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If I was retired, I could live closer to the mountains, hike and boat more, etc. I can’t really take advantage of many of the areas natural amenities working 8-5 inside of a cube.
You are working 8-5 and not 8-8 so it is not an excuse not to enjoy natural amenities! I had quite a few 50-60 hours work weeks in my last 25 years of working but always managed to spend a lot of time outdoor walking, hiking, rowing, boating and flying weekends and week days. Mid Hudson Valley NY is further north than Kingsport TN so you certainly has more day light hours than us. There is a will, there is a way!
Back to your question, for a nature lover like me, the natural setting of a place is always important whether in retirement or working. The difference is that while working, you have the employment constraint which no longer exists when you are retired.
25 years ago, I had job offers in 6 different US locations. I turned down the best job offer (great research opportunity, excellent salary) in LA and few excellent ones in Chicago, Minneapolis-Saint Paul and Long Island. It was difficult for us to decide between Portland, OR and the Mid Hudson Valley, NY since both offer great outdoor opportunities. We were leaning more toward the west for proximity to the ocean, shorter distances to mountains and many national parks. We eventually chose NY based on a better job offer for my husband. So career constraint is the key factor while working and more so for dual careers couple.
When I was working, I interviewed and recruited quite a few of young graduates. It was not uncommon for candidates to express interests in opportunity for outdoor activities. Of my co-workers, the younger ones without family constraints are more eager participants of outdoor events in the area.
So quit complaining about being stuck 8-5 in a cube for not being outdoor or working out. I don't want to repost how I found the time to get up early rowing on the river, taking walks or or short hikes during work hours, longer hike after work, going to the gym after work or rowing/flying after work when the days are longer. Of course I spend most of weekends outdoor or in the gym. Maybe with the exception of flying, many of these activities are cheap or free and certainly beat going to the restaurants or the bar. Oh, we drink craft beers too but they are much cheaper buying by the case and drink at home. You will savor it more after a long hike or a hard gym workout ;-)
Now that we are in retirement, we are freer to find a location with beautiful natural setting and great outdoor opportunities year around. Our main constraint is proximity to my daughter. Luckily, she and her husband (both around your age!) are also outdoor lovers. They greatly enjoy living in Boise, ID. They chose living there for the outdoor opportunties. We are moving to a riverfront house in the Snake River valley wine growing region. The house is also close to Lake Lowell so I plan to row or kayak on both bodies of water. There are many nearby hiking trails and mountains. we plan to do a lot hiking and wilderness camping with our daughter and SIL in the near future.
BTW, several of my former colleagues (one of them was my grad school recruit) left my former company to work with Micron in Boise. I may run into some of them on my hikes.
Bottom line is that some retirees may move to a new location with better natural setting because they are nature lovers and their choice is no longer constrained by job opportunities. It is not because the natural setting is more important in retirement than in working.
P.S. PBToast was probably posting at the same time with me. Her husband is another example that if you love the outdoor, you can always find time to do it during weekdays while working. Her son is another example of a young person who chooses a job location because of the outdoor opportunities.
When nature is important to you, this time of year is tough with the short days when you are working. Learn to appreciate that glimpse of the mountains on your drive home, you did not have that in IN. When you lived in IN you also did not have the family responsibilities you have now, so more of your time is not your own. This is why you aren’t getting the time outside you expected to have when you moved back. Step back, look at where your time is going and see if you can restructure it.
When you trade in your cubicle hours for retirement ones, you won’t be changing who you are. You can change your location, but not always your habits. If you have never learned to feed your inner needs that make you happy, be it location, nature, activities, lifelong learning, etc., don’t expect an ephinany to occur when you retire. Just because you might move closer to some place you can do more of the things you like to do, doesn’t mean you will. A lifetime of only seeing roadblocks won’t disappear overnight.
Agree on the family. There is always something or someone that needs attention.
I got up early (about 7:30) Saturday morning and went to bed early Friday night. I had to run to Walmart and the post office. I get that done, and I'm about ready to go home about 10:30, when my aunt calls and asks if I can stop at Sam's and Food City since the "roads were bad." (It snowed, but the roads were mostly dry. Virtually no one was out shopping) and pick her up some stuff. I knew I might as well get granny some stuff while out. I get everyone their "stuff" dropped off, and it's about noon. Mom and dad want to go out to lunch. It's after 1 when we get done.
Saturday was productive, and it was cold. I might not have done much outside anyway, but it does seem like I get pulled in different directions.
I’ve owned a winter vacation home with a view of ski trails out the living room and master bedroom windows. I’ve lived on the coast with salt water since 2001 though my salt water place is a summer home for the next few years since my girlfriend lives and works in a city.
Outdoors has always been an important part of my life and where most of my disposable income has gone my whole adult life. I don’t see that changing when I retire.
What does matter is access to services. I care more now about distance to a Level 1 trauma center, world class medical specialists, grocery delivery, Uber & taxis, and senior services offered by my town that I might or might not need some day. I’ll age out of wanting a winter place in rural Vermont eventually. I’ll give up the boat some day. I still have salt water to swim in and gaze at.
The irony of this thread is that some areas with excellent natural amenities can be high cost of living areas because people want to be near the beach, mountains, a lake, etc.
So people end up working multiple jobs to make ends meet and working so many hours a week (and wages are often lower in those areas to boot), how do they have time to enjoy where they live?
I know it depends on the area and the field someone is in, but this happens a lot.
I’ve owned a winter vacation home with a view of ski trails out the living room and master bedroom windows. I’ve lived on the coast with salt water since 2001 though my salt water place is a summer home for the next few years since my girlfriend lives and works in a city.
Outdoors has always been an important part of my life and where most of my disposable income has gone my whole adult life. I don’t see that changing when I retire.
What does matter is access to services. I care more now about distance to a Level 1 trauma center, world class medical specialists, grocery delivery, Uber & taxis, and senior services offered by my town that I might or might not need some day. I’ll age out of wanting a winter place in rural Vermont eventually. I’ll give up the boat some day. I still have salt water to swim in and gaze at.
What is ironic is that a truly rural/outdoors lifestyle is often a young person's game.
I'm 31. I don't need (shouldn't yet - I hope) easy access to level 1 trauma centers, cardiac or cancer specialists, etc. I could easily find a spot on some hill in southwest Virginia close to work, likely with stream and hunting access, and live in the woods. The problem? Dumping that place if I have to move.
By the time many folks are financially able to go where they want, their health may necessitate different priorities.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jowel
The irony of this thread is that some areas with excellent natural amenities can be high cost of living areas because people want to be near the beach, mountains, a lake, etc.
So people end up working multiple jobs to make ends meet and working so many hours a week (and wages are often lower in those areas to boot), how do they have time to enjoy where they live?
I know it depends on the area and the field someone is in, but this happens a lot.
Asheville is like that. On this side of the mountains, it is cheap because there are few jobs. We're not a touristy area at all.
Agree on the family. There is always something or someone that needs attention.
I got up early (about 7:30) Saturday morning and went to bed early Friday night. I had to run to Walmart and the post office. I get that done, and I'm about ready to go home about 10:30, when my aunt calls and asks if I can stop at Sam's and Food City since the "roads were bad." (It snowed, but the roads were mostly dry. Virtually no one was out shopping) and pick her up some stuff. I knew I might as well get granny some stuff while out. I get everyone their "stuff" dropped off, and it's about noon. Mom and dad want to go out to lunch. It's after 1 when we get done.
Saturday was productive, and it was cold. I might not have done much outside anyway, but it does seem like I get pulled in different directions.
So you work next to a Walmart, but wait for Saturday and then drive back there to do the shopping? Many people I knew when working would go do their shopping and errands at lunchtime. Especially in cold weather, you can leave stuff in the car all afternoon. In warm weather, they would bring the bag of perishables inside and put them in the refrigerator in the lunch room. Many do their errands after work.
Regarding relatives who want you to pick up things for them... tell them they need to give you a list each week and you will pick up their items when YOU go to do YOUR shopping. Sounds like you are trying to accommodate their lack of planning. That's ridiculous. If they call and ask you to get something, you need to have the courage to tell them you will pick it up when you do your own shopping. Remember, you are doing them a favor... they need your help... YOU can set the schedule. Sometimes there is an emergency (ran out of toilet paper or need a prescription), but most things can wait a few days until it is convenient for you.
And if you have an activity planned for yourself and some family member "needs you," it is OK to tell them you are busy during that time and tell them when it would be convenient for you to help.
I think sometimes after we grow up, we get caught in the trap of still being deferential to our elders. You had to do what they said when you were little, but you are an adult now, you can set the rules, especially when it is they who need your help.
----
Sorry, you said KMart, not Walmart. Either way, if you work near the stores, you can shop during lunch hour.
Last edited by ansible90; 01-15-2018 at 09:06 AM..
Reason: Sorry, you said KMart, not Walmart
OP, interesting observation since I too live in TN. And like you I find that I don't have time to enjoy the outdoors as much as I would like. There are a couple of reasons for that I think. One is here I work more hours and have more call ins than anywhere else I've been. Seems workplaces here in TN try to get by on too few staff to cover everything compared to other places I've been. Partly I think that's because they cheap out and try to under pay the market rate. While that works for local folks who've never been anywhere else, it does not attract new young graduates to come here when they can get at least $20K more in Charlotte or Atlanta. And the cost of living simply isn't that much less anymore than the other places.
Another reason I've found is lack of access to the outdoors By that I mean there is less publically available ready access close by. Yes, I can look out and see forests, mountains, etc, but it's all privately owned. In Colorado I could be from my home to gorgeous public parks in 10 minutes. Very easy to get off work, grab a picnic and head out with the family for a hour or so and eat dinner as a picnic in the forest. Here, it takes an hour really to get to any decent hiking areas that are open to the public so it's almost dark by the time you get there. Contrast 10 minutes of driving for an hour outdoors before dark vs an hour of driving for 10 minutes before dark.
A final side thing is, since I'm working more hours, chores I used to do after work to leave my weekends free, now end up taking most of Saturday. So simply less daytime hours free comes into play as well.
So yes I do understand what you're saying since I'm also living it.
So you work next to a Walmart, but wait for Saturday and then drive back there to do the shopping? Many people I knew when working would go do their shopping and errands at lunchtime. Especially in cold weather, you can leave stuff in the car all afternoon. In warm weather, they would bring the bag of perishables inside and put them in the refrigerator in the lunch room. Many do their errands after work.
Regarding relatives who want you to pick up things for them... tell them they need to give you a list each week and you will pick up their items when YOU go to do YOUR shopping. Sounds like you are trying to accommodate their lack of planning. That's ridiculous. If they call and ask you to get something, you need to have the courage to tell them you will pick it up when you do your own shopping. Remember, you are doing them a favor... they need your help... YOU can set the schedule. Sometimes there is an emergency (ran out of toilet paper or need a prescription), but most things can wait a few days until it is convenient for you.
And if you have an activity planned for yourself and some family member "needs you," it is OK to tell them you are busy during that time and tell them when it would be convenient for you to help.
I think sometimes after we grow up, we get caught in the trap of still being deferential to our elders. You had to do what they said when you were little, but you are an adult now, you can set the rules, especially when it is they who need your help.
Sorry, you said KMart, not Walmart. Either way, if you work near the stores, you can shop during lunch hour.
It's very rare I do the shopping on a Saturday morning. I had tires put on Friday morning and got the car over my lunch hour. Normally I do this kind of thing through the week. Now that I think about it, kind of a bad example. I had stuff on eBay that needed to go out.
This weekend's weather is supposed to be much warmer. I am telling everyone that I'm going to do something I want to do this weekend.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tnff
OP, interesting observation since I too live in TN. And like you I find that I don't have time to enjoy the outdoors as much as I would like. There are a couple of reasons for that I think. One is here I work more hours and have more call ins than anywhere else I've been. Seems workplaces here in TN try to get by on too few staff to cover everything compared to other places I've been. Partly I think that's because they cheap out and try to under pay the market rate. While that works for local folks who've never been anywhere else, it does not attract new young graduates to come here when they can get at least $20K more in Charlotte or Atlanta. And the cost of living simply isn't that much less anymore than the other places.
Another reason I've found is lack of access to the outdoors By that I mean there is less publically available ready access close by. Yes, I can look out and see forests, mountains, etc, but it's all privately owned. In Colorado I could be from my home to gorgeous public parks in 10 minutes. Very easy to get off work, grab a picnic and head out with the family for a hour or so and eat dinner as a picnic in the forest. Here, it takes an hour really to get to any decent hiking areas that are open to the public so it's almost dark by the time you get there. Contrast 10 minutes of driving for an hour outdoors before dark vs an hour of driving for 10 minutes before dark.
A final side thing is, since I'm working more hours, chores I used to do after work to leave my weekends free, now end up taking most of Saturday. So simply less daytime hours free comes into play as well.
So yes I do understand what you're saying since I'm also living it.
For us, it's not really a lack of staff so much as we require 24x7 coverage. Fortunately, my team has it pretty easy compared to others, but we support some things that always seem to have problems in the middle of the night or something. Someone has to be around to cover it.
Agree on the pay thing. I was able to keep my IN pay coming back and do better than average here, but a lot of positions pay way less than Charlotte or something. My cost of living in Charlotte might rise 15%, but what if my pay rises by 50%? Doesn't make a lot of sense to stay here.
I miss my wealthy, clean suburban Indianapolis community. No, the natural setting kind of sucked, but when you're in the office 8-5 and with other obligations, it's not like you're taking advantage of the natural setting anyway. For working people, I think the niceness of the community, not necessarily natural beauty, matters more. I get so tired of seeing dilapidated buildings, belching smokestacks, and all the drugs.. If I was retired and could golf, boat, and fish every day, this might be perfectly fine.
Last edited by Serious Conversation; 01-15-2018 at 09:39 AM..
Personally, I wouldn't say that it is more important now, but when we get settled this spring, we are going to wake up to the surroundings that we used to have to travel to during vacations. Nature has always been a large part of our lives, and we always used to get depressed when it was time to leave and go back to the grind.
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