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At my last "real" job, we were all forced to read a book called "Who moved the cheese"?
My question was "Who cares?" That was the dumbest d*** book I have ever been forced to read. I actually had a parody about half written, but I never finished it or took it seriously because I assumed there were probably already 100 parodies out there. Apparently not. A missed opportunity if there ever was one.
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I still have occasional nightmares about that book, along with others of the ilk that I was forced to read. Another one that really sticks in my mind was the Fish book.
Our company went through all kinds of motivational crap like that for those of us who were left after the 20% downsizing in 2000-2001. As if watching our co-workers being escorted out to the parking garage carrying their boxes with personal belongings wasn't motivation enough.
Happily cooling my jets in retirement with the only current project being moving to another area of the country.
At my last "real" job, we were all forced to read a book called "Who moved the cheese"?
My question was "Who cares?" That was the dumbest d*** book I have ever been forced to read. I actually had a parody about half written, but I never finished it or took it seriously because I assumed there were probably already 100 parodies out there. Apparently not. A missed opportunity if there ever was one.
I thought about writing a parody of a children's book once. I figured it might sell okay but I would likely get sued. The title was going to be "If You Give a Wolf a Wedgie"...
The cheese and my parachute are in the closet along with Jonathon Seagull. Heh. Good messages all but pop psychology used to make profits has always ticked me off.
I just haven't found my new metaphor yet. I'm too healthy for sitting and too careful for the risk-taking of younger years. I feel much as I did in my preteen years - becoming part of a group but not quite there yet.
I don't fit in with people who check their phones every five minutes or with people who doze off during a conversation. I am totally done with punching a time clock but also like to have meaningful work when I want to do it.
It's an interesting time of my life and full of possibilities. Whether a pattern develops is undetermined.
Retirement for me was just like a fifth-grader on the last day of school. Yeah! I'm free and with 3 whole months (actually 30 years) to do whatever I want! Except this fifth-grader has a car, a motorcycle, a boat, friends, hobbies, and money (enough, but not a ton) for travel and fun. I worked my whole life to earn the freedom and fun while still young enough to enjoy it.
Retirement for me was just like a fifth-grader on the last day of school. Yeah! I'm free and with 3 whole months (actually 30 years) to do whatever I want! Except this fifth-grader has a car, a motorcycle, a boat, friends, hobbies, and money (enough, but not a ton) for travel and fun. I worked my whole life to earn the freedom and fun while still young enough to enjoy it.
On the last day of school, I remember I used to throw away all my books/paperwork in the trash on my way out!!
Do you think this is an attack? I am just having fun with Dave's choice of words which are picturesque at the least. Sorry, Dave, hope you are not upset.
It's fairly obvious who's upset about my use cliche's. I'm indifferent to your "fun" response but it does gives me some insight.
I'm of the "age" where I watching many retire who can no longer get-er-done or who are ready to take the reins off. I see myself more of a marathon runner who has enough kick to sprint to the finish line. I'm primed, ready and able but also realize there is a finish line, and this is the end of the race... but I have no intention to have a contrived slow down.
How was it for y'all? Time to cool the jets? or take your foot off the brake on the downhill side of life?
My career field [on subs] expects everyone to burn-out through physical or mental disabilities. So they have High-Year-Tenure, an individual is only allowed to serve for so long, and they boot you out on pension. You are too old to play rough with the big boys any more. I was fortunate to have lasted as long as I did, many men I served with did not. I was put onto pension after 20 years of service, when I was 42.
I can see the metaphor of a marathon runner applying, as by the time I had reached 10 years, I hated the career, and I had a difficult time staying focused on completing it.
In retirement we get to reinvent ourselves.
Now I get to do productive things. I am an organic farmer, active in church, blue lodge, and the grange. I serve on the boards of directors for a couple community agencies.
My career field [on subs] expects everyone to burn-out through physical or mental disabilities. So they have High-Year-Tenure, an individual is only allowed to serve for so long, and they boot you out on pension. You are too old to play rough with the big boys any more. I was fortunate to have lasted as long as I did, many men I served with did not. I was put onto pension after 20 years of service, when I was 42.
I can see the metaphor of a marathon runner applying, as by the time I had reached 10 years, I hated the career, and I had a difficult time staying focused on completing it.
In retirement we get to reinvent ourselves.
Now I get to do productive things. I am an organic farmer, active in church, blue lodge, and the grange. I serve on the boards of directors for a couple community agencies.
In retirement you can do many different things
I would say your path is well defined and with purpose.
I'm retired, thru SS that is, and basically loving it. After leaving my last job, I found it increasingly harder to find another one in Purchasing/Inventory Management that I had just done. Didn't have to have a college degree and/or certification at that last job, but just couldn't find that type of job again. And, looking for new job at age 59, wasn't fun either! I spent literally years working physical labor in Shipping/Receiving/Stockroom and Warehousing and absolutely loved having my own office/computer, like I had on my last job. Anyway, during that time, I got Emergency UI, which helped out considerably with my wife's salary. Then, at age 62, ran down to the SS office and applied/got my monthly SS. It was less than 1k per month, but it still helped b/c my Emergency UI ran out.
Anyway, today, at age 66, I enjoy keeping our apt. clean, some cooking, doing laundry, running some errands and doing many things on the old computer. My wife (67) still works a full-time job and (she hopes) plans to until she turns 70. That way she will get Late Retirement and an extra 7k a year in SS. I get up each morning with her and see her off to work and enjoy doing that.
Physically, I can't do some of the things I use to........like Team Roping in rodeo. Horse and tack are gone, but have pics and a couple of old ropes to remind me of those neat days. We have a power boat (20' Cuddy Cabin) and the Wii Game, so we get our exercise!
So, do I love retirement? Yes I do, but will love it even more when my wife retires!
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but it does gives me some insight.
