My close friends and family are well aware that one of my major preoccupations is choosing a place to 'retire' to. I use the ' ' because of course writers never actually stop working, but unless the law is changed soon I will have to leave my university job in 7 years' time. For years I've wondered where I would end up in my 'retirement'. I grew up by the sea and aim to return to the coast when I am no longer tied to a physical workplace. But which coast? First choice would be California, but that's too far from my family and there are other logistical issues, money not the least of them. Ideally I would commute between a seaside home in CA and one in the UK but only if I suddenly get very rich (unlikely).
This year I've started to look into the possibilities of not having a home at all. I could put my stuff into storage, sell or rent my apartment, and use the proceeds to become a senior technomad. There are plenty of examples to inspire me. The Snowbirds are famous retirees who travel North America, following the good weather in their motorhomes and checking back at their storage facilities occasionally until eventually they discard even those possessions and simply wander free. Then there are the technomads, like Chris Dunphy and Cherie Ve Ard aka Technomadia. I heard them speak at ETech this year and was very energised by their wired on-the-road lifestyle. I guess I'm already a bit of a technomad because I work on the road a lot, but not as often as many people. Journalist Bill Thompson, for example, is taking it a step further by spending a nomadic month during the coming weeks. You may or may not be able to follow his journey because he may or may not be posting from the road, but I suspect his Twitter feed will be the easiest way to find him.
I'll be watching his experience with interest as I continue to work on my post-proper-job strategy. One thing I've realised this year is that the anxiety about finding the best place to retire to has finally subsided because I now understand that my real all-time favourite location is cyberspace and that can be with me wherever I am, so long as the wherever has a good view of the beach and a comfy table and chair. I'm looking forward to hitting the road as a senior technomad.
Det, very sorry but this comment got caught in my spam system and I've only just found it. Thanks for your observation and your invitation too!
Posted by: Sue Thomas | October 22, 2009 at 03:41 PM
Being retired for several years now (meaning being master of the time scheme of my life) I enjoy exploring all the fascinations piled up in my head because there was no time to explore them. Living in my atelier between the trees birds squirrels for me it is a time to look over all the knowledge and emotions and most of all the combination. You're right there are many places where you can live, you create your own landscape in your mind. For me what matters is room for imagination fascinations and concentration on my never ending project "time circle around the world" Whenever you're planning to travel around, you're always welcome. Detdigit
Posted by: Det Bazelmans | October 04, 2009 at 03:44 PM