Getting to know the Boneyard members at bit

[Bigboote]

It's a little intimidating with some awfully impressive resumes here, but I'll give it a shot. After learning to ride my bike at 4, it's been a steady stream of disappointments. I didn't become a Harvard lawyer or football hero like my dad, nor a renown surgeon like all the grandfather and great-grandfathers on my mother's side. What I did do well (along with my siblings) was rebel, instead hiking the long trail and Appalachians, racing bikes in Switzerland for a season, eventually becoming an old-house restoration guy. The one useful thing I did wa start a concert series 30 years ago, which catered to alternative strings music, basically anything but classical that used violins. That developed into a workshop program, a music club for kids (6 of the "graduates" are professional musicians, (kind of a curse if you're not Taylor Swift) and set up any number of touring musicians with agents and managers. The main point of the series, though, was to funnel every penny earned after taxes into local non-profits, over a half-million bucks worth. Of special interest are open-space preservation efforts. I=Outside of that, life has been spent chasing ice cream.

Re: your first phrase. I will say to anyone who’ll listen that I respect anyone who takes pride in what they do. I love a good musician, physicist, grocery checker, janitor, teacher at any level . . .

What you’ve done is wonderful. I don’t fo to reunions any more because they seem to be to a great extent pissing contests. I’ve greatly enjoyed this thread.

 

[itsasport]

I was married to Helen for 20 years,and we had 5 children. She was diagnosed with leukemia, our hearts broken when she passed away 2 years later. The kids went off to college,and life after college. I was content to continue teaching, and visiting children and their families. Some 10 years after losing Helen, I was off for the day with a crew of teachers to play golf in western Mass. While driving along rt.7 , I passed an antique shop, and out front, in her garden, was the owner. Most of what I noticed was the most amazing red hair. Played the round, then, uncharacteristically for me, stopped at that antique shop on the way home. From that day,and for almost 30 years now, my partner Jenny and I have been apart very rarely.

I have a softness in my heart for red heads too and have fond memories of a lovely red headed girlfriend of decades past.

 

[itsasport]

A lot of golfers. It reminds me of the joke in which a wife asks her husband where he was going. His answer was to play 18 holes with Jim.

Upon his return, she asked how it went.

He replied, "Fine, but Jim had a fatal heart attack on the third fairway. So, it was hit the ball, drag Jim, hit the ball drag Jim..."

 

[Jackcatscal]

A memory I'll take to my grave. In my early twenties, I'm on the French/Spanish frontier above the town of Portbou, Spain. It's dawn, and I'm in the foothills of the Pyrenees, looking out over the beautiful Mediterranean. (Back then, the gauges of the trains in France and Spain were different, so you had to change trains.)

 

[UconnMark]

This is for the BY old timers (young folks will say "who's that"). I played ball for the Hartford Hawks around 1960. Our coach ran the Bob Petitt basketball camp in the summer. My freshman year I got to go and help out around the camp. Petitt actually was there and worked with the young athletes. He brought along 6'4" forward Cliff Hagan who could play center with his hook shot. Cliff asked for a volunteer for a little one on one demo. A young lad from New Haven who was around 6'9" raised his hand and went out to the court. To make a long story short, Cliff went around him, through him, and everything but over him. A bit of humble pie served as the young lad said something like "I guess he's pretty good!" I wanted to say "it's a good thing you didn't play Petitt." Wisest decision I ever made in college was not volunteering for a demo against an NBA player that summer.

 

[sun]

It happened around 1970, my last year playing little league with the Dodgers. The coached asked me to play catcher because I was small & quick. The league was set up so that the team that won the 1st round would play the team that won the 2nd round for the league championship.
The team was issued a new baseball bat that season, a beautiful 31" flame treated Louisville Slugger with dark brown lines in the grain & a molded textured plastic sleeve on the handle. I loved that bat because it felt just right in my hands. The 1st round the Dodgers finished 0-7, but we won the 2nd round with a record of 7-0 & had to play the Phillies in the championship game.
The Phillies starting pitcher was a real flame thrower. You had to be on your toes to make contact with one of his pitches. But as a catcher, I saw so many pitches everyy game that it made me a really good hitter. All I know is that when I was at bat around the 3rd or 4th inning, I swung as hard as I could and the ball sailed high & deep over the center field fence for a home run. Up until then that game was a pitcher's duel with no score, & when the ball sailed the Dodgers fans erupted & I became the hero of the game. The home run was a blessed miracle, it would have never sailed that far if the pitch wasn't so fast, & because I swung so hard & hit the ball exactly on the sweet spot on the bat. After touching the plate, one of the coaches asked me, "How did you manage to do that?" And I told him I don't really know because I didn't feel a thing, no vibration in the bat or anything, the ball just hit the sweet spot & sailed.
Every little leaguer dreams about hitting a home run over the fence. I didn't know it at the time but the only explanation is that God can make miracles happen. After that event most of my life has been rather anti-climatic because nothing could ever top being able to fulfill the dream of a young boy.....except for maybe other miracles.
But boy, did I love that bat. It was the cat's meow! I can still envision that bat. The only thing that was missing was the thunderbolt!
Smack! There goes the ball, sailing over the fence by the Grace of God!

 

[GoUconn7961]

I live an ordinary life. Survived a couple of suicide attempts (childhood trauma, and an eating disorder). I think the most proud moment was graduating from college after a 12 year absence and doing it Magna Cum Laude. I've traveled the country in various jobs, watched the Pentagon burn from my hotel room on 9-11. I've been to Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Italy and Spain. No kids, or husband, but my greatest joy in life were my dogs. I'd get another, but I'm hanging on by a thread right now so couldn't do it emotionally. As I near retirement (2 years to go) I find I'm scared about the next chapter. As an introvert, a real introvert (with trust issues) I'm not sure how I'll keep myself busy.

 

[Bone Dog]

I live an ordinary life. Survived a couple of suicide attempts (childhood trauma, and an eating disorder). I think the most proud moment was graduating from college after a 12 year absence and doing it Magna Cum Laude. I've traveled the country in various jobs, watched the Pentagon burn from my hotel room on 9-11. I've been to Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Italy and Spain. No kids, or husband, but my greatest joy in life were my dogs. I'd get another, but I'm hanging on by a thread right now so couldn't do it emotionally. As I near retirement (2 years to go) I find I'm scared about the next chapter. As an introvert, a real introvert (with trust issues) I'm not sure how I'll keep myself busy.

I hear you.

I'm not an introvert, but I face retirement with a similar trepidation. I'm maybe 3 years away. I've loved my work with young people, but the daily tasks have begun to wear me out. But without them, what will power me through the day? I hope to keep on writing, and I have little confidence I'll be able to once my hobby becomes my primary occupation.

I also love dogs. I'm without one right now and wonder if I'm too old to start over with another one. A decision may be made in the next few weeks.

 

[GoUconn7961]

I hear you.

I'm not an introvert, but I face retirement with a similar trepidation. I'm maybe 3 years away. I've loved my work with young people, but the daily tasks have begun to wear me out. But without them, what will power me through the day? I hope to keep on writing, and I have little confidence I'll be able to once my hobby becomes my primary occupation.

I also love dogs. I'm without one right now and wonder if I'm too old to start over with another one. A decision may be made in the next few weeks.

I'm hoping that once I'm truly retired I'll get a part-time job so I continue to have some social interaction. I'll still be too "young" for our active senior center. I also think I'll have more time for a dog. I hope. I need a purpose and I don't have one.

 

[Tontobruto]

I'm hoping that once I'm truly retired I'll get a part-time job so I continue to have some social interaction. I'll still be too "young" for our active senior center. I also think I'll have more time for a dog. I hope. I need a purpose and I don't have one.

Try birding. I've birded in every state, all continents and 120 countries. Bonded with people of diverse cultures. Seen environmental degradation around the world. Been to places unknown to tourists. All you need is binoculars.

 

[CL82]

I'm hoping that once I'm truly retired I'll get a part-time job so I continue to have some social interaction. I'll still be too "young" for our active senior center. I also think I'll have more time for a dog. I hope. I need a purpose and I don't have one.

I suspect that we're close to the same age (and, apparently, attended the same Marshall Tucker concert). I have a very good friend of mine who often says to me "CL, I've got a house for you down in Boca! Why are you still working?" When I told him that I enjoy it he asked me "Are you telling me that that you wake up every morning and look forward to going into work?" I thought for a moment about the question and then answered "Yeah, Jim, I absolutely still do." Like you, the notion of not working, not having meaningful things to do, seems, well, not daunting, but less fun than my life is now. I'll probably keep working for another 5-10 years.

Have you thought about volunteering somewhere? There are a lot of places that need to help and would appreciate the experiences that you would bring. Alternatively, as you suggest, there's always the option of working a job with limited hours. I just connected a former employee and longtime friend to a part-time gig (20 hours a week) with a 501(c)(3) that I have a relationship with. She's delighted with the opportunity to bring value to a deserving organization and they are thrilled with her background and experience.

I guess my advice might be not to let someone else decide what your "retirement" needs to look like. Pick what feels right to you and if that means working in some capacity, do it.

 

[uconnfan68]

I'm hoping that once I'm truly retired I'll get a part-time job so I continue to have some social interaction. I'll still be too "young" for our active senior center. I also think I'll have more time for a dog. I hope. I need a purpose and I don't have one.

I didn’t know what to do with myself, at first. I was 69.5 when I was laid off, and they gave me a package. Maybe the best thing that ever happened to me. Work was getting hectic and depressing. IT stuff, basically 24x7 for over 20 years. You’re going to be fine. Life without work is doable.

 

[PacoSwede]

I didn’t know what to do with myself, at first. I was 69.5 when I was laid off, and they gave me a package. Maybe the best thing that ever happened to me. Work was getting hectic and depressing. IT stuff, basically 24x7 for over 20 years. You’re going to be fine. Life without work is doable.

lots of folks are apprehensive about retiring so i can be sympathetic to GOUconn, but like you i am so happy to be 10 years out, even though i enjoyed the actual work and co-workers (couldn't stand the employer after greedy down-sizer bought the place, though).

but GOUconn might not be so fine. fearing isolation is a different issue.

i tend to be an introvert, and i'm solidly antisocial, so being isolated is terrific for me. but i think GOUconn may be justified in his/her feelings about retirement. so good luck in resolving that. i don't know the answer.

being free to do what you want is wonderful, however. most people who are financially fine have no need to resist saying sayonara to the job.

 

[Bigboote]

Try birding. I've birded in every state, all continents and 120 countries. Bonded with people of diverse cultures. Seen environmental degradation around the world. Been to places unknown to tourists. All you need is binoculars.

I just retired a couple of months ago. I’ve never been much into birds, but one joy I didn’t expect is sitting reading the (electronic) paper in the morning and marvelling at the sounds of the birds when we’re able to have the house open. And this is in the fairly densely populated burbs of the nation’s capital.

I’d go a little more broad and suggest to @GoUconn7961 any sort of hobby. I’m an extreme introvert and a bit of a misanthrope (thank you Moliere), so really don’t care about the lack of social interaction. But I’m very hobby-driven. Cooking, brewing, woodworking. . . I am on my tuchus more than I’d like, but I’m still figuring it out.

 

[GoUconn7961]

I just retired a couple of months ago. I’ve never been much into birds, but one joy I didn’t expect is sitting reading the (electronic) paper in the morning and marvelling at the sounds of the birds when we’re able to have the house open. And this is in the fairly densely populated burbs of the nation’s capital.

I’d go a little more broad and suggest to @GoUconn7961 any sort of hobby. I’m an extreme introvert and a bit of a misanthrope (thank you Moliere), so really don’t care about the lack of social interaction. But I’m very hobby-driven. Cooking, brewing, woodworking. . . I am on my tuchus more than I’d like, but I’m still figuring it out.

I think I’d like to try the pottery wheel and learn to play the guitar.

 

[cabbie191]

Two things stand out for me:

On the personal side, helping rescue high school band students out of their crashed charter bus that ran into an overturned semi at 1:30 in the morning as they were returning from a state competition. The accident killed five, three of whom were friends of mine. Several survivors were air evacuated to multiple hospitals, some of whom were so injured their families couldn’t identify them at first. Leaking fuel all around. Horrible night.

Professional: being asked to come out of retirement to take over and expand a hazardous waste collection program in Ann Arbor. Wound up doing it for 6 years. Very rewarding making a small contribution in hopefully making that part of the world a safer place to live. Came home after work sometimes in amazement at the materials folks brought in. Two most notable were nuclear waste (courtesy of a retired University of Michigan professor) and Agent Orange.

 

[Spaceman213J]

Reggie Lewis's death was very significant for me. I grew up on Bird, McHale, Parrish, DJ, Ainge... and Reggie Lewis what made Boston respectable for a while. In my mid teens I was diagnosed with a heart murmur and was told it would probably go away, but until it did I had to watch a few things and push it with endurance races or sports. Luckily, it did go away, but Lewis's death stuck with me for a long time, and still has never completely left me.

 

[OldSchooler]

This is for the BY old timers (young folks will say "who's that"). I played ball for the Hartford Hawks around 1960. Our coach ran the Bob Petitt basketball camp in the summer. My freshman year I got to go and help out around the camp. Petitt actually was there and worked with the young athletes. He brought along 6'4" forward Cliff Hagan who could play center with his hook shot. Cliff asked for a volunteer for a little one on one demo. A young lad from New Haven who was around 6'9" raised his hand and went out to the court. To make a long story short, Cliff went around him, through him, and everything but over him. A bit of humble pie served as the young lad said something like "I guess he's pretty good!" I wanted to say "it's a good thing you didn't play Petitt." Wisest decision I ever made in college was not volunteering for a demo against an NBA player that summer.

Two great ballplayers. 6'4" Hagan was the shortest NBA center in my memory, but a great one who could hook with either hand. And 6'9" Pettit was a great jump-shooting forward on the same team. Go figure. Pettit, one of my early favorite players, seemingly played with a very calm demeanor. But once I remember he really lost his temper in a Hawks-Celtics game. Pettit's foul shot was very slow and deliberate, balancing the ball in the palm of his outstretched right arm before letting it go. One time, as he was going through this slow ritual, K.C. Jones decided to walk across the lane from one side to the other, right in front of Pettit, totally disrupting his concentration. Pettit slammed the ball against the floor, turned his back and walked away. . . . The only other center of similar dimensions as Hagan I recall was a guy named Phil Dinardo, who played for Mitchell Field on the Air Force Worldwide Basketball Championship team in 1960. Also 6'4" (with much taller forwards Jerry Vayda and George Mehaffey), who could also hook with either hand.

 

[huskeynut]

Retirement doesn't mean you don't have a purpose. It gives you time to explore things you wanted to do but never had the time.

I retired earlier than most. After 33 years in education that inner voice told me it was time. No regrets at all. Our family was growing with grandchildren and Poppa was available to baby sit and I sure did. The wife was still working so I had the opportunity to expand my cooking skills. And I was still heavily involved with the Scouting program.

When my wife finally retired, we decided to ditch the Northeast with its winter weather and high taxes. Moved to Florida in a 55+ community. It was a 2 year process to sell the house and find a place to live. When we finally settled in, we both found an unbelievable amount of clubs and activities. I joined a swing band and started playing again. Hadn't really played in a band since my mid 20's. Had to work my tail off to get in decent playing condition. I'm still playing 8 years later with the same group playing 5 concerts/ dances a year. Some of our best friends are in the band. Found we had a neighborhood club that had 3 events per year.

We both joined our Community Emergency Response Team. We both believe that giving back to your community is important. We went to the training. We train for natural disasters as being immediate responders for our community. Then we became trainers/ presenters for Check-Call-Compress classes. This past August I became the Team Leader.

Our community sponsored a university and offered course to the community. My wife signed up to teacher a variety of courses for using software with the emphasis on Apple products. COVID killed that one. Plus she became a church organist/ choir director for a local church. She just retired from that one.

In addition we have about one concert in our ballroom every month. We get some of the original artists like Gary Puckett and Jay and the Americans and the Classics IV as well as some very good tribute bands.

Plenty out there to do.

 

[AzHusky]

Just my two cents, if you are not sure about getting another dog, how about volunteering at the dog bound, They are always looking for people to help them. Either by fostering or just taking the dogs for a walk. The dogs would love you and it's something to do in your retirement until you fell comfortable. I retired at 62 to care for my wife. She passed away 2 years after I retired and I miss her but have never looked back at not working anymore. Over the years I have been to all 50 states. You will find something that fills your days.

 

[Scud49]

A memory I'll take to my grave. In my early twenties, I'm on the French/Spanish frontier above the town of Portbou, Spain. It's dawn, and I'm in the foothills of the Pyrenees, looking out over the beautiful Mediterranean. (Back then, the gauges of the trains in France and Spain were different, so you had to change trains.)

Amazing area isn't it? I was Air Force in Spain in the 70's, we used to ski in the Pyrenees, just wonderful. We also visited the Caves of Altimira in extreme northern Spain, those ancient images of the bison and other animals will stay with me forever. The Steely Dan song has always had special meaning to me.

 

[Scud49]

I'm hoping that once I'm truly retired I'll get a part-time job so I continue to have some social interaction. I'll still be too "young" for our active senior center. I also think I'll have more time for a dog. I hope. I need a purpose and I don't have one.

I also recommend the suggestion of birding. A number of years ago I also added nature/wildlife photography to my birding. It can be very rewarding and gets you outside. Here's a pic of an heron I got last week:

 

[EasyEd]

I got hooked on the Huskies going to games with my daughter. But the wow moment for me was they way Jessica Moore played injured in her last game as a Husky. She is rarely mentioned among the greats, but she had a great heart and commitment to the team.

If I want to be remembered for anything it is that I was the best father I could be to my daughters. Nothing is more important or significant in my life.

 

[maple]

I have not yet gotten a chance to read all of the responses yet, but I love learning more about all the BYers.

It’s difficult for me to pick my most memorable experiences.

Professionally I would say it was when I finally obtained my Professional Engineering license last year after passing the exam. I graduated college in 2010, so I had to spend nearly a year and a half dutifully studying every day for the exam. It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do in my life, but it felt so good when I passed.

From a personal life standpoint … I’m not sure. I can think of many memorable sports moments — like being at the game by the glass for the Whalers’ last stand in Hartford or a huge field hockey game I played in high school — that had a profound impact on me. Or when I visited a friend in Spain and ended up having lunch with an actress I’d followed for years. Those were some great experiences … and I’ve had more. I can’t pick just one.