Starting a new Chapter in Life

[alra195]

Well after 31 years of working as a park ranger and park manager with the Corps of Engineers at a variety of flood control projects in Ohio and Pennsylvania to day is my last day! As of 3:30 PM I'm retired. I plan to dedicate the next year to getting out from behind the computer I've been chained to for nearly 25 years and reintroduce myself to the outdoors.

Lots of fishing, turkey, deer, and mushroom hunting planned for the near term. I'll continue to be active as a volunteer with the Boy Scouts but I'm also planning to attend my first Fish-In in Michigan this year. I look forward to seeing some of you FAOL folks at this event and others in the upcoming years.

It's been a great ride but I'm looking forward to turning the page to this new chapter!

[Rick Z]

Congrats
Rick

[Eric-WD]

congratulations

Eric

[Kaboom1]

Hey Joe

Congratulations on the retirement. It is everything it is talked up to be!

Sure will be nice to see you at the fish in. If you are planning on staying at Gates, I would suggest that you make your reservations early. As you know, they fill up fast that time of year. If you need any more info on the Fish In, just shoot me a PM.

I will be furling leaders at the BUFF show this weekend. Stop in and say hi.

Brad

[garyj147]

Joe,

Congratulations on your change of life! I know well the feeling of freedom that you will soon experience. I retired from TVA as a Senior Specialist in Natural Resource Management on January 11, 2013 after a 35.5 year career. While I enjoyed most of my career dealing with the fisheries, wildlife, and land management issues of the Tennessee Valley, it was time for retirement. Work just wasn't as much "fun" in my later years as the earlier part of my career had been. Now that I have a year of retirement under my belt, I'm not sure how I managed to find time for work all of those 35.5 years! It is amazing how "busy" I've been during this past year.

The wife and I are now getting prepared to try to sell our home in Tennessee and move West. We're planning a flying trip to about three locations in Idaho and Oregon within the next month or two to finalize the location we wish to move to. We've done lots of research this past year to fine-tune our choices.

If you want a little free advice (it's worth exactly what you're paying for it!), don't make any other life-changing decisions for about a year to give yourself time to try on the "new you". Electing to retire is a significant enough change to make for this year. Walk around in your new shoes and get them broken in first. I think you will really enjoy the new you!! Good luck!

Gary J.

[Betty Hiner]

Gary said a mouthful in his third paragraph!! So true!!
Congratulations ... and enjoy!!

[ducksterman]

Gary said a mouthful in his third paragraph!! So true!!
Congratulations ... and enjoy!!

Very true..
When I first retired people would ask me what I did with my time. I would tell them that when I got up in the morning I realized I didn't have to do anything and when I was ready to go to bed at night I realized I only got it half done.