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I found it very interesting your comment that the "glow" of living in a new place went away after a year or two. Alot of us on this forum are looking to relocate upon retirement and I agree that after awhile, one just gets into their own routine no matter where they live and the newness wears off.
One of the good points about living in or near a big city is the advantage of constantly changing outlets for fun--plays, festivals, concerts, etc. Smaller cities are nice and comfortable but the "burbs" of a bigger city have their advantage.
I think it's great that you've found your retirement niche for living situation and are happy with it.
Some of us, however, well past "retirement age" continue to work even though financially able to not have to anymore ... because we long ago found a way to combine our avocation and recreation.
Working a career to achieve those moments of leisure time and freedom just didn't appeal to me. It's possible to have it all in one package, one superb adventure every day. Sometimes it's challenging, sometimes it's physical work and activity ... but it's all part of every day.
Well I've been retired for 12 years and I'm just now old enough for Social Security. I have NEVER felt the least inclination to do work again. I was making good money doing what I was doing and I won't do it for nothing or for minimum wage.
What I found was a lot of retired bureaucrats who could not break their addiction to Meetings and Rules. All were used to being in charge and butted heads with the people who were being paid to be in charge.
No thanks
Great post, Laura! I will have been retired for three years as of this coming June 30.
1. I don't miss work at all. I did a good job while I was there, but by the time I quit I felt burned out. I wake up every weekday morning happy not to have to sit in a cubicle all day.
2. I'm in touch via Facebook with a few work friends but I never go into the office to have lunch.
3. Yes, I'm more observant too and more patient. Standing in line doesn't aggravate me as it used to.
5. I go to bed at the same time as when I was working but I get up an hour or two later, so I get enough sleep after running a sleep deficit for many years. My habits have improved -- I give exercise a high priority and get it done before noon every day.
6. I'm still living in the same place. I had planned to move, but changed my mind and I'm very glad I did. I had fallen out of love with my city while I was working but now the magic is back.
7. I still pay attention to holidays because I prefer running errands on week days when most people are at work. Monday is my favorite day of the week except when it's a holiday.
8. I got rid of two of my raincoats because if it's raining heavily now, I just don't go out.
9. I get sick a lot less often (knock on wood) than when I was working. My old office was in a secure part of a secure floor, so dozens of my fellow employees touched the same door handles several times a day, leaving cold and flu germs behind. Now that I'm retired I get fewer colds.
10. I'm spending a lot less money than I expected to.
11. I set my alarm every night because I don't want to sleep too late (it makes me feel sluggish). However, I usually wake up five minutes before the alarm goes off. Perfect! I also rely on my Google Calendar a lot.
Things I didn't expect: Before quitting work I intended to move, buy a house, and get a cat and a dog. I've decided I don't want more responsibility, so I'm happy in an apartment with no pets. I like having the freedom to travel without worrying.
I've been retired just over three years and have been enjoying it immensely. I don't miss my career at all. We decided to stay put here in Maryland for the foreseeable future while we're doing our traveling excursions. Work friends have mostly fallen by the wayside with the exception of a few occasional lunches once in a great while. I never had the opportunity to travel during my working years and have discovered a passion for it now. Europe, Central America and the US/Canada are all on the agenda. We plan to continue one-two major international trips per year and cruise the US/canada in an RV we just bought. I'll be dead long before I run out of interesting things to do/learn/explore. This is the best time of my life.
Last edited by Pilgrim21784; 03-06-2010 at 10:07 PM..
I stopped going to the office when I was 62, but still owned my business. I started working in the office again when i reached 65 and decided to draw social security at age 66, but I had to put my business in my wife's name before I could draw any money out. I finally sold my business and retired. I've been fairly active, but one thing I've learned: DO NOT SIT ON YOUR BUTT AND WATCH TV keep busy. If you don't use the muscles in your body they will slowly go away. If you sit and watch TV for two years it won't be very long and that is all you will be able to do. I have seen that happen to many of my friends, they don't live long if they don't keep active. My father-in-law works three days a week, he's 83 and gets around better than many 70 year olds I know.
10. I'm spending a lot less money than I expected to.
Things I didn't expect: Before quitting work I intended to move, buy a house, and get a cat and a dog. I've decided I don't want more responsibility, so I'm happy in an apartment with no pets. I like having the freedom to travel without worrying.
I am also spending a lot less than I expected. I can't believe how much free and cheap things there are to do out there. My state, for example, never met a festival it didn't like. They celebrate everything from tomatoes to cornbread to opera to the atomic bomb to Sgt York to mules to catfish to dogwoods to storytelling to walking horses to Appalachian culture to ghosts and everything in between. You could go from festival to festival and sometimes you have to decide which one you'll go to. My state is also big on history related events (living history/re-enactments) from the French and Indian War to the Civil War to WWII to Native American events. I've been here 3 years and I've seen at least 6 different Abraham Lincolns . And we have wonderful state parks. I've been to 7 of them so far. They are all free (admission and parking) plus we have a few national parks, too (also free). The state is also known for music. In the east it's bluegrass. In the middle (Nashville), it's country and in the west it's rock and roll (Elvis and Sun Records) and blues (Memphis). My town of 27,500 has a community orchestra and a community band. There is free music to be had everywhere. From May to September there are free outdoor concerts and in the winter the are a couple of free indoor ones. There is even a band at the farmer's market every weekend.
I also debated a pet in retirement and also live in an apartment and decided against it not because I don't want one but because I live up a flight of stairs and also don't know what I'd do with it when I traveled. I traveled too much when I was working to have one. I'm into birds now but they don't live with me. I feed them where they live.
Hard to say how long I've been retired. Dh retired 5 1/2 years ago. I haven't had a job for 2 1/2 years - spent 2 years in Africa with dh who volunteered - I helped some but didn't have a proper position. I don't intend to get another job although I won't be old enough for my own pension for 4 years. So I guess I'd say I've been retired 2 1/2 years.
No problem keeping busy - we travel and I've got loads of interests. It's the pull of the internet, not TV, that I have to fight.
For a short time we researched moving to some nice Caribbean island, but then we wondered what would happen when the novelty of living at the beach wore off? A great climate isn't everything so we'll stay put in chilly Scotland with our cold loch out front.
I am learning so much from reading this retirement forum...I just wish I'd been wiser earlier...I will not have a pension, but I do have a 401k that I'm trying to ramp up...I am hoping to retire within 7 years, but I may have to work 10 more to try to make up for lost time financially...but by reading your posts here, I am learning more and more everytime I visit. Thank you all - I'm trying not to regret not having the money many of you do, and instead learn from and plan for a healthy and happy full life in retirement!
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. And we have wonderful state parks. I've been to 7 of them so far. They are all free (admission and parking) plus we have a few national parks, too (also free). The state is also known for music. In the east it's bluegrass. In the middle (Nashville), it's country and in the west it's rock and roll (Elvis and Sun Records) and blues (Memphis). My town of 27,500 has a community orchestra and a community band. There is free music to be had everywhere. From May to September there are free outdoor concerts and in the winter the are a couple of free indoor ones. There is even a band at the farmer's market every weekend.
