u/Level_Customer2769

Not the crappy ones they reissued 10? years ago which were poor quality paper w terrible sticky material. The 1974-1977 ish years. I collected all of them then my mother threw them all out when i went off to college/ the one
f *ing time she decides to straighten up my room!
Ajerx, never ready, peter pain…,
Sticking how many pieces of that gum in your mouth competitions with your friends , trading stickers like it’s the most serious thing in the world.

Not the crappy ones they reissued 10? years ago which were poor quality paper w terrible sticky material. The 1974-1977 ish years. I collected all of them then my mother threw them all out when i went off to college/ the one
f *ing time she decides to straighten up my room!
Ajerx, never ready, peter pain…,
Sticking how many pieces of that gum in your mouth competitions with your friends , trading stickers like it’s the most serious thing in the world.

I’m early 60s to M, and while I listen to Zepplin just a tiny bit growing up and very little all the past years.
I only really started to appreciate them about five years ago. Coincides exactly with when I started smoking weed especially during my summer times when I’m kayaking.

My ask is for some comments regarding the fact that as much as I am obsessed with them now, my wife doesn’t even want to listen to a song of it. She finds it amusing that I’ve discovered my teenage music at 60. I told her that she doesn’t understand how good Zeplin was and let me start with playing something beautiful like the rain song or Going to CA.

I am getting closer to retirement,
(61 yo M)thinking of things to try out as I am happiest when active. So I was wondering what would be some activities you recently retired folks have taken up that the “ not retired you” had never either had time or thought to ever try? I tend to be less social and want to work more on that part of my life- love travel with my wife, outdoors especially in the spring/ summer months. Would appreciate any suggestions- the “ more unusual “ the better honestly.

I am “ toying “ with idea of taking in an associate- and if i was offering a straight w-2 gig- just curious what kind of daily guaranteed pay would be appropriate? If you do a guaranteed minimum- what % on production would be a fair set up, and what kind of income does a 3-5 yr experienced guy/gal realistically expect so their is no “ your working me like slave labor”outcome - which at this point in my career I don’t need to/ want to do. I couldn’t see taking in a less experienced person- while I like giving advice- that’s not my idea of fun/ wouldn’t fit my A type personality bringing along a new guy( just being honest).
I am in CT- so obviously a higher cost of living state/ my practice is solo/ does roughly $1.0M/ yr at low overhead . Probably looking to do a
“ walk away “ sale in 2-4 yrs but if I took in a competent associate who could buy me out, that would be an option too.
The “wrinkle “ is I basically work with NO assistant- just for some extractions my front office staff was trained as an associate years ago. Concerned how an associate would be able to train their own/ how do i have an assistant only when they are their likely not every day i am there?
I work only 3 days/ week for over 10 years now), run a tight little ship with two front office staff ( 73 and 60 yo), and my wife who occasionally fills in/ covers for days off etc. I am basically the OM- do all orders, payroll, hiring and marketing. Its all on “auto pilot “ at this point and as I have made a great living all these years- I have never bought into the “ bigger is better “ model. Low overhead, keeping it simple has proven to work terrific all these years as I sit on a ridiculous retirement nest egg.
I have 1 FT hygienist and 30-35 double hygiene days/ yr with a few different PT temps additionally.
Taking @$500k still out of $1.0M-$1.1M collections( including pension and running a few things through the office that an owner can take advantage of if you read between the lines).
I have 5 ops but rarely use more than 3 of them. Have 5 yrs left on a 10 year lease ( never owned the building which probably was a mistake but that money has done great in stock market which I prefer so no real regrets), then 2 more 5 yr options as I negotiated several years ago with the retirement time table in mind.
This location is superb/ been here since I started in practice in early 1990’s with my father.
My hesitation mostly in taking in an associate vs. just waiting another 2 years, then starting the “for sale “ in a “ quick walk away “ concept- is the concern that my practice is likely not going to fit the “ modern “ way most guys want to practice and I don’t want to change/ don’t need to change as I am very fortunate to have more than enough to retire on- working because i like it and trying to find activities to substitute the purpose of working right now. A good problem to have but just trying to think about all the possible “ end games”, as I am grateful how its all worked out.

So Im baked right now. I have something i love to do. I take a pic of the time when i first start smoking. It’s a riot to look back a the time after you feel like you have been high for what feels like an hour or more.Then i check the pic on my phone- its always like 15 minutes in reality feels like 60-90 mins. I blows my mind every time.

I am very fortunate that financially I am so far beyond what I ever imagined to reach in my career. As a 61 yo, I think about when to retire but I worry that without a schedule and a routine it may not be good for me. I am trying to develop hobbies- have several plus we have a nice summer place- but I just don’t want to make a mistake. My career as a dentist is hard to do part time- I am not overly social/ don’t want to be an employee after an entire career as “the boss”-so working for someone will be a mistake, this I know. My kids are great but have their own lives, my wife of 35 years has her routines helping her elderly mother mostly, and while we spend time together I don’t see shopping/ doing errands as a sustainable happy existence for me. I feel like I will be the cliche, husband expecting his wife to entertain him, disrupting her routines.
I like relaxing /trips occasionally,but need purpose day to day . Its a quandary because physically I can’t work forever/ my staff at work are older and I cannot fathom breaking in a new office manager at my age. When she retires (2-3yrs if i am lucky and if I beg her to keep working)- I will have to sell my practice.
Financially I am in great shape- I am beyond grateful for that, but as an introvert outside the workplace- it worries me.

So easy at the moment

How has the restructuring been presented to you and what is your “take” on this situation?

So I am listening to the live version(more than 1 live recording that year?)and after years of listening- always wondered if anyone was present at this concert/ heard them live in ‘72?- would love to hear about any trivia

So I'm pretty high and Spotify randomly picks the song I've never heard before. It's the live version of going to California. I have listened to the recorded studio version/I don't know how many times but always one of my most favorite of his songs. Listening to the live version feels like it's listening to somebody making a confession? It's like the character they've created or maybe it's even Robert Plant if you want it to be? Maybe it's like he's confessing his sins/desires/ insecurities most of all,and we get to hear those though and listen unfold.
I would find it very interesting to hear opinions of anyone who has listened to this version.
I think it might be interesting to hear others take on the song.

Pretty stoned. Watching Star Trek series/ animated from 70’s.
Last time i watched was in the actual 70’s as a kid.
Absolutely wild/ very psychedelic

I never had , but buzzing quite nicely at the moment literally floating on a kayak. Just wondering what it feels like.

He guys. So I graduated in early 1990’s, and trying to understand the disconnect I see here when reading posts from current dentists vs.dental students/ pre-dents etc.

Here on Reddit- the younger dentists all talk about how difficult it is/ massive loans that they need to repay while most say they are in no position to own a practice- that working for a DSO/ as an associate leaves them with a poor income and many(not all) feel regret about choosing dentistry as their career.

My experience, my success has been based on being an owner, charting my own destiny. I tell the young dentists I talk to you need to be an owner. If that’s an impossibility with all the debt, then your path will be quite different than a dentist/owner.

Is any of this information getting to you guys in college/ dental school?- has anyone telling you that your debt service($3000 or $4000/ mo . is what I often hear thrown around), coming out of a paycheck as an associate of $10k, or $12k/ mo- leaves you $6-8k/ mo. to live on?

Sorry if I’m being a downer but the disconnect between the younger dentists - many how they regret their decisions, then you guys burying yourself in debt, thinking working for a DSO will be a good path.

Many of us older guys think the dental schools/ ADA and all organized dentistry are misleading and not preparing you guys. College and dental school with absolutely no business classes or discussions about overhead and basic concepts on how to run a practice, staffing, patient communications and selling treatment plans etc etc.

Let me assure you that the DSO’s will not be giving you any such education while you work as their patient/ production starved employees.

Being told that the business stuff is somehow not what a dentist should be doing- “just do the dentistry” is a sure recipe to being an indentured servant/ not a successful business owner which is what makes quality of life and being able to retire early (if you want), and enjoy your life, as I am so fortunate to be in just that position.

Would like to hear your thoughts and curious if I am wrong on my take on this situation.