№ 833. Federer

“I’m trying to get better at golf,” Federer mused, “I would love to start with an instrument again. I used to play the piano, so when I have more time, I’d like to dive into that because my four children and my wife play the piano.

“I hope I’m a good listener and a good decision-maker. Hopefully I’m a guy who people enjoy being around. I’m a big family guy. I love being surrounded by my friends – that’s really the priority in my life.” 

 

№ 722. End Game: Retirement

Tanseco

But of course, retirement is only common in the middle class in the Philippines, where you’d need at least P5 million to live comfortably in retirement. Most Filipinos work until old age, but big family units make it easier to pull back from working in your later years.

Big 7 Travel ranked its Best Places to Retire list based on a number of factors, namely: quality of life, cost of living, rent index, restaurant price index, average annual temperatures, the easiness of obtaining a visa or residency, healthcare, hospitality, language barriers, and the range of things to do.

The Philippines, surprisingly, ranked higher than Luxembourg, Ireland, and New Zealand. Meanwhile, the best countries to retire in are Slovenia, Portugal, Estonia, Spain, and Paraguay. But you won’t have to fly halfway across the world for a cozy retirement community when you can find it right here in the Philippines.

№ 608. It’s never too Late

Pickles

 

Vera Jiji, 93, at her home in New York with her cello. “It has given me a way to communicate without using words,” she said.

№ 204. 884 Mondays Till Retirement

It's Monday. Again. I know the feeling. There are piles of work, deadlines to beat and projects to accomplish. I've been through several Mondays before. In 43 years, 2,236 Mondays. There will be several more to go. That's 884 Mondays more till retirement, kid.

What's an appropriate emoticon for Mondays?

But then.... there's this article about getting old and not retiring. And a quote from Pablo Casals:

“The man who works and is never bored is never old. Work and interest in worthwhile things are the best remedy for age.

On my last birthday I was ninety-three years old. That is not young, of course. In fact, it is older than ninety. But age is a relative matter. If you continue to work and to absorb the beauty in the world about you, you find that age does not necessarily mean getting old. At least, not in the ordinary sense. I feel many things more intensely than ever before, and for me life grows more fascinating.”