I'm damn envious of you retired punks!

jackderby52

Prehistoric blues knob (not newbie)
I have been off work for 7 weeks (disability/new hip/easy) and I gotta say i was really getting used to my midday nappy's!! Now that I'm back at it, all I can think of how lucky you kids are on the other side!! I want in!!

So, what's your favorite thing about retirement? And does anybody actually miss their old career/work days??
 

Grateful_Ed

Student Of The Blues
I semi-retired 4 years ago. I kept a part time job in my old trade. It got to be more and more like a full time job with half time pay. I quit the end of October and I'm still looking for a job to support my retirement. Don't miss the grind at all. I miss the money. There has to be a balance somewhere. I've got plenty of time to find it (I hope).
Be strong young man, now it's your time. Retirement, along with the aches and pains, will come soon enough. Don't envy, appreciate.
:cool:
 

sloslunas

NM Blues
You are a smart guy Jack. You have at least one more hip to replace...that's good for at least 7 more weeks of nappin'. Besides you have more money than God...how much more do you need? Sell some of those old junkie vintage Martins that you have and you will be sailing "Into the Mystic" before you know it. Just sayin'...

Steve

PS. As much as I loved teaching, (I retired 8 years ago) I have never looked back. In all honesty, I don't even have the time to go to work...there is way too much stuff to do. YMMV
 

CaptainMoto

Blues Voyager
I had my first paying job when I was around 10, then held a pretty stead clean up boy gig at the age of 13.
At 16 was working as stock boy in a grocery store about 30hrs a week and that soon became full time.
After a short time in the Naval Reserves, I started a career that lasted almost 40 yrs.
All said and done, I worked for other people for more then 50 years.

As I approached retirement my financial planner gave me some good advise.
He said :
"Most people retire from something, the secret is to retire to something"

I retired to getting a merchant marine captain's licence and boating as phase I.
Phase II has been learning guitar and creating songs.

It took me a year or so to chill down after leaving a job that was pretty demanding.
There were certainly parts of my work life that I disliked but, for the most part I enjoyed what did so, I wasn't screaming to quit.

I keep a fairly regular routine and somehow, my days are always full of things to do.

I would not recommend that anyone wish their life away waiting to retire.
I'd say, work as long as you can and if you hate your job,,,,,,,,,,,,find a new one.
 
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tommytubetone

Great Lakes
As the captain stated, don't wish your life away waiting to reach retirement age. The downside is that you're old. I'm sure you've heard retirees state that they don't how they found time to work for a living. That's true for me. I do miss the money though. Even with Social Security and some pensions, it's not close to what I was bringing home before. Hang in there my friend! :Beer:
 

artyman

Fareham UK
I certainly wonder where the heck the time goes since retiring, never enough hours to play guitar that's for sure
 

Randy S

Blues Junior
Retired 6 years ago at the age of 57. Had a fairly high level job- I loved the challenge and the perks but that came with a lot of hours, a lot of travel and a lot of pressure and stress. So I walked away and have never regretted it. Gave me time to learn to play guitar (I suck but I'm OK with that) spend more time with loved ones, travel (for pleasure), etc. After a lifetime of working hard to get somewhere I now just sit back and enjoy the journey.
 

Silicon Valley Tom

It makes me happpy to play The Blues!
Yes, do not wish your life away! Those words were spoken to me by my mom, when I was 8, and I wanted to be 12. Hang in there and enjoy yourself.

I paid my dues and retired January 9th, 2009. I had a number of jobs from the time I was 16, including the Air Force, electronics manufacturing, and programming. In the Air Force I had several events which required working 72 hours straight, without a "break".

Working as an electronics engineer I worked for three months, 20 hours a day, 7 days a week for one company. I had to design and program a new product for a West Coast Electronics show. I succeeded and then the owners were so grateful, they also decided that I should be in charge of the new production line, in addition to my assigned duties. So, I said goodbye.

While a programmer at NUMMI, (building cars and trucks for Toyota, and GM), we were on 24 hour call. That was not a pleasant place to work. So many people died of heart attacks from stress. Viva la company! If you die, they simply replace you with a new cog (worker).

Your task is to survive. First you work all your life and then? Who knows. You might live a long life as a retiree. I have met several people that retired and lived only a few months after leaving work. You never know what retirement will bring.

Learn to enjoy what you have while you have it. :) Don't worry about tomorrow. In Spanish there is an expression: "Mañana nunca viene". Tomorrow never comes. :eek::D

Tom
 

CaptainMoto

Blues Voyager
Retired 6 years ago at the age of 57. Had a fairly high level job- I loved the challenge and the perks but that came with a lot of hours, a lot of travel and a lot of pressure and stress.
OH MY.........The Travel!
I don't miss that!
I flew from Chicago to KC one morning to make a 30 min. presentation.
The plan was to fly back that afternoon.

An ice storm hit and I spent a several days wearing the same clothes in a crappy hotel that ran out of food and almost ran out of liqueur. I got home a week later.

A large part of my life was limos, rental cars, security lines, planes, airports, taxis and meeting rooms.
Flew on a corp jet for a while ....AHHHHH what a pleasure!
Everything else was just a blur of people places and things.
 

Randy S

Blues Junior
OH MY.........The Travel!
I don't miss that!
I flew from Chicago to KC one morning to make a 30 min. presentation.
The plan was to fly back that afternoon.

An ice storm hit and I spent a several days wearing the same clothes in a crappy hotel that ran out of food and almost ran out of liqueur. I got home a week later.

A large part of my life was limos, rental cars, security lines, planes, airports, taxis and meeting rooms.
Flew on a corp jet for a while ....AHHHHH what a pleasure!
Everything else was just a blur of people places and things.

Been there, done that. I was on the way back from Korea on 9/11. Ended up in Honolulu for a week. Everybody says "oh poor thing" but I had nothing but suits and ties to wear and spent the whole time on the phone on business or with my secretary trying to figure our how I was going to get home. The corporate jets eased the pain but not enough. I am much happier flying coach now going where I want to go to do what I want to do.
 

OG_Blues

Guitar Geezer
Retirement is nothing short of fantastic. I owned my own businesses for most of my working career, and I enjoyed my work, most of the time.
It was rewarding and I got a great deal of self satisfaction out of creating things that helped other people and companies do their jobs better and more efficiently.
That said, I don't miss it a single bit. My days are full and I don't have enough time to do and finish everything I want to do. I wish I could make more time to play guitar.
With retirement, usually comes advanced age, and that's not a picnic. But it also has included a grandson, with another one due in Feb.
It's a treat to be part of their lives and to have the time to help out my adult kids.
One of the best parts of retirement is CC time (coffee and cocktails) with my wife of almost 45 years. That happens daily at 8 AM and 4 PM. I'll let you guess which is which.
Tom
 

kestrou

Blooze Noobie
I own two businesses...

Two years ago, I went to 25% retired - take one week off every month.

A year ago, I went to 50% retired - take every other week off.

Sales are up this year 25% in my main business - profit up 35% - so semiretired has been working well for me - but I just screwed it up and bought a large client base in North and South Carolina so I’m back to one week off per month for the next few months.

I’m suffering through... :)

Kevin
 
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