“Simplify, Simplify” –> Simplify!
Thoreau famously advised us to “simplify, simplify.” I’m taking that to heart. In fact, I’m going to start by getting rid of the redundancy and just say “simplify” once.
Liquidity. The process began last July with the sale of Cyracom. My years as a board member and investor ended when the company was successfully sold, after which I sold a few other minor holdings of private-company stock and options, completing all transactions by the end of the year. I joked that my goal was to file my own taxes next year. If you’ve ever had a K-1 arrive in September, you understand the appeal. Frankly, I have found this radical financial simplification surprisingly liberating.
Time Demands. Without business demands pulling at me, be it consulting clients, Cyracom responsibilities, or evaluating private equity opportunities, I can focus entirely on family, personal goals, family and work with non-profit organizations I care about, the primary ones being Citizens’ Climate Lobby and Yale. (My years on the HOA board are mercifully over: No more debates about stray cats, kids in the hot tubs, or where to place the new pickleball court!)
Living Arrangements. Debi and I are going to treat our condo in San Jose del Cabo as our “winter place,” and a new condo a block from the ferry landing on Bainbridge Island, directly across the Puget Sound from Seattle, as a “summer place.” We still maintain our permanent residence in Las Vegas, but spend a lot of time traveling, visiting friends and family, enjoying the beach in Cabo and exploring the Pacific Northwest.
Health. Debi and I are both in good health, touch wood. I wake up every day and am grateful for that. So many of my friends are dealing with diminishing capacities or medical challenges, either directly or indirectly with their spouses. I know there will come a time, sooner or later, when this will be my reality too. In the meantime, I’m able to enjoy daily walks and get good exercise at the gyms associated with the condominiums where we live. Life is good.
Spending Time. I’m using the retirement time to take on more volunteer work and scratch my curiosity itch more than before. I’m diving into AI, trying to understand not just the technology but its implications for everything from energy policy to technological unemployment and the existential risk of AGI.
I’m researching ideas that might be genuinely helpful in finding solutions for climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions. The intersection of geothermal energy, carbon pricing, and technology commercialization is where I’m spending most of my intellectual energy on energy / climate these days, and it’s fascinating work. Maybe a book?
Most importantly, I want to spend more time with my family. I’m taking a cruise to Spain and Portugal with my sister in August, my first time traveling with her. I’m trying to spend more time with grandchildren and children without being too intrusive. I love each and all of them very much. From this perch in life, one knows how fleeting the time with them really is. Madison, Macy, Blythe, Evelyn, Sofia, and Alex are all growing up and changing fast. My children, Caleb, Molly, and Tyler, have built impressive lives of their own. Being present for all of them, without imposing too much, is by far the most important “unlock” from simplification in the first place.
Life is good. Onward!