During the past three months, I've traveled to Manhattan, San Francisco, San Jose, Portland, Chicago, and Miami for biz/personal trips.
I've stayed in mid-priced hotels. (Actually, non were cheap as in staying at a Best Western in the 'burbs. :-) )
Observations:
Manhatten: Used to love to go here. Now I find it crowded, dirty, and people are rude on the streets, but normal once inside. Least value per sq ft of hotel space of all the cities.
San Fran: Love the Wharf. Expensive, a homeless problem, past its prime?
Portland: Beautiful, had to fight off the homeless on every block as I walked. No sun the entire trip.
San Jose: Energy! Wonderful weather, expensive as hell. Traffic sucked.
Chicago: More I go, the more I fall in love. Clean, not crowded, people are friendly. Saw two panhandlers the entire weekend. Good hotel value.
Miami: Great food, the babes on South Beach were amazing eye candy. It would be too hot in summer. Condos expensive.
So if I had to move from middle of no-where Wisconsin where there are more cows that cars, I would pick downtown Chicago and try to find a condo overseeing a river or Lake Michigan.
I can deal with crowds and rudeness. I could waste a decade just going at my own pace from park to park and museum to museum and restaurant to restaurant. Just soak in all there is to experience.
Nothing on the island is 'too far' from Central Park, so I could 'waste' another decade with biking, walking, bird watching, people watching, sports, . . . then slow down to photography and painting.
Even if nothing changed [and face it, time marches on], I picture a good 1/4 century before boredom or wanderlust would set in.
I honestly think my philosophy and temperament are optimized for an urban life of wealthy [or at least the removal of wealth as an obstacle] leisure.
About the only thing I'd picture missing is woodworking. A bit too much to ask to haul a workspace and skads of raw materials into dowtown Manhattan just for my amusement. [Reply]
SF, followed by San Diego and Seattle. San Diego has the best weather, but less vibrant than SF. Seattle gives you almost as much as SF, but the weather would kill me. [Reply]
Originally Posted by HemiEd:
Exactly. I don't want to get close to a city, especially a big one. The Sams run to Springfield Friday made me break out in aids.
Had a deer walk right beside me mid-day yesterday when I was out washing my car.
Years ago I was in NY at a Broadway show and there was a murder at the intermission in the lobby.
Pass on the big city, no thanks.
Ed, glad you are loving retirement. I'm curious what your typical day so are like? I'm about 10 years from retiring. I am worried about isolation, about how I will fill my days. Urban seems better for me but I'm curious how rural/lake people spend their time. [Reply]
Originally Posted by canoworms:
Ed, glad you are loving retirement. I'm curious what your typical day so are like? I'm about 10 years from retiring. I am worried about isolation, about how I will fill my days. Urban seems better for me but I'm curious how rural/lake people spend their time.
I think they set up militias and count the amount of guns they have. Read "Guns and Ammo" magazine alot. Drink lots of crappy domestic beer. [Reply]
Originally Posted by canoworms:
Ed, glad you are loving retirement. I'm curious what your typical day so are like? I'm about 10 years from retiring. I am worried about isolation, about how I will fill my days. Urban seems better for me but I'm curious how rural/lake people spend their time.
Since it's past his bedtime and I've visited his place a few times I'll answer for him. He has a huge out building where he tinkers with his cars, and has an old truck he's restoring. Some days he goes out on the lake on his pontoon boat. Some days he might go out on the fishing boat. Some days he plays golf. Some days he works in his wood shop. Some days he may just nap all day. In short, whatever the hell he feels like. He's living the dream. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Bugeater:
Since it's past his bedtime and I've visited his place a few times I'll answer for him. He has a huge out building where he tinkers with his cars, and has an old truck he's restoring. Some days he goes out on the lake on his pontoon boat. Some days he might go out on the fishing boat. Some days he plays golf. Some days he works in his wood shop. Some days he may just nap all day. In short, whatever the hell he feels like. He's living the dream.
Restoring cars seems interesting in concept, but in reality I hate changing my oil or replacing a water pump. So that seems like a better vicarious hobby than a real one. I've also dipped my toes into woodworking but I hate, hate, hate finishing work. I don't play golf. Fishing and hunting are pleasant enough and u did my share growing up, but I have not developed them as interests as an adult. I despise yard work and gardening.
Boating is fun, but I doubt I could make a life out of it being my main thing.
I still want to build a business based on computer technology -- and that would give me motivation to get out of bed every day. In my spare time I want to cook and walk and cycle and go to restaurants, museums, and bars -- things I like to do on vacation, but I would do them regularly in retirement. [Reply]
Originally Posted by HemiEd:
Exactly. I don't want to get close to a city, especially a big one. The Sams run to Springfield Friday made me break out in aids.
Had a deer walk right beside me mid-day yesterday when I was out washing my car.
Originally Posted by SAUTO:
I had a big ass turtle in the shop last week lol
Aren't they neat!? We have had some really large ones walking around our place but the one this morning looked pretty young and I put him out heading the right direction.
Originally Posted by canoworms:
Ed, glad you are loving retirement. I'm curious what your typical day so are like? I'm about 10 years from retiring. I am worried about isolation, about how I will fill my days. Urban seems better for me but I'm curious how rural/lake people spend their time.
Actually, you do make compromises. Impulse shopping, nope.
Dining out? On occasion, but it turns into a pretty big deal. But after 18 years of the Chicago area rat race, I don't miss those things as much as enjoy "looking up when a car goes by."
Originally Posted by Bugeater:
Since it's past his bedtime and I've visited his place a few times I'll answer for him. He has a huge out building where he tinkers with his cars, and has an old truck he's restoring. Some days he goes out on the lake on his pontoon boat. Some days he might go out on the fishing boat. Some days he plays golf. Some days he works in his wood shop. Some days he may just nap all day. In short, whatever the hell he feels like. He's living the dream.
904 now friend, so it is bed time and look forward to your next visit. [Reply]
