I've been thinking about life and work lately. Always. Which has led me to sketch out this little chart you see below. This is obviously not iron clad. I don't know if I'll still want to go this direction in a couple years, much less do I know if these opportunities will be afforded to me, or if life might impose some other plan. Still, looking down this road as far as I can, it makes sense to sketch out at least the most rudimentary plan, just so that I have something to aim for and something to let me know if I'm on the right track. 

It does lead to a few interesting observations. First, Sarah, my currently youngest child, will graduate from high school in the year 2026. I'll be 52. And eligible for retirement with full benefits. Second, a career doesn't look very long when set out on paper like this. And third, I'll hopefully still have a lot of life left at the end of this chart. My plan is to still be going strong well after 60, and I don't think I'll be racing to join the remote and recliner club in Boca Raton. And so I wonder what life, and particularly work life, will look like in those years. Maybe I'll go hike the AT. This little chart may be pretty amusing to revisit then. 

* Teacher Retirement System.