer software company that fire me, then rehired me from which I soon after quit cuz burned out on corporate shenanigans.   That was my 1st retirement attempt which was briefly interrupted a couple years later (???) by a fun stint at an international level advertising agency in Los Angeles, NW Ayer, Hixson Jorgensen Adv. because I was too greedy to reject the large monthly paycheck, but fortunately, several months later, they let-me-go me.

Weeks later, curiously, I applied at the Pioneer French Baking Co., LA company for a marketing position, but once there I respectfully walked out when they required that I complete their application before I knew if I wanted to work for them. I permanently closed the corporate door.  
                                                                    This was my 1st retirement.

Several years later (1979) , I had completed law school, passed California bar and solo law practiced for a 1 ½ years when at 39 ½ yrs,  I quit and moved to Jackson Hole , Wyoming to ride horses and hike in Grand Teton National Park. (jlk)                                This was my 2nd retirement.

At 49 the top of my van blew off in high winds drivng down an Eastern WY road while researching the Oregon Trail route. The experience shocked my security, sense of purpose and self-worth. I realized I had benn intellectually coasting again just like I did in my late 20s & early 30s.

Resenting almost my entire piblic & university system school years, I fanatsized I might be able to 'teach' better. IDuring the nexy scholl year I recieved my high school teaching certificate, taught for next 10 years and formally retired ironically to work physically harder than I evere had.                                        
                                                                     This was my 3rd retirement.

Anecdote: "Someday I won't have to work.": One day in my middle 20's  patching a client's roof with tar the blazing beach sun, I looked down on some of my contemporaries and their girlfriends playing volleyball on the beach and I said to myself, "Someday Scott you won't have to workery available hour into securing my financial future) "  

I had no idea what I really meant, what the future would be like.except that I would be free to design it as I wished. Even then without realizing it, I already lived a reasonably secure la la idylic California beach life.

Everything I did was focused on my future financial security even as my beach life was idlylic.

 IV. My Investing:

A. big blunder

Giant investing mistake. After selling my house & Snake River property next to Grand Teton National Park, for $1.25 dollars, I invested in more rental units and the stock market.

Unfortunately, I knew little about stocks, but was “very full of myself” because I had made so much on sale of my house. I believed I had the Midas Touch. ("Fools rush in where ....")

I bought tech stocks because everyone was in love with the huge, exploding range of innovative, new technologies. Unfortunately, many companies were worthless, sometimes merely a concept, rushed quickly onto the stock exchange so fools like me would throw our money at them.

When the dot.com dot.com  Bubble finally crashed, my stocks lost ½ - ¾ of a million dollars in VALUE. In a panic I sold all my stocks, THEREBY locking in an EVEN greater loss because some tech stocks (Apple, Intel, Microsoft, Amazon, eBay, Cisco etc.) Google would ultimately survive & prosper over the next 2 decades, but even had I this insight, I didn't know how to distinguish between the best and the worst Stocks I owned. That was my great level of ignorance. 

Anecdote: My look in the mirror: About 2-3 years later After my blundering 1999 1/2 million $ stock market loss“, I LITERALLY looked in the mirror and I said to myself, "Scott, you are looking at one of the most ignorant, arrogant, foolish investors you have ever known."And then, ... I started laughing. It was so true.

While I had certainly been shaken & frightened to the core,  a GIANT NEW QUESTION NOW LOOMED,  

How do I recoup my great loss? 

Real Estate loss recovery:   

Short Version: A. Property Development: Expanded a rental property unit's number, size & rental income thru continuous 10-12 hrs/day, 6 days /wk for 9 mon over 4 yrs.

Longer Version: 

Fortunately, with part of my log house sale's proceeds, I had bought an old rental property: a triplex & duplex, each of which was composed of 2 30 yr old houses cobbeled together.                                
        Typical 'old Jackson Hole, WY.   

At some point, it occurred to me that I might expand or develop that property's two buildings to increase rental units #s, space and income, however. my interpretation of Town of Jackson's zoning restrictions on my property seemed to prohibit that.                PIK of Jones Property

Anecdote: a hidden opportunity: Nevertheless, I gained a meeting with the planning department, and my opening words were, "My interpretation of my property's zoning restrictions is that I cannot develop this property any further. I would like you to confirm that hat I cannot develop my property any further."

(Notice: probably most initial discussions with Planning are the property owne or her lawyer trying to manipulate the Planning Department into approving a qwestionable construction proposal. In stark contrast,  I sought to confirm that I could not develop my property.)

"After a 1/2 hour examination of my property specs & applicable zoning laws, he looked at me & said, "Scott you're wrong. Our restrictions did not anticipate your property. You can develop it further." I thanked him profusely and left ecstatic. 

I immediately researched construction codes (e.g. allowable living space, required open space & parking, etc.) AND overall expansion strategy for what evolved into a 3 to 4 year project dominating the end of my 50s and the beginning of my 60s with 10-12 hr days for 5 months each year.

My prime strategy was to add  2nd story to my main 40' x 80' building which ordinarily would require tearing the roof off, building the new second floor and then installing a brand new roof.

This presented a Catch-22 because if I tore the roof off to build a 2nd story engineering would disapprove because very old cement block foundation weak to support 2 stories. Besides, tearing off an existing roof only to replace it a couple months later seemed financially foolish.

Ultimately, I conspired with a house mover to saw thru the bolts connecting the building to the foundation, THEN, raise the entire building a few inches at a time stabilizing it 9' in the air.

I then spent several days drilling holes at the bottom of each 3' deep cavity,  installed rebar in each hole secured by powerful epoxy glue. Finally, a cement truk & hose filled 720 vertical holes with cement. Whew!!

With foundation engineering approved, I paid a framing crew to build a new 1st floora including interior & exterior walls that would bear the weight hovering ominiously 9' in the air.  Then, VERY slowly, ....  inch-by-inch,  we lowered it onto the new 1st floor.  This strategy avoided the extra cost of tearing down the original roof, disposing it in County dump, and time, effort & cost of building a new roof.   Thousands saved.

Anecdote: No insurance: As my house-mover & I stood together, watching his men slowly lower y inch the old 2nd foor down onto the new 1st floor, he casually dropped the bomb that, "There is no insurance coverage for what we are doing." 

I either assumed he had insurance or I never thought about it. I simply can't recall. But If the entire structure had collapsed, it would have been a total catastrophic financial disaster. Whew!I 

The entire 1st year's project was rented by late fall.

2nd Year:

The 2nd year I respectfully, requested Planning Department's permission to move my smaller building onto a brand new enginerring-compliant cement foundation, even though they had earlier suggested I tear it down.  They graciously approved. Easily completed before winter.

3rd Year: Finally, in the 3rd year, I had precisely calculated the proprty's remaining developable square footage or footpring and designed an 'L' shaped, 2 story duplex of 4 bedroom each. Again, Planning approved my tight designed building. Then, I worked with a modullar home construction firm that constructed my design and installed it in 1 day on my new foundation increasing my rental square footage another 35%.

Over 22 years it has provide increasing rental income and appreciated value. Within the last 2-3 years very large multistory apartment buildings have been constructed on either side of my property,  substantially increasing the value of my property for re-development.

B. Stock Market:  Really? Again? 😀:

Having recouped my dot.com loss with the re-development of my rental units,  I had resumed my usual Roadtrek RV van domestic travels and limited foreign travels, when,  of course, the 2008 Black Swan "Global Financial Crisis or Great Recession" landed with an unforseen bomb scaring all investors most of us not sophisticated enough to comprehend its implications.

Dot.com: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dot-com_bubble)

Fortunately, because my real estate loan payments were relatively low compared to my rental units income, I simply lowered all of my rent/unit several hundred dollars in order to keep my tenants. Occasionally, I also stepped in to financially  support tenants in particularly dire circumstances. 

Slowly in 2008-2009 the Great Recession when greater financial confidence begn to emerge,  I said to myself, (I talk to myself a lot.), “Scott, you cannot be so stupid that you cannot learn how to make money in the stock market.”   I vowed to wisely learn how. 

So, relying on Jim Cramer’s, Mad Money, I committed to religiously listening to his daily podcasts & reading his book, " Getting Back to Even."   Over time I realized I was becoming familiar enouigh with his Rules of Investing, stock market terms, financial news station's guests duplicity, prudence etc. that I often could anticipate what he was about to say.   Thank you Jim.

Caveat: While I relied heavily on& I am indebted to Cramer, I believe he has sold out to CNBC, and has too many conflicting agendas, but his books are most useful. Sorry.

I had ONE fundamental investment goal, "preserve my principal". My basic emerging strategy was to focus on tech stocks that Cramer endorsed frequently thus reflecting his continual confidence in their future performace.  

Since the early stages of tech revolutionm I have been in enthralled with tech believing that like the telephone, automobile, airplane and then the computer, cell phone & smart phone,  that tech revolutionizes economies, and moves mankind forward. I still believe that.

My first fledgling small stock investment was in Apple, which Cramer admonished ,"Hold, don't trade." I bought more over the years and have sold none. Apple alone has recouped multiples of my dot.com crash loss.

2025 Perspective: while at 85 I may not let live to see it, it's my belief that tech stocks particularly those sectors espoused by Cathy Woods (robotics, block chain, genome sequencing, power generation & storage  ... all underwritten by AI) will dramatically grow over the next 5 to 10 years.

Travel: Foreign & Domestic: n my 1999 ‘blunder’.    

II. Health.

Most of my adult life I stayed physically fit with exercise (tennis, jogging (?), hiking, skiing), and a good diet. The USAFAcademy experience taught me that I have no physical limits.

Anecdote: always physically pushing myself harder: USAFA anecdote.

Once living at California's Beach where physical tanned looks were at benchmark. Jogged the shoreline in the deep sand, biked or roller skated the entire Manhattan Beach, Heromosa Beach and Redondo Beach 'strand' 1 or twice a week, while working hard at property management & ocassional construction. Winter's skiing at Mammpoth Mounta9n Ski Are and summer occasional back pack ing in surrounding National Parks. 

Even when sales traveling I would often find a steep hill to climb just for the pleasure of gloring in my body's capacity. Playying tennis to near exhaustion.

My move to Jackson continued the pleasure in my body's capabilities combined with property construction of house, remodeling of my apartments and skking & hiking and Western Swing Dancing, horse adventures.

My one Hypocrisy during my 40 to 52 was with too much Häagen-Dazs chocolate ice cream ending with my doctor's diabetes II diagnosis at 52 purging my Hagen-Daz addiction & reducing sugar intake. Kayking was added to the mix in late 50's for my 2nd Alaska trip.

Throughout most of my 50's, 60s & 70's my kayak was strapped to the top of my Roadtrek travel van while my mt. bike dangeled off the rear each ready for improptu use. 

Even into my 60s, I would make demanding hikes, and mountain bike rides, also  well as performing most of the construction trades on my rental properties re-development & maintenance.

My foreign travels were dominated by my self-guide walking tours and strenuous hikes.

Yet, as healthful as that was, it had its complications. Tennis, jogging on cement in simple tennis shoes ( we didn't have hi-tech runing shoes then) and running in deep sand wore out my knees. In late 50s and early 60's I had each knee replaced otherwise I coiuld not have done what I did afterward at home and abroad. 

Early in my 60's my lower back  aggravated to a back surgery which may of may not have helped, but I managed my back constantly with certain exercises & a=self-sdjustments all of which allowed my foreign travel at same intensity until my late 70's when prostate cancer struck with it dilibating consequences.

Postscript:  (7/3/2025: yesterday I committed to major back fusion surgery in August. To restore hopefully sufficient mobility to make prudent reasonably short hikes, and maybe even bike rides ... again.

Anecdote: 2nd knee: the day before surgery, I almost fell to the ground because the painful kneerefused to support me. 

However, I continue to have increasingly painful knees and back issues that were subsequently resolved by right knee replacement in 11/26/02, a left TKR in 8/6/09 , & a 2011 back surgery that gave little benefit, but no harm.

New knees were true godsends that propelled continued physical pursuits including my foreign travel's daily & often demanding, self-guided walkabouts (China's Longi Rice Terrace hike,New Zealand's Stewart Island solo backpacking trip, etc), major  foreign treks (cross, England, Hadrian's Wall, and 600 mile Camino de Santiago trek) well into my 70's (???). 

Sometime in early 70s my prostate PSA numbers started to slowly elevate.  until 2018's PSA numbers hit updated Gleason Scales highest , most danfgerous ahgresssive 5 level.

 After my Ecuador & Galapagos Islands trip, my doctor advised I had a very agressive 5 on the updated Gleason 1-5 Scale.

I immediately underwent a relatively new theraphy involving 3 primary stages: 1)  4-5 weeks of radiation 5 days/week, 2) two Brachy procdures 2 weeks apart, & 3) bi-annual tetesterone suppressing drug injection.

Unfortunately, contrary to doctor's assurances, the cancer therapy, non- prostate complications including the return of my horrible body rash, weakness & incontinence ultimately my domestic & foreign traveled. Very sad because I had thought to travel well into my 80's even if at a lesser intensity.

Life guarantee little,

Thanks the gods for all my trip videos.

2. Travel: Foreign & Domestic:    
In my early 60s, I shifted quickly from construction AND a short USA/Canada road trip TO  … longer N American & foreign trips realizing that someday, for some reason, all my travel would end.

     On my Ecuador & Galapagos Islands return, doctors advised I had the highest level of prostate cancer. Contrary to their assurances, therapy & complications my travell - domestic & foreign ended

Thanks the gods for all my trip videos.

3. 80's Passion:  yyy

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2. Travel: Foreign & Domestic:

2. Travel: Foreign & Domestic:    
In my early 60s, I quickly transitioned from rental upgrade AND a 1 yearly USA/Canada roadtrip TO …
   …increasingly longer N American & foreign trips as I realized that someday for some reason the "other shoe” must fall & all my travel must come to an end.
     After my Ecuador & Galapagos Islands trip, doctors advised I had the highest level prostate cancer. Contrary to their assurances, cancer therapy, & complications including the return of my horrible body rash, weakness & incontinence  my travell - domestic & foreign ended

Thanks the gods for all my trip videos.

If during your 30s, 40s, & 50s your planned for the hobbies & adventures of retirement, maintained your health with exercise & proactive medical effort AND if had become financiall literate and invested wisely creating retiment 's ideal net worth, the must surely face retirement during your 60s with the greatest of confident anticipation.

On the other hand, If during your 30s 40s and 50s, if you relegated your retirment ambitions to a vague fuzzy Hollywood celebrity-like fantasy lifestyle,  THEN, your retirement ambitions may be mere silly snowflakes under a summer sun. Alomst useless.

If during your 30s,40s, & 50s,  you ignored your physical health & well being allowing yourself to slide into obesity & chronic maladies (diabetes, cardiovascular, or strutural issues) while ignoring the physical conditions that you might have controled, fixed, or repaired when necessary,  THEN, you may have irretrievably damaged or undermined the vehicle you must carry you through your remaining decades.

If during your 30s, 40s, & 50s you failed to become financiually literate and invest wisely, instead squandering your financial potential on the frivolous or self-indulent. that you may be unable to do more than survive retirment thru continual work until dead.........

.......... to this latter group ...

I must be brutally frank ........ 

In my 50s bio I said it was time for you to "fish or cut bait". If you acted, hopefully, you are physically and financially healthy.

If your financially successful career’s income was prudently/wisely spent AND excess income was wisely invested, OR,  if you became financially literate generating a profitable investment portfolio AND if you stayed healthy, and if your marriage endured .... then your 60s through 80s+ are likely to be secure, worry free & filled with the unlimited opportunity to pursue new work paths (consulting, online internet business), hobbies, domestic & foreign travel (This is a travel website, after all. 😄)       Yours is the ideal retirement.   Congrats!

At worst, If you wallowed in a financially unrewarding career, if you squandered your earnings on an unnecessarily self-indulgence,  perhaps unhealthy lifestyle and thus failed to become financially literate & invest profitably, and if you let your body deterioate you are probably in dire straits doomed to scrape by barely surviving on your children’s support or government largess (Social Security & Medicare)  until you cannot.       It was your life; your choices.

Your odds at this point of you becoming financially secure in an increasingly expensive world are heavily stacked against you.  You have not lived life’s ‘game’ wisely & you have lost. 

OTOH, if you you tried hard and achieved at least middling financial success, but we're unable to achieved the financial success you had hoped for, ....  all is not lost. 

Anecdote: Stock Loss Recovery: After having lost at least ½ million dollars in 2000 dot.com stock market crash, my financial recovery in my 60s vastly exceeded my earlier losses. IMO, (2025) in the next 5-10 years will be equally outstanding. 

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A. Potential retirement issues:  Failure to anticipate retirement by pro-actively discovering & pursuing alternative pursuits is a prime cause of retirment issues.
    1. Loneliness & Isolation: Career retirement may sever your social & work connections risking social isolation, loneliness, anxiety, depression, unhealthy inactivity, and cognitive decline.         Studies suggest same.

        Solution:  Long before retirement .... establish new relationships & social venues: voluteer experiences,  (old foks, hospice, chartitable  pursuits, etc ), hobby groups, fishing buddies, etc. so you easily segue from work to retirement's social connections. 

    2. Ageism's Discrimination: Age-related discrimination (ageism) may pit you against younger, stronger, more imaginative, lower compensated competition that may have more updated skills (computer tech) including AI's greater productivity (McDonald's totally automated stores). Ageism can frustrate retiree's employment optios, housing, healthcare, & social interactions.

Anecdote: hostel age irony: hostel registry's 'age' column had seldom anyone close to my age. My travel  agendas were so intense: 1st wake, exercise  & depart hostel for day's adventures. Yet, when I bedded down at 8pm, my bar-hopping roommates invariably entered quietly so not to disturb me. Our conversations were often a contrasting mix of youth's & my perspective.                                Quite fun really.

        Solution: Long before retirement you might 1) start your own small income business using your skills (retired plumber) or refinishing old furniture etc.), 2) get a part-time job you can grow into as you grow out of your retirment career.

Anecdote: my professional acquaintance: .... worked 50+ years,  5+ days every week with only ocassional week vacations each year usually to the exact same place, forfeited a healthy body, cultivated no hobbies or extrcurricular interests, yet financially very successful, Seems almost afraid NOT to go to his office. Now at 83, what? Build a house (he has 2). Watch FOX News?

    3. Sense of Uselessness: Career retirement may generate a smoldering sense of uselessness cuz at work no one cares/wants/needs your input anymore. You left and they moved on.....  Or. perhaps your skills were so unique to your job they cannot be easily applied to retirement pursuits.

        Solution: Long before retirment 1) discover a hobby that you can be passionate about: (car restoration, specialty cooking, ), 2) become established in a parttime job that can be expanded, if you wish. (McDonald's, school bus driver, Uber, tutoring -- infinite list, , 3) exloit you career/work skills: small busoness consultant. aprtime accountant, a tradesman to handyman, ....) 

   4. Identity Loss: Our self esteem or image of ourselves is often a product of our training, acquired work skills, experience & business connections. Retirement can attack our identity when our work skills are no longer in play AND we don't have passionate hobbies or pursuits to jump into like wood working, voluteering or domestic & foreign travel to fill the void.

        Solution:  long before retirment pro-actively search out activities (hobbies voluntering, sports, et.c)  that give you a sense of pride and accomplishmen to replace what may be lost after retirment.

Anecdote: MY pre-teaching retirment pursuits: managing & remodeling my apartments, hiking, backpacking, kayaking, writing, domestic & foreign travel in small Roadtrek RV van.   What are your potentials?

   5. Physical & Mental Health:   
       A. Physical: In 30s and 40s, natural metabolic changes (muscle loss & fat gain) can only be countered by continual agressive exercise, diet etc.

          By the 50s, an earlier cavalier disregard for diet, exercise, & preventive or corrective medical interventions can lead to chronic pain, fatigue, or obesity's disability reduced lifespan, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, certain cancers, osteoperosis weak bones & broken bones from falls,  AND weaken family bonds & reduced physical capability, life expectancy, Quality of Life ....  limiting your ability to enjoy retirement's travel, social activities .... ALL leading to isolation.   Pretty scary when you look closely --- most don't

Anecdote: Donna's friend's 'lost' arm: Ignored during Donna's two years insistence that he seek medical attention for a growing cancer sore on his arm,  rather than relying on dubious, specious homeopathic solutions. Finally a month or so ago. (7/2025) she drove him 300 miles to a major medical clinic's ER. The next day surgeons removed his ENTIRE arm.  Scary, huh?

Anecdote: 2nd floor: When I returned to my Jackson Hole, Wyoming condo in the Spring, ....I realized that my  frequent daily climb up my stairs to my office made me stronger. When I returned to Arizona just before the under-construction house's roof would be installed, I decided to add a 2nd floor primarily for the exercise, ... & the views, of course. 

Anecdote: My post-prostate cancer physical weakening slide: Very physically active to 78, prostate cancer theraphy & back degeneration continually reduced my physical strength, endurance etc. until back pain was chronic (5/2025). NOTE: August 19, 2025 I undergo spinal fusion surgery, hopefully reducing pain & restoring 'some' mobility.  I'll update in a few months. 

Sedentary lifestyle & physical deterioration of 30_50s can aggravate retirees creeping depression, boredom, anxiety, shakey self-worth, further physical decline, ...  luring us deeper into the thought-numbing physical & mental stupor of main steam media's intentionally negative titilation & click bait misinformation increasing risk of obesity, heart disease, or other health issues. 

      B. Mental: A physically healthy & maintained body at any age can preserve & perhaps enhance mental faculties. OTOH, physical decline & poor diet will likely do the OPPOSITE causing depression, anxiety, stress and accelerating cognitive brain health decline, mental sharpness &   dementia, .... resulting in strained relationships, reduced productivity, leading to social isolation, greater medical costs, depleted savings, limited retirement ambitions, and increased reliance on Medicare.

hobbies or travel stimulates the brain. 

         Solution: Long before retirement pro-actively re-awaken your brain with exposure to everything/anything new: documentaries (Curiosity Stream, History Channel.), travel shows (Rick Steve's Travel * ), hobbies, sports, hiking & an active search for domestic and foreign travel destinations This might require the courage to override the stultifying damage to your inate curiosity done by US public school system & your mentally lethargic 30 to 50 lifestyle. 

* 1) Rick Steves' Europe (TV Series), 2) Travels in Europe with Rick Steves (1991–1998, 3) Travel as a Political Act (Special), 4) Monday Night Travel (Virtual Shows

        6. Financial Insecurity: ...  lack of monthly cash flow, net worth assets, and financial literacy may dramatically aggravate these potental mental & physical issues in a world of increasing prices for rent, food,  .... everything. Retirees might panic ...  sucummbing to impulsive purchases depleting savings to fast.

A race must be won with every step not just the final few feet. 

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B. Potential  Opportunities:   If during your 30s, 40 & 50s decades you proactively nutured your body's health recognizing it would be your mind & ambitions' physical transportation into a rich fulfilling 60s, 70s  plus retirement.

OTOH, if your 30s, 40 & 50s you ignored you body in deference to you career pursuits & slothful health care you may already have incured chronic health issues (obesity, diabetes, etc.) whose coirerection & management may reuire more self will & courageous committment to overcome. It may be easier to sit on the couch & eat. If so, WADR, you made your choices. Good Luck.

Finally & optimistically, you may be straddling the divide between these two extremes: excellent body & mind health & bankrupt mind & body health.  If you can muster the courageous self-will & indomitable committment to maximize your phyiscal & mental health you may full yet recover a rich & fulfilling 60s, 70s  plus retirement

unimagined exciting & fullfilling opportunity        . offer you a final chance to fullfil dormant lifelong ambitions before you die ..............  ranging from turoring & volunteering, hobbies, interest (history, archaeology, art)  or active sports (golf, bowling, hiking), Totally within your control. 

    1. Share your wisdom & experience
         a. consultant to small businesses,
         b. teach night or trade school,
         c. create YouTube online tutorials,

    2. Pursue old & new hobbies & interests (archaeology, history. painting.

Anecdote: becoming a painter: At 67, my friend X in her new retirment from years of high level government account8ing, decied to try watercolor painting sufferring the constant difficulty of wallowing in the subjectiveness of painting's use of paper, colors & tint & theior use techniques in complete contradictiction to accounting. Frustrating, time consuming, but courageously, motivate =d toi persevere.

Anecdote: My non-perfection Rule: "If it is worth it to you to do something, it is worth doing poorly." If you enjoy the effort ( and it doesn't hurt anyone else) that is good enough IMNSHO (In my not so humble opinion)

    3. Charitable volunteering, mentoring, & public service offers instant, rewarding gratification & a self-worth/self-esteem boost.

   4. Travel & Exploration: FINALLY!! This a travel website, of course. 😃 FIT (free (solo) independent trave), big bus touring & cruising is available at everyone's fitness level at various prices. Few pursuits offer the astounding advantages & opportunities for personal growth, pleasure, accomplishment & fulfillment at any age as domestic & foreign travel [plk” travel benefits],  [pplk: SIT, Resources] [pplk: Big Bus touring] [pplk: Cruising]

“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl,
but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”
—Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

 IV. Investing:

1. Blunder & Recovery: in My Stock Market    

     In 1999's "Dot.com" “" stock market bubble I lost 1/2+ million $. ,LITERAL:  arrogant, ignorant & foolish!

My Recovery of those Losses:
    A. Property Development: Upgraded & tripled my rental unit's size & income..

A. big blunder

Giant investing mistake. After selling my house & Snake River property next to Grand Teton National Park, for $1.25 million dollars, I invested in more rental units and the stock market.

Unfortunately, I knew little about stocks, but was “very full of myself” because I had made so much on sale of my house. I believed I had the Midas Touch. ("Fools rush in where ....")

I bought tech stocks because everyone was in love with the huge, exploding range of innovative, new technologies. Unfortunately, many companies were worthless, sometimes merely a concept, rushed quickly onto the stock exchange so fools like me would throw our money at them.

When the dot.com dot.com bubble finally crashed, my stocks lost ½ - ¾ of a million dollars in VALUE. In a panic I sold all my stocks, THEREBY locking in an EVEN greater loss because some tech stocks (Apple, Intel, Microsoft, Amazon, eBay, Cisco etc.) Google would ultimately survive & prosper over the next 2 decades, but even had I this insight, I didn't know how to distinguish between the best and the worst Stocks I owned. That was my great level of ignorance. 

Anecdote: My look in the mirror: About 2-3 years later After my blundering 1999 1/2 million $ stock market loss“, I LITERALLY looked in the mirror and I said to myself, "Scott, you are looking at one of the most ignorant, arrogant, foolish investors you have ever known."And then, ... I started laughing. It was so true.

While I had certainly been shaken & frightened to the core,  a GIANT NEW QUESTION NOW LOOMED,  

How do I recoup my great loss? 

Real Estate loss recovery:   

Short Version: A. Property Development: Expanded a rental property's unit number, size & rental income thru continuous 10-12 hrs/day, 6 days /wk for 9 mon over 4 yrs.

Longer Version: 

Fortunately, with part of my log house sale's proceeds,  I had bought an old rental property; a triplex & duplex, each of which was composed of 2 30 yr old houses cobbeled together.                                
        Typical 'old Jackson Hole, WY.

At some point, it occurred to me that I might expand or develop that property's two buildings to increase rental units #s, space and income, however. my interpretation of Town of Jackson's zoning restrictions on my property seemed to prohibit that.                PIK of Jones Property

Anecdote: a hidden opportunity: Nevertheless, I met with the planning department, and my opening words were, "My interpretation of my property's zoning restrictions is that I cannot develop this property any further. I would like you to confirm that I cannot develop my property any further."

(Note: probably most  initial discussions with Planning are the property owner or her lawyer trying to manipulate the Planning Department into approving a questionable construction proposal. In stark contrast, I  sought to  confirm that I could not develop my property.)

"After a 1/2 hour examination of my property specs & applicable zoning laws, he looked at me & said, "Scott you're wrong. Our restrictions did not anticipate your property's characteristics. You can develop it further." I thanked him profusely and left ecstatic. 

I immediately researched construction codes (e.g. allowable living space, required open space & parking, etc.) AND overall expansion strategy for what evolved into a 3 to 4 year project dominating the end of my 50s and the beginning of my 60s with 10-12 hr days for 5 months each year.

My prime strategy was to add  2nd story to my main 40' x 80' building which ordinarily would require tearing the roof off, building the new second floor and then installing a brand new roof.

This presented a Catch-22 because if I tore the roof off to build a 2nd story engineering would disapprove because very old cement block foundation building sat on was too fragile to support two stories. Besides, throwing away an existing roof seemed financially foolish.

Ultimately, I conspired with a house mover to disconnect the existing building from its foundation & elevate & stabilize it 9' in the air while fortified the now easily accessible cement block foundation open cavities with new vertical rebar & fresh cement.

Once the foundation was engineer approved, I built my new 1st floor on top of foundation while the old 1st floor hovered ominiously 9' in the air.

Then, we VERY slowly inch-by-inch we lowered the 'old' 1st floor down onto the new 1st floor WITHOUT floor wasting the existing the old roof./ saving the cost of a brand new roof.

Sub-anecdote: No insurance: it was done and completed within the following spring summer and fall.

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The 2ndut I respectfully, suggested that construct a new compliant cement foundation ning Department requested I tear down the other existing old building, b, Plan year I gained planning department approval to move a smaller building onto a brand new foundation when the planning department actually initially preferred that I tear down the building the saving that square footage.

Finally, in the third year, I precisely calculated the available square footage for construction that remained designed the building with a modular home construction firm. It was it was installed in one day. Increasing the square footage another 35%.

Over 22 years it has provide incressing rental income. Within the last 2 years 3 very large multistory apartment buiodngs have been directed on either side of me substantially increasing the value of my property for redevelopment.

necessary blueprints required for engineering approval ultimate Building Departmenmt approval.

That winter 

B. Stock Market:  Really? Again? 😀:

Having recouped my dot.com loss with the re- development of my rental units,  I had resumed my usual domestic, Roadtrek RV van domestic travels and limited foreign travels, when,  of course, the 2008 Black Swan "Global Financial Crisis or Great Recession" landed with an unforseen plop scaring all investors most of us able to comprehend its implications.

Fortunately, because my loan loan payments were relatively low compared to my rental units income, I summarily dropped all of my rents several hundred dollars each in order to keep my tenants. Occasionally, I stepped in and financially for gave or supported tenants in particular dire circumstances. 

Slowly n 2008-2009 greater financial confidence begn to emerge from the Great Recession and I said to myself, (I talk to myself a lot.), “Scott, you cannot be so stupid that you cannot learn how to profit in the stock market.”   I vowed to wisely learn how. 

So, relying on Jim Cramer’s, Mad Money, I committed to religiously listening to his daily podcasts & reading his book, " Getting Back to Even."   Over time I realized I was becoming familiar enouigh with his Rules of Investing, stock market terms, duplicity (TV talking heads & guests) , prudence etc. that I could actually understand what he was saying ocassionally before he said it. 

I had what fundamental goal, "preserve my principal". My basic emerging strategy was to focus on the key Cramer duscussed stocks that he continued to endorse and that seemd to reflect his confidence in their ongoing performance. 

Since the tech.com era I have been in enthralled with tech believing that like the telephone the automobile in the airplane and then the computer, etc. check revolutionizes economies, and move mankind forward. I still believe that.

My first fledgling small investment was in Apple, which Cramer admonished hole don't trade. I bought more over the years and have sold none.Apple alone recouped multioes of my dot.com crash loss.

2025 Perspective: while at 85 I may not let live to see it, it's my belief that tech Stocks particularly those in the realms of Kathy Woods, blah blah blah blah blah blah will dramatically grow over the next 5 to 10 years.

II. Health.

Most of my adult life I stayed physically fit with exercise (tennis, jogging (?), hiking, skiing), and a good diet.

Hypocrisy is MY art form expressed with too much Häagen-Dazs chocolate ice cream and  my early 50s diabetes II diagnosis ending Hagen-Daz & poisonous sugar while religiously taking diabetes drugs.

Even into my 60s, I would make demanding hikes, and mountain bike rides, as well as performing most of the construction trades on my rental properties re-development & maintenance.

However, I continue to have increasingly painful knees and back issues that were subsequently resolved by right knee replacement in 11/26/02, a left TKR in 8/6/09 , & a 2011 back surgery that gave little benefit, but no harm.

New knees were true godsends that propelled continued physical pursuits including my foreign travel's daily & often demanding, self-guided walkabouts (China's Longi Rice Terrace hike,New Zealand's Stewart Island solo backpacking trip, etc), major  foreign treks (cross, England, Hadrian's Wall, and 600 mile Camino de Santiago trek) well into my 70's (???). 

Sometime in early 70s my prostate PSA numbers started to slowly elevate.  until 2018's PSA numbers hit updated Gleason Scales highest , most danfgerous ahgresssive 5 level.

 After my Ecuador & Galapagos Islands trip, my doctor advised I had a very agressive 5 on the updated Gleason 1-5 Scale.

I immediately underwent a relatively new theraphy involving 3 primary stages: 1)  4-5 weeks of radiation 5 days/week, 2) two Brachy procdures 2 weeks apart, & 3) bi-annual tetesterone suppressing drug injection.

Unfortunately, contrary to doctor's assurances, the cancer therapy, non- prostate complications including the return of my horrible body rash, weakness & incontinence ultimately my domestic & foreign traveled. Very sad because I had thought to travel well into my 80's even if at a lesser intensity.

Life guarantee little,

Thanks the gods for all my trip videos.

 
III. Ambition:

2. Travel: Foreign & Domestic:    
In my early 60s, I shifted quickly from construction AND a short USA/Canada road trip TO  … longer N American & foreign trips realizing that someday, for some reason, all my travel would end.

     On my Ecuador & Galapagos Islands return, doctors advised I had the highest level of prostate cancer. Contrary to their assurances, therapy & complications my travell - domestic & foreign ended

Thanks the gods for all my trip videos.

3. 80's Passion:  yyy

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2. Travel: Foreign & Domestic:

2. Travel: Foreign & Domestic:    
In my early 60s, I quickly transitioned from rental upgrade AND a 1 yearly USA/Canada roadtrip TO …
   …increasingly longer N American & foreign trips as I realized that someday for some reason the "other shoe” must fall & all my travel must come to an end.
     After my Ecuador & Galapagos Islands trip, doctors advised I had the highest level prostate cancer. Contrary to their assurances, cancer therapy, & complications including the return of my horrible body rash, weakness & incontinence  my travell - domestic & foreign ended

Thanks the gods for all my trip videos.

I must be brutally frank ........ 

In the 50s bio I said it was time for you to "fish or cut bait", if you acted, hopefully, you are physically and financially healthy.

If your financially successful career’s income was prudently/wisely spent AND excess income was wisely invested, OR,  if you became financially literate generating a profitable investment portfolio AND if you stayed healthy, if your marriage endured .... then your 60s through 80s+ are likely to be secure, worry free & with the unlimited opportunity to pursue a new work paths (consulting, online internet business), hobbies, domestic & foreign travel (This is a travel website, after all. 😄)       Yours is the ideal retirement.   Congrats!

At worst, If you wallowed in a financially unrewarding career, if you squandered your earnings on an unnecessarily opulent perhaps unhealthy lifestyle and thus failed to become financially literate & invest profitably, and if you let your body deterioate you are probably in dire straits doomed to scrape by barely surviving on your children’s support or government largess (Social Security & Medicare)  until you cannot.       It was your life; your choice.

The odds at this point of you becoming financially secure in an increasingly expensive world are heavily stacked against you.  You have not lived life’s ‘game’ wisely & you have lost. 

OTOH, if you you tried hard and achieved at least middling financial success,, but we're unable to achieved the financial success you had hoped for, ....  all is not lost. 

Anecdote: Stock Loss Recovery: After having lost at least ½ million dollars in 2000 dot.com stock market crash, my financial recovery in my 60s vastly exceeded my earlier losses. IMO, (2025) in the next 5-10 years will be outstanding. 

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2. Social Connections & Isolation: Career retirement may sever your social connections risking social isolation & loneliness, in turn, sparking an important scramble to establish a new group of friends, most likely also retired. This is doable.

3. Ageism and Discrimination: Age-related discrimination (Ageism) can affect elderly’s employment, housing, healthcare (?), & social interactions. Obviously the less financial secure, the greater possibility of negative effects.

4. Life Transitions & Identity: Career retirement may 1) sever daily contact with longtime fellow employees, 2) create a sense of uselessness cuz no one at work cares/wants or needs your contribution, & 3) if unprepared with rewarding & captivating hobbies you may lack self-worth’s sense of purpose sending you scrambling for new roles, hobbies, and sources of fulfillment. 

A race must be one with every step not just the final few feet. 

5. Opportunities:     OTOH, these 3+ decades offer unique opportunities:1) to share your acquired wisdom & experience (consultant, night or trade school, onoine Youitube tutorials, 2) your personal growth’s pursuit of old & new hobbies, interests, domestic & foreign travel., 3) charitable volunteering, mentoring, & public service offers a quick & rewarding instant gratification & a self-worth/esteem boost.

6. Travel and Exploration: FINALLY!! This a travel website, of course. 😃) SIT (solo independent trave), big bus touring & cruising travel is available to all at various price & fitness levels. Few pursuits offer the astounding advantages & opportunities for personal growth, pleasures, fulfillment & sense of accomplishment at any age and in any physical condition as foreign travel [plk” travel benefits]

SIT (solo independent travel), big bus touring & cruising travel is available to all at various price & fitness levels. FINALLY!! This a travel website, of course. 😃  [pplk: SIT, Resources] [pplk: Big Bus touring] [pplk: Cruising]

“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl,
but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” —Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.