news.calpers.ca.gov Open in urlscan Pro
104.196.55.129  Public Scan

Form analysis
2 forms found in the DOM

GET https://news.calpers.ca.gov/

<form class="vce-search-form" action="https://news.calpers.ca.gov/" method="get">
  <label class="hidden">Search</label>
  <input name="s" class="vce-search-input" size="20" type="text" value="Search" onfocus="(this.value == 'Search') &amp;&amp; (this.value = '')" onblur="(this.value == '') &amp;&amp; (this.value = 'Search')" placeholder="Search">
  <button type="submit" class="vce-search-submit"><span class="fa fa-search"></span></button>
</form>

GET https://news.calpers.ca.gov/

<form class="search-header-form" action="https://news.calpers.ca.gov/" method="get">
  <label class="hidden">Search</label>
  <input name="s" class="search-input" size="20" type="text" value="Search" onfocus="(this.value == '') &amp;&amp; (this.value = '')" onblur="(this.value == '') &amp;&amp; (this.value = 'Search')" placeholder="Search">
  <button type="submit" class="vce-search-submit" title="Search"><span class="fa fa-search"></span></button>
</form>

Text Content

Skip to Main Content
Search
 * Contact Us
 * myCalPERS


 * Search

 * Home
 * Retirement Benefits
 * Health Benefits
 * Investments
 * News & Events

Retirement Benefits


138 PEOPLE SHARE THE FIRST THING THEY’LL DO IN RETIREMENT

1 month ago
3,291 Views


Dreaming about retirement is part of having a career. You work hard and deserve
to imagine what life will look like without the alarm clock.

In December, we surveyed CalPERS members who are still in the workforce. We
asked: What’s the first thing you’ll do in retirement? The responses were
joyful, inspirational, and sometimes very specific. Some people preferred to
keep their answers private. Others wanted to shout from the rooftops!

Below is a selection of answers. We hope you enjoy them, and maybe add one or
two ideas to your own dreams.

Thank you for serving California.

 1.   Sleep as long as I want. – Mathew
 2.   Take a long walk on the beach. – Anonymous
 3.   Visit my friends in Australia. – Silvia
 4.   Sell my home and move to my daughter’s neighborhood. – Brenda
 5.   Live in a different country for two months. – Anonymous
 6.   Build a platform for my van to convert it into a camper van and go into
      the wilderness and beach to paint and take photographs. – Belinda
 7.   Declutter my home. – Delia
 8.   Go visit a lot of the mushroom clubs in Northern California and go on
      forays with them. – George
 9.   Take off on an endless journey around, over, across, and through the USA,
      seeing all of our National Parks and as many of our state parks as time
      permits. – Jeanette
 10.  Take a hike and not worry about the time. – Lulu
 11.  Alaska cruise. – Todd
 12.  Take math classes. – J
 13.  House projects and sleep. – Michelle
 14.  Volunteer. – Maria
 15.  Go on hikes/long walks each morning. – Alexandria
 16.  Breathe!!! – Anonymous
 17.  Relax and enjoy life. Then catch up on home repairs, get back to surfing
      and beach life. – Christopher
 18.  Hit the road for a road trip. – Anonymous
 19.  Get a consultant job. – Crystal
 20.  Spend time with grandchildren. – Guadalupe
 21.  Build a better vegetable garden. – Karen
 22.  Find a part-time job. – Anonymous
 23.  Travel in the “off season.” – David
 24.  Relax and sleep in. – Damon
 25.  Organize my home office, garage, kitchen… – Sylvia
 26.  Smile. – Anonymous
 27.  Visit Columbia. – Anonymous
 28.  Unwind and rest up! – Janice
 29.  Be home and enjoy my family, beautiful home, and take my grandkids to
      school. – Patty
 30.  Start purging items in my home. – Tina
 31.  Book a cruise! – Taz
 32.  Give thanks to God for keeping me healthy, mindful, and smiling. – Armida
 33.  Get organized!! – Bruce
 34.  Call friends that are also retired to schedule a get together. – Eddie
 35.  Spend time with my grandchildren! And even babysitting my little ones! I
      have 24 grandchildren—12 boys and 12 girls…Just enjoy life being with my
      family! – Marcie
 36.  Raise a glass to myself! Then buy an open-return plane ticket to wherever
      I want. – Lea
 37.  Join medical missions to serve one year in a foreign country. – Simon
 38.  Learn to play the piano and the guitar. Take a trip to Australia and New
      Zealand. – Marge
 39.  Exercise Jazzercise 3-4 times per week up from 2-3 times per week. –
      Merribeth
 40.  Revise my budget. – Kimberly
 41.  Go to Disneyland. – Chris
 42.  Sleep! Something I have been deprived of for many years. Over my career, I
      have learned that resting is not something I can get enough of. When I
      retire, I plan to catch up on my sleep (rest) for one month before making
      plans for anything else. – Lesha
 43.  Buy a home. – Felipe
 44.  Go back to school. – David
 45.  Make plans to keep busy without the stress. – Jino
 46.  Finish my adult children’s baby books! – Vicki
 47.  Restore classic cars. – Gary
 48.  Create a play space for my grandchildren. – Anne
 49.  Travel the United States. – Patrice
 50.  Read many new books. – Anonymous
 51.  Attend my nephew’s graduation and then to Puerto Rico for a week to
      decompress! – Doris
 52.  Start an animal rescue. – Anonymous
 53.  Whatever I want! – Anonymous
 54.  Giggle relentlessly. – Kevin
 55.  Go to the gym. – Darin
 56.  Make a trip to the east coast, visiting historical sites and lighthouses
      from Florida to Maine. – Kris and Jennifer
 57.  Enjoy my life without deadlines! – Kimberly
 58.  Take walks whenever I like. Not be tied to a computer all day. – Cathi
 59.  Start selling my artwork. – James
 60.  Travel to my home country and spend three to six months with my extended
      family. – Romilda
 61.  I am going to take a long vacation somewhere to just relax and unwind from
      all the years of working. – Monica
 62.  The first day of retirement that would have been a working day, I’m going
      to get up at the same time as I did when going to work. I will take a
      shower, get ready, and then take myself out to a wonderful breakfast to
      watch the sun rise on my new life. – Sheri
 63.  Volunteer in local theater. – Eleonard
 64.  Sleep late for two weeks, then start projects! – Paula
 65.  Travel, COVID permitting. I’ll have more time to spend painting. – Lori
 66.  Get a pet. – Anne
 67.  Take courses immediately to learn to read Chinese and to do Tai Chi. –
      Linda
 68.  Get a new fitness regimen. – John
 69.  Visit zoos in other cities! – Sharon
 70.  Relax and connect with family and friends. – Ida
 71.  Take a moment to let it sink in. – Tracy
 72.  Retirement from state service will allow me to work on my passion growing
      holistic herbs for healing. – Troi
 73.  Start jogging, sleeping more, and eating healthy. – Ajay
 74.  Create more artwork. – Maria
 75.  Get my yoga certification and start teaching. – Jessica
 76.  Nothing. Just that, absolutely nothing. – SJ
 77.  Work on family history. – Janet
 78.  Control my investments, set up my pension, start enjoying life with no
      stress. – David
 79.  Watch many of the shows and movies I am unable to due to work and family
      responsibilities. – Anonymous
 80.  Start up hobbies I haven’t had time for in years, such as commercial
      acting, and also plan a big vacation with my children! – Dorena
 81.  Rest! Take a few short trips. Starting to write a self-help workbook with
      a few retired colleagues. – Jessica
 82.  I want to give extra time to myself. Take extra time to exercise,
      meditate, eat better homemade food, and walk. Raise myself to a higher
      level. – Rekha
 83.  Have my house paid fully. – Johana
 84.  Go back to school to get my degree in Psychology. – Alberta
 85.  Exhale. – Delores
 86.  Move to San Diego from Mountain View to take care of my elderly mom. –
      Elsa
 87.  I want to become a volunteer with Court Appointed Special Advocates for
      Children (CASA). There is such a need for foster children and others to
      have someone focused on them and on their needs when they are pulled into
      the court system. – Barbara
 88.  Remove clocks from everywhere in my home. – Maria
 89.  Decompress. I don’t want to plan anything for the first couple of weeks,
      just focus on rest, relaxation, and being spontaneous. – Marianne
 90.  Learn to play the marimba! That has been a lifelong, postponed dream. –
      David
 91.  Save money. – Anonymous
 92.  Build a robot. – Dan
 93.  Spend quality time with my husband. – Maribell
 94.  Downsize. – Kai
 95.  Finally fulfill my dream of climbing the highest peak in my life, Mt.
      Kilimanjaro. Since the age of six, it has been my goal to tackle this
      obstacle. Fifty-five years later, it will become a reality. – Gayle
 96.  Travel exploration, seek out volunteer opportunities, and stay up late. –
      Jeff
 97.  Throw away my alarm clock! – LD
 98.  Go visit my mother in Florida. – Beverly
 99.  Whatever I want! – Anonymous
 100. Buy a tiny house. – Anonymous
 101. Join a women’s golf league and bowling league. – Kay
 102. Buy a cake that has ‘I Quit’ on it and take it to work. – Anonymous
 103. I think my wife and I will load up the camp trailer, lock up the house,
      and go coast to coast for a month or so. – Rob
 104. After sleeping in daily for a month, I then plan to purge the house. I’ll
      plan that trip to Scandinavia, or relax in the redwoods, swim in the Eel
      River. No, I’m going to spend time with my eight-year-old grandson. Yes,
      that’s what I’ll do. – Judy
 105. Relax and read a book. – Donna
 106. Enjoy life. – Anonymous
 107. Restore an 1800s home in Pennsylvania! As a novice craftsman, I’ve always
      wanted to bring back a house left to decay over time, back to its former
      grandeur and glory. – Lonn
 108. Take some time to myself in nature. – Anonymous
 109. Rest. Enjoy the lack of urgency for a few months. – Katherine
 110. Enjoy my mornings on my terms and my schedule. – Brian
 111. Write my novel. – Lori
 112. A three-day getaway with my sisters to Palm Springs to celebrate my
      retirement. – Sharon
 113. Travel the U.S. in my travel trailer, Rosebud! – Margot
 114. Play more tennis. – Timothy
 115. Enjoy working on my farm. – Elvira
 116. Take a road trip to see my children (Portland, OR, and Pocatello, ID) and
      take as much time as we want to do it! – Juliana
 117. Travel with my grandkids to the Grand Canyon and surrounding areas in
      Arizona and Utah. – David
 118. Have a house cleaner come help me clean the house top to bottom. – Kar-ron
 119. Possibly sell my house if it has good equity. Then travel to different
      countries. – Janna
 120. Reconnect with my hobbies. – Mark
 121. Sleep for a week! Move back east, take in the new neighborhood, go back to
      school for music (saxophone), and join a band. Oh! Continue to love and
      support my wife! – Leonard
 122. Plan a routine to get into for each and every day. – Michele
 123. Enjoy everything. – Anonymous
 124. Learn a new trade. – K
 125. Celebrate! And go ice skating midday with all my retired friends. –
      Anonymous
 126. Making my side hustle into a full-time passion. – Tracey
 127. Renting a home on the beach and just relaxing for a week or two. –
      Anonymous
 128. The first thing…shout for JOY! – K
 129. Take it easy on everything. – Larry
 130. Get rid of my alarm clock! Sleep in every day! Travel more and visit
      friends who live out of town. Finally start baking all the recipes I’ve
      saved over the years and never had time to try out. – Karin
 131. Deep breathing and centering for a month to reset my mind. – Anonymous
 132. Go kayaking early in the morning. Work with stained glass. Really start
      taking care of MYSELF. – Linda
 133. I will relax and spend more time with my family! I will volunteer more to
      help my community! I will read my favorite books! I will play my classical
      guitar! I will make a bigger vegetable garden! I will grow more fruit
      trees! I will buy more from farmer’s markets! I will travel the world! –
      Juan
 134. Take a long walk to the park to just think about the future and then come
      home, make a cup of tea, and sit down to write some one-, five-, and
      ten-year retirement goals. – Sherrie
 135. Relax and play some golf during “working hours.” Later on, do some
      traveling (as it becomes “safe” again). – Patricia
 136. Whitewater kayaking. – Ralph
 137. Teach scuba diving. – Carlos
 138. Organize and purge my surroundings to prepare for whatever comes next! –
      Lisa



Learn more about CalPERS retirement benefits.


RELATED POSTS:

131 Retirees Share What Brings Them Joy in Retirement How to Stay Healthy and
Safe While Traveling This Holiday Season One Conversation to Have This Holiday
Season
Active Members Retirement Benefits Retirement Planning Wellness
FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedIn

CalPERS Social Networks
 * 
 * 
 * 
 * 
 * 
 * 


MOST VIEWED ARTICLES

 * 2022 Cost-of-Living Adjustment Coming in May
 * Fast Facts About CalPERS Pensions
 * What You Should Know Before Withdrawing Your CalPERS...
 * CalPERS February 2022 Board Meeting Preview


POPULAR TOPICS

CalPERS News Health Plans Retirement Planning myCalPERS Member Education Health
Benefits News & Events Retirement Benefits Retirees Active Members
 * 


OUR MEMBER STORIES



ABOUT PERSPECTIVE

PERSpective provides information for members of the retirement and health
programs of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System. If you would
like to give us feedback or suggest future topics, send us an email.

GET ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS

Use our online form for Questions, Comments, & Complaints about CalPERS programs
and services.

For personal account questions, log in to myCalPERS and send your questions
through our secure Message Center.

@CALPERS INSTAGRAM

We are happy to share that Canine Companions dog M
Retirees: Information on 2022 Cost-of-Living Adjus
“Making a difference was my calling. When I had
We ❤️ our members! Thank you for your service
Load More... Follow on Instagram
CalPERS Social Networks
 * 
 * 
 * 
 * 
 * 
 * 

FEATURED CALPERS VIDEO



@CALPERS TWITTER

CalPERS@CalPERS·
14m


#CalPERSUpdate – a weekly collection of news and reports on @CalPERS,
#investments, #pensions, and #health. Open this tweet and scroll down to access
them. ⬇️THREAD⬇️
@NCPERS @PensionDialog @NIRSonline @CAStateRetirees @CSEA_Now @CSAC_Counties
@CSDAdistricts @CalCities

Reply on Twitter 1502300981165363207Retweet on Twitter 1502300981165363207Like
on Twitter 1502300981165363207Twitter 1502300981165363207

We serve those who serve California.
© Copyright 2022 California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) |
State of California

 * Contact
 * Job Opportunities
 * Subscribe
 * Privacy Policy
 * Conditions of Use
 * Accessibility
 * Bilingual Services
 * Site Map



 * Home
 * Retirement Benefits
 * Health Benefits
 * Investments
 * News & Events