Is Retirement Really Just about a Beach?
I need cultural stimulation to thrive.
Ever notice how many articles for seniors involve retiring to some beach community? I especially find this in the publications of International Living, but I find it as well in articles about freelance writing as a retiree in come-ons by the American Artists and Writers Institute (AWAI). For a few hundred dollars, they promise to find retirees set-ups in Panama, Costa Rica, Belize, or Thailand with a reasonably priced condo overlooking a beach and some kick-ass writing job guaranteed to make them multi-thousands/year. Yeah, right. Been there, tried it, done that. BTW, if you were really making that kind of money, why would you need a cheap condo? I’ve also noticed it in a couple articles in the Discoverer blog.
I’ve lived a short hop from one of the most beautiful beaches in the world for over 20 years. Siesta Key Beach, Florida was voted #2 in the US and 14th in the world in 2022. And I can see why. When I’m in the US, I meet my best friend there once a week for a long morning walk. The sand makes you feel like you’re walking in bleached flour; it is so white and soft. Occasionally we see dolphins playing in the water. It is a stunning beach.
Many, many years ago, when I was an undergraduate student majoring in English, my best friend Kathy was getting her…
