So many years have passed

I retired 1-Feb-21.

I can see now how stressed I was, especially the last ~5 year or so at work.

I had never drank or smoked in my life but the last ~5 year, I took up Whiskey and unfiltered Camels. A lot...

Once I retired, within 3 or 4 months, I just lost the desire and quit without trying too.

Hell, I will admit that I liked the Whiskey and Smoke but not after i retired. I have lost all desire and/or enjoyment.

I see now that was how I dealt with the stress - not a good way !

Retirement is wonderful !
 

perhaps some retire too soon? - I think I did - not career wise or money wise but stimulation wise - I enjoyed lots of my work and realized that is what really turned me on, Retiring was interesting but in the end too soon imo - sometimes ya gotta know when to go and when not to go?? just sayin?
 

It has been 2 years since I retired. I retired at 67 years of age after working in educational institutions - UBC, Kumon, Douglas College. I actually trained to be a teacher (have my B.Ed. from McGill University in Montreal) but left after two years of teaching - suffered from stage fright, would feel like vomiting every time before going in to teach my classes.
 
It will be 4 years in June. I didn't retire of my own accord. I was "retired" by my company due to Covid, as were many of the older and more highly paid workers in my company. I was 62 at the time. I hated my job just prior to retirement. It was 24/7 with lots of travel and stress so I was emotionally ready. Also, I never defined myself by my job. I was a son, a husband, an uncle, a BIL and a friend.

It happened unexpectedly so I just wasn't sure I'd have enough money to continue to live comfortably but that hasn't been an issue. I no longer need all the "stuff" I bought when I was working. As long as we can maintain our house, travel and go to concerts and plays we're good. I received requests for consulting gigs and even an offer to establish a North American sales force for an upstart company but I didn't want that much stress in my life again.

Hubby went back to work at 55 so we could have health insurance until I reached Medicare age. It was only going to be for a few years but he moved up from salesperson to assistant manager to manager of his store so at 58 he's now going to wait a few years longer.

It would take a miracle for me to go back to work. I'm happy with time at the gym, outdoor walks, planning dinner and going to the occasional movie. We travel almost every month, even just for long weekends, so I always have something to look forward to. I still keep in touch with some of my co-workers that I was close with. One just visited from Seattle for a long weekend and I showed her all around Dallas. She's coming back again.
 
I stil have a yen I think to be back in the thrust of it all - well a little bit to one side - sorta consultative work??
 
LoveTulips said:
It has been 2 years since I retired. I retired at 67 years of age after working in educational institutions - UBC, Kumon, Douglas College. I actually trained to be a teacher (have my B.Ed. from McGill University in Montreal) but left after two years of teaching - suffered from stage fright, would feel like vomiting every time before going in to teach my classes.
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You have all my sympathy about the stage fright. I taught 25 years and loved it for quite a while. But I still get stage fright when the audience becomes much larger than the size of one class. It is so disheartening not to be able to access your normal clarity and poise under the gaze of those you’d like to be able to communicate with. To have done all the prep and then have had to redirect can’t have been any fun.
 
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This might touch on politics but it's more about retirement, or the lack of it. The oldest serving MP whose exact dates are known was Samuel Young, who was MP for East Cavan, until his death at the age of 96 years 63 days. MP means Member of Parliament, a politician.

Sprightly Brian Wilson, who at 92, has no plans to hang up his keys after 70 years behind the wheel of his truck, having clocked up 3.5million miles. The truck driving granddad still gets up every day at 5:00 am for a 12-hour shift delivering steel and regularly does 1,000 miles a week.

At 92, Jean Miller is still taking coats at Vidal Sassoon, while immunologist Ivan Roitt, 87, is a department head: neither of whom have plans to clock off. Ivan Roitt, 87, is emeritus professor at Middlesex University’s Centre for Investigative and Diagnostic Oncology. Ivan said that There was no conscious decision, he just went on working. When he finished as head of immunology at University College London, after 25 years, a colleague asked if I would like to go to Middlesex University. he thought, “Let’s do something useful”, so he set up the cancer research centre.

Many people can't wait to retire, good luck to them, but for those who find work stimulating it can be like having a hobby that you get paid for.
 
The Moon is what's going on. Nothing else actually maters. Power depends on concours of the Moon.
Titan, Enos, Mars, just total B.S. ... :ROFLMAO: ... S. China Ocean, B.S. Let the nukes fly!
 
DGM said:
Do we all not marvel that we were ever able to find the time to go to work?
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I clearly remember the preciousness of weekends, holidays and vacations during those very busy decades of working and raising a family. To this day, I feel a little thrill at Friday and a slight sadness at Sunday evening, despite the calendar having relatively little influence on my schedule.
 
His Dudeness said:
I didn't retire...I just quit working in 2019 because of my disability. Its a long story. I went to college at that point to start a new career. I'm now at the point where I will attain my degree in December and start career #5.
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And I thought I went to college late. I was 34 when I got my BA. I always thought I had an unfair advantage coming from the world of work I think I was better able to focus as well as being married and not distracted by youthful hormones.

But I take it you are older still than 34. At some point I imagine greater focus and maturity fades into greater fatigue. Good luck to you.
 
StarSong said:
I clearly remember the preciousness of weekends, holidays and vacations during those very busy decades of working and raising a family. To this day, I feel a little thrill at Friday and a slight sadness at Sunday evening, despite the calendar having relatively little influence on my schedule.
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Same with me. While I was teaching, before summer arrived I’d write out a calendar by hand noting all the trips we were planning and garden projects I wanted to do. Same with spring and winter breaks.
 
MarkD said:
And I thought I went to college late. I was 34 when I got my BA. I always thought I had an unfair advantage coming from the world of work I think I was better able to focus as well as being married and not distracted by youthful hormones.

But I take it you are older still than 34. At some point I imagine greater focus and maturity fades into greater fatigue. Good luck to you.
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I'm 55 and starting my 5th career. Ty for the warm wishes!
 
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