Rant #2,362: Oh Happy Day

I am back, back where I belong after a very good and successful birthday weekend.

Everything went well, I am happy to say.

I got some nice gifts, my family and I went out to eat two times--one Italian restaurant with my wife's side of the family, one Chinese restaurant with my wife and son--I saw my daughter and nephew, and the Yankees swept their weekend series with the Giants.

What more could I ask for?

Well, my allergies are terrible--I am sure I am not the only one suffering right now--and I have to go back to work today after an extended weekend.

Our toilet also broke on Saturday night, but by early Sunday morning, it was fixed.

That ended up being a great birthday gift. I will leave it to your imagination to figure out why.

But all in all, I have absolutely nothing to complain about right now.

Some people do not like their birthdays, but I simply love having my birthday.

It is another year in the books, and another year in the books as I inch toward retirement, or whatever they call retirement nowadays.

I would like to work until I am at least 70. That way, I would get my full Social Security benefits.

I have no pension, as my 401k was discontinued by my work and I now have two IRAs encompassing that money, so that Social Security money will be important--but certainly not enough to sustain myself or my family.

I will probably always work, always do something, never fully retire. That would be too boring anyway.

Will I spend the next seven years at my current place of business?

It is very doubtful. As I mentioned in past Rants, we are on firmer ground at work than we have been for the past couple of years, but that does not mean that the company will last until 2027. All that means is that for now, and for the next few months, I have a job and this company still exists.

Once past the summer, who knows?

But if worse comes to worse--the company goes out of business and I go down with it as it sinks into oblivion, I cannot find another job, and I go on unemployment--by October of this year, I will be eligible for Social Security, so I will take an early retirement.

It won't be pretty, I will have to find something else to do to make some money, but that is when I will be eligible to get Social Security.

My wife, five months older than me, can take early retirement as of next month, but I doubt she will do it. She works for a stable company, thank goodness, but why retire early when you are in a good situation? She talks about it, but she won't do it, at least not when she becomes eligible.

Goodness, I cannot believe I am even talking about retirement. I swear, it seems like yesterday that I was playing stickball, going to school, dressing up for assembly days and digging up the ground in the backyard of the places that I lived.

I cannot believe that I am 62! The years have gone really fast.

I saw my daughter yesterday. She just got into a master's degree program at her alma mater.

I see my son, and today, he is ready to begin the first day of his new career.

That is what grounds me.

Yes, I AM really 62 years of age, and this is the future.

I hope when these two kids of mine reach 62 years of age themselves that they can marvel at the past and future--where they have been and where they are going--like I can.

It has been a great life, and I can't wait for my next birthday!

There is only 365 days to go, adding in the extra day we are getting next year for Leap Year.

And thanks to all who wished me happy birthday. You guys allow me to look at my past and future in such a good light.

Tally ho and away I go!