I flunked retirement

[unclemick]

Hmmmmm - sooooo this means in five years I wrap up 20 years as an ER, give myself a gold watch and retirement party(?retired from early retirement?) and go back to work.

Nah! Just a weird thought.

heh heh heh - Pssst - think I'm getting hooked on bacon. Let's hope i don't become an evil bacon dealer to support my habit. .

[cj]

Yeah, I flunked out too, emshays. I had a really good job that I liked a lot, but the commute was a bit much, and I just decided that after working full time or almost full time for 35 years, it was enough! So I goofed around for a few months, then worked part time at my church for a bit (the pay was low, it was practically a volunteer job). But then my old, great boss called me back and said to name my conditions to come back. So I'm working 3 days a week, and one of those is at home in my jammies. I have the best of both worlds - I get to have lunch with my work friends once or twice a week, I have fun, interesting work and a pretty decent paycheck with bennies, but I have a 4-day weekend every week. It's a pretty good deal, and I'm really enjoying it. Everyone is different. If you are happy in whatever you are doing, then you are where you should be!

CJ

[friar1610]

Originally Posted by emshays

What would you have done if you retired earlier? Same as what you are doing now? Or would the extra free years have led you into something doing something else? Other career? More travel? etc/

In all probability, I probably would have just started what I'm doing now a little sooner. What I'm doing now is volunteer work, a reasonable amount of travel, spending a lot of time in the outdoors.

The only other second thought I've had, based on the financial experience I've had since retiring, is that I might have tried harder to find a post-Navy "career" that I would have enjoyed for its inherent satisfaction and worried less about the salary.

[Life After GM]

I have seen many successful business people in their 70's and 80's who have no intention of retiring. And it's not because they can't afford it. It's because they truly enjoy their work. They may not be functioning in the same role as they did in their younger days. And they may not be putting full-time hours. But they continue working because it is something they are passionate about.

I have also seen people who hate their work and who see retirement as a place where they will finally be freed up to do things they are passionate about.