Are You Flunking Retirement?
- Thread starter Meanderer
- Start date
DaveA
Well-known Member
- Location
- Coastal Massachusetts, USA
Looks like my kinda' guy. Is that BK or MacDonalds? I'm a BK guy myself. 
oldmontana
Senior Member
- Location
- Montana
It did not take long for us (wife and I had a business) to enjoy retirement.
We do miss talking daily to our employees, customers and the many salesman that called on us. We do keep in touch with many of them.
We do miss talking daily to our employees, customers and the many salesman that called on us. We do keep in touch with many of them.
Falcon
DV8
- Location
- So. California
Flunking retirement ? R U kidding ? I'm getting better grades than I EVER got before.
where to find your album?
Macfan
Member
- Location
- Riverside, CA
There are few things in life that give me goose bumps. Marrying my wife of 46 years (so far), the arrival of our 3 children ('73, '75, '78), recently purchasing my new super-go-daddy iMac Pro computer, and RETIRING are just a few that have done it for me. I couldn't flunk retirement if I tried, not that I would want to. I walked away on May 27, 2011 and haven't looked or gone back since. I thank heaven everyday that I've been blessed to have lived long enough to experience a small slice of heaven here on earth (retirement)! To those having a negative experience with retirement I would say, let go of what was and embrace what is. Redefine yourself, develop a new routine, sense of purpose. You can do it . Don't see it as having nothing to do, see it as being free to do anything . Don...
. Don't see it as having nothing to do, see it as being free to do anything . Don...
I love it. I have been working since I was 14, every year. I retired two weeks ago at the age of 67. What I notice the most is that my mind is free of all thoughts of work and work related matters. What did I do last week and was it the right choice, what happened today and what needs go be done about it. Projects to do for the coming months. What if we lose our largest customer, should I fire an employee who is doing half the work of others in her department. Stuff like that used to keep me from falling asleep or enjoying a movie.
Now when I lay my head down to sleep, my mind is clear. All I have is one doctor appointment for the rest of this year and it is just check on how some new Medications are working. Not even a physical. Other than that I am finding having a clear mind interesting. My mind used to have a lot of chatter going on and now I can focus on only one thing. I am helping more around the house and socializing more. I still have no plan since I am just enjoying having no obligations or things to do. I have traveled to over 20 countries and 26 States, sometimes not remembering what country I was in. Then going back home and needing 3 days of little sleep go adjust go the new time zone and needing pills to put me asleep and keep me awake.
Now I sleep for 10 hours if I want to. I can go to bed anytime I want to. No worries. Health is good and at 67 I still do not have white hair on my head or any wrinkles. So far not bored. All of my hobbies are solo and since my wife and I have moved 13 times we are used to doing things together with very few friends. I do not like to join anything as I see that as an obligation run by a clique of friends. I want to do what I want to do, when I want to and not have to compromise as is often required in any social group. I do enjoy my own company as I have many things to do that do not require others. I go out with my wife a few times a week and we socialize with three other couples a few times a month and life is good.
As someone told me, retirement is like hitting the lottery assuming you prepared for it and we spent the last 8 years preparing. I have always felt go enjoy today and let tomorrow take cafe of itself. The other thing I learned in life is that something is not a problem if money can fix it. :_
Now when I lay my head down to sleep, my mind is clear. All I have is one doctor appointment for the rest of this year and it is just check on how some new Medications are working. Not even a physical. Other than that I am finding having a clear mind interesting. My mind used to have a lot of chatter going on and now I can focus on only one thing. I am helping more around the house and socializing more. I still have no plan since I am just enjoying having no obligations or things to do. I have traveled to over 20 countries and 26 States, sometimes not remembering what country I was in. Then going back home and needing 3 days of little sleep go adjust go the new time zone and needing pills to put me asleep and keep me awake.
Now I sleep for 10 hours if I want to. I can go to bed anytime I want to. No worries. Health is good and at 67 I still do not have white hair on my head or any wrinkles. So far not bored. All of my hobbies are solo and since my wife and I have moved 13 times we are used to doing things together with very few friends. I do not like to join anything as I see that as an obligation run by a clique of friends. I want to do what I want to do, when I want to and not have to compromise as is often required in any social group. I do enjoy my own company as I have many things to do that do not require others. I go out with my wife a few times a week and we socialize with three other couples a few times a month and life is good.
As someone told me, retirement is like hitting the lottery assuming you prepared for it and we spent the last 8 years preparing. I have always felt go enjoy today and let tomorrow take cafe of itself. The other thing I learned in life is that something is not a problem if money can fix it. :_
I retired in November and so far I have loved it. Most of my family lives in another state. It's nice not to have to worry about a limited number of vacation days. I can be gone as long as I want without worrying about returning to work. I've never really had a vacation-work, work, work. Even on my days off I'd get called in. So, since my retirement I've been able to go to my oldest granddaughters college graduation and then her wedding in February.
Then I took my youngest (age 17) granddaughter and we just spent a couple of weeks together exploring things where I live. We just took off and explored all kinds of small towns where we saw things like the biggest ball of twine, the worlds biggest czech egg, the worlds biggest souvenir plate, the worlds biggest art toilet bowl complete with giant sculpted roll of toilet paper. We explored canyons and rocks. Took pictures of prairie dogs. Got chewed on by a huge swarm of horse flies. I got caught in a small town speed trap and got my first ever ticket (of course she took a picture of the flashing lights in the rear view mirror).
I took her to the Evel Knievel museum (she had no idea who that was but she does now). She taught me many things about my smart phone, taught me about no rinse hair conditioner, I watched as she checked out all the single young men, she taught me about hairstyles. We didn't go to all the expensive touristy places. The most expensive thing was the ticket (which I have put in a keepsake album). lol It was the best two weeks I've spent in a very long time. Now I have about 20 books that I never had time to read before, a box of craft projects I never had time to finish, old friends to visit who have also recently retired and who now have the time too. I love it.
Then I took my youngest (age 17) granddaughter and we just spent a couple of weeks together exploring things where I live. We just took off and explored all kinds of small towns where we saw things like the biggest ball of twine, the worlds biggest czech egg, the worlds biggest souvenir plate, the worlds biggest art toilet bowl complete with giant sculpted roll of toilet paper. We explored canyons and rocks. Took pictures of prairie dogs. Got chewed on by a huge swarm of horse flies. I got caught in a small town speed trap and got my first ever ticket (of course she took a picture of the flashing lights in the rear view mirror).
I took her to the Evel Knievel museum (she had no idea who that was but she does now). She taught me many things about my smart phone, taught me about no rinse hair conditioner, I watched as she checked out all the single young men, she taught me about hairstyles. We didn't go to all the expensive touristy places. The most expensive thing was the ticket (which I have put in a keepsake album). lol It was the best two weeks I've spent in a very long time. Now I have about 20 books that I never had time to read before, a box of craft projects I never had time to finish, old friends to visit who have also recently retired and who now have the time too. I love it.