My WTF moment is, why did it take all of my life to put my needs first. I sacrificed so much, lost so much and now am doing what I can to build the next egg for retirement.
I have missed out on so much in my adult working life, but have not missed family commitments because of work. I do not have any children; but, if I did, I damn well would not miss out on any of their extra-curricular activities.
I don't have the kind of job you retire from, but if I did, I would find something else to do that was mentally stimulating, put me in regular contact with people, and still left enough free time for all the other things I love. I will never not need some sort of higher level problem solving activity and sudoku won't cut it.
@8inch
"Many, not all, but many jobs, give you the comradery, networking and mental stimulation that we need."
BINGO.
That is me.
My work/life history is atypical. I started my own company at 21. At 29, I was done. I had enough of employee bullshit. I had enough of having to be 'ON' all the time. I retired. I got bored off my ass. I started something else up, but this time, it was just me and my wife. I learned that I REALLY needed to be ON all the time. But I liked the freedom. We had a FUCKTON of miles with AmEx and we were traveling anywhere and everywhere on a whim. At 35 I took a job. A frigging W2! That lasted for a few years and the company shut down. Then, back to the solo shit. Then 10 years after that and the lack of working with people kicked in and I got a W2 job for 2 years. Here I am now, later again, and am bored of the solo shit and will be getting another W2 job. We will see how long I last in it, but that need to work with people is interesting. I explained to someone yesterday that my adult life has been that of a hitman. I get hired to do something specific, but I am also a sniper. I have to perform by myself, away from others, and just hand in what is done and then leave.
For me, this lifestyle has given me some interesting freedoms. It has also given me some interesting times of lack of camaraderie.
And @8 I remember when Bobby Bowden would not retire. He stated that retiring was accepting that death was a couple of years away. Perhaps his concept is sitting in my head.
I didn't set myself up for retirement when I was younger, but am making up for lost time now.
I figure I have another 3-5 years to work, and then will have another 15 or so years for my retirement.
I will be comfortable, and with SS and my pension, I will never have to worry about my money running out.
Another advantage of my pension is that I can set it up so Mrs. TBR will continue to get it when she retires. Which is a consideration since she is significantly younger than me.
But I don't think I will ever completely stop working. I had my first job at 8, and worked full time at 16. Other than about six months when I was taking 18 units in college, I have worked ever since. It's what I do.
rabbit_n_scamp - "I now have time to do our yard work, repairs around the house, routine maintenance on our cars etc."
I work full time AND do that stuff now. I'm quickly getting to the point where "work" is getting in the way of all the other stuff I do and want to do.
Every day is a weekend!
I retired two years ago and rabbit and I fill our days with travel, planning new places to travel to, visiting family all over the country and sometimes, just doing nothing at all. Of course, living in New Orleans, there is always something to do if we feel like it.
I do find I need to feel productive so I now have time to do our yard work, repairs around the house, routine maintenance on our cars etc. and if I ever find myself getting really bored, I’ll do some volunteer work.
I feel I earned my retirement so I’m going to enjoy it.
~Scamp
The worst thing about retirement is you lose your weekends...
Every day is a Saturday, right?
You guys must be doing something wrong. Retirement is the best job ever.
In my opinion, I think that 9-10 hrs for work/travel, 6-7 hrs to eat, exercise, chores and fun. And last 8 for rest.
To me, that's a healthy balance. Many, not all, but many jobs, give you the comradery, networking and mental stimulation that we need. Y'all remember covid and isolation? Everyone did not enjoy not working or working from home.
Far too often you hear of ppl dying with 1-5 yrs of retirement. Even work animals go into depression when sent out to pasture.
@Flip
I learned that once already.
I retired when I was 29. Everything was set. Holy shit . . . I got fucking bored off my ass. It got so bad, that I opened a PO Box that was 3 miles away just so that I would get up and go there daily to get my mail. I lasted less than a year of that. What I learned was to adjust. I knew I didn't want to continue the 100+ hour weeks. I knew I didn't want the zero hour weeks. What I learned was I wanted flexibility. Now, there are times that I can work 2 hours a week, or 30 hours a week. It's generally my call. That I like.
I hope to do this until I can no longer do it. I hope that when I can no longer do it, I am dead.
Cmon Flip , start traveling I retired early and have never looked back …Cmon with us to Bangkok …
@8 "" What are you going to do from 8am to 6pm for the rest of your life?"". It's a much harder thing to do than I thought. I'll never retire again, it didn't work for me.
8 Inch,
I have a plethora of things that can keep me busy for that long. I sacrificed the first part of my adult life to a time clock. I also sacrificed by body, literally, to earn an honest paycheck... Phoebert's Wife can vouch for that, as she is full aware of what I have gone through.
I am far from hanging up my walking shoes and plop on a reclining chair in front of a TV the rest of my life. But, after sacrificing so much, I am ready for a more relaxed way of life.
To Phoebert's Wife: You do remember that you've been dubbed my internet mother, right? So, no... I am not interested in sleeping with my internet mother. ;-)
"What are you going to do from 8am to 6pm for the rest of your life?"
You have no imagination!
Cook meals from scratch. Read all the books! Knit sweaters and shawls and hats. Sew clothes (I still want to make a corset) and curtains and cushions. Grow a garden - flowers or veggies. Preserve the garden excess - dehydrating, pickling, canning. Learn woodworking or carpentry and make stuff. Restore/reupholster old furniture. Restore old cars/trucks. Paint with oils or watercolors. Make pottery. Take photos. Go hiking or just walk in the park. Visit local tourist attractions. Travel.
Of course there's all the usual stuff - household chores & maintenance, yard work, medical appointments, etc.
And naps - don't ever forget the importance of naps.
Melvin - did you miss the bit about me wanting to smack you upside the head like one of my kids? Sorry darling - keep the job for now.
Goodenuff - retired certainly make scheduling easier! ;-)
You never know. My Great Aunt lived to 102 and she certainly didn’t make a record.
Could you imagine going from outhouses and horses to airplanes and atomic bombs to the Internet and autonomous vehicles?
What are you going to do from 8am to 6pm for the rest of your life?
You have anywhere from 5-35 yrs of days to occupy.
I could retire tomorrow after work and start collecting in July... Just sayin'... ;-)
"Any licking happening needs to in the vicinity of my clit!"
I'm retired, an 839 mile road trip could happen at anytime and would put me in the vicinity.
Just sayin'...
funly, This the blue eyed guy in Oregon?
He must travel a lot we are in WI. You NY I think?
Funly - your "anytime/anywhere/anything" gentleman obviously doesn't know what a woman REALLY wants! ;-)
I'm guessing you decided he's not a great match for y'all...
Melvin - what would be the point in getting risque with you?
You're over 800 miles away and I just want to smack you upside the head like you're one of my kids most of the time.
Love ya.
Mean it.
Now go eat your veggies! ;-)
WTF...
That's only the second time I've seen Phoebert's Wife talk dirty here in the forums! I talk to her almost daily and can vouch that she doesn't talk like that in daily conversation.
Way to go Phoebert's Wife! :-D
his reply "say that again and you will regret it."
