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What We Are UP To – February 2019

February 27, 2019 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

Chinese lanterns, koi lanterns, koi, Chinese New Year, Unretirement Project, February

Watching | Chuck

> Or should I say rewatching. The TV series Chuck, starring Zachary Levi, is one of my favorites. In honor of DC’s Shazam (starring Zachary Levi) coming out in April, we decided to rewatch Chuck. Still excellent after all this time. 

Reading | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

> I’ve heard for years that the Harry Potter series is reading for all ages. So, I finally broke down a picked-up Harry Potter book number one. I must admit it grabbed me immediately! I can see this being a series that both Keith and I will enjoy and want to chat about. 

Remembering | Fort Lauderdale

>We were in our old stomping grounds early in February for client meetings. We had a wonderful time and enjoyed visiting some of our favorite places. But OMGosh, the traffic! We actually we’re held up in traffic one afternoon because nine police cars apprehended someone (guns drawn) on the I95 highway. I love you Fort Lauderdale, but I don’t miss that.

Working On | Travel

> I’ve been home for a couple of months and, while I love being home, I’m looking forward to spring travel season. I have trips planned to some places I haven’t been to lately – like Oklahoma City, Salt Lake City, and St. Louis. It should be great fun to get out and explore. 

Feeling | Ready to move!

> While moving your household is never fun, can I tell ya that I’m ready to move! We’re still a few months away but becoming incredibly conscious that a move date will be soon. In February, we drove by the construction site recently and saw a pile of baseboards in the house. Stuff is happening!

Planning | Ace Your Retirement

> Keith and I ran across a billboard on the Florida Turnpike promoting AceYourRetirement.org. It’s a (chatbot) digital retirement coach sponsored by AARP and the Ad Council. Takes less than 5 minutes to answer some questions about where you are in your retirement planning and offers some suggestions. No registration required. 

Loving | Girl Scout Cookies

> I was a Girl Scout so I appreciate the frenzy that is “cookie season” in February. Typically, we just pick up our Girl Scout cookies in front of the grocery store. But no one was selling! I couldn’t believe it. But good news! The Girl Scouts have gotten smarter and allow people to set up small storefronts to sell cookies online. I was able to support my friend’s children, no matter where they live. 

Geeking | MasterClass

> I’m sure you’ve heard of MasterClass. It’s an online education portal with programs from famous people. Like Annie Leibovitz teaches photography. And Gordon Ramsay teaches cooking. We decided to sign up for a year and test it out. I’m currently listening to Nobel Prize winning economist Paul Krugman talk about economics. Absolutely fascinating. 

What’s UP with you?

Filed Under: Fun, Home and Lifestyle, Money, Travel Tagged With: home, retirement life, travel

What We Are UP To in December 2018

December 19, 2018 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

December, Santa, Santa Claus, holiday, UP, Unretirement Project

Watching| The Good Place

> Keith and I took a cruise during the Thanksgiving holiday and accidently discovered this show. We were immediately hooked! There’s a nice juxtaposition between the education of ethics and morality with well-written humor. And the plot twists keep us on our toes…

Reading| The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning

> While “death cleaning” is a thing, I’m finding this book to be more about the art of minimalist living. There are plenty of references to “your kids don’t want your stuff” and “the need to “downsize” but my takeaway from this book is that getting rid of possessions is hard and everyone needs to find the right time and way to do it. 

Remembering|A Year of Images

> This year, I made a resolution to post an image every day on Instagram. And I actually accomplished it. It was a fun activity and it helped me to identify my photographic voice. You know, writers have “voices”, which is basically their writing style. I’ve been struggling to find my photography voice. Not completely there yet in December…but a big step in the right direction. 

Working On| Exercise

> Moving to Gainesville has majorly interrupted our fitness routine. We loved Pilates in South Florida and finding something like it has been a challenge. So, I think we’re resolved to finding something new. Not sure what that is…but we’re starting with Disney’s Star Wars Virtual Half Marathon. We can participate at our own pace and still get a finisher ribbon.

Feeling| Excited

> The builder has finally started construction on our home this December. This has been the absolute longest house building process ever. But we were so excited to drive by our “pile of dirt” and see activity. We still have months to go, but it’s so nice to ultimately see progress. 

Planning| Strategy Meeting

> We’re a small company. Over the years, we’ve found that having a regular strategy session helps us. Keith and I try to get away for a weekend to discuss our personal and professional lives. That includes a discussion about what we want our retirement to look like and are we doing the right things now to make our plans a reality. 

Loving| 7 Little Words

> I love word games. A few years ago, I met two ladies on a cruise who introduced me to the app “7 Little Words”. Since then, I play the game every single day. They offer a daily freebie. It’s challenging but not impossible. And it’s fun. If you’re looking for a way to keep your brain cells working, this might be something to consider. 

Geeking| Mophie Juice Pack 

> I love my iPhone X. And the battery life is good. But I must admit that there are times when I’m at a conference or during Pokemon community days, when the battery starts running dangerously low. Mophie finally introduced a juice pack for the iPhone X. It’s not big and clunky like some other battery cases. And it’s able to use a Qi charger. 

What’s UP with you this December? We hope your holidays are filled with friends, family, good food, and fun. Thank you so much for reading Unretirement Project. We look forward to seeing you in 2019!

Filed Under: Retirement Life, Travel Tagged With: retirement life, unretirement

What We’re UP To – August 2018

August 22, 2018 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

beach at sunset, Key West, August, retirement, unretirement, unretirement project

Disclosure: Occasionally we receive free products for review or include advertising links in posts, but no one impacts the honesty of our opinions.

Watching| Mama Mia!

> I’ve always been a fan of ABBA (don’t judge!) and I loved the Broadway show Mama Mia! But when the first movie came out, well, it was a disappointment. Now that there’s a second movie, I’ve been debating watching the first movie again. So, I did earlier in August. The verdict: It’s still just okay. That’s all I can say.

Reading| Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

> Or should I say listening. It’s very confusing. Keith and I are interested in this series, but we’re trying to figure out the best way to enjoy it. We’ve heard about radio programs, books, and movies. Like Star Wars, there appears to be a fan recommended “best” order to consume it.

Remembering | Pizza Night

>When we lived in South Florida, we had a weekly pizza night. Keith and I would make pizza at home (from scratch) and watch a movie. Because we’re living in a rental home, we’ve temporarily given up pizza night. But I still miss it. At least we’re having movie night. And next month starts football Sundays! 

Working On| Another book!

> Yep, I’m about half-way through writing book number four as of the middle of August. This one will be focused on the future of performance management and published by the Association for Talent Development sometime in 2019. I’m very excited about this topic. Everyone seems to have an opinion about performance management (including me!) so I’m honored to be sharing my thoughts and ideas.

Feeling| Happy!

> We’re very happy to share that Unretirement Project has been included on a list of “17 Twitter Accounts for Older Workers to Follow” It’s always nice to have your work recognized by others. And there are some great names on this list. If you have a Twitter account, it’s worth checking out and adding some new sources.

Planning| Las Vegas

> One of our favorite conferences is coming up next month, the HR Technology Conference. Which means we’re going to one of our favorite places – Las Vegas! I’m working on lots of restaurant reservations and maybe some show tickets. (After all of the educational sessions and networking, of course…)

Loving| Graphic T-shirts

> As a kid, I never wore t-shirts. Now that I’m older, I’m in love with graphic tees. My “Be Weird.” shirt always gets complements. As well as my “I Love Sundays”. But my new fave is this one with Negasonic Teenage Warhead. I’m becoming the nerd I always wanted to be. LOL!

Geeking| Smart Table

> I recently read an article about an end table that functions as a speaker and Qi charging station. It was in my favorite Mid-Century Modern design. Couldn’t resist! Keith and I decided to give it a test drive. Even if the speaker and charging station die, we love the design.

What’s UP with you? How are you saying goodbye to summer as August fades like the sunset in Key West?

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring Duval Street in Key West, FL

Filed Under: Fun, Home and Lifestyle, Travel Tagged With: home, retirement life

What We Are UP To in April 2018

April 18, 2018 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

Fort Lauderdale, mural, UP, unretirement project, retirement, April

Disclosure: Occasionally we receive free products for review or include advertising links in posts, but no one impacts the honesty of our opinions.

Watching| The Perfect Scam

> Remember the movie “Catch Me If You Can”? Well, fraud expert Frank Abagnale is collaborating with AARP on a podcast series about America’s biggest scams. The series is designed to educate listeners on how scammers operate. I’m looking forward to listening in April…

Reading| About GDPR

> Just in case you missed it, back in 2016, the European Union passed the General Data Protection Regulation (aka GDPR). It’s scheduled to go into effect next month. Whether you live in the U.S, Europe, or another country, this law will have an impact on our data, privacy, and security. It’s worth paying attention to.

Remembering | Las Vegas

>I love visiting Las Vegas. It’s such a vibrant city. Lots of great food, dynamic shows and entertainment, and great people watching. But Las Vegas today is so different than Vegas decades ago. It’s fun to see the history of the city and tour places like the Neon Museum to remember the past. 

Working On| Book Marketing

> My third book, “The Recruiter’s Handbook: A Complete Guide for Sourcing, Selecting, and Engaging the Best Talent” was just released earlier in April at the Society for Human Management (SHRM) Talent Conference. So, we’re in full book marketing mode – writing articles and doing interviews. It’s very exciting.

Feeling| Ready

> We’ve been planning this move to Gainesville, Florida for well over a year. It’s nice to see positive movement toward our goal. I’m looking forward to doing some exploring in Gainesville and getting to know the city. And as much as I’ve liked living in Fort Lauderdale, it’s time.

Planning| Self-Care

> With several weeks of travel ahead (along with our move), Keith and I realize that taking care of ourselves is important. It could be a small as taking a few moments to play a favorite tablet game (We both like Bejeweled Blitz.) Or planning a trip to get in some serious rest and relaxation once this April move is behind us.

Loving| Cold Brew

> You guys know I’m a huge tea fan. But when it comes to a cold caffeinated beverage, my favorite is cold brew. I was recently in Portland, Oregon and got my fill of Stumptown Roasters. Luckily, I don’t have to wait for trips to Portland to get Stumptown – it can be found at the grocery store.

Geeking| Jigsaw Puzzle

> Growing up, I enjoyed jigsaw puzzles. For birthdays and Christmas, my father would give me jigsaw puzzles. We would always have a table in the family room with a big jigsaw puzzle on it. Now that I’m grown, I’m less inclined to do physical puzzles, but I have a jigsaw puzzle app. I can pick the puzzles I want, the number of pieces, etc.

What’s UP with you?

Filed Under: Careers, Law and Legal, Travel, Wellbeing Tagged With: career, travel, unretirement

There’s Nothing Wrong With Having a Bucket List

February 7, 2018 by Sharlyn Lauby 1 Comment

bucket list, travel, Saint Thomas, Charlotte Amalie, Virgin Islands,

I’ve never seen the movie “The Bucket List” but I do understand the concept. It comes from the term “kicked the bucket.” If for some reason you don’t know, a bucket list is a list of the things we want to do before we die. On some level, a bucket list is a wish list. It’s a list of things we want to experience someday. And as we change as an individual, our bucket list might change as well.

For example: for years, Keith and I wanted to take a repositioning cruise from Alaska through the Panama Canal to the Caribbean. Over the years, we’ve taken shorter cruises to the Caribbean, Panama, and Mexico. Now that we’ve done over half the trip, we’ve decided that if we never go on a repositioning cruise it isn’t a big deal. That doesn’t mean we’ll never take a repositioning cruise, it just means it isn’t on our list.

The reason I’m talking about bucket lists is because, a few weeks ago, I was reading a magazine article and a quote stuck out – “I don’t have a bucket list. If there’s something I want to do, I do it!” And my initial thought was there’s nothing wrong with having a bucket list. We might not be able to drop everything for a bucket list item.

Putting together a bucket list isn’t easy. To me, it’s not a list of “nice to haves” like the latest G.H. Bass & Co Wynn mules in yellow patent leather. That’s just my shoe fetish. A bucket list is a list of experiences that are important to me that I hope to do in my lifetime. The key word being important. And I don’t believe anyone can tell you what to put on your bucket list. Your list is yours and yours alone.

Sometimes we have to save resources to accomplish something. And by resources, I mean both money and time. A bucket list item might include a work sabbatical or maybe it will cost thousands of dollars. There’s nothing wrong with saving to make something on your list happen. That being said, we also might need to be open to opportunities as they present themselves.

We have to think of other people’s bucket lists. Every once in a while, Keith and I talk about our bucket lists. Obviously, they’re not the same. It reminds me that not only do I have my own list, but other people might expect me to participate in theirs. Maybe not for everything, but for some things. IMHO, that’s a tremendous honor and responsibility.

The decision to have (or not have) a bucket list is an individual one. It can be a long list or a short one. There’s nothing wrong with having bucket list, changing it, and sharing it with others. The important thing is to live your life the way you want to.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby at the Charlotte Amalie harbor in Saint Thomas, USVI

Filed Under: Retirement Life, Travel, Wellbeing Tagged With: retirement life, travel

What We’re UP to – October 2017

October 25, 2017 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

October, Halloween, Mexico, Dia de los Muertos, pumpkin, pumpkin spice

 

Watching | Good Eats

> Keith and I are foodies and nerds. That makes us big fans of Alton Brown’s old show “Good Eats”. Needless to say, we were very excited to hear that Good Eats is making a comeback. Details TBA. In the meantime, we’ll continue to watch the oldies.

Reading | Urban Monk

> I’m fascinated with the practice of mindfulness. Earlier this year, I had the chance to meet Pandit Dasa at a conference. He graciously gave me a copy of his book “Urban Monk”, which is about being a monk in New York City. Wonderful read about life, change, and balance.

Remembering | Tom Petty

> I grew up listening to Tom Petty. And of course, being from Florida, he was one of us. I must admit as I get older, it’s hard having the celebrities that I watched or listened to as I was growing up leave us. I know none of us will live forever, but at least Petty’s music will.

Working On | Decluttering

> We’ve been in a constant state of cleaning in October. Hurricane Irma made us clean up leaves and branches. Our new Apple iMacs have forced us to clean out software, cords, and cables. Meanwhile, we’re trying to slowly declutter our personal belongings for next year’s move. Swedish Death Cleaning here I come!

Feeling | Excited

> Lots going on but all is well. The holidays are coming and that will be fun. I have a few trips planned which I’m looking forward to. Changes are coming and that’s very exciting.

Planning | Photo-a-Day Project

> Every year I say I will do a photo-a-day project. And somehow it moves down on the priority list. I’m hoping if I publically declare it on the blog, it will guilt me into it. LOL! 2018 is the year I’m doing a photo-a-day. Perfect way to document our move from Fort Lauderdale to Gainesville, FL.

Loving | Pumpkin Spice

> I will totally admit I like pumpkin spice in October. I’ve always loved pumpkin, so when an entire season popped up to celebrate this squash plant, I’m on board. I’m not a fan of pumpkin Cheerios but pumpkin spice Oreos are exceptionally good. And I treat myself to one pumpkin spice latte a year.

Geeking | Writing Apps

> With my new iMac comes some adjustments. The software programs I previously used to help with grammar, formatting, etc. aren’t Mac compatible. So, I’m searching for new ones. If you have any suggestions, let me know. I’m checking out Ulysses and Hemingway right now.

What’s UP with you?

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby somewhere off the coast of Ensenada, Mexico

Filed Under: Fun, Travel, Wellbeing Tagged With: fun, retirement life, unretirement

Relocation? 8 Things to Consider When Deciding Where to Retire

October 18, 2017 by Sharlyn Lauby 15 Comments

At some point, everyone thinks about where they want to retire. Even if it’s for a fleeting moment, we ask ourselves the question. I know many people who are downsizing – the kids are gone and they just don’t need the space. Or they want relocation to someplace where it’s warmer. Regardless of what prompts the conversation, there are a few things to consider when thinking about where to retire.

relocation, relocate, retire, retirement, unretirement, home, Gainesville, Florida

I’m sharing this list with you because these are the items Keith and I thought about when we made our decision to move. Yep, at some point next year, we will be moving to Gainesville, Florida (Home of the Florida Gators football team.) We’re very excited about the relocation and promise to share more as things happen.

  1. Arts, Culture, and Sports – Does the city offer the types of activities you like to do? If you like the theater, there’s no sense in moving to some place without it. If you enjoy museums, does the city have some? We’re excited that Gainesville has several parks and nature trails. And while neither of us graduated from UF, my guess is we will get caught up in college sports. (I think it might be a requirement of living there.)
  1. History, Demographics, Religion, and Politics – It’s pretty easy to look up the history of a city on Wikipedia. You can also check out census information and demographics in terms of gender, age, etc. It could also make some sense to look at the last election results. Do you feel your voice will be heard? And make sure you feel you can openly practice your faith in the city you choose.
  1. Family and Friends – Most people already think of this, but it needs to be on the list. On a personal note, relocation is a little bittersweet for us. We will be moving away from terrific friends, but we are moving a little bit closer to family. The good news is we’re staying in the state, so hopefully, we can visit often. And Orlando is a great halfway point to connect.
  1. Finances and Cost of Living – I think it’s hard to figure out actual cost of living. We looked at those online indexes but I think you can get a better feel when you’re actually spending time in the city. Go to a grocery store and check out prices. Eat dinner at a few different types of places. We’ve been told that property taxes are higher in GNV because of the university, but food and housing are definitely less expensive.
  1. Health Care – Does the city you’re considering have enough health care options? And if this is what you’re calling “your final relocation”, do they have senior or elder care options? I know we don’t like to discuss these things but, at some point, you have to.
  1. News – What makes the news in your chosen city? We added a section to our Google News feed so we could see what people in Gainesville were talking about. Interestingly, it also gave us some perspective about crime in the area, because crime makes the news.
  1. Travel – Since we’re still working full-time, having access to an airport is essential. We’re only a couple of hours from Jacksonville, Tampa, and Orlando. Gainesville has a small airport that flies to Atlanta. And from ATL, you can get anywhere. We also enjoy cruising, so lucky for us there are several cruise ports nearby.
  1. Weather – I know a lot of people want to retire in the warmer temperatures. That’s great, just realize there are tradeoffs. We’re giving up wearing shorts in December, but we don’t have to deal with putting hurricane shutters on our house when we’re in our 70’s. Every city has something.

You probably noticed that I intentionally put the list in alphabetical order. That’s because the priority you attach to each one could be different. For some people, family might be the number one consideration. And for others, it might be finances or weather or something else.

Making the relocation decision for retirement is a big one. It takes time. Keith and I easily spent over a year talking about it. Hopefully, a list like this will give you a few things to consider as you’re making decisions about how to spend your unretirement.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby at the 34th Street Graffiti Wall in Gainesville, FL

Filed Under: Home and Lifestyle, Money, Retirement Life, Travel, Wellbeing Tagged With: home, retirement life, unretirement

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