I think if I end up in your shoes I'll just be a fishing guide at the local lake. Fall to spring fishery.
I've got a 14' tinny with oars and a nice 7.5hp for it. I built a set of outriggers ad hoc one night that'll hold a cooler on each side and a top platform.
What I am not, is a guy who knows how to train people. Wanna catch a trout with me? Check it, I'm going to do it off a spinner, a float jig and wet fly off fluro and braid. All. Day. Long.
Wanna see me fly fish for trout or spin off a rooster/mep/pm? Or fish how you should? Nope, I couldn't purposely point you in the direction, I couldn't intentionally catch a fish. I'm 100% dumbluck.
Fishing is like golf, except I hate golf. When I golf the proper way, crap 20 over. Easily. Let me hit my pals handicap? (Personal alcohol limit), get a little juice in my legs, I'm playing at par.
I'd be a fun guide-but we're out here enjoying the float, what the water gives up, we'll find out
what was your expectation going into it? Did you anticipate this is how it would go down?
Honestly, that something interesting would happen, that I'd either actually dive into retirement, or get bored off m butt, do everything possible, have some sort of idea to do something or buy into something or consult somewhere like NZ or MT/ID (connections).
I only knew it'd be unexpected and that I have age on my side, and worst case, I can always bounce in and out. I never thought it would happen so soon, or thst after planning hunts I'd look at my schedule and start figuring out what I should do in the meantime on the remaining dates..
That last line is very applicable for a lot of people. I talk big about hating my job and getting out ASAP, but in reality I'd get bored fast... real fast, and I don't have any skills beyond this desk and keyboard so I'm really up shitcreek on my own. Not having anyone to recreate with is a real concern for people who bow out early. We had a young engineer that walked away to start a business with his wife, he claimed he was super busy still, but was constantly texting about mt biking at 10am on a tuesday... the rest of use were like "no... we're working... remember?" eventually he swapped us out as friends for doctors and fireman, you know, the two professions that can mt bike at 10am on tuesday.
Yup. Run into that daily. I even offered my buddy I'd buy into his business to run it, he can just be back in the field, he'd have time off to hang out or be with his family, bros before hoes man
I trxt my buddies like-cmon man-"sorry man-work/family/etc-how bout 3 Sundays from next month?"
Or bully my step dad "cmon you know you're bored and installing new shelves in the new van only because you have time to kill and money to burn-lets go-im just grabbing the boat"
"sure let me run to the store first, I need 3 bolts, a nut, the 9n I just bought needs a, oh did I tell you about that? So I had a...."
(2 hours later)
"Yea so listen-im just about to cast now so if you want me to pick you up at a dock-let me know"