Milestones

As of my birthday on Friday, November 14, I reached the magic age where I am eligible for Social Security. Although I have not gotten to "full retirement" age, I decided it was best to start getting my money while I still could.

So last Wednesday I sat down at the computer to complete the online application. I just love doing stuff online. I gave them about 10 pages of information and hit the "submit" button. Then I put the required documents, a copy of last year's W-2 form and my birth certificate, into an envelope and took it to the post office.

This morning at 7:50 I got a call from a nice lady at the Social Security office here in Birmingham who told me that she had gotten my online application and that they had already received my documents. (She certainly was working early on a Saturday morning.)

"I'm just thrilled," she gushed.

"Well, I'm thrilled, too," I thought. "I'm going to get some money from the government."

It seems that she was thrilled that my application was in order, that I had submitted all of the required documents and that I had given them phone numbers where they could actually reach me.

"You won't believe how many people give us a phone number and then just leave the country," she explained.

So I guess that makes me retired, although it doesn't mean my daily routine will change. I'll continue to build and remodel houses; I'll just be getting a monthly check from Uncle Sam.