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.