The Final Act! Retired and Rewired
This was supposed to be a list of retirement tips. Instead, you got this. Something I didn’t see coming.
Before I could legally drink a beer, I was already working at the University of Michigan. It was the late 80s—big hair, bad coffee, and me, answering the main phone for the Michigan Union. Fast forward nearly four decades, and on this very day in 2022, Chuck and I called it quits. We timed our retirement so we could say, “May the 4th be with you.”
I didn’t hate my job, but I didn’t love it either. I spent over a ⅓ of my life fixing other people’s problems. When I think about it, my role wasn’t that different from Tom Hardy’s character in MOBLAND—minus the guns.
Instead of cleaning up bodies, I cleaned up messes my colleagues made, usually after a panicked phone call saying, “Sorry, I didn’t think it would be a problem.” I wanted to scream, “Do you not know how to read? The Standard Practice Guide is pretty clear, you can’t do what you just did.”
When we could finally swing it financially, we pulled the trigger. I hate saying we’re “retired”—it makes it sound like we’re lounging in matching recliners watching daytime TV. Maybe we are lounging in matching Stressless Chairs, but we never watch daytime TV. And we’re busier now than we were before. The only difference? We don’t get paid with a traditional paycheck.
I prefer to think of this phase as the final third of life. Or maybe the last act. Morbid? Maybe. But it’s also clarifying.
As of this July, I’ll be 59. Aiming for a life expectancy of 82 gives me roughly 275 months—or 8,401 days—left on the clock. That’s not a downer. That’s focus. It means each “yes” matters. It means I don’t have time to fix other people’s problems.
It means I’m asking, “What do I want?”—without apology.
Like most people, I thought every day would feel like Saturday. I’d sleep in, travel the world, take up painting or pottery, maybe finally write the Great American Novel.
Sadly, there are days I can’t remember what day it is. But truth be told, most of them feel like Thursday, so does it matter that I can't remember which day it is? I don’t set an alarm anymore, but I still wake up early. We travel. I’d love to be a jet-setter, but the reality is we have to be strategic with the travel budget. Lately, we’ve been researching car camping setups, which is weirdly exciting. We’re even thinking about taking Harold, our unnervingly intelligent Subaru Outback1, on a tour of the Southwest.
What I didn’t expect was needing to unlearn the hustle and relearn joy. For two-thirds of my life, I equated success with productivity—punching clocks, fixing problems, chasing metrics, and revenue goals. Going viral was the goal.
But Joseph Campbell said it best:
“We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.”
And so here I am figuring it out.
Going viral is not the goal. You know, big numbers, big reach, big impact. Since Chuck talked me into this newsletter, I’ve learned that small is actually better. (Thanks
)2It’s the difference between having a beer at your neighborhood pub, where the bartender knows your name, versus sipping champagne in the Delta Sky Lounge in Boston. One feels intimate and real. The other? A little unfriendly, and no matter how fancy the drinks or snacks, a bit stale and artificial.
If this newsletter is read by, say, 20 people, that’s like sharing a beer with friends, just a good conversation in a cozy corner of the internet. Sure, I’d love 20,000 people to read it and subscribe, but then what? I’m not great with crowds.
Lifting others up—that’s the goal.
Back in 2022, when I was just dipping a toe into retirement, I would’ve said “Absolutely!” without hesitation. Of course, that’s the goal.
But the truth is, I didn’t really understand what it meant to live that way—to make lifting others up the main thing, not just a nice idea on a mission statement.
Chuck did. He plowed forward and showed me how to do it.
Nearly everything we do through our online magazine is about shining a light on someone else—artists, small businesses, brewers, musicians. We’re out there promoting Michigan’s music and beer scenes, building community one story at a time. (More on a cool new calendar feature we’re launching soon!)
We also produce two podcasts (Fans with Bands and Life In Michigan), both dedicated to celebrating Michiganders doing cool shit—from musicians and authors to cider makers and chamber directors and a whole bunch in between. I need to clarify, it is the royal “we,” it is mostly Chuck doing all the work.
And, just because we weren’t already super busy, we started a nonprofit that spotlights the visual artists who help tell Michigan’s music story—those whose creativity turns sound into something you can see and feel.
It turns out that lifting others up isn’t just the goal. It’s the work.
Sounds pretty altruistic, doesn’t it? Let me be clear—if a sponsor showed up tomorrow and said, “Here’s some funding. Keep doing what you do. No strings attached,” we’d absolutely say yes (and probably cry a little).
But honestly? What keeps us going is the community we’ve built. The incredible people we’ve met. The unexpected friendships. The thank-you notes and paid subscribers from strangers. The kind words that hit at just the right moment.
That’s the real currency.
When I sat down to write this essay, my intention was simple: make a list. Lessons learned in my first three years of retirement. A tidy set of dos and don’ts. Maybe even a cheat sheet for anyone else heading into their next chapter.
So instead of that, you get this:
Stay curious. Be brave enough to be vulnerable. Let go of the hustle—and the lie that something only matters if it goes viral or tops a bestseller list.
Because the life that’s waiting for you might be even better than the one you planned.
Cozy Nook Updates
Chuck accused me of snooping in Maria and Juan’s3 pots. Sigh… maybe just a little. But I was curious! I prefer to think of it as a mini-ultrasound. And good news—I think we’ve got sprouts.
I highly recommend the series MOBLAND—but only with the closed captions on. During the first episode, I turned to Chuck and asked, “Are they speaking English?” I couldn’t understand a word. That said, it’s become one of the highlights of our TV life.
Another recommendation, Paula Hawkins’ The Blue Hour, but with a small caveat: the first 100 pages feel like you’d dropped into the middle of a stranger’s family dinner. I spent the first 100 pages wondering WTF, which is probably why it isn’t getting great reviews.
That said, once it clicks? Buckle up. It’s twisty, tense, and the writing is superb—dark in that deliciously moody Paula Hawkins way. Stick with it.
Life In Michigan Updates
The latest Life Michigan Podcast episode is out!
Exploring Michigan’s Beer Scene and the U.P. with Kevin McKinney of Barrel + Beam
Join us for a fun conversation with Kevin McKinney, Sales and Distribution Manager at Barrel + Beam. Kevin shares his journey from his time in the military and how his love for travel and beer eventually led him to the Upper Peninsula. We talk about his experiences in the Michigan craft beer scene, the unique farmhouse ales of Barrel + Beam, and the joy…
If you have an idea for a guest, email me (info@lifeinmichigan.com). We are looking for anyone who is creative, passionate, and has a story to share about their Life In Michigan. Don’t be shy.
The latest episode of Fans with Bands just dropped!
We haven’t published a damn thing in the past couple of weeks—but we’ve been busy behind the scenes. One project quietly flapping its wings, ready for takeoff, is our new events listing. If you are a Sunday Sip regular, you know Chuck loves curating an events listing.
We were wondering how we can make this more user-friendly.
So we created a public Google Events calendar you can subscribe to and have the coolest events in Michigan land right in the palm of your hand. Too high-tech? No worries—you can scroll through the full list of events Chuck has curated on our website, old-school style.
After you click “Click here,” the Google Calendar will open. Just hit “Add to Google Calendar” and voilà!—the Life In Michigan Events calendar is synced up and ready to roll right alongside yours.
We are still working out the kinks, but please poke around and let us know what you think.
Upcoming Events
Chuck shares a comprehensive list of events you should check out when it is his turn to crank out the Sunday Sip. Here is last week’s
I like to shine the spotlight on just one event! (Proceeds from the cash bar benefit GIG! The Art of Michigan Music Foundation.)
Details about Steampunk on the Bricks 2025
The latest newsletter is out!
More about Maria and Juan in our Cabin Fever edition of the Sunday Sip.
love it, love your attitude and approach. I retired about a year ago and at first worked for about a month very part time back at the u in a very easy job in my field and then found myself dreading even those 4 hours a week and couldn't figure out why until I said out loud, 'I just don't want to work at all! ' boom, free at last, free at last.' love life now. my Subaru is named Matcha.
🙌🏻 rewired is good! Leaving health care and dropping to 4 days/week made me a new person. Thanks for continuing to share your entertaining adventures with us!