Latest Posts

List of 13 five-minute lightning talks with mine at the top

I’m Speaking at a Professional Conference! (for 5 minutes)

Profession Post-Retirement
Retirement

I’m both excited and a little bit wistful.

May 4, 2025
Sharon Machlis
Drawing of a brain. Image by ChatGPT

Is Retirement Bad for Your Brain? NY Times Weigh In

Retirement
Vibrant Aging

A NYT article skews rather more negative than data seem to warrant

Apr 21, 2025
Sharon Machlis
Chart from 2010 to 2025 shows VIX over 50 1 times in 2015, 2018, and 2024; 21 times in 2020 from pandemic shutdowns, and 0 all other years until 3 in 20205 from tariffs

My First Stock Market Downturn as a Retiree

News
Reflections
Retirement

I knew the market would drop at some point after I stopped working full time. But I was kind of hoping there wouldn’t be a major market panic in my first year of retirement. (And I certainly didn’t expect our government would cause one on purpose.)

Apr 13, 2025
Sharon Machlis
van Gogh painting of a view from his asylum window. His interpretation of a farmer plowing a field.

A Couple of Contrasting Retirement Weeks

Reflections
Retirement

If I was worried that every day would be pretty much the same . . . not yet!

Apr 6, 2025
Sharon Machlis
View out a window with evergreen trees and other trees without leaves, corner of a computer screen in front

I’ve been freelancing again in retirement

Profession Post-Retirement
Retirement

Weather was cold and I had a couple of ideas, so . . .

Mar 23, 2025
Sharon Machlis
Bird in silhouette flying at sunset, person walking on beach below

I’m glad I didn’t follow my original plan to retire later

Reflections
Retiring
Retirement

If anything, I wish I’d done it sooner

Mar 9, 2025
Sharon Machlis
Steaming teacup, flower and book on a bed tray. Photo by Carli Jeen on Unsplash

The High Cost (in Hours) of Self Maintenance

Reflections
Retirement
Retiring

Taking care of oneself always involves effort, but it can take even more time as we age. Retirement helps!

Mar 2, 2025
Sharon Machlis
Buddha statue at the Museum of Fine Arts (snapshot by Sharon Machlis)

‘Type A’ Retiree Gets a Taste of Buddhist Meditation

Retirement

I had time to attend a four-session workshop . . . so I did.

Feb 16, 2025
Sharon Machlis
 

Half a year of retirement!

Reflections
Retirement

Some thoughts looking back on my first six months as a retiree.

Feb 2, 2025
Sharon Machlis
The number 4 in black against a white brick wall

Are there really ‘4 phases of retirement’?

Retirement
Retiring

So posits a TED talk viewed more than 3 million times. But I’m not so sure that’s true for ‘most’ people.

Jan 26, 2025
Sharon Machlis
Opinion Guest Essay Chris Hayes: I Want Your Attention. I Need Your Attention. Here Is How I Mastered My Own.

Is it Scary to Be Alone With Our Own Thoughts?

Reflections

‘The unoccupied mind can be a feral beast,’ writes Chris Hayes. While not about retirement, his article raises some interesting points for people either considering leaving the workforce or newly retired.

Jan 19, 2025
Sharon Machlis
Snow-covered trail with snow-covered trees on both sides and a blue sky

Hating winter less as a retiree

Reflections
Retirement

So far this has been one of my biggest surprises in retirement

Jan 12, 2025
Sharon Machlis
Image of an open book with flowers behind. Image generated by Google FX generative AI

2025: More self care and gratitude (I hope)

Reflections
Retirement

As a retiree, I have the luxury to think differently about my annual rite of New Year’s resolutions

Jan 4, 2025
Sharon Machlis
Painting of a white flower with green leaves in background, by Georgia O'Keeffe

Missing work-related holiday things

Reflections
Retirement

No one was more surprised than me to find that I actually missed getting-ready-for-the-holidays comradery at work – and I don’t even celebrate Christmas.

Dec 29, 2024
Sharon Machlis

Image of my tagline saying I was a longtime writer and editor at Computerworld and am still passionate about R and generative AI, along with links to my social media and retirement blog

My First Freelance Articles Are Live!

Profession Post-Retirement
Reflections
Retirement

I’m a ‘contributing’ freelance writer now, with a bio befitting a retiree. But I can’t check traffic to my stories.

Dec 22, 2024
Sharon Machlis
Cup of steaming tea in a glass teacup, blurred background. Image created by Adobe Photoshop generative AI

Back to my regularly scheduled retirement (mostly)

Profession Post-Retirement
Reflections
Retirement

After working a nearly full-time schedule for a week, I returned to my retirement routine.

Dec 15, 2024
Sharon Machlis
Hands at a computer keyboard

Sooo I’m doing some freelance writing (just a bit!) in retirement

Profession Post-Retirement
Reflections
Retirement

That didn’t take long 🤣

Dec 8, 2024
Sharon Machlis

Photo of two hands holding a thermometer and tissue. Photo by Polina Tankilevitch

There’s One Advantage to Getting Sick on a Holiday When Retired

Reflections
Retirement

At least you’re not blowing scarce days off from work.

Dec 1, 2024
Sharon Machlis
Horn of plenty Thanksgiving table decoration. Image generated by Photoshop AI.

Thanksgiving Week is Different Post-Retirement

Reflections
Retirement

It’s somehow less of a ‘landmark’ break in the year. But still great!

Nov 24, 2024
Sharon Machlis

Path surrounded on both sides by trees in autumn

Settling Into a Retirement Routine

Reflections
Retirement

Some thoughts three months after leaving work behind

Nov 17, 2024
Sharon Machlis

Photo of a partially grey sky and the ocean

Work As a Distraction

Reflections
Retirement

When I had high stress in my personal life, my job sometimes served as a helpful diversion. It’s time for other coping mechanisms.

Nov 10, 2024
Sharon Machlis

Image of a trail in autumn, slightly Impressionist look

Welcoming Autumn as a Retiree

Reflections
Retirement

It’s been my first change of seasons in retirement, and I’ve been able to pay more attention.

Nov 3, 2024
Sharon Machlis

Photo of 4 Adirondack chairs facing a small pond and a building

My First Post-Retirement Professional Deadline (and Event)

Profession Post-Retirement
Retirement

An opportunity came earlier than I expected, and I wasn’t sure I was ready.

Oct 27, 2024
Sharon Machlis
Image of the back of a woman in silhouette looking at the ocean. Image generated by Photoshop AI.

Settling into Retirement

Reflections
Retirement

A few thoughts after 10 weeks of no longer working full-time

Oct 13, 2024
Sharon Machlis
Backs of 4 people with arms around each other looking at the setting sun. Photo by Helena Lopes on Unsplash

Missing Work Friends in Retirement

Reflections
Retirement

What if anything should I do about colleagues I no longer see?

Sep 29, 2024
Sharon Machlis
photo of finisher's medal

Racing at 60+ is Different

Reflections
Vibrant Aging

Now that new personal bests are unlikely - or even doing better than last year - it’s time for some different running goals.

Sep 22, 2024
Sharon Machlis
Image of an older woman from behind with a hearing aid in one ear. Image generated by Adobe Photoshop AI.

Ageism Watch: Atlantic Article on Hearing Aids

Ageism

People are repulsed by the idea of needing hearing aids because they’re associated with age, the author explains, as if of course this is totally understandable. ‘Geezer’ is mentioned twice.

Sep 20, 2024
Sharon Machlis

What do you DO all day? (once retired)

Reflections
Retirement
Vibrant Aging

I was asked that recently in a social situation. Turns out, quite a bit.

Sep 18, 2024
Sharon Machlis
Backs of 2 Adirondack chairs on an empty beach, facing the ocean

Perspectives on Retiring

Retiring
Retirement

Some interesting newspaper reader comments about ending their paid careers. Plus: I couldn’t resist asking a couple of generative AI chatbots for some retirement advice.

Sep 15, 2024
Sharon Machlis
Part of the Boston skyline with a brilliant blue sky, no clouds

Adding a Bit More Structure to My Retirement Life

Reflections
Retirement

The end of summer feels like a signal to ramp up activities and get an earlier start to my days.

Sep 8, 2024
Sharon Machlis
Image of a blank September 2024 calendar

Retirement at the One-Month Mark

Reflections
Retirement

How this former Type A would-be overachiever is handling no longer working full-time 4 weeks in

Sep 1, 2024
Sharon Machlis
View of tree-covered hills with mountains in the background and a blue sky, taken from an airplane

My First Trip as a Retiree!

Retirement
Travel

Not worrying about work awaiting me was one big difference. The return home was another.

Aug 25, 2024
Sharon Machlis
Sunflower, taken on the morning before I attended the conference's second day.

My First Conference as a Retiree was . . . Different

Reflections
Retirement

Going to a professional event without a job title is definitely not the same as when I was a journalist (duh). There were pluses and minuses to the new experience.

Aug 16, 2024
Sharon Machlis
Sharpie on top of a paper calendar page that says 'This week' with nothing scheduled. Photo by Jazmin Quaynor at Unsplash.com

Am I ‘Busy’ Now in Retirement?

Reflections
Retirement

Life’s pace is starting to feel different.

Aug 11, 2024
Sharon Machlis
Image of a To Do list with blank items checked off. Image created by Photoshop generative AI

Doing Professional-Type Things – But for Fun

Reflections
Retirement

Having more time to learn and create solely for the joy of it is one of the greatest privileges of retirement.

Aug 7, 2024
Sharon Machlis
Photo of a beach (sand, ocean, sky)

Summer Seems Like a Great Time to Retire

Retirement

There are lots of options this time of year for a To-Do List of Fun.

Aug 4, 2024
Sharon Machlis
Image of a cake with lettering saying 'Happy Retirement Sharon' from my farewell gathering.

It’s a Wrap! My full-time paid career, that is

Reflections
Retirement
Retiring

Just like that, the end of my nearly 45-year paid professional career has arrived. Hello, retirement!

Aug 1, 2024
Sharon Machlis

A Week of Lasts

Reflections
Retiring

Yesterday marked my final return to work from a weekend, and my last few days on the job. It’s really strange.

Jul 30, 2024
Sharon Machlis

Two stacks of dollar bills

Flipping from Retirement Saving to Spending

Retirement
Retiring

It’s starting to sink that I’ll no longer be getting a salary – which will mean dipping into our savings. That feels a little uncomfortable.

Jul 28, 2024
Sharon Machlis
 

‘But I don’t feel old!’

Ageism

That phrase says a lot about our culture’s negative views of aging - views that were front and center this week.

Jul 24, 2024
Sharon Machlis
July 2024 calendar showing six days highlighted and 'Countdown 6 more working days' above

Six Working Days Left!

Retiring

The countdown gets serious – but it still doesn’t feel real

Jul 21, 2024
Sharon Machlis
4 women of different ages standing close to each other smiling. Image by Adobe Photoshop generative AI.

My new question: ‘What interesting things have you been up to?’

Reflections
Retiring

I need to stop myself from asking younger people about their employment plans and mid-life adults about their jobs. They aren’t their career choices either.

Jul 15, 2024
Sharon Machlis
Illustration of an old tree. Image by ChatGPT.

Quotes of note on retirement and aging

Ageism
Reflections
Retirement
Retiring
Vibrant Aging

Some of the interesting passages I’ve encountered in reading about my new stage of life

Jul 11, 2024
Sharon Machlis

Breaking the retirement news (publicly)

News
Retiring

A month after telling my boss and co-workers, I posted on social media that I’m leaving my full-time career. That felt harder.

Jul 9, 2024
Sharon Machlis

I’m retiring!

News
Reflections
Retiring

After more than 40 years of full-time work, I’m excited for my next chapter.

Jul 8, 2024
Sharon Machlis

When to go public with my retirement date?

Reflections
Retiring

If you work in a public-facing job, there are two parts to announcing retirment: telling 1) your boss and co-workers and 2) your broader professional circle.

Jul 7, 2024
Sharon Machlis

The problem with ‘over 65’ as an age category

Ageism
Reflections

Does a 66-year-old really have so much in common with a 96-year-old?

Jul 7, 2024
Sharon Machlis

Collage of anti-aging beauty products

‘Anti-aging’ is a stupid phrase

Ageism
Reflections

The alternative to aging is death.

Jul 7, 2024
Sharon Machlis

The joy of relaxed scheduling

Reflections
Retiring

Not feeling compelled to make the most of every ‘vacation day’ is letting me make the most of time not working - in a different way than before.

Jul 6, 2024
Sharon Machlis

The weirdness of tapering down

Reflections
Retiring

Working ‘part time’ in the weeks before retirement seems like a good idea. But it can be jarring.

Jul 6, 2024
Sharon Machlis

Weaning myself off of external validation at work

Reflections
Retiring

Even annoying tasks can be gratifying when I’m helping someone solve a difficult problem. But while I enjoy praise and thanks that come from my job, I don’t want to be beholden to it anymore.

Jul 5, 2024
Sharon Machlis

Is [insert negative thing here] really because you’re older?

Ageism
Reflections
Vibrant Aging

When you live in an ageist culture and have internalized the deeply negative views about getting older all around you, it’s common to attribute things to ‘getting older’ that are actually normal for people at many stages of life.

Jun 29, 2024
Sharon Machlis

My (probable) last big scoop as a full-time worker

News
Reflections
Retiring

There’s little quite as exciting as being the first to break news on deadline, regardless of the beat

Jun 28, 2024
Sharon Machlis

I’m leaving in a month and there’s a company strategy meeting. Should I go?

Reflections
Retiring

It feels odd to attend when we all know I won’t be around for those strategies to unfold. On the other hand, I am still an employee and may still have ideas to share.

Jun 26, 2024
Sharon Machlis
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