November 28, 2012

November 28, 2012 (Wednesday)
(Post 664, Day 334 of 2012, 698 days since starting this blog)

Daily Comment

I'm feeling a subtle shift in my thinking about retirement.

It has to do with the weighting of my priorities on choosing a place.

Here is my evaluation criteria, in order of importance, most first:

1. Ease of living/lifestyle (weighting: 100)
2. Climate (weighting:  85)
3. Cost of living (weighting: 75)
4. Access to good health care (weighting: 70)
5. Ease of emigration (weighting: 60)
6. Access to the US (weighting: 50)

This represents my current thinking.

Previous thinking had a list that looked like this (no weighting):

1. Ease of living/lifestyle
2. Cost of living
3. Access to good health care
4. Climate/Scenery
5. Ease of emigration

To be considered, any destination needs a credible positive in every category. The list, and attaching values to each item, is not designed to identify destinations, but to serve as a basis for comparison, assuming things are close to equal betwen two or more possibliites ("contenders").

Also, although this seems to me to be logical, what would not be logical is to assume that, math-geeky tendencies aside, I can reduce my decision to numbers. It is bigger than that.

Over the next few days, I think I'll explain my thinking on each of these topics.

Beginning at the top:

1. Ease of living/lifestyle:
This is the biggie, as it would be in a decision to move or stay in any location: local, regional, national or global (as in this particular case). This is the box that is checked when I feel there is a positive answer to the question: Do I want to be in this place now and tomorrow?

Things that come under this topic are (in no order) items like:

• walkability - I will not live anywhere that "forces" you to drive - I have to be able to walk from where I'm staying to markets, restaurants, parks. It doesn't have to be a particulary short walk (although having good stuff within a few minutes walk is a huge positive for this item). Also, it doesn't hurt if there is cheap, easily available transportation when I want to go further afield (taxis, buses, rickshaws, tuk-tuks, carriages, etc.).
• local food (stores, markets and restaurants - including how optional cooking is - I want to be able to cook when I want to - and want to be able to find what I want to eat when I don't want to cook).
• quality of rental housing - I am not interested in buying.
• accessibility to both US and local culture -  I want very much to be able to learn about and enjoy the culture of my new home. At the same time, I also don't want to lose all the parts of America I like.
• the available (or lack of) amenities - things like potable water, language help (none of the countries on my list are English-speaking), how easy/difficult it is to hire assistance (I want a part-time housekeeper, to compensate for my inadequacies in that area, and do laundry and food shopping. I don't feel like I need a cook).
• compatibility with expats - I don't want to live among Americans in a foreign country - if that were a requirement, I wouldn't be looking for a home overseas. While I don't want to exclude people who have experience and are friendly and willing to help, I don't think my background and priorities are typical for expat retirees. That may make things easier or harder, or have no influence, but it cannot cause friction.
• compatibility with locals - this is really important. I'm not trying to move my scene abroad, I'm looking for a new scene. If I can't make friends among the local, native people in a place, it is difficult to imagine being happy there. It becomes only a matter of degree.

2. Climate:
First off: No snow. Snow is only allowed on mountain peaks, where I won't be living. It is something I want the option to visit or read about, or not, at my inclination. I'm not really looking for more than one season. 

Climates that don't exhibit temperature extremes are more favorable to me than climates do, even occasionally. Warm is preferable to cool, both need to be comfortable, and not restricting. Temperature variability is not a plus. One set of clothes. 

Climates that don't require home heating or air conditioning are optimal. Constant rain is a disqualifier (no Northwest US, Irish, British 1-week-of-sunshine-a-year locales need apply). The perfect climate (no AC or heating bills) would contribute greatly to the next item:


3. Cost of living:
I am thinking in terms of value as opposed to absolute cost: Cheaper isn't always better. However, affordability is imperative. Currency can play a big role here (Ecuador and Panama don't print their own currency - the US dollar is the currency of the land. Even when that is not the case, areas where the dollar can be used in at least some transactions would be preferred.

I will be on a fixed income.

  More to come tomorrow.

  

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Food and Diet Section

Year 2012 daily weight from December 31, 2011

 Today's Weight:        207.2 lbs 

Yesterday's Weight:    204.8 lbs

Day Net Loss/Gain:     + 2.4 lbs

Diet Comment

Last night's late dinner and off-plan eating really put it to me today - although, I've seen worse. Tonight's snack was late, but not off-plan.

Food Log

Breakfast
Chia gel.

Lunch
At Ling-Ling Chinese Buffet:

From the "Mongolian Grill", chicken, pork, bean sprouts, cabbage, onions, peppers, broccoli, mushrooms in garlic and hot pepper sauce. And kim-chee.

Dinner

Spinach and black lentil curry, a salad of Spring Mix and cole slaw mix with balsamic vinaigrette, and chopped beef with guacamole and salsa.

Snack
Hard-boiled eggs and guacamole.

Liquid Intake   

   Coffee:  20 oz,  Water:  96+ oz. 

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