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Most retired people don't just kill time waiting for a better afterlife.
"As if you could kill time without injuring eternity."
But it's ok to sleep all day, so you can spend half the night watching movies, and the other half writing books. Just make sure when you finally die, you leave some kind of "footprints on the sands of time."
I can't talk to you face to face after you die, but I at least want to be able to find you in a library or some such place.
.......Off road travel trailer......... Oh yeah? What kind ya got? 'Cause I am restoring my 90 model 4X4 and it needs something to do.....
I've got a 20 foot Salem brand. It's got reversed springs so it is set up high. It's short enough to get into the Forest Service campgrounds and has enough clearance to do down some pretty rough dirt roads. Pulling it with a diesel 4X4 pickup with a big engine that can get itself and the trailer out of a snowbank.
I can camp in the snow because the trailer has a good heater in it. You get the campground all to yourself after the first snows of the year. Mostly, I camp, tend the fire, and hike. My son fishes.
The shorter the length of the trailer the better you can get in and out of rough spots. If I'd had the money, I would have bought the Arctic Fox brand of the same size. Just about the same floor plan and size, but 3 times the money and worth every penny of the purchase price. Out of my budget, though.
I agree with Escort Rider. It's a little disingenuous to just say "different strokes for different folks" when some of those folks are engaging in unhealthy behavior, like too much TV watching (sorry, folks, it's been proven to not be good for your brain or body!), alcohol, lack of exercise, etc. Studies of Blue Zones where older people thrive focus on the commonalities of all these places: people are physically active, socially connected, and eat healthy.
I do yoga and I love the nonjudgement that it includes, but this doesn't carry over to every instance off the mat. Some people aren't living in a very healthy way. And they may live in a way that is comfortable to them because it's easier and all they have known, but it is as the Pink Floyd song noted, comfortably numb. I will defend their right to do so unless they are harming someone else or an imminent danger to themselves (okay, we as a society are harming ourselves and the environment and we are paying the bills for it already and handing them to our grandchildren, but you get the picture).
But on the other hand, it's difficult for any of us to know the entire gestalt of why people are the way they are and if it's healthy for them. Many of you would think that my retirement is utterly tragic because I never travel. So you may be scared for me that my mind will turn to mush! What you need to do is look at the whole picture. I may not be having a photo-sharing-worthy week of exquisite scenery or going to a new place, but I promise I am always experiencing something that is often new and almost always soul-fulfilling, whether it's a new recipe or a book or a foreign film or a new exercise class or meeting someone new. And although I don't have that week of travel, how about how I live the other 51 weeks of the year? I'm amazed at people who are into experiencing new things and going out when they travel, but have no interest in anything but their electronics when they are not traveling.
Excellent schedule planner.....I'm with you - but, 2016 being a Leap Year we may need to consider having to add an activity for that one extra day on Feb. 29.....perhaps a day of reflection and peaceful contemplation of the past year's activities !!
Giesela: Thank you for sharing your story about your mother and her life before coming to America. We who were born in America have no way to relate to her history and the terror she lived in for her first 30 years. I am so glad her last 10 years brought her a calmer, hopefully happier life.
I wish I could meet you in person. I very much admire you from what you have written.
I so agree with you regarding retirement and doing what feels good to you. No one has the right to judge what we do or what we do not do.
You have a wonderful spirit, don't let anyone take it from you.
Thanks but nothing to admire here. My mother was somewhat tortured but also really amazing.
Why aren't people picking on golfers, I mean, talk about meaningless When it comes down to it most hobbies are pretty meaningless so what's the difference between tv and golf and drinking in a hot tub? Not much, golf is a little healthier <shrug> (but golf courses are bad for the environment).
To me retirement is like a perpetual 2 week cruise. I lOVE cruising and we usually booked for one week cruises [ we have gotten most of them free, something else I like about them!] So, we would go on a one week cruise and I would run myself to exhaustion keeping busy. The next time, I would tell myself that I was going to spend more time just chilling. At the end of the cruise I would wish I had done more. What was really exhausting was working so hard to have a balanced vacation that it took away some of the enjoyment [ do not get me wrong! I have still LOVED every cruise we have gone on]
Finally, the 2 week b2b cruise. Everything balanced without thinking about it. When I wanted to chill, I chilled. When I wanted to schedule every minute from 6am to 2am I did that too.
So, that is how I am approaching retirement. I am sure many people would tell me to do more. Others might tell me to slow down. Proportions of how much time I spend vegginng out versus dancing like its' a marathon is my business and it's all good.
As far as the retired gentleman who drinks alcoholic beverages all day. If he has no wife, and does not drive drunk, and he claims to be happiest in that state, that is his business. If you think he needs to get some help, well, alcoholics are often lonely and forget to eat. You might want to drop by with a nice casserole every once in a while, and spend some time visiting with him.
Eok, I'll offer an amusing footnote to your quote about leaving footprints on the sands of time. I read an anthology of bad poetry in college. This poem was included just for that line. The book pointed out that the author intended to urge us to leave behind something of lasting value, but chose an image of something that disappears quickly. A footprint in sand is gone quite quickly. I had forgotten about that until I saw your reference. (Not trying to make fun of you, hoping it will amuse you too, it made me laugh out loud when I first read the critique because I was so caught up in the rhythm and beauty of the poem I never noticed the lack of sense.)
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Oh yeah? What kind ya got?
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