Serenity

[Chris Hooper]

After graduating from law school in 1989 (I had to pay child support first) I worked as a lawyer in Reno for 13 plus years. I then retired to my log cabin in the Idaho Sawtooth Mountains. I have not been blessed with a wife since 1970 so my retirement is selfish. I learned that not working is much better than working if one can afford bourbon and a bit of food. Chris Hooper

[John Sims]

Do I ever envy you. I worked until January 1996 and have been retired since. Do not miss work and have not since I retired. Wish I could live like you but we moved back East after retirement to be with our grandkids.

The little one, 8 years old is ours more than his parents.

[Bill Hansen]

Serenity? No, not really - but active/interesting.

My 30 year career with IBM ended shortly after a late '95 announcement of job function transfer to Harrisburg, PA. No way we were going to relocate there! Worked another year for an affiliate company - it was nothing like IBM - and retired in April '96. Played more daytime tennis, helped coach two grandson's Little League teams and TRIED to be a supportive "house husband." There are differing opinions as to the effectiveness of those efforts! Wife, Sandy, continued teaching kindergarten in Hayward through '02 (all hail California State Teacher's Retirement System). We visit Sandy's family in Michigan virtually every year; her mom passed at 98 last year but the visits will likely continue (her sis and our niece).

Currently immersed in facelifting our 32 1/2 year old Fremont home. Not doing any work which will eventually show as part of the finished product but we certainly have invested more than a little "sweat equity" (tear-out types of tasks). It's a bit physically taxing but, at the same time, rewarding too.

Finally stopped playing rec league basketball at age 47. Started playing tennis in late 30's and still play a lot. Decided to get involved, "giving back" to tennis - which I thoroughly enjoy - by volunteering. Am a USTA (United States Tennis Association) Northern California Director (Board member for 4 1/2 years) and am on on three committees, chairing one. It's another type of "work," one which is both testing/taxing and, at the same time, rewarding. Keeps me hopping too!