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...My point here is that we should cut the people some slack who spend enormous time in this forum obsessing about the financial ramifications of retirement; after all they are having to create their own retirements (financially) for the most part, whereas I just sat back and had 8% deducted from my salary for 34 years (whether I liked it or not) - that plus the employer's 8% was enough to fund my half-way decent pension...
Just FWIW - I spend most of my time here and on other chat boards (like those dealing with travel and food) on non-financial things. And I mostly discuss financial things in the context of passing on what I (think ) I know.
OTOH - I spend *a lot* of time on portfolio and tax management. Reading and learning and studying and keeping up with events - and then acting when appropriate. Some periods are more time-intensive than others (this is a time-intensive period IMO - has been for about the last 4-5 years). Unless one has a totally fixed in stone approach for decades (which - with many/most/perhaps all approaches - I think is a total mistake) - one must evaluate his/her overall situation at least every once in a while (and preferably more often). And even if one has a certain approach - well sometimes if you're not paying attention - you can totally miss things that are important. For example - the huge sell-off in munis a few years ago caused by Meredith Whitney. If you blinked - you missed a great buying opportunity.
Note that I do not believe in following financial advice obtained on chat boards (their highest and best use IMO is to learn about things you don't know about - and then to pursue anything of interest/importance on your own). For the same reason I wouldn't spend $200 on a tree just because someone across town from me says he has one and it's doing great. Because my geographical area has lots of mini-micro-climates - just like people are all different when it comes to investing. It's clearly not one size fits all.
Likewise - when it comes to a thread like this - I think all of us can say "IANAD" (to the best of my knowledge). It's one thing to give practical tips like putting an umbrella on your door knob if you hear it's going to rain tomorrow - quite another to suggest that any particular person has A/B/C or should treat it using X/Y/Z. I think some of the most dangerous stuff on line is amateur medical advice. Robyn
Your dating yourself. I go back to that point too. You probably remember using computers that had been programmed in UNIX as well.
My first computer came with 64K memory, no screen (it required a television since it had a RF switch), a casset player external to the computer, and a single sided single density 5 1/4 floppy disk drive external. $1000 and my wife hit the roof when I bought it. Yikes
The first computer I owned was an IBM 5120 - circa about 1980:
Keeping in mind that IANAD - forgetfulness and memory loss are not very useful terms. It seems like I almost always have a lot to do. And I have a fair number of organizing/reminder aids. Always have had them - always will have them. Still - if I found myself in a familiar place not knowing where I was and/or how I got there - I'd get my a** to a doctor. Ditto if I couldn't add a list of numbers (especially if I was using a printing calculator). And if anyone on a chat board I'd been around for a while ever told me that I "didn't sound like myself" - or was making stupid mistakes - like confusing the Delta FF program with the UA FF program - well I'd ask family members to keep an eye on me. You have to know yourself - what you usually do - and when you perhaps start to act differently.
I have a family history of Alzheimer's on one side of my family. And some of the early signs don't necessarily involve forgetting things or losing memory. There can be symptoms like being paranoid - or being combative. On the other side of the family - there's extreme longevity. As people get to 90/100+ - there's a lot of not remembering things (so people repeat the same things again and again and again and certainly aren't "as sharp as tacks"). Some of this is the result of TIAs in older people - some isn't. I think it's always a good idea to consult with a medical professional if you think there's anything unusual going on with you or a family member. Because you never know what might be going on. Robyn
Welcome to my world. Except for animals that never forget to remind me when it's time to eat, I:
have less, enjoy it more.
plan more, to do less.
delegate.
have less material crap and nicer but fewer tools (saves looking)
stay off the computer monitor, phone, and other tech. particularly near the end of the day.
repeat above line, stay off the comp.........
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) I know.
