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You see, he DOES listen to music, unlike your statement in your OP. He goes to the symphony. He may also listen to music on the radio...you just say that all he's spoken about is listening to is public radio. I listen to music on the radio in my car all the time, but I can't think of a time I discussed that with anyone. Why would I? That'd be like telling someone that I took a shower that morning. It's so mundane and not a topic of conversation. But I wouldn't have much in common w/someone who doesn't love music, so I agree w/you on that, to some extent. Music is so integral to my life that life would be meaningless w/o it. Humans have been making music and enjoying it for eons. I love music & listen to it frequently...in the car, on Youtube. I also love dancing to it while cleaning house.
I think you find his retirement plans odd because they aren't the plans that you have. To each his own. I find his plans to be common. I think some people look forward to retirement so they can sit around and eat and play games. I think they THINK they'd like that, but it would become boring soon. Dreams of sleeping late and padding around the house in a bathrobe half the day, then getting dressed and hitting the sports bars isn't my idea of an interesting or fun retirement. I don't happen to like traveling, like most other people. I had to travel some in my work. I travel well, since I expect problems along the way, but that doesn't mean I like it. I also live alone, so traveling alone seems lonely to me. I've never been on a vacation, even. I took days off work but had to care for pets, my house, grocery shop, etc. I used vacation days to go visit relatives out of state. My family didn't go on vacations or travel, when I was a child. So it's not a natural thing for me. It's also expensive, and I'd worry about leaving my home unattended. Instead, I get joy out of growing blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, watermelon, and beautiful flowers. To each his own. We all find joy in different ways. I still wake up early. I love the morning hours. I don't want to sleep my life away. I would like to play board games, though. It's a pity I don't know anyone who also likes that. I grew up playing games w/my sisters. I miss that. And because of my lifestyle, I enjoy near perfect health, though I'm in my late 60s....and I have the same figure I had when I was 20. This won't last forever, but I'm alone among seniors I know who takes no medication and has no health condition other than mild arthritis. I know several who've developed drinking or substance abuse issues, have had significant health issues, look older than their years, and have gained a lot of weight. A man I was dating that I'd known decades ago, had gotten an enormous belly so that he looked like he was about to give birth to twins...and was usually drinking when I saw him. Another man called me to go out...he was drunk. They were using their retirement to party. I went thru my party phase when I was 20-something...such that I'm lucky to be alive. No, thank you. Been there, done that.
I want to add to my former post (above) that included in my "wants" for the retirement years is nurturing friendships and family relationships. There's more time to make time for phone conversations and doing things with friends and family. My brother, also retired and divorced, comes over once weekly for movie night. We talk about all sorts of different things, and stream a movie. I see my Dad occasionally and talk to him on the phone frequently. My sister and I text each other occasionally and keep up with each other's lives (this is a lot more than we used to do, when I lived out of state). I keep touch with my long term friends, and I enjoy my new neighbors (although we're not friends, we're very friendly). I haven't made new friends because I now live in an area that doesn't have many single women, esp retired career gals. This is a deep southern marriage haven. Single women moved away for job opportunities, like I did. Except I came back, at my father's insistence, after I retired. Being loved, and loving others and showing it, is important to a happy life. I've been here, for instances, to help my brother through months of recuperation after a serious operation, and to help my Dad with internet research & printing out the results & giving to him, and to support my sister's wonderful talent of painting (art). She truly is gifted. I was here to support my baby sister and family through the sudden hospitalization and death of my baby sister. I was able to help w/the funeral arrangements. So these things are very important to me, too. In a way, that is part of self-actualization, also.
Not just because "reserved". Someone made that up. It was the entire combination of things not just one or two. There is such a thing as the spectrum, it's pretty common too. Big deal.
Yeah, it's kind of a "big deal" to go around diagnosing people who have a different personality from yours or even from the American norm as being autistic. That's pretty ignorant.
Maybe he thinks the music and culture of that era is way better than what we have now.
Is that supposed to be an unusual opinion?
Well it's more like memories, pictures, general talking is all about the past. No not unusual, I suppose, but nothing in the present, just I've been busy, nothing about what is keeping him busy. It's fine, it's just not different than the rest of the group.
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