Pretending to be retired.
 

Took this week off of work. I have a standing request to “take an additional week off” if I feel like it.

Besides letting my tongue heal from my “episode” where I face-butted my own arm. It’s been pretty spectacular.

I NEVER take time off just to stay home. It’s awesome! I’m looking at it as a trial run to see ...no, to hopefully catch a glimpse of retirement. I know it won’t be the same. For the first time ever, I charged up my work phone and iPad and shut them off and put them into a drawer. No more “bing” indicating the newest email fire that needs extinguishing. I’m blowing them all off!

I’ve been fishing, cooking, tootleling around the house, watering my garden, etc. gearing up to go mtn-biking now. I have even tried taking naps! I love naps! Naps! Who knew!

Retirement- I’m ready mentally. I’m not ready financially or age-wise. Faack!

You retired people. I am truly envious. You did well to get there. Proud of you. Haha.

I gotta go. My bike won’t ride itself. :)

Nice!

I usually stay home on my vacations and get projects worked, go for long bike rides and walk the dog.

I would be awesome as a retired dude; aiming for 55; less than 3 years now.

You have to turn off work devices- if I answered the phone and checked emails, I would still be doing half my work and not getting any stress relief.

I've been retired for more than 15 years now. Sometimes I'm amazed I've been retired for half the time I worked from the job(s) I retired from.

6th year of retirement for me.
Every year gets better.

I waited too long.
I was 68 when I sold my business to follow my dream. By then arthritis had caught up with me. I had planned on working the land, playing guitar, restoring cars and stuff.
But most of my day now is spent in pain or working on pain management.
If you don't like what you are doing don't put off catching your dream.

I'm right there with you Vash. I'm ready, but also not. Jeez, another 15-ish years. Maybe I'll find a winning power ball lottery ticket somewhere so I can retire early.

I retired 2.5 years ago and have been working my a$$ off ! Way too many projects but I am knocking them out one by one . I can't wait until I am caught up and can just have fun .

On the flip side, I am working from home now. I have three kids here with me. My wife is a moderate introvert. It is sort of killing her to have a full house all day. She really hates it.

Summary: she wants me to work more and get the heck out of the house.

Didn't really see that one coming. I'm 54 and dreaming of the big R as well.

Good for you Cliff! I've been getting a feel for the retirement thing. Been off work since April, hopefully going back in September. Covid related so not by choice. The first 2 months sucked with everything shut down. Campgrounds, beaches, fishing, etc.

So, finished everything around the house and then some. The dog loves having me home as does the Wife. I'm kind of the "house hubby" but it's getting friggen old. I just want to go back to work.

I did go and get a yearly pass for Castaic Lake today which is 5 minutes away. Talked to a guy with a bass boat who was transferring his new tow vehicle to his yearly pass and got some tips for fishing the lake.

I'm a trout and surf fly fisherman so bass fishing is a new thing for me. Probably gonna end up spending $$$ on some new gear. Do I have to start chewing tobacco or drinking PBR? I might see a kayak in my future.

Nine more years. The countdown has started as well as the acquisition of retirement toys.

I believe that with retirement...(6 years ago)...I am in better physical shape than I was before.
I eat better, am more active, and look forward to every day more than I did before.
I bike 20-30 miles every day in the summer...winter I have a full set of activities to keep me in shape.
If you can do it....go for it. You won't be disappointed.

I think for many of us working from home with CV has also given a window into the future. I see w hat stevej37 describes:

For me not eating lunch at restaurants has resulted in a much improved diet.

I also really enjoy riding my bicycle from home when it is nice and going on different trails, instead of having to beat the same road to and from work every day, rain or shine. I put in more miles than commuting.

I am ready to retire right now. I need a few more years financially but have planned to be more frugal and do it earlier. Many of my hobbies and interests are not that expensive. I don't plan on traveling the world, or living in a golf course community competing with the other retirees for status. And being home can also save money. I.e. you may keep vehicles longer, because you have time to maintain them yourself. Or you cook simple meals instead of going out (see above). Or you build your new MTB from parts you find on CL instead of ordering it from the store. And you buy your RV as a project instead of turn key.

Now make sure you take that second week!

G

Realistically, I’m looking at 7-9 more years. I still love my job. What I need to get thru my head is focus on my job and not let the lack of productivity from someone else bother me. Just manage my own stuff.

My dog loves having us home. We play everyday. We do mind-games with him. He is right there at being a drug dog. He plays “go-find” with his toy. It would be a easy transition to contraband. Haha.

I can’t wait till I retire. In the meantime save money, and maintain some semblance of health so I can enjoy the rewards.

Vash - if you don't mind me asking, how old are you?

I shouldn't, but I think about retirement every single day. I'm 53, I'll retire when I'm 54. In reality, I'll be just shy of 55 but when I think of it that way it seems its that much closer...I did a three week staycaction this year and loved it. I missed doing our normal get in the RV and go 5 week affair this year, but I didn't miss work....of all my close friends, my riding buddies, I'm the only one still working.....Unfortunately they remind me of that constantly.

I don’t mind. I’m 54.

Retirement is a lot better when you're physically able to do stuff.
That's why pretend retirement is cool.
Think how much longer it takes to recover from Stoopid injuries that 10 years ago would only take a couple beers.
Then think about 10 years from now!!!
Never too late to think about diet, moderate exercise, and STRETCHING!!

I'm semi-retired, which is a nice place to be at my age, 66.

I still work most days but since the hamster wheel is so small now, I have heaps more flexibility, which helps with stress.

It also allows me to do more stuff for myself - including yes - work.

But my feet are no longer held to the fire and that is the real key to whatever you think of as retirement.

Those naps as you said, Cliff......oh man......like heaven!

Keep feeding that social security! It will pay off one day for you. :)

A puppy.

I say retire so work doesn't get in the way of things like fishing, kayaking, cooking the fish you have just caught, the list goes on.

I was Covid retired at the end of March. Been sitting on my arse since then. :(

Come and visit me. We'll do the wineries.

Cliff, we are the same age (54 at the end of year) except you are just a tiny little bit better looking.

I keep saying a few more years for the past three years. I know I will be bored out of my mind once I stop. I really, really enjoy what I do due to the lack of a boss looking over my shoulder. Working my own hours has spoiled me over the last 30 years. You know what happens when I take a couple days off? I feel like I am wasting my life away being none productive. Like you, I just NEVER take days off unless its family vacation. I sneak in two day without going to the job site was like heaven but that damn phone still rings. I answer, no big really. By the third day, I am itchy to go back to see what's going on. Self inflected, I suppose?

I stopped riding my bike for two months due to the mass amount of work we have at the moment. Seems like everyone wants to talk to me, take me to lunch all at the same time. Maybe they are all home? I don't have too many hobbies like you now. Done some in the past and want to continue once things slow down but I know very well that they just don't slow down once I am committed to my clients. I like to bike race again and that requires a lot of time. One thing, I don't think I will be doing too much around the house. Getting tire of it but my plan is to buy a retirement home on a flat but biggish (our standard) lot for all my cars and a bit of track driving. Need instructor to wrestle that rear engine, that's for sure.

From my vantage point (78 yrs.old), I can say everybody should give real effort to what some have said in this thread about diet, exercise, lowering stress, keepiing socially connected, etc., etc. You all know what's good for you. It's a matter of motivation and incorporating those things into your life style as much as possible. Of course my old friends & school mates are "old" and sometimes you can get a shock when talking to them - like imagine an old girl friend you're still friends with (from 45+ years ago) calling you up and telling you she's trying to choose a home to go into. When you tell friends about fixing your roof, and they go into a panic warning you about ladders, handling tools, heights, etc., and you don't think anything about doing something like that. You have to give life a good chance to be well lived by doing your best to live it well and taking care of yourself. Another thing I mentioned in a thread about this a long time ago is you also have to realize your interests and preferences change in your old life just as they did as you progressed through your younger life. Don't hang onto things because you think you should but let your interests wander and change naturally. Sadly the age thing marches on and only has one way of ending, so don't waste the time and energy you have.

Damn it, Marv. I hate it when guy say this siht to me. You know why? Because it all makes so much sense and its all true. I just have to sink my teeth into it and be discipline to do exactly what you say. A bit frightening.

Great but would the New Zealand government let me in right now?

Good point.

Maybe in a little while when things have settled down a bit.

For sure! :)

At 55, I need to pay off a few small bills to be able to allow my wife to retire. She has a big stress job that never seems to leave her alone (taking client calls while on our paddleboards). If she can retire, it will make my life much easier, and happier. I will have to keep working for the benefits, but financially not that far off now.

I'm hoping to retire at 62, but depends on health insurance.

I had 10 weeks off earlier this year from the Covid shutdown, and loved it, did many projects around the house, and just got into a relaxed groove....I can't wait for the real thing !

73. Retired 8 years. Eat, sleep, golf and fish...and nothing hurts...thanks be to God! I spent 42 years wrenching on a concrete garage floor so I have to attribute no aches and pains to divine intervention. I still maintain my own vehicles and I will admit it's getting more difficult rolling around on the floor to change oil and rotating tires. Wife is healthy too. Life is good.

Looking at retiring in 5-6 years. Already have plan, wife and I started a choose and cut Christmas tree farm two years ago. By the time I retire it should be up and running.

I've been working from home since March because of the COVID restrictions. Keep the same work schedule but with no commute I've been able to get stuff done around the farm. Feels like semi-retirement I guess.

A lot of work but a lot of fun. A very good friend of mine had a XMAS trees farm that my son and I helped with in December for over a decade. We also helped with new planting and transfer of more mature plantings. He sold it last year after his with became sick.

What they did very well, and I am sure you have done your homework, was have locally made crafts available for sale in the check out building, which was appropriately rustic for the holidays! They crushed it.

For me, I'll work and volunteer as long as I can. We hope to sell our farm in five years and find an acre or two instead of 60!

Vash - you're in your prime my brother

Words of wisdom here gents.

879 days left to go. 67½ unless I decide to go earlier due to health. I have arthritis from head to toe. Back, neck and knee surgeries. there ain't a spot that don't hurt. But, I like the action of working.

Back when I was in my 30's and still navigating my career, a mentor told me a person has three parts to their day.

8 hours sleep
8 hours work
8 hours play

Personally, I could never stay on that ratio, but I never forgot how ideal this sounded.

I also believe that once one stops working all together - their life doesn't have the same value. The trick is to shift to working for yourself more than for others. Even if you're helping someone else - it's your call to do so. Not someone else's.

I am still sorta working for a living, I own 1/2 the business. Just my business partner and myself on the "payroll" or draws from the company. We had a great finish to 2019, and have large cash reserves.

We have many projects lined up for August, and we will be pretty busy. I do the books, and process the imagery right at home. That just does not keep me really busy, so work is almost like a part time hobby, that is crazy profitable.

Today my wife rousted us up a little earlier to make a run to Sam's for a new supply of fruit. I got home, and changed one of the air bags on my El Camino that had split. It is 12:30 local time and I have yet to do any work for the business. I am downloading a backup of all of our email from the email service provider. I do that one per week, so technically I am working, but clicking a button to download a file is not real tedious when I am sitting at the computer anyway. The boss never yells at me except to go to mow his yard, or fix his old high mileage cars. Occasionally the bosses wife makes me work in her gardens. I get even with the boss by drinking his beer, and sleeping with his wife.

Personally I have no debts, and money in the bank. I regularly forget what day it is and most days feel like another Saturday. The company owes about 1/2 the market value on our Cessna 182T bank loan. We don't want to stuff all the cash into it, and not be liquid so we keep making payments.

So to me, it feels like being retired, and I just have a income from the business and I can wait to start drawing Social Security that I have paid into since I was 16.

I pretend to be retired everytime a telemarketer calls trying to sell me tools or contractors insurance. It's the only way to get off their list

I’m loving retirement. Up early and take the dog for her run in the woods. Do some work around the house. Around three in the afternoon take the boat to the lake and have cocktails and poo poos while throwing the ball for the dog. Life is also good for the dog.

Very nice! :)

Recipe for poo poos???