I waited until I was retired to start writing again. I thought I would bore everyone with my second thoughts about retiring, and in this economic climate I do have some fear. But in the almost 2 months I have had of retirement I am loving it.
My beautiful wife and I have spent almost everyday together. I was afraid we would get on each other's nerves or that I would not have the freedom to renew guy friendships that I had let lapse. But that has not happened. I tend to be a loner so I have few, if any, real close mail friends. I enjoy being with Cindy and we share a lot of common interests.
My golf and tennis games have improved. I still have to start working at learning to play bridge. Cindy is not interested in Bridge or tennis, but I do not think that will be a problem Without actually discussing our time together and apart we have seem to reached a working relationship allowing each of us to pursue our interests.
I have started cooking again and enjoy searching the Internet to come up with interesting meals (look out Gordon Ramsey here I come).
Our only worry right now is selling our house so we can buy our motor home and start our travels. We have spent over 2 years researching RVs. Motor home vs. fifth wheeler. We decided motor home. Then diesel vs. gas. We decided diesel. We even have make and model picked out. This economy necessitates us to wait until we sell the house.
All my fears about retirement have been laid to rest. Now I am having a blast!
Friday, August 21, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Lifes Changes
This first week of June starts a month of big life changes for me and Cindy. Cindy will retire from teaching after 32 years. Our Daughter (my step-daughter, but she has been with me for 22 of her 24 yrs) is getting married on June 20th. I will retire from the practice of Optometry after 37 years.
Cindy had a retirement luncheon given by the faculty earlier in May. The staff of the schools she served as head librarian for many years gave her a wonderful dinner party a few weeks later. That was supposed to be surprise, but an errant e-mail gave her plenty of warning. Cindy is a little less traumatized by retirement then I am. She sees the end of school every year. She says it really won't hit her until September.
The wedding will wait for another time.
I am traumatized at the thought of giving up all I have built over the last 37 years. My partners gave a retirement luncheon for me and the staff yesterday. I have always said I am not unidimensional person of Dr. Robert Copeland. I thought I was ready to go. These last 3 months have been difficult as I say good by to patients who I have treated for 25 or 30 years. This last month is even worse as things wind down and I let go of being the managing partner of this practice.
I am trying to live in the moment and enjoy every day, every patient encounter. I am also looking forward to less structure in my life. A chance to go to the movies in the afternoon as a senior citizen. My time to work on my golf and tennis games.
This will be the first time Cindy and I will have prolonged time at home together. For years she started early in the day. I start late and end late. We spent days passing each other, now we will be together. Who will shoot who first, or will we come close as when we first met.
Life stages are being crossed. I am trying to embrace them as I have in the past parts of my life. I know I will survive and look back at my fears about leaving my practice and laugh.
Cindy had a retirement luncheon given by the faculty earlier in May. The staff of the schools she served as head librarian for many years gave her a wonderful dinner party a few weeks later. That was supposed to be surprise, but an errant e-mail gave her plenty of warning. Cindy is a little less traumatized by retirement then I am. She sees the end of school every year. She says it really won't hit her until September.
The wedding will wait for another time.
I am traumatized at the thought of giving up all I have built over the last 37 years. My partners gave a retirement luncheon for me and the staff yesterday. I have always said I am not unidimensional person of Dr. Robert Copeland. I thought I was ready to go. These last 3 months have been difficult as I say good by to patients who I have treated for 25 or 30 years. This last month is even worse as things wind down and I let go of being the managing partner of this practice.
I am trying to live in the moment and enjoy every day, every patient encounter. I am also looking forward to less structure in my life. A chance to go to the movies in the afternoon as a senior citizen. My time to work on my golf and tennis games.
This will be the first time Cindy and I will have prolonged time at home together. For years she started early in the day. I start late and end late. We spent days passing each other, now we will be together. Who will shoot who first, or will we come close as when we first met.
Life stages are being crossed. I am trying to embrace them as I have in the past parts of my life. I know I will survive and look back at my fears about leaving my practice and laugh.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
od thoughts
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Tuesday, March 17, 2009
A New Week
It is Monday, and being the ever optomistic optometrist I started my day at the office in my usual manner. I take a walk around the office, first stop optical laborotory where a loudly say "GOOD MORNING" in a very loud voice. This usually startles everyone who has their back to the door. Then out to the dispensary with another loud greeting to frame stylist and patients. Onward to the front desk and reception area with a loud "GOOD MONRING, IT IS A BEAUUTEEFUL DAY IN PENNSYLAVANIA!"
Most of the receptionist, those who are not on the phone will acknowledge me. In the reception area patients may be smiling, I look around and wish them all a "GOOD MORNING". I have done this for years to try and start the day in a happy mood. On the rare occasions I do not do this the staff wants to know if I am sick. Today a new patient, one who brought her young son in, told me she asked if I was the doctor seeing her child. When she was told I was she said she knew she was in the right place. I enjoyed working with her son and I will be able to help him and his turned eye.
This is those times I really love what I do and hate the fact I will be retiring in a few months.
My partner questions me about my exit contract. It seems my lawyer is stumped on some details. I have had a great business partnership of 27 yrs. I don't want it to end up with us becoming antognistic and confrontational in the end. And the dumb thing is I had the outline of this exit in our orignal partnership papers from 27 yrs. ago. We have been refining it for the last 4 yrs. Then I realized some important details were neglected and we are in a negociation I wanted to avoid. I know we will settle it and June 30th I will be retired.
Sometimes all I think about are the perks I will miss. My parking spot closest to the door. Name at the top of the door. The lunches with my partners talking about nothing and talking about vision or business. Of course I will miss the business credit card
I sit and think about retirement. I am looking forward to playing golf for real. I may play 3 times a week. I am looking forward to the lack of structure. Not rushing to the office, rushing to stay on time with patients, rushing thru lunch and rushing to get home to see 24 or American Idol.
So I am conflicted about retiring and knowing that I will be ok with enough hobbies to keep my busy full time.
I know we will be ok financially. I married a rich school teacher with a great pension. Little did I know 20 yrs ago when we met that she would keep me in the manner to which I had grown accostomed.
I am thinking about the other things Cindy and I plan to do. I think I will save that for another day. That way I will beat my past record of only 2 entries in my blog.
Labels: retirement draft 3/16/09 by od Bob Delete
Posted by od Bob at 8:39 AM 0 comments
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▼ 2009 (1)
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A New Week It is Monday, and being the ever opto...
About Me
Robert Copeland
View my complete profile
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
A New Week
It is Monday, and being the ever optomistic optometrist I started my day at the office in my usual manner. I take a walk around the office, first stop optical laborotory where a loudly say "GOOD MORNING" in a very loud voice. This usually startles everyone who has their back to the door. Then out to the dispensary with another loud greeting to frame stylist and patients. Onward to the front desk and reception area with a loud "GOOD MONRING, IT IS A BEAUUTEEFUL DAY IN PENNSYLAVANIA!"
Most of the receptionist, those who are not on the phone will acknowledge me. In the reception area patients may be smiling, I look around and wish them all a "GOOD MORNING". I have done this for years to try and start the day in a happy mood. On the rare occasions I do not do this the staff wants to know if I am sick. Today a new patient, one who brought her young son in, told me she asked if I was the doctor seeing her child. When she was told I was she said she knew she was in the right place. I enjoyed working with her son and I will be able to help him and his turned eye.
This is those times I really love what I do and hate the fact I will be retiring in a few months.
My partner questions me about my exit contract. It seems my lawyer is stumped on some details. I have had a great business partnership of 27 yrs. I don't want it to end up with us becoming antognistic and confrontational in the end. And the dumb thing is I had the outline of this exit in our orignal partnership papers from 27 yrs. ago. We have been refining it for the last 4 yrs. Then I realized some important details were neglected and we are in a negociation I wanted to avoid. I know we will settle it and June 30th I will be retired.
Sometimes all I think about are the perks I will miss. My parking spot closest to the door. Name at the top of the door. The lunches with my partners talking about nothing and talking about vision or business. Of course I will miss the business credit card
I sit and think about retirement. I am looking forward to playing golf for real. I may play 3 times a week. I am looking forward to the lack of structure. Not rushing to the office, rushing to stay on time with patients, rushing thru lunch and rushing to get home to see 24 or American Idol.
So I am conflicted about retiring and knowing that I will be ok with enough hobbies to keep my busy full time.
I know we will be ok financially. I married a rich school teacher with a great pension. Little did I know 20 yrs ago when we met that she would keep me in the manner to which I had grown accostomed.
I am thinking about the other things Cindy and I plan to do. I think I will save that for another day. That way I will beat my past record of only 2 entries in my blog.
Labels: retirement draft 3/16/09 by od Bob Delete
Posted by od Bob at 8:39 AM 0 comments
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Tuesday, March 10, 2009
od thoughts, March 10, 2009
I once started a blog. I only made 2 entries and then stopped. I read somewhere that men frequently do that.
In a little over 3 months I am retiring from practicing Optometry full time. I have spent 35 years doing this. I am proud of my success. Now I get tired after a long day, very tired. Yet I am concerned about retiring. I all ways said my identity is not Bob Copeland Optometrist, but Bob Copeland all around person. I may have been wrong.
I am not afraid of retirement. I will be busy. I have a golf game to work on. I need to exercise and loose only 40 pounds. I expect to play tennis several times a week. I have already bought several books on Bridge including a computer bridge program. I want to cook more. But I wish I could still practice some optometry part time or mentor a young optometrist.
I am lucky, my wife plays golf, she wants me to cook or at least we cook together. I only hope we don't end up in Hell's Kitchen.
Ok now I have started, I will see where this takes me.
In a little over 3 months I am retiring from practicing Optometry full time. I have spent 35 years doing this. I am proud of my success. Now I get tired after a long day, very tired. Yet I am concerned about retiring. I all ways said my identity is not Bob Copeland Optometrist, but Bob Copeland all around person. I may have been wrong.
I am not afraid of retirement. I will be busy. I have a golf game to work on. I need to exercise and loose only 40 pounds. I expect to play tennis several times a week. I have already bought several books on Bridge including a computer bridge program. I want to cook more. But I wish I could still practice some optometry part time or mentor a young optometrist.
I am lucky, my wife plays golf, she wants me to cook or at least we cook together. I only hope we don't end up in Hell's Kitchen.
Ok now I have started, I will see where this takes me.
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