read52

By the way, the teacher that stayed to longest at my school was 31 years which I wanted to reach and will because this is my 31 st year. But a teacher who came in a year before me right out of college is starting her 32 year. So I will never match her because she is 11 years younger than me.

Well, I started another school year and got my 35 years award(I actually have 2 1/2 years part time teaching but that does not count). Still not sure when I will retire but I definitely will not go past next school year. I have a small class and they are nice and hard working.

I was posting on this thread 4 years ago with others. At least 1 year before I retired. You guys will get there and you will love being retired. Pretty much you get to choose what you want to do' date=' when you want to do it, or do nothing!!![emoji4']

 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Forums mobile app

Hey Debbie,

Finished up another school year. I started collecting social security in March. I paid off our first mortgage on our house June 30th. I will work at least one more year to pay off some bills. Then I will see what happens. I did talk to my principal about part time work since my grandkids will be going to my school and after 30 years there I still want to be connected. My class was a challenge but the new principal was good. I don't have to worry about taking anymore classes because they have a new ruling that if you are over 55 and have taught for 25 years or more you can get a permanent license.

We are on the same cruise. We won the backpack at the meet and mingle. Wish we could have seen the launch but we couldn’t see it from Universal.

I agree with all the previous posts especially the last one. One thought that was not mentioned is that there is a doctor on board. My husband experienced seizures for 12 years after having viral incelephitis. It was an easy way to travel with some one who has to rest. In the last 1 1/2 the doctors found a med that stopped the seizures but we still cruise because we love it.

Well, I guess I am getting closer to retirement.

I am a teacher and plan on one more school year. I wanted to go on Symphony of the Seas so we booked it for Oct. of 2019.

Catholic and Christian elementary and high schools are out the week after Easter. Public schools are usually out that week or the week before Easter. As someone said, look for the weeks that are higher priced, because that is when schools are out. We have hurricane season but not a rainy season in the US.

I retired almost 3 years ago, but my wife will retire on March 23rd and then we'll board a cruise ship March 30th.

She has worked for the same employer for 44 years, which is almost unheard of these days.

To say she is getting excited would be an understatement.

This is my 30th year in the same school (I work in a private school). My children went to the school. My granddaughter is presently in 1st grade. I have two students in my class that I taught their mothers. The second grade teacher was also one of my students.

I will get my first SS check at the end of March, two days before our Easter cruise. I have about 10 payments left on our 1st mortgage. I am going to use the money from SS to pay it off a few months early. Then by working next school year, I plan to pay off bills so I can retire in June of 2019.

Three years ago at Easter, my husband and I boarded the Quantum after they had norovirus. The boarding was late and we did not get into our rooms until 8:00 pm which meant we had to drag our carry on luggage to dinner with us and all around the ship. We meet some great people on board but the cruise was ruined not by getting norovirus but my husband getting sick from the cleaning product. They were spraying it everywhere and not wiping it off the tables, etc. When we got home we found out what they used and found a small disclaimer that less than 5% of people may have a neurological problem with the product. My husband has seizures that are most of the time controlled by meds. On that cruise he had a seizure 5 times during the cruise. The type of seizure that he had is called Todd's paralyisis which means his hand, leg or speech was not working. Even with meds to treat it, we had to stay in our room for 1 to 4 hours until it went away. After talking with RCCL, several times they refunded the price of my husband's cruise.

Wow!! What a great thread, and one which has been going since 2009! There has been some really great advice posted here on a wide variety of topics.

 

Overwhelming I am reading that people are happy withtheir decision to retire, but I am curious to hear if anyone decided it was nota good decision after they had retired, and if so what you did about it (returnto your old job or….).

 

 

I am about 80 hump days (weeks) away from my planned retirement (July, 2019). I’ve been to a number of classes about retirement, which have provided some excellent information. A number of classes have stressed that, while important, financial planning is not the only aspect to consider when planning for retirement. They talked about the need to have some structure and plans for your post-retirement life. Of course, part of that planning includes going on cruises! :D

Yes, it is not just money that is needed to retire but purpose to your day. I have two of my grandchildren who live near me so some time will be spent picking them up from school (one comes with me now) and taking them places. Besides cruises, visiting my other grandchildren in two different states would be another way to enjoy retirement.

Debbie

Dec. 26 I am going to apply for my Social Security as I will be 66 in Feb. I planned on teaching fulltime for one more year (2018-2019). Then I found out that I can work 19 hours a week in the school system and still collect my pension. So hopefully, that will work. No benefits but just some extra money.

I know of someone who had a small dog that alerts them when a seizure is about to happen. I have no idea how the dog knows, but that is really not the point.

 

The point is, there are legitimate service animals for many things. However, many...unfortunately my cousin is one...go online and get certificates for "emotional support animals" (that is what my cousin has) but they have never been under treatment for emotional issues, seen a doctor for emotional issues, been in ad hoc group sessions for emotional issues or, in any other form or setting, have been thought to have emotional issues. Those are the problem people.

 

In my opinion airlines, cruise lines, trains, hotels, etc. should require something from a doctor and there should be a requirement of documentation that a certified trainer has performed specific and specialized training that enables the animal to provide the assistance a doctor said was needed.

My husband had seizures as a result of an illness that were not controlled by meds. We bought a dog at the time that he started with seizures. Although she was never trained, she could tell when he was going to have one and many times she would bring him out of one. But we never brought her with us when we traveled. After 12 years, we found a different med that works and he has been seizure free for a year.

I am looking to book a cruise for August 2018. I can't help but feeling like I will only hit, at most, 1-2 new places if I do another cruise through the Caribbean. So, I am considering spreading my wings, which has brought me here, pondering an Alaskan cruise. For those that have done one, or several, can you persuade me into booking one? What are your favorite Alaskan ports/cruising experiences (because I know some itineraries cruise through Glacier Bay and such, not dock)? What are your favorite Alaskan cruise memories? What makes Alaskan cruises stand out?

 

Thank you to anyone who provides information, I'm hoping this thread will help me, as well as all future Alaskan first-time cruisers in either booking or planning their trip! :)

I see that you are from Annapolis, MD. We are in Silver Spring. We have cruised out of Baltimore on RC and Carnival. We have been to Alaska twice on RC once in June and just in August of 2017. The best part of an Alaskan tour is seeing a glacier from the ship. You can't get there any other way. By the way, Bermuda is great too. We are going out of NJ at Easter because they can handle a large ship and we don't have to fly.

Debbie,

Have a great cruise! I will be correcting papers. But I will also be taking my two grandchildren to a birthday and Halloween parties this weekend. It is my son-in-law's birthday and they are going away for the weekend. The one part of my job that I enjoy is seeing my granddaughter at the school that I have taught at for the last 30 years.

Shirley

The program is called Charlotte Danielson's Framework for teaching. Like you said, someone comes in for an hour or more and tapes everything. Like I said, I think it will be one more school year after this one. I plan to take my SS at my birthday in Feb. because I will be 66 so I don't have a limit as to how much I can earn. My former partner did it. She was 70 when she retired.

That sounds like Common Core. That is what happened when it first started here. One reason I left too. Last half year I took an aides position. A big cut in pay, but I didn't lose my sanity...lol. I hope it gets better for you. Our evaluations changed too. They would come in for 90 minutes, tape recorded everything you said, and used laptops to continually write notes. I think it was like 150 benchmarks needed to be covered. Also grading scale from 1-4. 4 got you $300 more a year, not a month, a 1 or 2 got you more work and having to observe other teachers. I think a 3 you got $150 more a year, not monthly. Don't miss any of it!!

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Forums mobile app

I had in mind one more year after this year to pay off some bills but after that meeting on Friday, I think will happen. Also my granddaughter will be in third grade (the grade I have been teaching for 3 years now). My grandson will also be in school too. The way they described the process was how you described it. Some lady set up this system. Of course, I can't predict the future. My younger sister just lost her husband. He was 60. They had a business that her son will run.

I'll start getting Medicare benefits on the first and hubby started August first. So nice not to worry about the big deductible we had before!!! $3,000, thank you very much! I think Medicare is $250!

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Forums mobile app

Well, Debbie I think I have finally hit a wall. First, this school year we are doing a standards base report card which is a different way of grading. Yesterday, I was at a large group meeting and they were discussing a new way of evaluation of teachers. Last year we started a new language arts program that does not have reading books but uses fiction books. I think I can safely say one my year and I will retire. Too many changes.

Needing health insurance and the fact that my husband got sick 12 1/2 years ago, is the reason I am still working. I also do like my job and make good money. My husband has two illnesses in his early 50's and had to go on disability which put us back financially. If I work two more years, I can have the house paid off and pay off some bills. I will be 66 in Feb. and I plan to state taking my SS and still work. When I retire, I plan to work part time to help pay for extra insurance since I can't take my health insurance with me.

Everyone is different, but weigh your options and do what you want to do, not what someone else thinks you should do. And Freedom is a very good way of putting it! Loving my freedom!😁

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Forums mobile app

Hi, saw you on another post about diamond benefits (drinks). We are going with my son and family from Chicago on a cruise to Alaska Aug. 11 on Explorer. We can't drink so we will give our drinks to them.

I'm 60 and DH is 63. He plans to turn his business over to our son in 2 years and will continue to help him as needed. He plans to continue to farm until 70. My job is very stressful, and although I like many aspects of it I am ready to leave as soon as I can. Have 4 grown kids and 7 granddaughters. I take care of my granddaughters during the school year on my days off. There are lots of reason to not HAVE to keep working. The commute in the winter time is scary. My hours are long as well, leaving the house At 5:45 and getting home at 8:45-9:30.pm. 4 years 11 months and I hope to be able to leave. Is love to have a small business of my own then but not sure what that would be. No matter what I know I won't be idle.

I only have 2 of my 6 grandchildren who live near me. My granddaughter comes to my school. So after school she comes home with me until about 6:30 pm when her parents are done working. In two years, I will be 67 and she will be in third grade which is the grade I teach so I think I may retire then.

Any words of wisdom for those of us in the less than 5 years til freedom category? Recently had a family member tell us we shouldn't retire.. ever!

Can I ask how old you are? I am a teacher. My partner teacher just retired at the age of 70. I am 65 and plan to work for 2 more years. We love to cruise.

We became diamond with our last cruise. What is the "tour event"?

I was on here almost 3 years ago. Glad to see it still going. It would take a ball and chain to get me back to work now.. lol

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Forums mobile app

Going on a cruise to Alaska with my son from Chicago and his family in a couple of weeks. Last August we went with my son from San Antonio on a cruise. So my granddaughter who just turned 6 and lives near us said next August with get to go on a cruise.