Thinking about retirement

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That’s what I was thinking all during orientation until they told us that by just putting in the minimum amount every month into your 401K, but 65 you can be a millionaire.

Wait, hold the phone, WHAT?  A millionaire? SWEEEET!  I can spare a few bucks a month, right? Now, I am really not good when it comes to math, so I really don’t know if this estimation is true, but it sounds really cool, right? I mean, who wouldn’t want to be rolling in the big bucks.

But now, is this a millionaire because you have millions? Or because you saved about a million dollars. Because, while that is still really neat and a TON of money, if you think about the cost of living nowadays, that’s not going to be all that much. Like maybe a new house and all its furnishings? That kind of puts a damper on the situation…so, for the sake of imagination and the thought that maybe in a few years I can afford to contribute more than the minimum amount per year – what would I do with that retirement?

After I frame my golden stethoscope given to me by my grateful employer to thank me for my years of service, I would go somewhere tropical and sit out on the beach (for the sake of imagination here, we’re going to pretend that I still look good in a bathing suit).  A mai tai in one hand and a book in the other, I want to lounge out on those chairs that are part way in the water already, or out on a cabana. And that’s just during the summer time – a new place every year.

I want to see the colors change in the fall.  I want to spend my autumns in a small colonial village in New England, and enjoy a REAL fall season. Crispy air and hot coco with leaves crunching under my feet.

I want to spend the winter in the SNOW! For at least the first winter I want to see snow, feel snow, freeze a little and then warm up by a fire place and snuggle up to hear the wood crackle.

And in the spring… somewhere – anywhere with LOTS of flowers. I’ll load up on Claritin and run through fields of flowers (because, duh, I’ll be a better runner at 65 than I am now…).  I want to watch flowers bloom and listen to birds chirp, see the world through rose colored glasses… and find someplace that actually has a may-pole to dance around.

And then repeat. Different places every time, see the world, take my family along with me.  Why not?

Well, chances are I’ll still be a nurse somehow, even  just part time, staying close to family and still being very content with life, but hey, a girl can dream, right?