Is Retirement All It's Cracked Up To Be?

Is retirement as good as it is cracked up to be? Obviously, there is a lot of context in the answer, and there is no correct answer. Some people don't like it very well, but I always wonder if they are being completely honest. Years ago, I asked my father how his retirement was going. It looked to me like he was having a great time, but all he could do was point out the first negative that came to his mind, and it sounded like something he was expected to say. It was something tied to the Protestant work ethic, about "needing something to do," which struck me as something someone told him he was supposed feel. He looked like he was enjoying life more than ever before. But I often thought my father was seldom reporting what he actually felt. And I got to the point where I never trusted his honesty on any issue.
 

You know "can you enjoy yourself when things are good" seems to become a challenge to some one dimensional work oriented people. They just got used to hanging because they hung long enough...lol.
 
SeaBreeze said:
Personally, I think it is. I looked forward to it all my working life, and wanted to retire early enough to get some relaxation in before my days were up on this earth. Too many people I know delayed their retirement, and found themselves too old and sickly to enjoy themselves. One person who I worked with passed on shortly after retirement. I hear many stories of people actually dying in the workplace of age-related illness or accident.

I live a simple life, always have. To me, just being able to live my days without having to set alarms, drive to work in snow blizzards at 5am, and deal with working for 'the man', punching the time-clock, 10 minute breaks, and deal with all the aggravations of the workplace is a blessing. For years before I retired, I thought about the day that I could say goodbye to the daily grind.

Retirement is what it's cracked up to be, and I deserve every minute of it! How about you??
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For me, retirement is another adventure. I originally retired in 1992 at the age of 40. Problem is, I was really stupid, wasted money like it would never run out...but it did. So I went back into the work force again, this time retiring when I reached 65. Shortly after that my wife developed cancer and her treatment has been tough. It has been a physical, emotional, and financial drain.
The greatest benefit of this second retirement phase is that it has forced my wife and me to reconnect and seriously communicate about what our re-worked retirement lifestyle should look like. We have found that we love each other more now than we did when we first started dating and married.
So SeaBreeze, I agree with you, retirement is all it is cracked up to be - but it depends 100% on how you handle the valleys and mountain peaks along the way.
 

BillBergfeld said:
For me, retirement is another adventure. I originally retired in 1992 at the age of 40. Problem is, I was really stupid, wasted money like it would never run out...but it did. So I went back into the work force again, this time retiring when I reached 65. Shortly after that my wife developed cancer and her treatment has been tough. It has been a physical, emotional, and financial drain.
The greatest benefit of this second retirement phase is that it has forced my wife and me to reconnect and seriously communicate about what our re-worked retirement lifestyle should look like. We have found that we love each other more now than we did when we first started dating and married.
So SeaBreeze, I agree with you, retirement is all it is cracked up to be - but it depends 100% on how you handle the valleys and mountain peaks along the way.
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Sounds like you've got it together and you're doing just fine. Nice that the bond with your wife has strengthened, I find that to be true with me and my husband in our old age. Wishing the best for your wife.
 
Many have already heard this, but I was forced into early retirement at 63 in June 2020. This was really due to how Covid hit my industry.

A young man I hired, who is still with the company, was in Dallas for a conference and asked if we could get together. Today I showed him around the city and took him to dinner. He gave me a rundown of my now very under-resourced former company and how he is working 24/7, and it just confirmed how happy I am in my retirement. When I was let go, I called each of my team members to tell them I was leaving and he moved me to tears when he said "thank you for giving me a chance and for teaching me so much".

Next week, two of my former employees will be in Dallas and have asked if I can have breakfast with them. They have now moved to another company. I will be having breakfast with them and can't wait to see them again. I know how busy their schedules are, so I feel honored.

I am so happy to be out of the corporate environment, but it is nice to know that my former employees still think of me and the fact that I truly cared about them is still appreciated. That makes retirement even better. :)
 
dseag2 said:
I am so happy to be out of the corporate environment
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Reminds me of something I wrote awhile back;



I have a bit of a flash temper (you? Gary? a thin skinned Irish buzzard?)
Yep

Back when I toiled for others, I ran into situations with the finer forms of humanity.
Wimin in bizniss.
Aggressive, mean but polite, ornery, devious, conniving, scheming, jealous, tricky, shrewd, wimin.
…and that was just the cleaning lady.

Before I got bumped into upper management, never knew what went on in some lady’s minds.
Seemed nice, cordial, pretty, fit, a tad amatory in regard to attire of choice.
They were very good with what they did.
Puzzled me they could devote so much time to conniving and yet do such a commendable job with their departments.
And, man, cut ya down in a heartbeat, think nothing of it.
I pretty much settled in to their step-n-fetch-it guy.
Survival.

But

There were times

Planning meetings
Closed conference rooms
You could feel the electricity
their targets were each other
the stare...daggers across the conference table
Get between ‘em and you’d be zapped, turned to a quivering mass of goo, something to be mopped up and flushed.
They’d even join forces to accomplish that, then go back to efficiently plotting each other’s demise.
I was there to cut that potential electrical storm with humor

Not easy

At times I became their target
I’m not a guy that dwells on things
Guys are like that
Git mad at someone, have it out, done, over.

But,

with these ladies, they caused me to think, even dream up certain scenarios.
I’d find myself, on the way to work, thinking up snappy comebacks.
Never came to fruition, but, somehow gratifying.

However

Even if one was successful in the upbraiding dept, they’d pull out their ultimate weapon...crying.

I was culling some scrap wire in the warehouse.
Left over garbage from an auction lot.
Wasn’t even in inventory.
The QAM came running at me.

‘You can’t just scrap that without getting approval!’
‘Nothing is scrap unless I say it is!’

Got all in my face
Started thumping my chest
I focused on her finger, thumping as she blathered
Something welled within
Took the ten pound spool of unusable wire
Raised it high
And smashed it on the warehouse floor with as much force as I could muster
‘Now! It’s scrap!!’
(felt like Moses)

She ran off, locked herself in her office.
You could hear her in there, crying.

‘bout then the prez came thru the front door
Whistling a joyful tune
Holding a happy meal breakfast in a bag
Got some coffee
Asked how things were going

Heh

I so love retirement
 
Gary O' said:
Reminds me of something I wrote awhile back;



I have a bit of a flash temper (you? Gary? a thin skinned Irish buzzard?)
Yep

Back when I toiled for others, I ran into situations with the finer forms of humanity.
Wimin in bizniss.
Aggressive, mean but polite, ornery, devious, conniving, scheming, jealous, tricky, shrewd, wimin.
…and that was just the cleaning lady.

Before I got bumped into upper management, never knew what went on in some lady’s minds.
Seemed nice, cordial, pretty, fit, a tad amatory in regard to attire of choice.
They were very good with what they did.
Puzzled me they could devote so much time to conniving and yet do such a commendable job with their departments.
And, man, cut ya down in a heartbeat, think nothing of it.
I pretty much settled in to their step-n-fetch-it guy.
Survival.

But

There were times

Planning meetings
Closed conference rooms
You could feel the electricity
their targets were each other
the stare...daggers across the conference table
Get between ‘em and you’d be zapped, turned to a quivering mass of goo, something to be mopped up and flushed.
They’d even join forces to accomplish that, then go back to efficiently plotting each other’s demise.
I was there to cut that potential electrical storm with humor

Not easy

At times I became their target
I’m not a guy that dwells on things
Guys are like that
Git mad at someone, have it out, done, over.

But,

with these ladies, they caused me to think, even dream up certain scenarios.
I’d find myself, on the way to work, thinking up snappy comebacks.
Never came to fruition, but, somehow gratifying.

However

Even if one was successful in the upbraiding dept, they’d pull out their ultimate weapon...crying.

I was culling some scrap wire in the warehouse.
Left over garbage from an auction lot.
Wasn’t even in inventory.
The QAM came running at me.

‘You can’t just scrap that without getting approval!’
‘Nothing is scrap unless I say it is!’

Got all in my face
Started thumping my chest
I focused on her finger, thumping as she blathered
Something welled within
Took the ten pound spool of unusable wire
Raised it high
And smashed it on the warehouse floor with as much force as I could muster
‘Now! It’s scrap!!’
(felt like Moses)

She ran off, locked herself in her office.
You could hear her in there, crying.

‘bout then the prez came thru the front door
Whistling a joyful tune
Holding a happy meal breakfast in a bag
Got some coffee
Asked how things were going

He

I so love retirement
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You could probably go into business helping people explain things.
 
Gary O' said:
Well, men are cutthroats too.....only dif......they show you the knife
Click to expand...
Some do. Plenty don't.

I've worked with plenty of men as well as women who were lying, conniving and devious. They'd slit your professional throat without a second thought if they thought it would advance their own careers.

Also plenty of men who demeaned female peers at every opportunity ("Honey, while we get the meeting started, how about if you get coffee for everyone?"), or who wouldn't lay off the sexual innuendos, double entendres and constant pressure to have sexual relationships with them.

I also worked with plenty of helpful, kind, supportive men and women who were generous with their time, knowledge and skills to the men and women who worked for and alongside them.
 
StarSong said:
Some do. Plenty don't.

I've worked with plenty of men as well as women who were lying, conniving and devious. They'd slit your professional throat without a second thought if they thought it would advance their own careers.

Also plenty of men who demeaned female peers at every opportunity ("Honey, while we get the meeting started, how about if you get coffee for everyone?"), or who wouldn't lay off the sexual innuendos, double entendres and constant pressure to have sexual relationships with them.

I also worked with plenty of helpful, kind, supportive men and women who were generous with their time, knowledge and skills to the men and women who worked for and alongside them.
Click to expand...
This! So, so much.
 
Gary O' said:
Reminds me of something I wrote awhile back;



I have a bit of a flash temper (you? Gary? a thin skinned Irish buzzard?)
Yep

Back when I toiled for others, I ran into situations with the finer forms of humanity.
Wimin in bizniss.
Aggressive, mean but polite, ornery, devious, conniving, scheming, jealous, tricky, shrewd, wimin.
…and that was just the cleaning lady.

Before I got bumped into upper management, never knew what went on in some lady’s minds.
Seemed nice, cordial, pretty, fit, a tad amatory in regard to attire of choice.
They were very good with what they did.
Puzzled me they could devote so much time to conniving and yet do such a commendable job with their departments.
And, man, cut ya down in a heartbeat, think nothing of it.
I pretty much settled in to their step-n-fetch-it guy.
Survival.

But

There were times

Planning meetings
Closed conference rooms
You could feel the electricity
their targets were each other
the stare...daggers across the conference table
Get between ‘em and you’d be zapped, turned to a quivering mass of goo, something to be mopped up and flushed.
They’d even join forces to accomplish that, then go back to efficiently plotting each other’s demise.
I was there to cut that potential electrical storm with humor

Not easy

At times I became their target
I’m not a guy that dwells on things
Guys are like that
Git mad at someone, have it out, done, over.

But,

with these ladies, they caused me to think, even dream up certain scenarios.
I’d find myself, on the way to work, thinking up snappy comebacks.
Never came to fruition, but, somehow gratifying.

However

Even if one was successful in the upbraiding dept, they’d pull out their ultimate weapon...crying.

I was culling some scrap wire in the warehouse.
Left over garbage from an auction lot.
Wasn’t even in inventory.
The QAM came running at me.

‘You can’t just scrap that without getting approval!’
‘Nothing is scrap unless I say it is!’

Got all in my face
Started thumping my chest
I focused on her finger, thumping as she blathered
Something welled within
Took the ten pound spool of unusable wire
Raised it high
And smashed it on the warehouse floor with as much force as I could muster
‘Now! It’s scrap!!’
(felt like Moses)

She ran off, locked herself in her office.
You could hear her in there, crying.

‘bout then the prez came thru the front door
Whistling a joyful tune
Holding a happy meal breakfast in a bag
Got some coffee
Asked how things were going

Heh

I so love retirement
Click to expand...
We all acquire our own set of experiences as we go through life, but my experience with women in the workplace was quite different. I have had over 100 women work for me at different places and times, I have had two who were my direct seniors, and any number who I interacted with as equals in the work environment.

I will start by saying that the two that I reported to were among the very best bosses that I have ever had the privilege of working for. In fact, they were better than the men they replaced.

Among those women with whom I was on equal footing, it was rare for us to see things differently. Many of them were among the brightest people that I have ever known. I would have been a fool to not listen to them and some of them were very, very helpful to me. Of course, some women were representing different organizations and had different objectives than I did. I understand and accept that. I also encountered a few who very just difficult to deal with, but not to a degree that was any different from the men that I had to deal with. I have had to fire or dump many, many more men than women.

Among the number of women who worked for me, with rare exceptions, I had very little difficulty with them. For every woman who gave me grief at work, I can think of dozens of men who have "not exactly made me very happy." I believe that most women had my back. Several were clearly very protective.

I never thought that women were any worse about "backstabbing" than men. In general, they tended to be supportive of each other. This is not to say that they did not compete professionally, but that is understandable given that in my career they were operating in a largely male dominated world. Some of my more intriguing discussions were with bright women during their annual reviews. One that I had ranked number one of 17 (men and women) wanted to know why she wasn't number one and what could she do to get there. (She had an IQ of 150 and drive to match.) I think that women often feel more driven than their male counterparts. (I told this particular young lady that she was well on her way and would likely be number one if she continued her superb performance. The male who was ahead of her had many more years of experience and was also coming up for a transfer.)

Overall, my experience with women in the workplace was excellent.
 
I have been retired for 13 years. For me, retirement is like any other time in life. Retirement is as good as you make it! It all is up to the individual. Even if you have health issues, you can still be positive and appreciate that time you have left. Living is an adventure, not always fun and not always easy. But in that challenge, you can find self-satisfaction and even joy! Just make it happen...be positive and smile as you go!
 
I don't find having enough money is the issue, it is learning to except what you have and making the best of it with a smile on your face. We all have our limitations, and it is easy to focus on those, instead of seeing all the good and beauty around us.
 
Most people think that they do not have enough money. If you can afford a home, have good food, medical care and a little extra, you are set. It would be nice to have a new car, to travel the world, to have a nicer home in the perfect setting. I just feel blessed to have the things I do have, to be able to purchase what I need when I need it. As @Timewise 60+ when you can step back and realize all the things and people you have in your life, accept your circumstances and make the best of your life, you will be happy. Those that can't or don't do that simple thing they will not be able to be happy.
 


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