Thoughts, impressions, and observations for the World Cruise.

[barbeyg]

1 minute ago, Ocean Boy said:

Retirement scares me. I do what I had wanted from when I was a little kid. I don't know how I'd give it up. 

Ah, but you can still do what you want, when you want. 😁 We will be traveling at least 3 months each year, until we aren’t able to physically.  If this WC was a year later, we would have booked some of it with these wonderful people. 🙂
 

Patricia and Laura’s photos have made us want to sail around the Cape now, and we never thought we would be interested in that.  I’ve seen some of you say the same, and I bet there are more of you thinking the same. 🙂
 

Thanks Patricia, Laura and all the other photographers who are sharing your photos and anecdotes.  SO appreciated!  

[Lionesss]

13 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Retirement scares me. I do what I had wanted from when I was a little kid. I don't know how I'd give it up. 

From your posts on various threads it is evident you are truly a committed dedicated professional practitioner. 

 

But as you age you will in your heart know when a life change is just for you. It is not determined by age but the readiness to move on,  whether you slowly go part time too retire. 

 

Various factors affect your timing from health all the way to financial security but more importantly the new role life has to offer to keep you busy. 
 

Seems like a lot of mumbo jumbo…… 

 

But for me, I have moved on from  Nurse Anesthesia  to community involvement. 
From volunteering to church representations on committees to still providing basic nursing  assistance to neighbors to being a major part of my daughter/son in law and granddaughters life. 
 

The motor home for vacations, and weekend get away and of course cruising. 
 

And the basic wifely duties at home completes the calendar of events. 
 

You will know when your ready. 
 

Be safe. 
Sue. 
 

 

Edited January 20 by Lionesss

[doghog]

24 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Retirement scares me. I do what I had wanted from when I was a little kid. I don't know how I'd give it up. 

Scared me to death. I also had a great job. In my new life I always stay busy. Winter is my slowest time for staying busy. I keep asking myself where did I find the time when I was working and still do all the other fun things in life. My wife retired a year later. No regrets. 

Edited January 20 by doghog

[pstone1]

I was actually able to get a couple of pictures today during our few minutes of sunshine and blue skies as we sailed through the Chilean Fjords!  The rest of the day was in black and white, with some gray thrown in!  LOL!

[orville99]

Best “Live From” thread EVER!!!😍

[Merion_Mom]

5 hours ago, island lady said:

 

LOL!!!   Mmmm...tasty!  Fresh sea salt with bugs...little Gnat bodies dried on the windows with it.   😑

 

Protein!

[Merion_Mom]

5 hours ago, island lady said:

 

LOL!!!   Mmmm...tasty!  Fresh sea salt with bugs...little Gnat bodies dried on the windows with it.   😑

 

4 hours ago, suzyluvs2cruise said:

extra protein....

 

2 hours ago, A&L_Ont said:

 

Beat me to it. 

 

4 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

Protein!

 

Great minds think alike!  🙂 

[CSHS1979]

2 hours ago, island lady said:

Oh dear...from the looks of it, we may be headed out to open sea again, versus that interesting looking channel...unless he turns east again.  If so, must be not able to do the channel?  Drats.  😳

 

Pretty sure we're bigger than a Patagonia ferry ⛴️ 

[CSHS1979]

1 hour ago, Ocean Boy said:

Retirement scares me. I do what I had wanted from when I was a little kid. I don't know how I'd give it up. 

 

My doctor didn't. Passed away at 68 a month after John and I last saw her😪

[MommaBear55]

1 hour ago, Ocean Boy said:

Retirement scares me. I do what I had wanted from when I was a little kid. I don't know how I'd give it up. 

As a nurse practitioner who worked in the ED and as a hospitalist, I didn't realize how stressed I was. I absolutely loved my job, my colleagues and my patients. It was an honor to serve them. Because of my own health issues, I retired when Covid hit. I went from working up to 12 twelve hour shifts in a row to being home 100% of the time. After making over 1000 masks and 200 surgical bonnets in 4 weeks, I then started to unwind and realize there was life beyond work. I also realized how I enjoy not having a schedule, love to work out, garden, ride my bike and travel 100 plus days a year. It's been a gift. You will find your own way, and it can include still working if that's what you want. Part of the push for me to retire was that my husband had partially retired 7 years before me and was looking forward to spending more time together. 

[lovesthebeach2]

6 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

Last year on Odyssey I walked out onto my balcony and the lady next door was actually cleaning her balcony plexiglass. She said she was tired of not being able to see through it. We both had a laugh over it.

 

3 hours ago, orville99 said:

DW wets a bath towel and then I attach it to my cane with a few of her hair scrunchies and use that to get the outside of the balcony glass.😇

 

I have tried to clean the balcony glass a few times with a wet bath towel…..but I guess I’ll need to bring a collapsible cane and scrunchies for. Ow on to make the job easier 😁

[The sea calls my name]

1 hour ago, Ocean Boy said:

Retirement scares me. I do what I had wanted from when I was a little kid. I don't know how I'd give it up. 

I nursed for 44 years and went from sunup to moon-up everyday, It did take me a while  learn to relax and to settle into retirement but I can truthfully say it is the best job I have ever had and I  truly loved every nursing job I ever had.  Doing volunteer work for an indigent clinic our church supports will help. Hope to start that this spring. 

[Ocean Boy]

3 minutes ago, The sea calls my name said:

I nursed for 44 years and went from sunup to moon-up everyday, It did take me a while  learn to relax and to settle into retirement but I can truthfully say it is the best job I have ever had and I  truly loved every nursing job I ever had.  Doing volunteer work for an indigent clinic our church supports will help. Hope to start that this spring. 

When I see advertisements for Mercy Ships it gets me thinking. But I don't know what the time commitment away from home would be.

[lovesthebeach2]

2 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

Retirement scares me. I do what I had wanted from when I was a little kid. I don't know how I'd give it up. 

I understood how you feel because for part of my career I worked with brilliant scientists at one of the US National Laboratories, where they did all types of scientific research in  areas such as Biology, Chemistry, Physics, etc. I watched them absolutely love what they did with such a passion that I wished I had.
In fact at one point I had to force one to use his vacation days (it’s a budgeting thing) and he came to work in blue jeans instead of his suit and said he was “on vacation”. Most had such passion for their research, they worked until they couldn’t. 

I had a very demanding job and because of that I used to say “I work to live, not live to work”. My job stress was killing me slowly. So when government funding was reduced one year, and they asked for volunteers to retire , I raised my hand and never turned back.  
 

You’ll know when you’re ready to make a change…..retirement has given me many opportunities that I had no time for when I worked….one of which is cruising more 😁

Edited January 20 by lovesthebeach2

[island lady]

2 hours ago, doghog said:

Or attempt to cruise with.

 

According to the person the one she wants to haul with her is a 1937 Singer Featherweight. Not a little hand held. One of the strangest carryons I've read here on CC. And there's been some weirds ones asked about. And people laugh when I say I pack duct(k) tape. 😂

 

That was the first thing your bro said when I read him your post.  "Dave can fix/adjust anything with Duct/K tape".  😉 

[island lady]

2 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

Retirement scares me. I do what I had wanted from when I was a little kid. I don't know how I'd give it up. 

 

Hmmm...you sound like my little sister...also a doctor.  😉  I have been trying to get her to retire for years now.  

[orville99]

2 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

Retirement scares me. I do what I had wanted from when I was a little kid. I don't know how I'd give it up. 

Once worked for an executive who was in the same company and position for years. He lived for his work and was excellent at it. He did not, however, have any outside interests so when he finally retired he did not live long afterwords. 

 

I took his position when he retired, but vowed i would work to support my outside interests and retired for the first time at 49. Spent the next 20 years pursuing those outside interests, and retired the second time at 69. Started cruising in earnest shortly after the first retirement. Pursued the second career to support our cruising addiction.

 

Moral of the story (if there is one) diversify what makes you happy while you have the chance. You’ll live longer.

[island lady]

2 hours ago, doghog said:

Scared me to death. I also had a great job. In my new life I always stay busy. Winter is my slowest time for staying busy. I keep asking myself where did I find the time when I was working and still do all the other fun things in life. My wife retired a year later. No regrets. 

 

I was going to wait for two years after your bro retired.  I made it a year, with new "house husband" in residence.  Then...he found out how stressed out I was in my career...which made him stressed out watching me.  Soooo...he finally told me "I don't have anyone to play with...I need you to retire and join me".   Ummm...OK...twist my arm.  🥰  Best thing we ever did together.  Never looked back.  🤗

 

Though unfortunately my doctor told me I did not get out in time.  He told me I  suffered a minor stoke that last year, and messed up my heart worse than it was as birth defect.  Oh well...meds, relaxation, and no stress...hopefully my heart is happy with that. 😉  So far...I am happy....and enjoying every minute of the retirement and traveling.  

 

 

 

 

Edited January 20 by island lady

[CSHS1979]

John attended a Q&A on Machu Pichu with 500+ of his newest friends. Seems like quite an undertaking. 

 

Shore Excursions sold a similar tour for $5000. And it's sold out.

 

Interestingly enough, the credit for opting out of all 7 wonders was $5000. SMH

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[taznremmy]

44 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

When I see advertisements for Mercy Ships it gets me thinking. But I don't know what the time commitment away from home would be.

I’ll take care of Jade! 😹

[A&L_Ont]

29 minutes ago, taznremmy said:

I’ll take care of Jade! 😹

If that doesn’t work, Lucy and Jade would get along perfectly. 

[taznremmy]

3 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

If that doesn’t work, Lucy and Jade would get along perfectly. 

Not unless you start letting Lucy in the house.  I can’t picture Jade in the snow, or a barn. 🙀😹

[The sea calls my name]

1 hour ago, Ocean Boy said:

When I see advertisements for Mercy Ships it gets me thinking. But I don't know what the time commitment away from home would be.

You  might could also do short contracts with cruise lines as the ship doctor. I know years ago we visited with the "ships Dr." He was an ER Dr. on the west coast and was doing a 2 week contract.. Had his family on board with him. Not sure if the lines still do that but a thought.

   

[suzyluvs2cruise]

5 hours ago, doghog said:

Over on the Celebrity forum someone was asking about bringing a sewing machine onboard. One poster claims some have. Unbelievable. Just when I thought I had heard it all here on CC. 🤣

 

4 hours ago, doghog said:

Or attempt to cruise with.

 

According to the person the one she wants to haul with her is a 1937 Singer Featherweight. Not a little hand held. One of the strangest carryons I've read here on CC. And there's been some weirds ones asked about. And people laugh when I say I pack duct(k) tape. 😂

Maybe she's a quilter and wants to work on a project onboard. Those Singer Featherweight machines are great. 

 

[doghog]

1 hour ago, suzyluvs2cruise said:

 

Maybe she's a quilter and wants to work on a project onboard. Those Singer Featherweight machines are great. 

 

And she wants to do her sewing in a public area and not in her cabin. 🙄 I play the drums...