Thursday night, I was flipping through the channels, and landed on PBS to watch the Leonard Cohen Live in London Concert, Karen came into room, listened for a few minutes and asked about the performance unfamiliar with the music.
“This is good, who is it?” “Leonard Cohen, he has been around for a while I first heard him around forty years ago, Burke used to play his album.”
STOP, HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!
What did I just say? Did I just admit I have memories that go back forty years and longer? Impossible, it seems only a few years ago I was a kid, old people talk refer to memories by how many years ago they happened, not me.
I suppose as I think there has been a lot of water under the bridge but, forty years, has it really been that long since I was sixteen.
I don’t feel half way through my fifties but, then again I don’t know how I should feel, I remember how my parents and their friends described their aging process as one of continuously slowing down, fifty was old, sixty older, and past that ancient.
I know I am in better shape than I was in my twenties, thirties and forties I may have been stronger when I was younger but my overall condition is better, due to major lifestyle changes. I am smarter, I made mistakes and learned from them, I have more experiences and most important, I finally realized I don’t know everything and have a lot more to learn. Sure, I am a little gray around the edges, maybe a little thinner on top, but I have friends that had the same issues in their twenties and thirties.
Maybe it is my attitude, sure there are time to be serious and behave like an adult but if it isn’t necessary I like to laugh hard, sing loud, and as Karen says “behave like a twelve year old.”
As long as I don’t feel old enough to have memories that go back forty or fifty years ago who cares if they happened. The way I feel I feel I will be telling someone about the blog I wrote, fifty years ago.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
My Radio Show-Why I Do It
After a recent radio show, someone commented on how I focused on not just financial issues but had guests dealing in various areas of life planning on my show.
“Wouldn’t it make more sense to talk about investments and products like the guys on TV?”
I took a deep breath and explained, there are many people offering investment advice (myself included) but what I am trying to do is go beyond products and returns. I want my listeners to realize planning for their retirement goes beyond the value of their 401k. It involves setting goals, celebrating milestones, and envisioning the lifestyle they want.
It means understanding their current position, identifying strengths and weakness and creating strategies for their unique situation not a “boiler plate cure-all”. I also want them to realize the importance of preparing now for when they are gone.
I want them to understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle and the possibility of living twenty, thirty years past traditional retirement, maybe even longer.
I want them to rethink and recreate the old ideas of retirement no longer thinking of it as the “beginning of the end” but to enter this new stage of life prepared and ready to live it like they own it‼
“Wouldn’t it make more sense to talk about investments and products like the guys on TV?”
I took a deep breath and explained, there are many people offering investment advice (myself included) but what I am trying to do is go beyond products and returns. I want my listeners to realize planning for their retirement goes beyond the value of their 401k. It involves setting goals, celebrating milestones, and envisioning the lifestyle they want.
It means understanding their current position, identifying strengths and weakness and creating strategies for their unique situation not a “boiler plate cure-all”. I also want them to realize the importance of preparing now for when they are gone.
I want them to understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle and the possibility of living twenty, thirty years past traditional retirement, maybe even longer.
I want them to rethink and recreate the old ideas of retirement no longer thinking of it as the “beginning of the end” but to enter this new stage of life prepared and ready to live it like they own it‼
Friday, July 9, 2010
July 4, 1965
Celebrating the Fourth of July last week got me thinking about the fun we had as kids on the holiday. We lived in Lawrence but had a camp in Georgetown (about 12 miles) where we spent time during the summer. The neighborhood was summer camps and year-round homes built around Rock Pond where we spent most of our time boating, swimming and fishing.
Most of the residents were belonged to the Association, the money paid to the Association maintained a private beach and provided activities during the summer at the Hall. The Hall was a small function room with a bar in the back, on weekend afternoons the men would play bocce for beers (losers pay) and the evenings there would be a dance or bingo for the kids.
The Fourth was the day we waited for early in the morning we would start getting ready for the first event of the day was the races. We would line up by age when the starter gave us the go, we would charge to the finish line the winner would receive a ribbon everyone else – nothing.
Next, the watermelon-eating contest, tables of ice cold melon triangles laid out; pick your wedge, hands behind your back, go! No manners needed here, three or four bites and it was over, you looked around the table and your friends and competition had cheeks full of fruit and juice running out of their mouths.
Then hot dogs, hamburgers, Orange Crush and Coca-Cola, a quick swim, and off to the center of town for the parade. Back for more swimming and hanging with your friends, after supper, it would be time to go to the carnival at the schoolyard and a giant bonfire would finish the day.
Most of the residents were belonged to the Association, the money paid to the Association maintained a private beach and provided activities during the summer at the Hall. The Hall was a small function room with a bar in the back, on weekend afternoons the men would play bocce for beers (losers pay) and the evenings there would be a dance or bingo for the kids.
The Fourth was the day we waited for early in the morning we would start getting ready for the first event of the day was the races. We would line up by age when the starter gave us the go, we would charge to the finish line the winner would receive a ribbon everyone else – nothing.
Next, the watermelon-eating contest, tables of ice cold melon triangles laid out; pick your wedge, hands behind your back, go! No manners needed here, three or four bites and it was over, you looked around the table and your friends and competition had cheeks full of fruit and juice running out of their mouths.
Then hot dogs, hamburgers, Orange Crush and Coca-Cola, a quick swim, and off to the center of town for the parade. Back for more swimming and hanging with your friends, after supper, it would be time to go to the carnival at the schoolyard and a giant bonfire would finish the day.
Friday, July 2, 2010
The Mike Bonacorsi Two Minute Retirement Readiness Update- Social Security
Mike Bonacorsi is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, author of the book Retirement Readiness; Creating Your Vision, Knowing Your Position, and Preparing for Your Future, and host of the Mike Bonacorsi Show on WSMN Radio. The Focus of his practice is helping clients create plans and strategies for retirement built around the key areas of Lifestyle, Wealth and Health. Mike believes that retirement planning is more than just the value of your 401k.
When are you going to start collecting your Social Security Benefit? This is not a decision to be taken lightly. There are options available and each has it’s pros and cons.
When are you going to start collecting your Social Security Benefit? This is not a decision to be taken lightly. There are options available and each has it’s pros and cons.
Take A Break, It’s Good For You
We just returned from a week’s vacation in Georgia visiting my mother. I gained a few pounds, played some golf, and spent time with relatives, some I haven’t seen in over forty years. My mother lives in is a small Mayberryesque town in central Georgia, similar to the size and feeling we see throughout New England.
It is nice to get away. A break in your day- to- day routine gets you out of the mechanical doldrums you settle into and wakes you up, physically and mentally. While on vacation I managed to stay away from business (except for the occasional phone call or email), I feasted on the local food (I can still taste the fried chicken, and greens), and we enjoyed travelling through the area with my mother and her brother Jack as our tour guides.
This was the perfect time to get away and relax and recharge, the first half of the year was ending and I am getting ready to charge full stride into to the second half with renewed enthusiasm. Breaking your daily grind whether you take time off, start a new project, even something as simple as rearranging your work area (move your desk to give you a different view) can make a difference.
It is nice to get away. A break in your day- to- day routine gets you out of the mechanical doldrums you settle into and wakes you up, physically and mentally. While on vacation I managed to stay away from business (except for the occasional phone call or email), I feasted on the local food (I can still taste the fried chicken, and greens), and we enjoyed travelling through the area with my mother and her brother Jack as our tour guides.
This was the perfect time to get away and relax and recharge, the first half of the year was ending and I am getting ready to charge full stride into to the second half with renewed enthusiasm. Breaking your daily grind whether you take time off, start a new project, even something as simple as rearranging your work area (move your desk to give you a different view) can make a difference.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Mike Bonacorsi’s Two Minute Retirement Readiness Update- Life Expectancy
Mike Bonacorsi is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, author of the book Retirement Readiness; Creating Your Vision, Knowing Your Position, and Preparing for Your Future, and host of the Mike Bonacorsi Show on WSMN Radio. The Focus of his practice is helping clients create plans and strategies for retirement built around the key areas of Lifestyle, Wealth and Health. Mike believes that retirement planning is more than just the value of your 401k.
Life Expectancy has changed the way we need to plan for retirement. This two minute tip is about retirement and longevity.
Life Expectancy has changed the way we need to plan for retirement. This two minute tip is about retirement and longevity.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Two Minute Retirement Readiness Update- Cash Flow
Mike Bonacorsi is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, author of the book Retirement Readiness; Creating Your Vision, Knowing Your Position, and Preparing for Your Future, and host of the Mike Bonacorsi Show on WSMN Radio. The Focus of his practice is helping clients create plans and strategies for retirement built around the key areas of Lifestyle, Wealth and Health. Mike believes that retirement planning is more than just the value of your 401k.
This is a two minute tip from MIke is about planning for your cash flow while preparing for retirement.
This is a two minute tip from MIke is about planning for your cash flow while preparing for retirement.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
A Different Time
I remember when I first started hearing about retirement, it was around 45 years ago. I was in the third or fourth grade and my grandfather was talking about his upcoming retirement from the mills in Lawrence.His retirement was an event that should have made me happy; he lived next door to us, he would be around more, I could spend more time with him hanging out and watching cowboy movies but I wasn't happy - I was sad.
I was sad because everyone that I knew that had retired at that time died within a few years; for me my grandfathers retirements signaled his death.Retirement planning for many of his generation covered a five to ten year time period, a fraction of the twenty,or thirty plus years the baby boomer generation may expect to live past traditional retirement age (65).
He received a pension and social security, my grandmother continued to work,and they continued to live a simple life following the same day-to-day routines. My grandfather would head out in the morning do the daily shopping and errands, come home for lunch then meet with his friends; play some cards, a glass or two of wine, then back home to get dinner ready.
This lifestyle lasted three or four years into his retirement, until his health began to fail him, he was seventy when he died, life expectancy was around seventy two at the time.
Today an average life expectancy for an individual at sixty five is in the eighties, many will make it to the ninties and beyond. Longevity carries good and bad news: I will longer longer but am I prepared for it. Money, health and lifestyle all have to be considered, it's not as simple but there is so much more time to do so much more.
I was sad because everyone that I knew that had retired at that time died within a few years; for me my grandfathers retirements signaled his death.Retirement planning for many of his generation covered a five to ten year time period, a fraction of the twenty,or thirty plus years the baby boomer generation may expect to live past traditional retirement age (65).
He received a pension and social security, my grandmother continued to work,and they continued to live a simple life following the same day-to-day routines. My grandfather would head out in the morning do the daily shopping and errands, come home for lunch then meet with his friends; play some cards, a glass or two of wine, then back home to get dinner ready.
This lifestyle lasted three or four years into his retirement, until his health began to fail him, he was seventy when he died, life expectancy was around seventy two at the time.
Today an average life expectancy for an individual at sixty five is in the eighties, many will make it to the ninties and beyond. Longevity carries good and bad news: I will longer longer but am I prepared for it. Money, health and lifestyle all have to be considered, it's not as simple but there is so much more time to do so much more.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Mike Bonacorsi's Two Minute Retirement Readiness Update
Mike Bonacorsi is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, author of the book Retirement Readiness; Creating Your Vision, Knowing Your Position, and Preparing for Your Future, and host of the Mike Bonacorsi Show on WSMN Radio. The Focus of his practice is helping clients create plans and strategies for retirement built around the key areas of Lifestyle, Wealth and Health. Mike believes that retirement planning is more than just the value of your 401k.
This is a two minute tip from Mike on some simple steps to take while preparing for retirement.
This is a two minute tip from Mike on some simple steps to take while preparing for retirement.
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