Thoughts on my retirement

[waksupi]

Now that I am more or less retired, it just struck me.

I've managed to do just about everything I have ever wanted to do and more. I've had adventures few can even imagine, by myself, and with some of the finest people in the world.

I've been successful in the professions I chose.

I've had exceptional mentors, great friends, and some wonderful enemies.

I've created hundreds of works of art in various mediums, that with any care by the owners should last hundreds of years.

I guess the point of this is, I feel sorry for the poor people who got locked into a way of life that is not satisfying for them, and they live a life of quiet desperation. There is no joy in their work. There is no challenge. Just go to work day after day, doing the same thing over and over again, and looking for that day when they can finally stop.

Thank God I read Thoreau when I was still in my teens, and paid attention to what he had written.

[RED BEAR]

good on you sounds like you've had a heck of a time. i can agree with you on most things married my best friend 40+ years ago have also had some great adventures. but draw the line at work it was tolerable but a nessary evil so l could do what i really wanted to do. although being a machinest in small job shop i was able to work on my guns .and have some pretty nice ones to leave the kids. but all in all have had a heck of a life. sounds like you did to.

[Handloader109]

In my last position as manager, I was able to tell all of my employees and a lot of others to find something that they love and are passionate about as their career. Way less stress and way more fun.
I enjoyed my position a lot, but things were changing to make things way less enjoyable for me. I was shown the door, at the right time. Btw, my brother had one long career as mechanic/general flunky for a large corp. Over the past 10-15 years they were bought and sold several times, each with a reduction in the number of employees at each location and more work and stress for the remainders. They eliminated his position three months ago. He went to the doctor for a checkup and the dr questioned him pretty severely as to what had changed in his life.... Blood pressure had severely been REDUCED.
No stress from job......
It makes a difference.

[Tatume]

I'm only 65 with no plans to retire. If I did retire, I'd just come back and work as an adjunct for a small fraction of the pay.

[Wayne Smith]

Soo - What are you going to do in your retirement?

[hanleyfan]

I enjoyed my work I chose when I was young but as the years went by the industry changed and so did my profession, they down sized and pushed for more productively out of those that were left and over all made a enjoyable job into hell. by the time I was 60 I was counting the days I could retire from the mad house I was stuck in. I thank God everyday I finally got out of the hell hole. My Dad had the same thing happen to him, He was a manager of the service department and the last 10 years before He retired they made His life a living Hell. The problem is not the job but the companies that make the job unbearable.

[MrWolf]

I was retired last year at the age of 57. Got hurt at work which also cost me a marriage. Luckily kids are both grown. If not for constant pain, it would be great but I consider myself still lucky as I can manage an hour or so of somewhat productivity. Good luck.

[waksupi]

I didn't really want to retire. Health problems and old injuries have caught up on me, so had to go on Social Security. So, I
am still building guns, knives, and powder horns, just at a much slower pace, as I can only stand on my feet a couple hours a day now. That makes for pretty short days in the shop.

[375supermag]

Hi...
Just signed up for Social Security today.
Retirement should become effective the 1st of July. A few more weeks of work and then about 13 days of vacation and then I am out of there.
Happy as can be...wife is thrilled.
Some projects around the house to kepme occupied through the summer.
Reloading supplies are stocked up...enough for several years and several new firearms to test out at the gun club.
Glad to be just about finished with working.

[Shopdog]

Keep "thinking" about it....

May work for you,may not?I first retired about 10-12 years ago.Lasted 5 minutes,got bored... went back to work. Then 5 or so years after that,tried again..... lasted a year,went back to work.And so on,so forth.Once everything is straight round home,what is it you need to accomplish?
I'm tentatively on the 4rth try,really don't care whether it "sticks" or not anymore.

[Elkins45]

I retired in November, and I pretty much feel like you. I wasn't planning on going just yet, but my boss retired because they were threatening to screw up our retirement, and she made a good case that I should cash out before I lost all my accumulated sick time. I'm fortunate that I went out at the top of my game, and after sitting out a few (required) months I have gone back to work for a contractor doing similar work just to help out.

I consider myself as one of the most fortunate people I know, and I try really hard not to take any of my good fortune for granted.

[bullet maker 57]

I retired a year ago. The most liberating thing I have ever done. The job I left started out as a fantastic job. Got to go to some pretty interesting places. Work on some interesting pieces of equipment. As the years rolled on the upper management made the job almost unbearable. Left 1 week after my 62nd birthday. I don't miss work at all. I am busier now than when I was working. Retirement works for me.

[Parson]

76, still full time, no desire to retire, can’t afford it, this squirrel didn’t put enough nuts away, but I do get tired

[FISH4BUGS]

RETIRMENT? What the heck is that? I will be 70 in July. I have been self employed for 35 years selling software to lawyers and training and consulting on the software. I live out in the rural part of NH, and work mostly from home.
I can punch out at 5 and be in the casting shed/garden/yard at 5:05.
I look out at a former dairy farm about 1/4 mile away over about 200 acres of hay field. Turkeys by the dozens, more deer than you can shake a stick at, a mountain lion, moose, bear, and all kinds of other wildlife.
I am one lucky guy. Retirement is not even on my radar.

[jimlj]

Retired 3 years ago at 57 due to eye problems. I worked for a great company for 32 years. I loved my job up to a few years before I retired, and went out still liking what I did. As one of the owners I had enough company stock that if I'm not careless the money will out last me and the kids will have to fight over it.

[GhostHawk]

There are many ways to define success. From what I see yours fits you.

I know I define it differently than the rest of my family does.
Been interesting watching my wife the last 10 days since she retired.

[pcolapaddler]

I'm in what is called DROP, an option for Florida employees where they retire but continue working while retirement income accumulates.

I will have to leave completely in 2020, but can cash in at any time.

Would like to go, but still need insurance. That and timing is not good for our business right now.

Sent from an unnamed device running an undisclosed OS via a third party application.

[popper]

Once retired you will find that spare time depends on who defines it. Enjoy.

[Idaho Mule]

Good on ya, waksupi!!!, I am happy for you. Not happy about the health and old injury problems, but happy you can slow down and reflect so positively. I am close behind you, maybe another year and maybe not, depends on how things go. I may end up working in Libby area this summer, if I do I will try to catch up with you. JW

[Goatwhiskers]

Retirement = your "golden years." Told a fella the only gold I'm aware of is all the money that's being shelled out to pay the darn doctors you start going to see after you retire. Really though, I'm not complaining even tho I lost my wife back in February and have developed health problems that restrict my activities, I am still moving, I have 2 great kids and 2 grandsons, my retirement income and insurance from the Post Office cover all my needs, in short I am well blessed and give thanks every day. Have a blessed one! GW