Most people who go through a life-changing experience and have a website share it. Six months later, I am finally getting around to it. I retired in August 2021, sort of. As I define what retirement actually means, I am moved to think about two areas in particular: personal finance and self growth. Having spent so many years in the financial industry as a stockbroker and, most recently, a tax advisor, I am amazed at how many people ignore this area because they find it too complicated. I hope to add some value to that area with some writing. Keep an eye on the “Bob’s Books” page on this site. Personal growth is a constant in our lives and I am looking forward to commenting on that area as well.

We live in a culture where we are defined by our careers. We have all taken part in the dance of discovery at a party or event where we meet someone for the first time. Most times the opening question sounds like this, “so, what do you do?” or the more recently, “are you retired yet?”

It is the great leveler, and it is how we decide who has the upper hand, the most power, the most clout, or the most interesting life. This may have had more to do with the always delicate male ego in the past, but it has easily crossed the gender boundary in today’s world. When we ask the question, we want the answer to be short and clear, and preferably one word, so that we can get to our own story as quickly as possible.

The ABOUT page of a personal website takes the two-way dialogue out of the equation and allows the owner to expound at great length about his or her wonderful qualities, experiences, and unique gift to the world – WELCOME!

At various times in my life I have answered “salesperson,” “manager,” “business owner,” “stockbroker,” “vice-president,” “house-fixer-upper-and-seller,” “income tax agent,” and the always popular, “consultant.” For the past several years, I have usually listed “writer,” “speaker,” or “workshop facilitator.” This has not prevented me from enjoying some contract work for various government departments while continuing to write, renovate my house, and travel.

One thing that I always seem to gravitate toward, whether in speaking, writing or in a conventional job, is taking complex issues, ideas and concepts and making them understandable, first to me and then to others. I think there may be some truth in the feeling that I may have made a good teacher (although the bureaucracy of school teaching would have driven me even further around the bend).

Learning has been a lifelong passion and with the introduction of the internet, I find myself in a constant state of research regardless of how much BS may also be available from that source. The trick is to separate the wheat from the chaff. My built in cynicism helps me to identify some of the chaff and aids with the separation process.

I spent the better part of the last decade explaining income tax issues to taxpayers and got a real ego boost when I received a thank you for making something overly complicated understandable to an otherwise intelligent layperson. The issue that really bothers me about that area of life is how many people either ignore it or sign over their financial matters to someone else instead of taking the time to learn, step by step, how their money works. It is scary to me to think how many people have no clue where their hard earned dollars go or how their investment goals are being met.

Some time ago, I posed a question on my Facebook page, “what is your life purpose?” and am totally amazed and humbled by the number of comments on my post and the number of private replies that I had. I seem to be surrounded by friends and family who have considered this question in their own lives and most have actually lived their purpose – I am both inspired and in awe.

So, in keeping with my ever-evolving, and revolving “raison d’être,” I am moved to use this platform to further elucidate the burning questions of the day. I really do like learning things and the best way for me to learn is to use my newly minted knowledge to teach others. I am going to move forward researching things that catch my eye and explain them on my website as best I can. Now, some things are well beyond my ability and they include understanding Pokemon-Go, war, most -isms, what a “meme” is and, of course, any understanding whatsoever of women.

In a constantly evolving world, I must admit a love hate relationship with technology (perhaps this website is a perfect example) but the changes brought on by the World Wide Web, and the hardware and software developed to harness it, are nothing short of mind-boggling. We have opened the entire world to anyone with “access” and I embrace all of it. I just wish that people in third world countries and those in closed societies had the same ability.

Sometimes, I am jealous of those people who can answer the “what do you do” question in one word – doctor, engineer, lawyer, etc. But, I must admit that I cannot imagine doing the same thing day after day throughout my life (except for playing golf) and so I continue to indulge a variety of interests and passions, never losing sight of the fact that being a “bad actor” will always be a proud period in my life.