quote:

Originally posted by Bassamatic:
I bought a Harley when I was 64.

Me too !!!

:-)
Bob

Retired from the Army with 28 active duty years at age 51 and started a new career at age 52. I’m 53 now.

Changed jobs a few months before turning 50 (a better paying, less stressful one..) and am retiring a few months after turning 60. For the first four to six months of retirement, I want to catch up on reading, do a few small home projects, and sit with my Mom several days a month. After that, Disney World! Long term, may go back to the Carolinas.

Bought a business at 55, started another business this year.

quote:

Originally posted by mark123:

quote:

Originally posted by smithnsig:
I’m 51. I started my own business in 2008. Struggled through the bad economy, now am enjoying the windfalls of it. Finally.

Tell us more. I think I just choose the wrong business. I just turned 50 and this lawn crap is for the young.

I have been in construction all my life, except a 6 year hiatus when younger to coach and teach. I got out. Coached at a high level, but never would go in all the way. Hated the education system. Finished at a private school.

I then worked as a project manager for a large national builder. Left there and went to a construction software company which specialized in back office e integration of small builder with large vendors.

Then, 9/11 happened. Got out of that company before it got gobbled up by a large national chemical company. (They just wanted for technology. They laid everybody off.

Back to Construction. My stint at the Software company really opened my eyes about using e commerce and tech at smaller companies. I started playing with Excel creating a project management/budgeting tool. I also taught myself Softplan. It’s design software.

Fast foreword to the housing crash. Our owners basically told us that the market cannot support the company at the size it is.

So, I put together a business plan to open another separate division that could support the type of construction that was not effected. In house custom design with the cost benefit of large scale production. Less expensive custom homes basically. It avoided real estate, which is where the problem really lied.

Well the company poo pood my idea. Said it was undoable. I was perturbed enough that my brother (now deceased) and I started a residential construction company in the worst building market since the Flood. We struggled and now it is a $7 million dollar a year business and is on pace to be a $10 millions year business. Our first contract was for $72,000 and signed on the hood of a truck.

Now what I didn’t tell you above is that I tried to go in business one time before. Failed miserably. I had nothing to differentiate from any body else. I firmly believe that you have to fail to learn how to succeed.

I'm 69 soon to be 70. I don't know about the changing of life at a certain age. It's been a constant change it seems. School, then U.S. Army...work, and married. I've learned to live on my own terms. Sure there's stuff I regret, but it's life. Can't wait to see what happens next.

quote:

Originally posted by SFCUSARET:
Moved to a different state and started a new job at 50. Just turned 64 and been retired for 4 days. Now on to the next adventure.

same here --- although I am not yet your age. not quite at the retirement point.

it's been 'interesting' learning a new place after leaving my old state after 15 years...

gotta keep the brain synapses firing !

-------------------------------------

I'll be 54 end of the year. This time last year I started eating healthy and feeding those little buggers that live inside us all what they actually need. I haven't felt this good in 30+ years. The next 50 should be tremendous.

53 but I'm told I don't look a day over 52...

Still working with mandatory LE retirement looming at 57. Then, who can say? I work out almost every day, am in great shape and no health issues. I don't have any driving urge to make any big changes but I'll have to make other arrangements in the next couple of years.

Turned 51 this year. Moved from Florida (after 35 years) with the wife and 2 school aged kids to Virginia Beach. Changed from the oil industry (ship captain) to the Department of the Navy (still a ship captain, now running a training ship)

I'm 53, and my new project is nine weeks old today -- the fourth boy, with brothers eleven, nine, and five.

Even after I got married (for the first time) eleven years ago, my life was continual change, constant upheaval, and starting over time and again because of sometimes restlessness, sometimes events beyond my control (leaving a good job at 28 to go sailing across the Atlantic and traveling til my money ran out because I thought it was then or never, going to law school in my mid-30s, Hurricane Katrina, e.g.), but we have settled down somewhat over the last six years or so (not counting the four boys). So I'm not looking for a bunch of "fulfilling" change right now, just hope to slow down some.

The major milestones in my life have been:
age 22, graduated from college and was commissioned a 2LT in USAF; drove from Detroit, Michigan to a little mountain top on the coast of Oregon for my first duty assignment.
age 37, after 15 years service (10 1/2 as a Captain O-3), the Air Force tossed me out for not being promoted; I almost immediately enlisted as an E-4 Sgt to finish 20 years.
age 42, retired as a Captain O-3, spent about 6 months with my parents before seeking new employment and was hired by Texas Instruments in Dallas, Texas.
age 46, my father died after 11 years of failing health; he was age 75.
age 62, my sister died at age 45 (cancer).
age 64, my mother died at age 88.
age 67, I retired (again) from TI, but was almost immediately hired as a consultant for a special project in the same office.
age 69, my work ended and I was free at last.

I've had a few health issues along the way, but I get by. I do a lot of traveling (mostly in the summer, when my musical commitments are light--I sing and play handbells). Life has been good. (I have plans for an African photo safari next September.)

flashguy

I'm 74YO. What do I really, really want?

To wake up tomorrow morning.

I rode motorcycles for four or five years before I became a father at 25. My wife begged me to quit because of the risk involved ( I went down twice in that time ) and so the possibility of my child being without his father. So, I did.
Then six years later we had another. Anyway, my youngest left the nest about 10 years ago when I was 51, so guess what I got.
I had missed it terribly and have been so grateful to ride again.
There you go !

quote:

Originally posted by rbert0005:

quote:

Originally posted by Bassamatic:
I bought a Harley when I was 64.

Me too !!!

:-)
Bob

I bought mine at age 46, then had a bad accident 5 years later and had to give up riding.

flashguy

I have always been agile. But have noticed this year at age 66, a decrease in my agility.

I stay active, and previous years never noticed this change, but I just feel a difference.

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:

...Volunteer Deputy with MCSO...

At 54 I became a volunteer Reserve Deputy with the county Sheriff's Dept. Kept my day (paid) job and had some interesting calls, some sad ones too. Stayed on until the dept made me retire (state law) at age 66 two years ago. I still help out as a traffic volunteer.

I am 60 sold house 5 yrs ago bought a motorhome, put one more year in as instructor for a school district then went full time RVing. North during the summer, south for the winter. Roughing it Smoothly, if I don’t like my neighbor guess what I can move. I can stay away from gun hating states, not giving my money to support their ideals. Ahhhh life is good!

50 is still young.At 56 I teemed up with some good friends a started Starfighters a F-104 demonstration team.My first flight in the F-104
my 57th birthday, my instructor was 63. Today @
76 my greatest joy is grand kids.
Trust me! 50 is not to old,go for it

quote:

Originally posted by 104RFAST:
50 is still young.At 56 I teemed up with some good friends a started Starfighters a F-104 demonstration team.My first flight in the F-104
my 57th birthday, my instructor was 63. Today @
76 my greatest joy is grand kids.
Trust me! 50 is not to old,go for it

I see you’re from west FL, so am I and believe I used to see your Starfighters over Clearwater Beach practicing on occasion. What?, bout 20 years ago or so? What a treat! Thank you, sir, that’s pretty cool!