Shorten the name? Bah. It’s a fine name, and one people will recognize. Welcome to the tubes of the Internets, Joe!

Joe, I just read your last Roanoke Times story. I was taken back and not sure how I felt either. I have been reading your column for a while now and my elderly mom talks about your stories all the time.
I know that in all you do you will do well and now I have 24/7 access to some of the best stories to come…you and your expeiences.
I like to write and read these and I am so glad you are “well” with your decision, at least for now.
Thank you for all your columns and I will be around to read more.

Welcome aboard! Retirement? I doubt it, writers never retire, they just find liberation.

It wouldn’t be the same without a cuppa joe somewhere around the valley! As a lifelong resident of Roanoke in his early thirties, I thank you for all that you have done for this city through your late column. You brought us awareness, as well as entertainment! Thanks again, and I look forward to keeping up with your blog! You can check ours out at kevinhurleyphotography.blogspot.com! It isn’t nearly as well written, but we have a good time! Enjoy the game!

I would have loved to have a more personlized email address. But since I joined aol in 1997, also a rookie, this is what I got stuck with. Oh well, I guess it isn’t too bad, it is not quite as long as yours! LOL

Have a great day Joe, Victoria

Joe, I have enjoyed reading your column from the beginning, first in a printed copy of the paper and online for the last few years since I moved from the area. I hope you enjoy early retirement as much as I have enjoyed mine!

Glad I’ll still have the privilege of reading you writing.

Nothing wrong with the name, Joe…I never wrote, but always read your work…often the first thing in the a.m. It will be missed. Thanks for years of entertainment and a decent perspective on the goings-on in the Valley…We’ll be checkin’ with ya from time to time…

Gosh I am really going to miss your column even if I didn’t always agree with your point of view. Most interesting reading. I am glad you are blogging.

I felt sad when i read the paper this morning to find out this was your last day’they will be sorry.it was the first thing i read each week and always found it interesting.i had tears sometime and alot of laughs and always found it worth reading.i am happy you can retire young and wish you good luck
but sure will miss you.it will be sad and rainy in Oak Grove.good luck.J.Wertz

Dear Joe,
I’ve wanted to relocate to Roanoke for some time and, when the occasion permitted, I enjoyed reading your columns. Good luck with this site, I’ll be visiting as often as I can.

I look forward to what you will shoot our way via the Internet. No Google advertising yet? I am surprised. You might as well have your site try to pay for itself.

Retirement? Say it isn’t so! I have enjoyed your columns immensely, Joe, and hope you continue to write through this blog or whatever medium opens up so we can continue to enjoy the interesting avenues you pursue.

This is just a test comment to make sure comments are working.

Hi! Joe,
Just left you an e-mail. You don’t let any grass grow under your feet, do you??? I no sooner read your farewell column and left a sorry to see you go, than I read your first three blog entries! Andrew is right, the name is wonderful. So happy you kept it the way it was. I’ll be reading again soon, Jenny S.

From one Joe to another, good luck with your future projects, hopefully Roanoke will still get to read your works, just in a different medium. Thanks for the great years and great writing in the Roanoke Times.

Glad to find the blog and to hear that your words of wisdom will still be there for me to ponder over my morning coffee!

Win

I worked for the Government. I’d been there 20 years. When they offered an early retirement, I jumped at the chance. There were parties and sad goodbys. I never had a chance to really digest it ’til months later. It was very difficult at first. I never did adjust. But I did take some time to shift the way I approached life. Now, life is good. It will be interesting to see where your journey takes you.

It’s the obvious name Joe. I’ll miss your column. You mean all I have now is that Flowers lady. Phew! Enjoy your retirement. Didn’t take me long to adjust. Take care and God bless.

Welcome to the valley of the baby boomers early retirement what the hell am i going to do now club. We get bought out, pushed out, run out and every other kind of outed i can think of. It really is appealing as first. Sleep in, if you’re nocturnal and have lived for the day you didn’t have to smack the alarm at 6 am, wear pj’s until noon, shower at 2, and if you’re lucky, get out of the house by 5. Of course, by then it’s rush hour. I realize it only lasts 20 minutes, but still it’s a pain. I realized after a short while that most of my friends still work and can’t ‘play’ when I want them to. After many hours of pondering, hours of discussing it with a paid professional, and adding unwanted pounds in places that they should never be, I decided to shop. My best purchase was a treadmill. Of all the things that are on my list to do, I make it my priority to drag myself on this motorized monster at least five days a week so I will be able to enjoy all the wonderful adventures ahead now that I’m out of the rat race. Be kind to yourself Joe, buy that treadmill!!!