Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Another way to put this is, being able to say f___ off to bosses, and hopefully even banks, and in a few cases government oppressors.
We are making progress. The work thing may play out to a target age I have set (based on the running of numbers) but if I end up pre-maturely retired we would be able to cope.
In terms of the banks we will be debt free within a year and plan to never ever have another mortgage or any other form of "rented money."
The last element, reducing the long arm of the gooberment, well, that can only mean one thing. Leaving our current jurisdiction, which is among the worst places tax wise. It will be a no brainer to find someplace better. Compared with where we are at, such places abound.
To elliotgb,
Funniest list ever. I laughed my retired body off the couch. You must be a professional writer, or should be. Thanks for the humor.
In my retirement, semi, I flip properties, something I've wanted to do my whole life, but now cannot imagine why with all the work and dealings with the builder class. They remind me of the wild west's horse traders - not to be trusted. I also wrote 2 books, 4 screenplays and a handful of articles. I may or may not, after 11 homes, flip any more. Is that retirement?
Thanks for the nice compliment!
That was just the short list.
Not a professional writer, but just like Scott Adams who writes Dilbert, the professional office environment has no shortage of material to write about. Sometimes, it's like a 3 ring circus that's only missing the red noses. The clowns are in abundance.
One of the things I find most compelling and enjoyable retirement is that, but for the thankfully rare medical appointment, there's no time I have to get up, no place I have to be and I can spend my time as I will.
On weekends when most working people are doing their shopping and running around to enjoy their days off I can stay home and avoid the increased traffic, crowds and long lines. Shopping can be a near pleasure because I can do it when most people can't.
On the rare occasion I get stuck in a slow line I can just relax. There's something to be said for never being in a hurry. A prime example occurred Monday. I was mailing a packet at the post office and got in line behind an elderly gentleman and two not young women, all with multiple things to mail and held mail to pick up. The gentleman, who had to be well into his nineties, was excruciatingly slow and wobbled on occasion, dropped things and got confused. The two women and I struck up a conversation and we all from time-to-time helped the old man. In time we were joined in the line by four other people and we all chatted. Everyone was relaxed and smiling, cheerful and friendly. It must have taken a half hour before I reached the head of the line but I didn't care. It was a peasant interlude. No one else got rushed either.
I live near a live entertainment venue with many, varied offerings. I get many significant discounts because I am what they consider an area resident 9I live 20 or so miles away) and can always get good seats because I can take in matinees and off-season shows.
I receive two payments a month, my pension and Social Security, and I don't have to do a darn thing for them. I've already done it.
When driving somewhere for fun, if something else catches my eye or a sign points to what sounds like an interesting spot or destination I can detour to and enjoy it because my times my own and I am rarely on any kind of schedule.
Those are just a few of my pleasures in retirement - relaxation, crowd avoidance and occasionally some entertainment and a bit of relatively benign adventure . What are yours?
Regarding slow lines... in grocery stores, I try to pick the slow ones so I can catch up on the scandal sheets. I'd never buy them, of course.... but I do miss the Weekly World News and Batboy...
To elliotgb, I laughed out loud at your post, too. Tried to rate it positively, but the dreaded "You must spread some reputation around" box popped up! So I guess I am one of your biggest fans. Loved the post, and love the reference to Dilbert, of which I have been a fan for many years.
To elliotgb, I laughed out loud at your post, too. Tried to rate it positively, but the dreaded "You must spread some reputation around" box popped up! So I guess I am one of your biggest fans. Loved the post, and love the reference to Dilbert, of which I have been a fan for many years.
Ah, yes. Memories of life among the Indians while the chiefs dithered. I remember it well. It could be mirth-provoking to say the least.
What I look forward to the most in retirement is to be able to go to sleep and wake up on my own schedule. I've always been a night owl but have a hard time functioning on less than 7 1/2 hours of sleep. My favorite schedule was in college when I did homework or studying at night until 1 or 2 am in the morning. I tried to schedule my classes so that they did not start until 10 am or later. Now my work day starts at the latest time that my employers allow at 9 am. But there is sometimes insomnia, hot flashes, my pain in the a## cat that wakes me up in the middle of the night or early am, spring allergies that are worse in the early morning, etc. that disturb my sleep. It'll be great knowing that if I stay up late or have to get up for an hour or so during the night, I can just sleep in the next morning. And of course, not dreading Monday morning.
In our small town there is a gunsmith who only opens one day a week. A few of us retirees meet there for coffee and discussion. Not un-like "Floyd's Barbershop" in Mayberry, or Sam Drucker's general store in Hooterville.
Location: Approximately 50 miles from Missoula MT/38 yrs full time after 4 yrs part time
2,308 posts, read 4,122,467 times
Reputation: 5025
Quote:
Originally Posted by Curmudgeon
One of the things I find most compelling and enjoyable retirement is that, but for the thankfully rare medical appointment, there's no time I have to get up, no place I have to be and I can spend my time as I will.
On weekends when most working people are doing their shopping and running around to enjoy their days off I can stay home and avoid the increased traffic, crowds and long lines. Shopping can be a near pleasure because I can do it when most people can't.
On the rare occasion I get stuck in a slow line I can just relax. There's something to be said for never being in a hurry. A prime example occurred Monday. I was mailing a packet at the post office and got in line behind an elderly gentleman and two not young women, all with multiple things to mail and held mail to pick up. The gentleman, who had to be well into his nineties, was excruciatingly slow and wobbled on occasion, dropped things and got confused. The two women and I struck up a conversation and we all from time-to-time helped the old man. In time we were joined in the line by four other people and we all chatted. Everyone was relaxed and smiling, cheerful and friendly. It must have taken a half hour before I reached the head of the line but I didn't care. It was a peasant interlude. No one else got rushed either.
I live near a live entertainment venue with many, varied offerings. I get many significant discounts because I am what they consider an area resident 9I live 20 or so miles away) and can always get good seats because I can take in matinees and off-season shows.
I receive two payments a month, my pension and Social Security, and I don't have to do a darn thing for them. I've already done it.
When driving somewhere for fun, if something else catches my eye or a sign points to what sounds like an interesting spot or destination I can detour to and enjoy it because my times my own and I am rarely on any kind of schedule.
Those are just a few of my pleasures in retirement - relaxation, crowd avoidance and occasionally some entertainment and a bit of relatively benign adventure . What are yours?
.......I just stumbled across this Thread and thought I'd throw in my 2 cents.....................
Realizing that we all have different hobbies, interests, habits, preferences etc,etc,etc,...I'll "bare-my-soul" regarding what I like about my retirement.....AND what I miss about "Life-before-Retirement".
As some of you know, I have lived "out-in-the-Boonies" here for over 35 years; took a year off & built my home here back in 1980 when I had 13 more years to work until reaching age 62.........Upon reaching that point (having worked for 40 years & retiring at 62), my late wife and I enjoyed the "fruits-of-our-efforts and years of planning" by traveling, enjoying our hobbies, persueing our interests and not adherring to any schedules etc,etc.
After 11 yrs of "that phase of retirement AND 51 yrs of marriage".........I lost my wife to cancer..................Took about 5 months to "get-my-head-on-straight" and also realize that I shouldn't feel quility about continuing to "do the things that I found enjoyable" and in some cases "do certain activities and acquire certain "things" that I had often thought about..................As my wonderful daughter (lives 15 miles away) often says to me:......"Dad, what the Hell do you thnk you worked 40 years for???
So, here I am approaching age 84 (retired almost 23 yrs), living where I want to live, doing what I want to do, eatin' what I want to eat, travel where I want to go, etc,etc,etc, and in general, "enjoying-Life-To-The-Max".
After all that "planning, research, frugal living, hard work", & accepting AND BEATING the obstacles that "Life puts-in-your-path" (and believe me, the LIST is damn long)........if you are determined enough........you'll make it!
Foot Note:....What do I miss??........I miss not having my wife here with me to enjoy what we worked soooo hard to achieve, and I miss so many of my friends that "have passed-on to that never-ending hunting trip"
Ketch ya later............................Griz
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Loved the post, and love the reference to Dilbert, of which I have been a fan for many years.
Well, it gives me something to hope for. Some day in the future. 
