Rock Your Retirement Show

Henry interviews me and we talk about how money isn't everything. I actually was hesitant to release this episode since it seems a little self-serving, but my “deal” with Henry was to release his episodes one at a time so that they would live on in the Rock Your Retirement feed. So here goes…. We started off the interview talking about my treadmill desk. You may have heard me talk about my treadmill desk on other episodes. I love my treadmill desk! If you haven't seen it, join my private Facebook group so you can see a picture of it. It's a great tool for staying healthy. Henry and I also discussed my previous career as a Financial Advisor and how and why I walked away from most of my business. We also talked about why I began selling Medicare Supplement Insurance. However, the main focus of the interview, and why Henry invited me on his show was to talk about the Rock Your Retirement show and how money isn't everything. This is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. I started this sho

Melissa Davey, who is in her 60's, retired at the end of 2015, to pursue her second act and dream of becoming a filmmaker. She is currently making a Documentary about women over sixty. Her film is The Beyond Sixty Project. Melissa used to sit in restaurants and watch everyone. She has this infinite need to understand people. Melissa had no experience in the film industry. She always had an interest in film and the process of making a film. In 2014 she got to spend the day on set with M. Night Shyamalan who is a famous film director. He asked her what she did, and after explaining her high-powered job as a Vice President she said: “But that's not what I really want to do.” She told him that she wanted his job. After this day, Melissa knew she was going to make a film, and she knew it would be a documentary about women over sixty. She went into work the next day, talked to her CEO about retiring, and the process of her new career began! I feel like I am still growing and learning, and that's an awes

Tim Stansmore went from cats to classic cars in his retirement. Tim built a successful “Cattery” during his working career. What is a “Cattery”? Good question because I didn't know either until I listened to this interview. A Cattery is a boarding establishment for cats. Tim didn't just build any cat boarding facility, this was the Taj Maj Hal for cats. Ironically, Tim is allergic to cats. Tim and Henry talk about some of the hilarious stories of the owners of the cats. Tim says in the interview, if he was to write a book, it would be on the cat's owners and not the cats themselves. So how does Tim go from cats to classic cars? After 10 years, Tim sold his business and bought a property on the east side of Melbourne Australia. The property came with a garage, a huge shed, and an aircraft hangar. This would end up being perfect for him to store his many classic cars and motorcycles. This guy knows his stuff when it comes to cars and motorcycles! Tim and Henry talk about they many cars a

I spoke with Mary Fran Bontempo about bad words. Mary Fran has a great sense of humor and you can tell by the name of her blog, “Not Ready for Granny Panties.” She is also the author of 3 books. Today we talked about her latest book, “The Woman's Book of Dirty Words”. These bad words aren't what you might think they are. Before we talked about Mary Fran’s book, I just had to go over an article on her website about “Shhssing your brain” Do you ever feel like you just can’t shut your brain off? This is called ‘brain chatter’, Mary Fran explains where she discovered this and what you can do to help yourself. We also touched on Mary Fran's son and how she and her husband dealt with his heroin addiction. Her advice is to not think you're going to fix it. Get professional help! Onto the dirty! The ‘bad words’ that Mary Fran goes over with us in this podcast: * Fine * Adventure * Nice * No (We even did a little role-playing on how to say no) * Balance The constraints that we put on ourselves to become spectacular&

Peter Glover was learning to fly when he was 60 years old! Some people retire once, Peter Glover did it twice. The first was a planned retirement and an injury caused the second. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing though! With time on his hands, Peter was able to pursue his passion of learning to fly. Before Peter retired, he raced cars and motorcycles. His mechanical experience allowed him to build “rally cars”. Peter won a some major races in Australia. Once he retired from this work, he bought a large sheep and crop farm. With basically no experience, Peter managed his farm successfully until he was injured and hurt his back. This stopped his farming career. Peter didn't have the opportunity to become a pilot as a teenager.  But it was still in his heart to learn.  And after he spoke with a pilot at a car race one day, he decided he was going to fulfill his dream of learning to fly. Think it's expensive?  Learning to fly might not be as expensive as you think.  But not everyone can do it becau

Don't simply retire from something, have something to retire to! Megan Giles supports those approaching retirement to successfully transition and create a retirement they will love to live! This is achieved through action-focused planning sessions and workshop facilitation. The key to success for the people who work with Megan is structured planning, looking beyond the finances, harnessing opportunities, informed decision making and tailored actions.  Megan and I talked about how she helps people prepare for retirement. Just as we do here at Rock Your Retirement, Megan focuses on the non-financial aspects of retirement. (YES a kindred spirit!) She likes to look at the whole person and what really enables the quality of life. She looks at things like; how you connect to people, how emotionally supported you are and do you feel you have a purpose? It's never too late to make changes and create a greater sense of satisfaction and enjoyment in life after work. Acknowledging that you're struggling but willing to t

Henry interviews Margaret Cook, a serial entrepreneur, about making the most out of life. Margaret started her married life in an RV! And she's not afraid of learning either.  Her zest for it gave her the opportunity to learn what she needed to know in order to build a coffee shop in her hometown. This is a fascinating story of someone not afraid to follow her own path, and not afraid to put in the time to learn. Henry learned how Margaret is making the most out of her current life. Margaret did a lot of things.  She worked as a nurse when she was young.  This woman even taught herself how to upholster furniture.  She purchased and ran a shop to showcase her furniture.  And she's been a hairdresser. Not only that, but she's also been a massage therapist. This woman has done it all! In her current life of setting up and running the coffee shop, she's had to learn a host of new things. This includes the legal aspects in her area. It includes deciding on what to add to the menu.  Additionally, she needed to figu

John Brocato will talk to us about traveling solo. John had the fortune (or misfortune) of growing up a Kansas City Royals fan living in St. Louis Cardinals territory. John’s two primary hobbies are baseball and travel. He decided to write a book about his adventures which is called Road Trips, Routes, and Royals. John is the first to admit that he is difficult to travel with. He likes to go “off the beaten path”. This is one of the reasons he began traveling solo. John has some fascinating stories to tell about his travels and he gives a TON of great information in this episode. John mostly travels to see baseball games, and works other travel around those games.  He also likes to visit Presidential Libraries.   There are still three he needs to visit. Here are some of the tips John talks about in his interview for traveling solo and “on the cheap!” * Start close to home to build your confidence * Be loyal to certain hotel chains which will allow you to get points or rewards for disc

Henry went on vacation to a Carob factory! He visited a tourist attraction called Carobana, and discovered that one of the owners, Jean Hamey, had a lot more to talk about than just carob!  She and her husband Ian operate Carobana, which is a tourist attraction, and a factory, which manufactured Carob coated treats. If you have never seen carob, it is a large seed pod of the carob tree.  We actually have them in San Diego where I (Kathe) live.  First you remove the seeds.  Then you dry and powder the pod.   Jean explains the rest of the process in the interview. Jean agreed to talk about her carob organization with Henry. She and her husband inherited the place after her in-laws passed away.  They now have a successful  manufacturing, retail and tourism business.  Much of the interview focuses on the development of the enterprise, and Jean’s unique business skills. As far as the carob business, Ian has built much of the machinery, and persistence and hard work have produced a steady growth which has resulted

Medical tourism can be defined as the process of traveling outside the country of residence for the purpose of receiving medical care. OMG, I had two guests on this episode, so you get two for the price of one!  Or is it double trouble?  I’ll let you decide. I brought Billy and Akaisha Kaderli on the show for a couple of reasons. They retired when they were 38 years old.  Yes, you read that correctly.  So they have now beat out WENDY HOLT for being the youngest retiree on the show.  Or should I use my new word Time Shifter?  you can read more about Time shifting on the Rock your Retirement website. Billy and Akaisha are experts in a lot of areas, including Medical Tourism which is another reason I wanted them on the show. Billy and Aikaisha feel that the medical care they receive outside of the US is better than the care they receive in the US and at a fraction of the price. After 5 weeks in Mexico, Billy needed a new crown. He was able to see four different dentists and get his issue resolved.  It only cost

Henry had never gone to Karaoke before. From Henry's article: “I admit, I had a jaundiced idea of karaoke although I had never been to a session.  But three hours in the Royal Hotel in Taree has turned me round completely.  However, I promise never to get up to sing, simply for the protection and respect for the other patrons. Why  SWMBO and I attended a karaoke night is a bit of a long story, so you will have to listen to find out.   We both loved the Thursday night karaoke in the Royal Hotel in Taree, where I learned many things and was forced all my preconceptions about karaoke.  And you can't beat the five dollar Bangers and Mash meal for value. The folk who got up to sing were not drunk twenty and thirty year olds. The people who got up to sing had, for the most part, really terrific voices.  The folk who got up to sing were not doing it to show off to their partners. The singers were not in the least part competitive.  There was definite goodwill and support for folk who were nervous or new to the

What is responsible travel? I spoke with Tammie Ferguson who owns Love in Action Travel. Don't you just love that name? Tammie talks about socially responsible travel. Tammie created Love in Action travel for people who want to combine their love of travel with their passion for serving others and making a positive difference. We spent a good amount of time talking about “Voluntourism” Trips. They plan itineraries to different countries such as Guatemala, Haiti, and Puerto Rico. People can sign up and join on the trip. These are 9-10 day itineraries with 5 days of that being spent building a home.  Some of the projects they work on are: * Habitat for Humanity global village home builds * Serving orphanages * Creating Healthy Home kits, including smokeless stoves and water filters Why Responsible Travel? * Great opportunity to meet new people * Explore a different country * Learn a new skill * Rejuvenate * Give back Although prices vary and can change, Tammie has a trip planned to Guatemala in

Jim Moir doesn't think that he's too old to skydive. Henry had a conversation with Jim and found out that Jim used to skydive competitively.  When he retired he said he was obviously too old for competition because the youngsters thrash him. Jim couldn't just retire from skydiving though, so he redirected the skills and experience he had built up over decades. So he's still involved in the sport he loves. Henry follows Jim's progress in life and parachuting, from beginner to competitor to champion and instructor.  Not only does Jim like to parachute out of airplanes, but he also taught his wife to skydive.  She went from a novice to a champion skydiver in under two years. Jim lives in Melbourne, Australia, as do many of Henry's guests.  They go over what equipment you need.  Henry and Jim talk about why you can skydive at any age. They talk about the great innovations in the sport.  And why age doesn't matter.  Do you want a heart stopping feeling of exhilaration?  Try skydiving.  At any age. But that's not a

Thinking of cruising in retirement? Check out Cruise Critic! As most of you know, I recently went on a cruise, and while I was there, I met Donna Clark. I just had to interview her for the show to talk about Cruise Critic! Donna doesn't work for this website…she just thinks it's pretty awesome and so do I!  And no, they are not paying me to say this!  (But they should…right? Ha!) http://CruiseCritic.com is the most extraordinary place to go to find volumes of information and helps keep you cruising in retirement. This website is a valuable tool for anyone looking into cruising or on a cruise. You can find things such as: * Member reviews of cruises * Reviews of ships * Reviews of staterooms on the ships * Port reviews * Sometimes they will have professional reviews along with member reviews * Excursion reviews * Finding a cruise * Browsing destinations and deals and much… much more! You can become a member of cruisecritic and there are some great benefits to this. Community Page: When you

Rod and Tina Holt wanted to explore Australia after working hard physical labor all their lives. They decided on a life on the road in a RV, known as a caravan in Australia.  Now they are RVing across Australia. Rod, being very independent loves the freedom of the wide open road, not to mention the absence of stress! But just how do you start to live the RV life? Henry and Rod had a great discussion about living this lifestyle, caravaning and how free it feels.  He asked them how they started (after all, moving into such a tiny movable space isn't something that you do every day for sure!)  The Holts started small.  They new that they needed to acclimate themselves to this lifestyle so they started with short trips to get acquainted with living in an RV, and then they decided to see every corner of Australia.  That's when they began RVing across Australia. During the interview Henry gets them to discuss issues such as: * How to choose the right RV for you * Important issues to look for * Where to store you

Diane Valenti loves to travel and is especially enthusiastic about philanthropic and sustainable travel. She is the founder of Llama Expeditions, which gives private guided trips to South America. These trips are for the young at heart who looking for life changing perspectives. Oh, and for her 9-5 corporate job, she consults with Fortune 500 companies to design learning experiences that help employees reach their potential at work. In 2008 Diane and her father took a trip to Machu Pichu to fulfill one of his bucket list items. It was a magical experience that really moved her. Diane decided she wanted to create these experiences for others. With each tour she makes a donation, and she also gives the opportunity for her guests to donate. She chooses the organizations who get her philanthropic attention by researching them at Idealist.  Diane wants to leave a trace…but the right kind of trace. This is not what some people call “voluntourism”.  These groups are not painting walls, only for the

Why are life stories important? There are things in the world that most folks just don’t think about. Maybe till it is too late. Janella Hodgson records the life stories of people as they approach the end of their life. Maybe they are terminally ill, or maybe they are simply aged and worn out. She is a volunteer for Eastern Palliative Care, which is an organization that provides Palliative and Hospice services.  These include home and nursing care  to recording and transcribing the stories of people who have moved beyond medical help. People want their story told.  You'll find out their motivation, their reactions, and why Janella wanted to be a voluntary biographer. You'll find answers to the question “Why are life stories important?”. Interestingly, for the biographer a successful outcome for their work is not necessarily a published biography, nor is that the over-riding purpose of this program. But you are going to have to listen to the interview to sort that out. Eastern Palliative Care is al

I asked Karin to come on the show to talk to us about the documents we need to have a great retirement. Karin Schumacher has been an attorney since 2001. She is regarded as compassionate, accomplished, and dedicated at Elder Law & Advocacy, Legal Aid Society, and San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program. She has effectively served over 12,000 clients. She talks about her grandfather who was a very “well to do” business owner. (He owned 3 auto supply stores). At the time he passed away in 1975, he had over ten million dollars. He wanted his children and his grandchildren to receive that. The problem was that unbeknownst to him, the Corporate Trustee he used, did not have his best interest at heart. All of his hard earned money had been squandered. Now in 1975, there was far less oversight on Corporate Trustees and a lot fewer regulations than there are now. Put these documents in place BEFORE they are needed. Also update or review them on a regular basis because life events and circumstances change frequ

If you go to sea at fifteen, by sixty five you will have seen and learned a few things. Rob Anderson certainly has. They didn’t talk about what Rob is doing in retirement. But they did have a hilarious discussion about his experiences as the Captain or First Mate of the various ships he has worked on. He tells of experiences like towing oil rigs, and doing duty as the medical officer.  There were burials at sea, and a story about what happens when you are shaving without any clothes on while travelling in rough seas. Henry challenges us to guess how that turned out. There were plenty of other stories but you know how colorful a captain of the ship can be, so Henry couldn't air those stories.  Ha! In the later part of the show they talk about the times Rob was the Captain of the ship, “Sea Shepherd” and he was also captain of the ship the “Steve Irwin”. Sea Shepherd is the organization whose ships deliberately challenge the Japanese whaling fleet while they slaughter hundreds of whales in the name

What are the 5 Golden Rules of Retirement you never knew? I talked with Bart Astor. Bart has appeared on numerous TV and radio shows, including ABC’s “Good Morning America,” PBS’s “MarketPlace,” Ric Edelman’s “The Truth About Money,” AARP Radio, “Two Boomer Babes,” and Boomer’s Rock radio. So as you can imagine, I was honored to have him on my show! Bart Astor is a recognized expert in life’s transitions and eldercare. He is the author of a plethora of books including AARP Roadmap for the Rest of Your Life. This book does talk about money, but it also talks about health, work, lifestyle, and pursuing your dreams. And that's what this show is about!  I wanted to find out what his 5 golden rules of retirement were… When we are working, and thinking about retirement, one of the issues we have to deal with is our ego. Our identity. Who are we? In Bart's writings, he's talked about 5 golden rules of retirement, or for setting the roadmap to what he calls a successful “Second Adulthood.”  Bart goes into more