Sandy -- I can't keep track of your and your hair. So does it now look the same as when you first started? I get my hair highlighted/colored on Wednesday. The gray is really starting to show.

Soxmom -- I was actually relieved when I read your post. I thought you were going to say that you fell asleep during a fire you built, and it caught something else on fire. I am sorry about your hand.

I could not sleep last night as I started to second guess myself on this whole retirement thing. But it is a little too late to do that since the Vice President and Dean have already set things in motion. The only way I can get the benefit of teaching for the two next summers and increasing my average salary was by declaring a firm retirement date. Plus, I will get reimbursed for about 25% of my sick days during my last year. The longer I teach the greater the possibility I might start using them.

I meet with a retirement counselor on Tuesday. I am taking a penalty for retiring before I am 60, but I seriously do not think I could make it until then. The penalty is a bit higher than I had anticipated, but if my calculations are right I will still make about 50% of my salary. Plus there is a 3% cost of living raise each year. At this point the state does not require us to pay for health care once you have retired and have 20 years. (Of course Illinois is 7 months in paying its insurance premiums right now.) I should be okay as I will have a decent savings account and a few other small annuities, etc, plus no debt, but this is still scary. If I had lasted until I was 60, I would have received about 72% of my final salary. And once you reach 30 years, you receive 80% which is the maximum. Since this is only my 21st year, I don't see how I could possibly do that. I am not sure I will make it the next 2 1/2 years. Am I making a huge mistake? Disability benefits and disability retirement are less.

Sorry for the long rant. I am just trying to think this through.