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whoa, talk about stereotyping YIKES. Okay 55+ community is not my cup of tea since I enjoy living within a diverse population BUT wow! The only people who suck are people you don't have anything in common with, and that applies to any age group. And if you think only older people can blither on about things that don't interest you, then you haven't been paying attention
Spuggy, I totally agree with you, but am actually surprised that you and Minervah and Tek_Freek and others have been kind/patient enough to even respond to Surfer Guy and educate him. I mean, really, his post is callow, offensive, practically juvenile. Good grief, his NAME is “Surfer Guy” . . .
^^ I can't speak for the others, but FWIW sometimes when someone posts a smart alec comment designed to "stir the pot" I'll respond, even though my response isn't really directed to that poster. Usuallyit's because his post reminded me of some helpful bit of information (whether he meant to do that or not, LOL). So I respond patiently, directing my comments to other readers, if I think it can be used to contribute to the conversation as a whole.
I live in a 55+ community here in Florida. When I first started looking for a place to buy, I didn’t actually consider an age restricted community exclusively. I was more concerned with affordability and safety. My little house, (villa), is in a quiet, safe area. I even have a front and side
yard that is taken care of by the association. There are amenities: pool, clubhouse, shuffleboard, and many areas for biking and walking.
They do have activities here, perhaps more during the winter when the snowbirds live here part time.
I attend some things: potluck dinners, gazebo parties, and occasionally go out to lunch with a group. I don’t play cards, bingo, or shuffleboard because it just doesn’t interest me. I have other activities outside of the community. I think it provides a good balance. People here are friendly but not pushy.
It’s not for everybody, but it is definitely an improvement in my overall quality of life.
Spuggy, I totally agree with you, but am actually surprised that you and Minervah and Tek_Freek and others have been kind/patient enough to even respond to Surfer Guy and educate him. I mean, really, his post is callow, offensive, practically juvenile. Good grief, his NAME is “Surfer Guy” . . .
Only thing worse is if he were to call himself "Surfer Dude."
My dad worked right up until he died, but it was his own business and he could pick and choose how much he wanted to work. He had the flexibility to do the other things he wanted but also had work he enjoyed doing to keep him busy during the rest of the time.
I don't see following in his steps exactly because I'm not really interested in starting up and running a business the way he did. But I do hope to work until 70, because I enjoy my work and it would also put me in the best position financially for retirement, and after that, I would think about working part time or making a long term volunteer commitment of some sort doing work that is also mentally stimulating. I would definitely want to cut back from full time but I'm not sure I see myself happy with no type of paid or unpaid work at all. Then again, that's still well over a decade away, so it's certainly possible I'll feel differently by then
I live in a 55+ community here in Florida. When I first started looking for a place to buy, I didn’t actually consider an age restricted community exclusively. I was more concerned with affordability and safety. My little house, (villa), is in a quiet, safe area. I even have a front and side
yard that is taken care of by the association. There are amenities: pool, clubhouse, shuffleboard, and many areas for biking and walking.
They do have activities here, perhaps more during the winter when the snowbirds live here part time.
I attend some things: potluck dinners, gazebo parties, and occasionally go out to lunch with a group. I don’t play cards, bingo, or shuffleboard because it just doesn’t interest me. I have other activities outside of the community. I think it provides a good balance. People here are friendly but not pushy.
It’s not for everybody, but it is definitely an improvement in my overall quality of life.
Sounds like a great place! I'm looking around SW FL as well, and would love to know where you landed. DM me if you prefer. There are lots and lots of places to choose from in FL, some are good, some are full of transients and some are just in bad areas. It sounds like you found a great place!
LOL I thought we were the only people to have that happen. Guess it's more common that I thought. Not only got the dirty looks if we tried to socialize but on top of this, the neighbors also assumed that I would love to babysit their kids, feed their pets, give them a ride, watch for a package, etc. You know, because I'm old so I must have no life or anything better to do. Unfortunately, doing these things didn't make us friends, apparently. We'd invite them over for a BBQ or we'd ask if they wanted to go kayaking with us and they always said no. We'd see them getting together with other neighbors for a beer, but if we tried to join them, they weren't interested in our company. Apparently they thought we existed only to do favors for them. Finally gave up, and now I'm much happier living where lots of people are my age.
Very interesting post. I can see how that would happen. The younger folks "expected" that you would be available for favors, but had little interest in getting to know you socially. I live in a high rise with close to 800 people, about 400 apts, and over the last 20 years, the demographics of the complex has changed from 20-30% students to 90% students. That's what happens when complexes don't keep up and modernize. The only group interested in renting substandard apartments are students, who don't care and only sleep in their apts. This isn't "home" for them, just a temporary stopping place while they finish their degrees. The handful of non-students who remain here as long-term residents do consider this home.
I don't get the dirty looks or strange looks (why are you here?), but it's less and less interesting to live around this many students as I get older. Very little in common and of course, the noise and loud parties have increased with the student population. High rent increases reflect the ability of students to take in roommates to share the ever-increasing rents. The rest of us are left with substandard housing and high rents. Not uncommon in college towns, though.
If you love your job, I'll agree. I do have to wonder, though, if people who are 90 and 88 really know what the working world is like, anymore. If they haven't worked in 20+ years, it's possible they've romanticized it over time. And even if they haven't, the working world has gotten much nastier and stressful for many people. At least, for most of the people I know. If the last time they worked was in the 1980s or 1990s, do they really have any idea what working is like these days?
Really good points. With the decline in pensions offered by companies (replaced by 401ks), and the massive increase in part-timers being hired instead of full-timers, as well as the increase in the use of contractors, the world of work has really changed. I think the service industry is the largest chunk of US employment. I could be wrong on that, but Walmart is certainly one of the largest employers in the US, and not known for generous benefits or high wages.
I talk to many of the young folks who work in the services industry all the time, in retail mostly, and they don't have regular schedules, their schedules can change at the drop of the hat, they don't have any benefits or skimpy benefits at best, and they are working a couple other part-time jobs to pay rent.
No, it's a very different world than the 80's or 90's or even early 00's when people who are in the 80's were working. I think we all tend to romanticize or idealize our past in various ways, whether it is related to a job we had or a place we have lived. Totally understandable.
This sounds like the late 1970's, a terrible time to be a young person just starting out. My SO and I were both working several low-wage service jobs, and feeling a bit like slave labor. You never knew when your hours would be cut or you'd be asked to work late, etc.
It does seem like things got a lot better for young new hires in the 80's, and especially the early 90's, although that may just be my personal experience, since those were good years for me.
Still, I am unlikely ever to romanticize working in the late 1970's, no matter how old I get eek: And if young ones nowadays are experiencing what I did back then, I extend my hand in sympathy to them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by xz2y
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I talk to many of the young folks who work in the services industry all the time, in retail mostly, and they don't have regular schedules, their schedules can change at the drop of the hat, they don't have any benefits or skimpy benefits at best, and they are working a couple other part-time jobs to pay rent.
N.
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eek: And if young ones nowadays are experiencing what I did back then, I extend my hand in sympathy to them. 
