Officially retired, just left work 20 minutes ago. (years, husband, best)
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I think retirement, and being happy about it, is an absolute disaster. To me it is synonymous with irrelevance, nearing death, getting old, being out of the loop of life, and vegetating in a wait state for the lights to go off. And futzing and puttering around with golf or pottery or the piano or the garden shed is a fate worse than death. Yes, I am in a miniscule minority, probably because I love my profession. I seriously want to work every day until my last. The thought of sitting around the house fussing over idle hobbies would drive me to open a business!
Congratulations. Why don't you celebrate by taking a vacation. January is a great time to go someplace. Should be cheap, as its kind of dead this kind of year, after Christmas that is.
Don't let anyone put a guilt trip on you. Some enjoy their jobs, as I do. But others, like my wife suffer. We're counting the days till she can leave.
Yes, I am in a miniscule minority, probably because I love my profession. I seriously want to work every day until my last. The thought of sitting around the house fussing over idle hobbies would drive me to open a business!
Good for you, do what makes you happy! You will still grow old and the lights will go out, but perhaps the work will keep you distracted from thinking about it.
I've posted ad nauseum about how much I enjoyed working, and how much I am enjoying retirement.
Ditto DH.
It was similar to when we married. We were in our early 30's when we met and married. We each enjoyed being single and we now enjoy being a couple.
IOW, happy people tend to carry their happiness into the next stage of life. We don't have activities that would normally be called a hobby (unless travel, cooking, and enjoying live theatre count?). Sometimes I think I should take up a hobby because I envy those who get so much enjoyment from them. But then we have no trouble finding productive and/or enjoyable ways to spend time. The days go by very quickly.
I think retirement, and being happy about it, is an absolute disaster. To me it is synonymous with irrelevance, nearing death, getting old, being out of the loop of life, and vegetating in a wait state for the lights to go off. And futzing and puttering around with golf or pottery or the piano or the garden shed is a fate worse than death. Yes, I am in a miniscule minority, probably because I love my profession. I seriously want to work every day until my last. The thought of sitting around the house fussing over idle hobbies would drive me to open a business!
Are you the one who wrote somewhere else that retiring from work is also retiring from life? I'm glad you realize you are in a rather small minority so at least you're not expecting a bunch of us to jump in to agree. Your choice of course.
Congrats to you. Jim retired on 7/5/2011 to facilitate taking care of his mom. Best thing that happen to him, her and I.
He has this wonderful ability to be just as content being busy or lounging with the dogs. While I threaten to make him go back to work, won't do that to him/us, as he has settled right in to the retired life.
Good for you, I hope you enjoy your retirement and I'm sure there is plenty you can find to do with your time.
From our home to yours we wish you all the best.
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