Sandy Mamrak's Letter of Retirement

May 4, 2005

To retire. Popular usage is to retire from, in a state of physical, mental and financial decline.

Synonyms include: depart, exit, get away, get off, leave, quit, run along, take off, and withdraw.

By retiring I will be leaving The Ohio State University, the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Columbus itself (yes, the NYC apartment is in contract), my co-workers – fellow faculty, administrative and computer staff, tens of graduate research assistants, other grads and undergrads, other friends made on campus and off, a career, my football tickets on the 50-yard line. . .

But I am planning to retire to rather than from: get out, get up, turn out, up rise. To strive for continual physical and mental fitness.

Retirement pensions and social security were designed about 70 years ago to support old people who were "dependent," "beyond the productive period," and "without means of self-support." Social Security's mission was "protection against the loss of income," "providing against need and dependency in old age," and easing "the hazards of old age to the many workers who could not, unaided, provide for themselves." At that time, men who reached 65 still had on the average 12 years of life before them; women, 15 years. Now, men who reached age 65 have on average 17 years of life before them, and women have 20 years.

In 1992, a plurality of workers said they were in excellent health, and 17 percent said they were in fair or poor health. Now, a majority is in excellent health, and less than 11 percent are in fair or poor health. Over the long term, the changes in onset of disease are amazing. Two years ago, economists compared American men born between 1830 and 1845 to those born between 1918 and 1927 (they would be 78 to 87 years old today). On average, the latter group got arthritis, heart disease, or respiratory disease a decade later in life than the former did.

So, as a current retiree, I can expect decades of physical and mental health. And due to fabulous retirement-fund management by STRS, I can expect decades of financial health as well.

I intend to seize the opportunity for an exhilarating second wind.

For me, the greatest opportunity for fresh stimulation and mental retraining is a move to a big, bustling city. I'm certain that intellectual renewal and continuing social interaction will result from the move itself --to a new place after more than 25 years at the same address--getting to know the streets, the neighborhoods, the subway, the restaurants, museums, stores. . .

I also intend to do volunteer work, to give something back to the community for its many years of giving to me, to try to make the world a better place, by whatever modest means I can muster.

And I hope to stay in touch with my current friends by encouraging them to visit and stay with us in our new digs.

To paraphrase William Shakespeare: Farewell my friends. If we do meet again, we shall smile. If not, then this parting was well made, very well made.