Along with the 65% of my fellow Americans, I no longer believe that retirement is possible or wise at age 65 or 67. Lost equity in my home, retirement plan on shaky ground, long term concerns about social security have me loving my job more than ever.

It wouldn't surprise me, though, to have my employer dream up some machiavellian scheme to try to force me out, such as reassigning my work location to the San Pedro Harbor area or worse, eliminating my position entirely.

What I do is very well suited to my talents and I do it well. The stressful periods are easier to endure because I know that they will pass as they always do. Occasionally we get a crazy who wants to know our street address because they are going to "take care of us" but so far it's always been just bluster. Trash talk.

So I no longer dream about retirement, but just forge ahead, day to day. More vacation days, more days off, will help too. Actually welcoming the idea of furlough days, even though they equate to a cut in pay. Just so long as they don't have to be taken consecutively in one month. That would be painful in the pocketbook.

I figure at least five more years. Time for the economy to do a real recovery, not just a stock market rally based on profits generated in part from companies cutting back by RIF and banks back to their bad old ways. Phony recovery, in my opinion.

I have no intention of retiring so I can live in poverty, unable to find part time work or supplement my income in any way, just making ends meet. That makes no sense to me. Have to support my Starbucks habit, you know.