What do you consider retirement?

[TuborgP]

Originally Posted by Tesaje

The real question is why do so many people who wish to start a different career in middle age want so desperately to be considered retired? If leaving one career and starting another is what you want, go for it.

I cannot fathom why these people insist on calling themselves retired when they are so clearly not. Why lie about it? Nothing wrong with leaving a career (with or without a pension) and working at another one if that's what you want. What's wrong with I run a bistro now. I used to be an engineer.

If retirement didn't by definition mean not working any longer for money, then telling people you are retired but I have to go to work wouldn't cause any confusion, would it? But it does.

I never liked the deliberate misuse of words. The big deal is there is no communication if you use words to mean something they don't. Only confusion. But then maybe that's the objective? 1984 anyone?

It all begins with declaring retirement for a pension if you have one. You then submit a letter to your HR that you will be retiring as of a certain date. Note you say retiring not quitting. After that you have some sort of retirement good bye and you back your belongings and do this over a fairly long period of time. Just quitting is usually a two week notice or there about. By the time your last day comes you have said retirement so much it becomes part of your vocabulary. We can agree that we retire from jobs even if we keep working but the question is what is retirement and is it from just one career or is it from working in total or part. The use of the term often begins with the basis of how we separate from our job. Forest BeeKeeper retired from the military and regardless of what else they do they RETIRED from the military.

[TuborgP]

Originally Posted by Gandalara

From Merriam-Webster

Main Entry: re·tire
Pronunciation: \ri-ˈtī(-ə)r\
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): re·tired; re·tir·ing
Etymology: Middle French retirer, from re- + tirer to draw
Date: 1533

intransitive verb

• 1: to withdraw from action or danger: retreat
• 2: to withdraw especially for privacy <retired to her room>
• 3: to move back: recede
• 4: to withdraw from one's position or occupation: conclude one's working or professional career
• 5: to go to bed

transitive verb

• 1: withdraw: as a: to march (a military force) away from the enemy; b: to withdraw from circulation or from the market: recall <retire a bond>; c: to withdraw from usual use or service
• 2: to cause to retire from one's position or occupation
• 3 a: to put out (a batter or batsman) in baseball or cricket; b: to cause (a side) to end a turn at bat in baseball
• 4: to win permanent possession of (as a trophy)

Ouch, someone else had it noted for them that the thread is about what do you CONSIDER retirement and not the formal definition. It is about individual thoughts and feeling per the OP.

[flyfishnevada]

Originally Posted by Gandalara

From Merriam-Webster

Main Entry: re·tire
Pronunciation: \ri-ˈtī(-ə)r\
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): re·tired; re·tir·ing
Etymology: Middle French retirer, from re- + tirer to draw
Date: 1533

intransitive verb

• 1: to withdraw from action or danger: retreat
• 2: to withdraw especially for privacy <retired to her room>
• 3: to move back: recede
• 4: to withdraw from one's position or occupation: conclude one's working or professional career
• 5: to go to bed

transitive verb

• 1: withdraw: as a: to march (a military force) away from the enemy; b: to withdraw from circulation or from the market: recall <retire a bond>; c: to withdraw from usual use or service
• 2: to cause to retire from one's position or occupation
• 3 a: to put out (a batter or batsman) in baseball or cricket; b: to cause (a side) to end a turn at bat in baseball
• 4: to win permanent possession of (as a trophy)

Someone had to go get the dictionary and take all the fun out of it

[Gandalara]

http://bestsmileys.com/computer1/6.gif (broken link)

[419gottaminute]

Originally Posted by flyfishnevada

I mentioned on a board (maybe this one, maybe another) that I was going to retire in July. I mentioned that I had to work part-time to make ends meet since I still had kids around (I have since worked that out and don't need to anymore, and no, I didn't sell my kids). Anyway, someone told me that I wasn't going to be retired if I HAD to work. I thought a lot about that and for a time tried to figure out what i would call it and settled on semi-retirement.

I just saw another post on this board where someone mentioned they had to work part-time in retirement. Does anyone not consider this retirement? If you have to work, but it is part-time or casual and is doing something you want, maybe you could call it semi-retired, but that is just semantics.

So what do you consider retirement? I'm not interested in arguing the point, just seeing what everyone thinks.

For me, I have come to believe that retirement is one of those words that has lost its meaning. It used to mean something very specific, but in the last several decades has come to mean many things. I think retirement is now defined by individuals, but generally means you can leave your career and have enough financial security to pursue your dreams and passions. that would include someone that has to work if they can still pursue their passions, either through that work or in the free-time that comes with the new job. In July when I take my pension and leave my career, even though I choose to work part-time at things that interest me, I will call myself retired.

IMO, i agree with you...
your retired...
if you work while your retired at doing something that you love and/or enjoy then collecting a paycheck is just one of the benefits....
july is getting closer,,,please enjoy...