Retirement scares lots of people. In fact, nearly half of workers fear they will never be able to retire because of finances. For those who can afford to and look forward to retiring, this major life change can bring bouts of depression and anxiety, isolation, and a loss of purpose.

MY BROTHER’S RETIREMENT

I’d like to introduce you to my brother, Dr. A. Ted Watson, who retired from Colorado State University’s School of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering about two years ago. At first I thought he’d never retire because when I asked, he would basically blow off the question and wouldn’t articulate what he might do to fill his time. However, once he finished his textbook, Foundations of Mathematical Modeling and Analysis in Engineering, he took the plunge.

TED’S RETIREMENT DEBUT

Drum roll, please. Ted decided to pursue his passion for music. He began taking banjo lessons from Saja Butler, owner of Urban Monk Studios in Fort Collins, Colorado, approximately two years ago. Additionally, he plays with other musicians in a monthly jam session in Fort Collins. More importantly, he practices religiously!

Now he’s a social media star with over 3,000 views. (OK, sibling jealousy here. I wish my social media views would be that high.) Listen to him play and sing for Saja in this Facebook clip.

Ted Watson — Spookin’ the Horses.

And why music? Those of us with a curious mind want to know. Turns out music and math have many commonalities. The American Mathematical Society explains that counting, rhythm, scales, intervals, patterns, symbols, harmonies, time signatures, overtones, tone, and pitch are connected. The notations of composers and sounds made by musicians are connected to mathematics. The next time you hear or play classical, rock, folk, religious, ceremonial, jazz, opera, pop, or contemporary types of music, think of what mathematics and music have in common and how mathematics is used to create the music you enjoy.

For my friends on the geeky side, you can explore connections between mathematics and music in these videos and podcasts.

RETIREMENT SONG DEBUT EXAMINED

Ted is not just singing Spookin’ The Horses, he created his own arrangement. Fred Eaglesmith wrote the song and recorded it for his 1997 album Lipstick, Lies and Gasoline. Corb Lund later released it.

He created an introduction using the slide on the banjo, then alternated between picking for one verse and strumming for another.

MUSIC IN RETIREMENT CONNECTS TO THE PAST

We both took piano lessons and played in the junior high and high school band. However, Ted stuck with piano and was second chair tuba without practicing. (OK, I’m not going to even try to pretend I could master the French Horn without practicing my duff off.) We had harmonicas, flutophones, tonettes, and Ted even had a pink plastic ocarina. My instruments included a ukulele, baritone ukulele, and guitar. (Sigh, I only know how to strum a few cords.)

He recalls our dad not wanting to spend much money on instruments, since Ted got a four-string tenor banjo and had to buy himself a cheap guitar in Mexico.

FUTURE RETIREMENT PLANS

Now there’s no stopping him. Ted bought recording equipment and is forming a band with his son and grandson, to be named the Watson Blue Express. The best part is that he’s promised to write original songs to accompany my next work in progress, The Rovers: Book 2 of Family Threads, which follows our ancestors on our mother’s side of the family. I know a song sung in his unique banjar style (a mix of blues, country, and rock) will be fabulous. Just what our great uncle Tennessee Riverboat Captain Simp McKee, who owned a whorehouse and a pig who drank beer, deserves.

TIPS ON ADJUSTING TO RETIREMENT

HelpGuide.org makes the following suggestions for those of you who don’t find music a good retirement trajectory:

1. Embrace change.
   1. Adjust your attitude by viewing retirement as a journey rather than a destination.
   2. Build resilience.
   3. Accept the things you can’t change.
   4. Redefine your identity.
   5. Set new goals.
2. Find new purpose and meaning.
   1. Consider part-time work.
   3. Nurture hobbies and interests.
   4. Learn something new.
   5. Get a pet.
3. Manage retirement depression, stress, and anxiety.
4. Develop a healthy lifestyle.

LAST THOUGHTS ON RETIREMENT

We speculated on whether, had Ted not had so many other interests, he could have become a master musician. Those thoughts made me wonder where my writing would be if I had started my fiction writing career decades earlier.

No matter. That’s water under the bridge. Today music is Ted’s life and writing is mine. We are blessed with wonderful retirements.

Oh, and please, share his video so he can get more clicks!

I’d love it if you’d join me!

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