I've had several comments recently asking why I'm building another house when I'm supposedly "retired"? OK....here's the deal: I'm frankly not sure what to do with myself.
While I'm retired, K isn't. She's up at 6 AM and I'm not far behind. I like to watch the news, but after watching for an hour or so they start repeating themselves. I live in a nice apartment (by choice) because there is no....NO....maintenance. Which also means I have no yard to "putter" in or garden to grow, not that I would if I had the space anyway.
I take the dog on a long walk every day, weather permitting, and I regularly check email / internet, but neither requires that much time. And of course I read... A LOT. Maybe a volunteer opportunity will present itself one day, but it isn't here yet.
I have for 30 years done all the household grocery shopping, and I actually enjoy it. Because I have the time I've taken over the majority of laundry chores, too, which is really a non-event. (We have machines that do most of the work.) We have a housekeeper because 1. I don't clean bathrooms (this goes back to my bachelor days); and 2. Geneva has become almost like family, and she depends on us for part of her income. She stays!
Regarding work....for 30+ years Bro and I have had a good working relationship: I handled operations, and he handled the office. He really doesn't have a solid understanding of what holds the roof up. I told him that after I retire I'd still come in to take care of the early phase of construction (foundation, framing, mechanicals, etc), then he could take over more. I'm still allowed to make a few $$$ on top of my Social Security, so this works out just fine for both of us.
Over this recession I've sat around for long stretches at a time, which made me look forward to the next small job. I like having something to do, without having anything I HAVE to do. (I don't ask for much, huh?) Maybe over time I'll learn how to whittle or rock or build ships inside little bottles, but not yet. I'm still a rookie retiree.
S
You have much to learn about being lazy Grasshopper!
ReplyDeleteBut as long as you enjoy what ever work you do it isn't work, so you do not need to feel guilty.
Retirement is doing what you want to do, even "work."
That is the definition of retirement. As long as you are content then that is all that matters...
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Bobby
From the commercials on TV you're supposed to be hang gliding or mountain biking or buying a vineyard or something. I wish I could retire. I doubt I'll ever have the luxury of choosing to retire though.
ReplyDeleteLike PT I don't think we'll ever be able to retire. Which is fine for me right now because I like my job & I would just spend the whole day sitting at my computer at home anyway. It would be nice to not have to get up & go to work EVERY day though...
ReplyDeleteI know many people (guys) who fell apart after retiring because they didn't know what to do with all that time on their hands. You shouldn't stop doing what you do so well until you have something to replace it.
ReplyDeleteI can never retire though at some point I guess it will become too difficult to do the work I do. being a working artist all my life means my social security every month doesn't amount to very much. I decided to go ahead a start getting it this year because of the recession. I began to worry if I even still had a 'job' after the last year and a half but we did finally get a couple of commissions in August, one of which really pulled us out of the hole. hopefully things will continue to improve. I've lived with a certain amount of uncertainty, you get used to it as an artist, but this has been the worst and longest dry spell.
ReplyDeleteI think "retirement" is being re-defined by this generation. I'm not sure I will want to totally retire. When we moved to Florida five years ago and I had to leave my old job, I thought I would enjoy some time off. You know, take six months, get to know our new home town, have some leisurely fun, etc. Six weeks after that, I started going stir crazy and looked for a job in a hurry.
ReplyDeleteNow that I am unemployed, I'm looking hard for another job. I don't want to encounter that point of stir crazy again.