Post-Retirement

This is the story of my pursuit of happiness and a sense of purpose in life after retirement. I'm documenting this journey with the hope that it may help anyone considering retirement or already retired and struggling with the challenges, especially boredom. In fact, whenever I mention being retired, the questions I hear the most is, "Aren't you bored?" or "What do you do with all that free time?" It seems boredom is a common fear for many. While these are my personal experiences, and not everyone will achieve the same results, I aim to provide readers with ideas on where to focus and how to structure their own fulfilling lives after retirement.

Like many retirees, achieving financial freedom wasn't my only concern. After a challenging and busy 33 years long career, especially the last decade leading hundreds of employees in global engineering organizations, I worried I'd be quickly consumed by boredom after the initial "honeymoon phase" of retirement (reportedly lasting a few months to a year). Despite initial struggles, I crafted a structure for my retired life that helps me find a sense of purpose, explore spirituality via meditation and mindfulness, travel as much as I can afford, take care of my health, and last but not least, continually learn something. These are not unique areas of focus; everyone knows about them and can tailor their approach based on their abilities and experiences. The following details 5 key areas (or pillars, as I call them) that anchored my retired life structure that I wanted to share.

Volunteering
After a long search, I found a volunteer opportunity that combined using my skills with a worthy cause: helping improve the lives of the blind and visually impaired. The key point I want to emphasis is “using my skills” which is very important. This opportunity came through an organization called "Computers for the Blind," where I help rebuild donated computers with accessibility software and hardware to empower this community to lead independent and connected lives. This has become the most meaningful, purposeful, rewarding, and satisfying experience for me because these folks don't have the gift of sight that we all take for granted. I also volunteer online at reddit.com to help people with technology questions as well as help/advice to cybercrime victims. In addition to all these, I write informative blogs (blog.selvansoft.com) on technology field to educate people about staying safe online.

My advice to readers is this: find something that ignites your passion and allows you to leverage your skills to uplift others. We all have valuable skills honed during our careers, and there's always a place to use them to give back to the community. So, make this a central pillar of your retired life, and you won't be disappointed. Remember, the most important thing is to find something that fulfills you. Volunteer your time and talents wherever you feel a connection – the impact you make will be its own reward.

Spirituality
Spirituality is the quality of being concerned with the human spirit or soul, as opposed to material or physical things. It often involves a search for meaning, purpose, and connection to inner self. Many confuse spirituality as being religious. Personally, I think spirituality has nothing to do with religion. As a matter of fact, I am an atheist/skeptic and believer of evidence-based science but do believe strongly in seeking spirituality through mindfulness and meditation helps shape your life and brings meaning. I follow and practice meditation (Isha Kriya) taught by Sadhguru every day.

My advice to the reader is this: The beauty of spirituality is that it's a personal journey. There's no one-size-fits-all approach. If meditation resonates with you like it does for me, do it. However, there are many other ways to explore your inner world. Consider activities like spending time in nature, practicing yoga, spending time in quiet reflection. The key is to find what brings you a sense of peace, purpose, and connection.

Travel
Traveling the world was a major motivator for my decision to retire. While a full-time career can certainly limit travel opportunities, retirement allows for a more immersive and fulfilling experience. I maintain a travel bucket list to keep my desire to travel ignited. It's a dynamic document that evolves as I learn more about the world and discover new destinations. My goal in life is to hit all of those destinations before my body fails on me. While my specific interests may not perfectly align with yours, the beauty of travel lies in its diversity. There's something for everyone, whether it's bustling cities, serene beaches, breathtaking mountains, wonders of the world or encounters with fascinating cultures, food etc.

Unlike the other pillars of my retired life, travel requires significant financial investment. Fortunately, by prioritizing financial planning throughout my career, I'm able to pursue these travel dreams to an extent. I only wish I can do more of it though 😞 However, creating a fulfilling travel experience doesn't require breaking the bank. Whether it's exploring local hidden gems or embarking on international adventures, the key is to find destinations that resonate with your interests and budget.

I believe the desire to travel is universal. The world is a vast and wondrous place, brimming with opportunities to learn, grow, and create lasting memories. So, take inspiration from my journey, but most importantly, chart your own course! Start building your travel bucket list, research destinations that pique your curiosity, and get ready to explore!

Health & Social Connections

There's no denying that good health is the cornerstone of a happy and fulfilling retirement. After all, what good is a well-structured plan if you're unable to enjoy it due to physical limitations? This is one area I am guilty of lagging behind … a lot! While I'm still working on optimizing my own health routine, I can certainly emphasize the importance of the basics to the reader.

• Prioritize Sleep: Getting enough quality sleep is essential for physical and mental well-being.
• Embrace Movement: Regular exercise, brisk walking, keeps your body strong and your mind sharp.
• Nourish Your Body: Eating a balanced diet rich in fruits and nuts, vegetables, and whole grains fuels your energy and supports overall health.

My personal goal is to live a healthy and independent life, free from being a burden on my children which is extremely important to me. I want them to focus on their own lives and dreams, knowing I'm taking care of myself. While the future is unpredictable, prioritizing my health now increases my chances of living a long and vibrant life on my own terms.

Besides taking care of your physical health, maintaining social connections is very vital for overall health and positive impact on your emotional well-being. While it's true that social activities and connections may decrease after retirement, there are still plenty of ways to stay engaged and live a fulfilling life. In addition to the volunteering and travel pillars I discussed above, which can also promote social connections, there's a special value in interacting with friends you already have in your network to strengthen those bonds. In that regard, I started regularly meeting friends for coffee or breakfast to catch up and share ideas. My goal is to do this at least twice a month, and so far, this approach has been successful and a very positive experience.

Learning

My favorite astrophysicist and role model, Neil deGrasse Tyson, perfectly captures my approach to learning with his quote: "You don't need to look very far to find the meaning of life; you can create one for yourself. Every day you should try to learn something new about the world." I wholeheartedly embraced this philosophy. During my full-time corporate career, technology was my constant companion for three decades. There was little time for exploring other interests. Now, with time on my hands and an infinite ocean of online knowledge, I've embarked on a journey of discovery. These include but not limited to astrophysics, theoretical & quantum physics, spacetime, black hole theories, time travel – these are just some of the captivating topics I'm delving into learn. The human brain, free will, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI), the interplay of science and religion … the list goes on! My curiosity about ancient civilizations, from mesopotamia and the indus valley to egypt, the mayans, and even the incas, is another area of exploration. Every new discovery fuels my passion for lifelong learning, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have the time to pursue this enriching journey until my final days.

My advice to readers is this: find a subject that sparks your curiosity and dive into it!  Whether it's astrophysics, ancient history, or anything else that captures your imagination, the key is to learn from credible sources. With the vast amount of information available online, it's crucial to be selective. Here are some tips:

• Seek out content from reputable sources: Look for information from established institutions, universities, and respected publications. Peer-reviewed articles, research papers by scientists and scholars, and works by philosophers are excellent resources.
• Be wary of social media: Unfortunately, social media platforms are often breeding grounds for misinformation. It's best to avoid basing your learning on content found on Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter etc. In my opinion, collectively they are digital noise, garbage & misinformation you should stay away from.

I've compiled a list of credible sources and inspiring figures in my learning journey. Feel free to explore them at the end of this blog post or use it as a springboard to create your own learning roadmap. Remember, the most important thing is to find joy in the process of exploration!

Who am I?

 

Arul Selvan

This collection of my rational belief, fascinations, quotes, and admired individuals collectively define who I am. Specifically, the list of quotes below inspire and motivate me to strive for self-improvement. Although I may never fully master all of them, I make an effort to live by these principles every day. While I have had successes following them, there are times I fail to adhere to them while attempting to "to do the right thing" and/or "trying to control the outcome". Now, in my retirement stage of life, I seek peace, happiness, and a sense of purpose as I navigate the final part of my life's journey.

My rational belief:

I am an atheist & skeptic because I see there is no evidence to demonstrate a higher power/god's existence, therefore, I don't believe in god or belong to any religious group. In that sense, I fall in-between atheist & skeptic.

I studied geology, which is an evidence-based science, for more than 5 years in graduate school. Later in my post-retirement life, I learned the fundamentals of astrophysics and evolutionary biology from leading scientists like Neil DeGrasse Tyson & Richard Dawkins and many others. All of this combined knowledge helps me understand facts about the existence of the universe over 14 billion years ago and that Earth was formed more than 4.5 billion years ago; definitely not created by some divine "magic" in a matter of days as believed by christian faith-based belief system that doesn't require any evidence. Other religions like Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and many other religions of the world also rely on blind faith rather than empirical evidence.

In addition to religion, I don't believe in simulation hypothesis --- A hypothesis suggests that we all are living in a computer simulation rather than reality. This is total nonsense and this is where I draw the line on reality vs fiction. Especially nutjobs like Elon Musk peddling this simulation hypothesis is a clear indicator that all this is nonsense so one can discard it completely and not waste any time thinking about it. One thing comes to my mind on this is the phrase "I think, therefore I am"

About me:

This link (arul.selvans.net) describes a little bit about me, where I come from, my background, education, hobbies, career etc.

My fascinations:

• Theories of blackhole in our galaxy and beyond.
• Time travel: As per Einstein's theories of relativity, time travel to the future is a proven fact, but can we travel to the past? When we see the light from distant stars or planets aren't we seeing the past?
• Speed of light, spacetime, possibility of existence of life outside of earth ... and many more.
• Astrophysics, particle physics and theoretical physics; quantum physics, double slit experiment/particle entanglement etc.
• Human brain --- dreams, consciences, Autonomous Nervous system (breathing, blood flow, digestion) that operates independently of the brain.
• Do we have free will or does everything happen following laws of physics, after all, we are made of atoms and particles that must obey laws of physics right? Our decisions could be the result of complex brain processes, which might be interpreted as determinism rather than free will?
• Human brain is often described as a predictive machine which continuously compares sensory information (vision, touch, sound, smell etc) with internal predictions & simulations about the future, which can shape our present behavior. Having said that, do we have free will or its all determinism?
• What is "now"? --- From a neuroscientific perspective, there is several millisecond delay (neural latency) in our brain to process the sensory information. From a physics perspective, as per Einstein's theory of relativity, "now" depends on motion and position in space and is relative to the observers. So "now" is unknowable. When you say "now", you are referring to the moment that has already passed!
• Ancient civilizations (Mesopotamia, Indus valley, Egyptian, Mayan, Incas etc.)
• I am fascinated with sharks, especially the great white. Also fascinated by octopus as they separated from evolution millions of years ago and they are practically aliens. Another animal I am fascinated with is tardigrades! What an incredible organism surviving millions of years!

Quotes:

• "Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference" --- Arul's modified version of the serenity prayer (since I am an atheist, the prayer here refers to my inner self rather than a divine power)
• "Life's too short and there is no guarantee in life when it's your turn to go. So, it would be wise to make the best use of our time while we are here and be happy with what we have and not worry about money and material things which we will not be able to take with us when we die. Remember, Egyptian Pharaohs already tired this 4000 years ago and we know how it worked out for them 😀" --- Arul
• "Be selective in your battles, sometimes peace is better than being right" --- unknown (Arul's favorite)
• "There is no undo button for human memory; we cannot selectively keep the good things and erase the bad ones" --- Arul's reinterpretation of a tamil song ("நினைக்க தெரிந்த மனமே உனக்கு மறக்கத் தெரியாதா") by Kannadasan an Indian Poet/philosopher
• "Though our dreams may seem like a random sequence of events, they are actually stories created from our conscious thoughts" --- Arul
• "Our bad dreams & nightmares are really stories built with bits and pieces of our actual negative thoughts from our conscious minds" --- Arul
• "There is no God or Divine power. Good & Evil are present in all of us and how we control our actions makes us either good or evil" --- Arul's modified version from the God show narrated by Morgan Freeman.
• "Religious faith depends on a host of social, psychological and emotional factors that have little or nothing to do with probabilities, evidence and logic." --- Michael Shermer
• "The whole point of faith, in fact, is to believe regardless of the evidence, which is the very antithesis of science" --- Michael Shermer
• "In the past 10,000 years, humans have devised roughly 100,000 religions based on roughly 2,500 gods. So the only difference between myself and the believers is that I am skeptical of 2,500 gods whereas they are skeptical of 2,499 gods. We’re only one God away from total agreement" --- Michael Shermer
• "Many Christians say that they get their morality from the Bible, but this cannot be true because as holy books go the Bible is possibly the most unhelpful guide ever written for determining right from wrong. It’s chock-full of bizarre stories about dysfunctional families, advice about how to beat your slaves, how to kill your headstrong kids, how to sell your virgin daughters, and other clearly outdated practices that most cultures gave up centuries ago." --- Michael Shermer
• "Religion is just a concept invented by humans when they can’t explain things or when they are subject to sorrow and complete loss of hope" --- Arul
• "Faith is nothing more than the license religious people give one another to keep believing when reasons fail" --- Sam Harris
• "You don't need to look very far to find the meaning of life, you can create one for yourself. Every day you should try to learn something you didn't know about the world " --- Neil DeGrasse Tyson.
• "Accept people as they are but place them where they belong. You are the CEO of your life. Hire, fire, and promote accordingly" --- Morgan Freeman?
• "Stay out of these 3 jails; Caring what others think, Living in the past, & Fearing change. Change your mind, change your life, mindset is everything" --- Morgan Freeman?
• "Atheism is nothing more than the noises reasonable people make when in the presence of religious dogma" --- Sam Harris
• "It's simply untrue that religion provides the only framework for a universal morality." --- Sam Harris
• "The universe is almost 14 billion years old, and wow! Life had no problem starting here on Earth! I think it would be inexcusably egocentric of us to suggest that we're alone in the universe" --- Neil DeGrasse Tyson
• "Claiming there is no other life in the universe is like scooping up some water, looking at the cup and claiming there are no whales in the ocean" --- Neil DeGrasse Tyson
• "We are prisoners of current time where past is inaccessible and future is unknowable" --- Neil DeGrasse Tyson
• "The rotating planets orbit the sun, like pure wedding dancers in a cosmic ballet choreographed by the forces of gravity." --- Neil DeGrasse Tyson
• "The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it." --- Neil DeGrasse Tyson
• "The Universe is under no obligation to make sense to you." --- Neil DeGrasse Tyson.
• "God is an ever-receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller as time moves on" --- Neil DeGrasse Tyson.
• "Ignorance is a virus. Once it starts spreading, it can only be cured by reason. For the sake of humanity, we must be that cure." --- Neil DeGrasse Tyson.
• "Evolution is just a theory? Well, so is gravity and I don't see you jumping out of buildings." --- Richard Dawkins
• "Religion tells people what they want to hear, not what they need to know" --- Neil DeGrasse Tyson
• "You can’t convince a believer of anything; for their belief is not based on evidence, it’s based on a deep seated need to believe" --- Carl Sagan
• "Everyone carries a load on their shoulders. If they say they are perfect, then either they are delusional or just pretending" --- Arul
• "Success follows happiness not the other way around" --- Arul
• "The measure of success is how we cope with disappointment" --- From the movie Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
• "The only real failure is the failure to try" --- From the movie Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
• "The person who risks nothing, does nothing; has nothing" --- From the movie Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
• "I fear living a life where I could have accomplished something and didn't. That's what I fear. I don't fear death" --- Neil DeGrasse Tyson
• "You will continue to suffer if you have an emotional reaction to everything that is said to you. True power is sitting back and observing things with logic. True power is restraint. If words control you, that means everyone else can control you. Breathe and allow things to pass." ---Warren Buffett
• "Everyone has a story, everyone has weight on their shoulder, and everyone is a victim of something". --- Unknown/Arul's modification
• "Accept things as they are" --- Wu Wei
• "Embrace imperfection" --- Wu Wei
• "I don't really want to fight no more, cause it's time for letting go" --- Lyrics from a Tina Turner song.
• "Ride the wave of live -- feelings are like waves, we can't stop them, but we can choose which one to ride" --- a show on National geographic w/ Morgan Freeman slightly modified by Arul
• "When we stop trying to control everything, everything will still get done" --- Wu Wei
• "Don't force anything in life, let it flow" --- Wu Wei
• "Money changes everything" --- Lyrics from Cyndi Lauper song
• "Money breaks every rule and changes everyone. No one is exempt from it, I don't care who you are, when it comes to money you will change" --- Arul
• "Money can't buy life" --- Steve Jobs
• "Money is not a metric for success" --- Sir Richard Branson
• "Precondition (I need xyz to start anything) will keep you from following your dreams" --- Sir Richard Branson
• "When you make a mistake, you are actually learning something not to do... so mistakes are not all that bad" --- Unknown
• "We need to learn how to "want what we have", not "have what we want" in order to get steady and stable happiness." -- Dalai Lama
• "Don't compare yourself to others." --- Unknown
• "Nobody is too busy in this world, we all have the same 24 hours. It's all about setting right priorities" --- Unknown
• "Being a great leader means sometimes pissing people off" (I have followed this throughout my professional career as a leader) --- General Colin Powell
• "You can't use reason to convince anyone out of an argument that they didn't use reason to get into "--- Neil deGrasse Tyson
• "Being together is not always a good thing. We came into the world alone and we will leave the world alone , if one does not know how to be by themselves then being together is a nuisance --- Sadhguru
• "Never judge people by their past. People learn, people change." --- Unknown
• "Disrespect will close doors that Apologies can't reopen" --- Unknown
• "I don't care about losing people who don't want to be in my life anymore. I've lost people who meant the world to me and I’m still doing just fine" --- Unknown

People I admire (in addition to family/friends):

• Science
• Neal DeGrasse Tyson --- Astrophysicists, educator. Love this guy.
• Richard Dawkins --- Evolutionary biologist, educator, skeptic/atheist (atheist like me)
• Michio Kaku --- Professor/Astrophysics
• Brian Greene --- Theoretical physicist
• Brian Cox --- Particle physicist
• Sean Carroll --- Theoretical physicist and quantum mechanics --- love his spacetime talk and explanations
• Sabine Hossenfelder --- Theoretical physics research, author, science communicator -- love her YouTube videos.
• Technology
• Linus Torvalds --- Creator (god? 😀) of Linux which powers the world!
• Bill Gates --- Not only a technologist but a great philanthropist who truly cares about disease, poverty and help solve world problems.
• Philosophy
• Michael Shermer --- science writer, skeptic - love this guy (skeptic/atheist like me)
• Sam Harris --- Philosopher, neuroscientist, and specializes in educating religious nuts on science and debates them. (skeptic/atheist like me)
• Politics
• Barak Obama (President and an overall coolest person in politics)
• Comedy
• Bill Maher --- coolest guy! I agree with 99% of his views on everything, although he does have some weird stands on science that I don't agree with.
• Stephen Colbert --- late night comedy
• George Carlin --- comedy at the speed of light.
• John Oliver --- British and American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator.
• Seinfeld Show --- Obviously this is not a person although Jerry Seinfeld is a funny guy but nothing funnier than this show, ever! If you give me a context in life, I will provide you a funny quote from the show. Speaking of that, here are some unforgettable funny quotes from the show. It would only make sense if you watched a bunch of episodes of the show.

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Last updated: 06/23/2024 06:47:01

About Me

 

Arul Selvan

A little about me

I was born in south India and grew up in a city called Madras (renamed to Chennai) which is one of the few big cities in India. Growing up in the 70's and 80's were much different from today regardless of which part of the world you grew up. Back then we did not have internet, social media, or video games, hell we did not even have landline phone until I was in high school. To play, we actually had to go out and play with real friends; for communication, we simply talk to friends in person; walked everywhere and the only available commute to go anywhere far are either metro bus or train. It was simple times back then and I sure do have lot of fond memories of having lot of fun without technology we take it for granted today. Lastly, it is hard to believe even for me that I was physically very strong back then practicing (and teaching) martial arts for several years during my early college days. I was a first degree black belt in Shotogan style contact karate (yeah, we really hit each other above waste and below neck hard as hell )--- which is one of the reason my back is broken today but how it happened is a longer story for another day. I came to US in 1986 and lived in many exiting places like Madison WI, Chicago IL, FortCollins CO, Atlanta GA. Currently, I live in Dallas, TX, a great city but nothing compared to all the other exiting places I have lived so far.

Hobbies

I had many real hobbies in the past like fixing electric, electronic devices, computers and working on cars etc but I am too old for all that now. Today, I basically watch lot of science & technology YouTube videos, as per TV shows my favorite ones are Real time w/ Bill Maher and John Oliver on HBO. Besides TV/YouTube, I do enjoy backyard grilling with both traditional grilling of sausages, brats, chicken, stake & Hibachi style cooking as well as fusion grilling with Indian spices.

I am fascinated to read/learn about astrophysics, theoretical physics, space time, theories of blackhole, time travel, human brain, free will, SETI, science vs religion/god etc. I am also fascinated read/learn about ancient civilizations from Mesopotamia, Indus Valley, Egyptian, Mayan all the way to modern Inca's. I have a bucket list to visit all the places where the ruins of these civilizations are found & I am about 10% done on my bucket list! In addition to all of these, I am also passionate about modern technologies as well. I do spend major portion of my time reading/researching about Cybersecurity, Linux OS & kernel, Docker, cloud technologies, whitehat hacking, medical devices etc. I also contribute to opensource forums like StackExchange, Docker, Github, Reddit etc as I find time to help/share with opensource community.

Education

I went to college mostly in Chennai where I grew up from childhood to early part of my adult life. I graduated from University of Madras with masters degree in Marine Geology (yeah, you heard it right, GEOLOGY!) and it has nothing to do with what I did for living in the last 37+ years. After finding out there is no future with my education in geology, I went back to school again and got my second masters degree in engineering (Remote Sensing --- a study of aerial and satellite image interpretation/processing for mapping, cartography etc) from Anna University, Madras, again still nothing to do with what I do today. Finally, I am a continuing Ph.D student at University of Wisconsin-Madison since 1987 probably forever!

Present & past employers

At present time, I am semi-retired doing limited consulting work at SelvanSoft LLC since Apr 2022 and prior to that I was working for AMN Healthcare, before that I was at RealPage from Dec 2015 to Oct 2021. The other companies I have worked in the past include Capital One, RealPage, Experian, McAfee, i2 Technologies (now BlueYonder), Raytheon ... etc in Dallas area. Before moving to Dallas, I worked for GE (maker of the best CT scanners in the world), for about a year. Last but not least, I started my professional career as a Software Engineer with a small but great little company in Atlanta called Erdas Inc (now Hexagon Spacial) that makes Image Processing and GIS software. I do keep in touch with many of the very smart people (Friends at ERDAS) that I came to know during my 5 years at ERDAS Inc,

Who Am I?

This link (whoami.selvans.net) describes collection of quotes, my beliefs, my fascinations, and individuals I admire, all of that collectively define who I am.

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Last updated: 06/23/2024 06:47:01