Last year I was excited and looking forward to the end of the school year. For those that didn't know or are new readers to the blog, I was excitedly counting down the days to the last day. I had personal a reason in which I won't delve much into other than to say I had an Albatross which I needed gone. It took longer than I had hoped.

So this year? I have mixed feelings. The school year is soon  to be over and the next school year is around the corner. But, it is one more year closer to being a retired retired. One more year older. 

I was having a tough time with this retirement thingy yesterday. My son had decided to stay through June upstate and I was bitching about it yesterday (not to him). But it was hitting me that next year he graduates and he'll soon be on his own. He turns twenty one at the end of the month, and time is flowing faster and faster.

Hey, I am sorry if I am getting mushy with "feelings," and whatnot. But the best way to feel better sometimes is to share. One former SBSB groupie whilst sharing feelings told me to "be a man." I think being a man is talking about your feelings. I mean I can be some mama's boy musclehead with tattoos and deep insecurity instead. That for sure is not a man. But I'll much, much rather be me.

However, I have digressed. Back to this retirement thingy.

One thing I am contemplating is working for the Post Office. I actually ran into my letter carrier last night and we had a discussion. He told me that one is never too old for the Post Office, that do not be a letter carrier, but rather, mail handler. I can do that. Along with my pension I'll start at over $19/hr plus overtime at the PO. Not bad. But the thoughts of working for someone, especially a Post Office manager, doesn't appeal to me much. 

A friend of mine and myself have always discussed opening a deli. But it's all about ___location.The food business is risky.

Car sales or some other kind of sales job seems enticing. Or I can be a greeter at Wal Mart.

One thing that keeps going through my head is to be creative. Something I should've focused on at SUNY-Purchase. 

I'll figure this thing out soon. 

I will not move to Florida under any circumstances. No 4:30 dinners for me!!

But retirement is coming. I'll be 65 in seven years. There better not be Medicare (Dis)Advantage awaiting me.

 I have the years and the age to retire. I just owe some money for my first few years that I hadn't paid into TRS and wanted to get some clarification.

Back in the good old days I was able to dial the Bronx UFT and either a) get through to someone at the switchboard, or b) call the pension people directly. Not anymore. The UFT has a new way to avoid your calls. It's non award winning concierge service. 

On October 26 I decided to make place the phone call to the Bronx UFT. I got the concierge service and promptly placed on hold.

I placed the phone call while on the Deegan at Fordham Rd. No one picked up until I was up on Elmsford where you get onto I-287 from the Thruway. I was then told that I would hear back from someone within 48 hours. It took a week. I got a date for a consultation. November 17. In person. In the Bronx. 

I'm excited and scared at the same time.

As much as I can’t stand the DOE and what it’s done to me, I’m looking at retirement with trepidation. It’s like I’m losing my identity. For 25 years this is all I have known and been. It's not that I got my identity from being a teacher, but this all I have known for 25 years. My year doesn't go from January to December, it goes from September to June.

I feel I need to decompress for at least a year after I retire from the DOE. It's the same feeling I had during my 3020a hearings. After the hearing I needed down time and stopped at IHop each night. I will need more than IHop.

My firsts choice to move to some cabin in the Adirondacks or the Catskills where my nearest neighbor is 5 miles away. I would live in this cabin for a year completely off the grid. I will forage and hunt for my food each day and chop wood for fire and heat. I will grow my hair long and have a manly beard. But this is just a fantasy.

My other dream is to live in Corning for a year or two (I lived there for about 6 months in 1986. In fact I nearly caused an international incident there. I must share one day). Kinda like reliving my youth, but this time as a so called "responsible" and "mature" adult. I figure I can sock my pension away and sell cars to
pay my bills. I've always wanted to sell cars. Or sell anything. Maybe I could be a greeter in Walmart. 

If Corning doesn't pan out there is always Binghamton or Hudson to live in. I really like both towns. But selling cars. 

I can't do the Florida thing. One more retired Jew from New York moving to Florida has become a stereotype. I used to ask my dad about why he hadn't retired to Florida. His answer was, "Florida is death's waiting room." Yeah a waiting room with the 4:30 early bird special.

I doubt I will retire anytime soon. My son is a junior in college, and he has another year to go. Also, I am not retiring without having another gig lined up. Part of me wants to write the book the late, great, Stu Schmelz and I discussed writing: "We Can't Make This Shit Up!" Just like Sparky Lyle and Graig Nettles had in their last years with the Yankees I can as well in my last year with the DOE. 

Something hit me as I was writing this. I'm sure there will be people I still communicate with and see. I don't think I will wither away in the night. But then there are people I was close to but will never ever see again due to distance or whatever reason. Sad.

Let's see what happens and what I hear on the 17th. Maybe I will hit mega millions.