I’ve discovered a 2 part formula to help achieve that goal; Live longer and live more fully. Let’s start with living longer. I first met Dr. Samuelson when I made an appointment for shoulder surgery. Before I get into the details of living longer, let me say my surgery turned out great! The pain is gone and my golf game is back (well as back as my golf game can be). Just wish I had him do the other shoulder when I had that done 14 years ago. In the course of my treatment Dr. Samuelson gave me several books including one called “Younger Next Year”. It changed my life. Rhonda and I traded in our high fat, high stress, no exercise lifestyles. We have never felt better. We exercise regularly but don’t diet. We eat good, but healthy food. After not exercising for 30 years, I now own 2 bikes, a weight machine, an elliptical and I just finished my fitness room. OK so that’s part 1, live longer. While none of us has any guarantees on that, I’m confident being fit will enhance our odds, and without a doubt improve the quality of whatever years we do have. For part 2 it’s really the opposite of part 1; “Don’t count your minutes, make your minutes count.” In other words live more fully. Get off the couch, get away from the TV, and do something! Work, play, volunteer, travel. I believe a full life means having a balance of passion, purpose, faith, friends, family, and experiences. On January 1, 2015 I stepped back as CEO to rebalance things. My passion and purpose for designing buildings, had evolved into the stresses of running a big business. I’d climbed the corporate ladder and discovered I didn’t like the view up there. We’d been assisting Rhonda’s parents in the escorted travel business for about 4 years and we really loved meeting and leading people to destinations next door and around the world. We Baby Boomers are all about working hard, building a career, and making money. I’ve heard that millennials will give up money and career achievement for quality of life and experiences. This just might be an area where we learn something from our kids. Today I love both my jobs. In the travel business I travel with a lot with ladies. Ladies who tell me this was “her husband’s dream trip and they were going to do this together "someday”. Someday never came and now I travel with a lot of ladies that are taking their husband’s dream trip without them. Not to be dark, but having attended a number of funerals lately, I’ve thought about my own funeral. When they play that video of my life, there won’t be pictures of the buildings I designed, any awards I won, a big house or a fancy car. There will be pictures of me, with my wife, my children, my friends, smiling and having a good time on vacation. I’m seeing some of those pictures in my head right now, and there are some great ones from that trip to Cabo. My car is getting quite a few miles on it, but I’m going to drive it a while. I treasure my time with family more than anything, and I’m going to invest in vacation. I’m staying healthy and investing in vacation so I don’t get to the end of my bucket before I get to the end of my list.