Rethinking Retirement???

[heyyou]

Same as Khan, I'm happier now than I've ever been before. Now why would I want to return to work?
Those who speak of the social community at work, did not know my co-workers.
Recidivism is for criminals, is there a similar word for failed retirees?

[walkinwood]

Reading your posts reminded me that I got a lucky break. I work for megacorp from a home office and my colleagues are scattered around the country. As a result, my social life is very separate from work. So, from a social life standpoint, ER is not going to have an effect on me. I can still keep in touch with my friends from work - after all, most of our communications take place by phone today with only a couple of in-person meetings a year.

[Spanky]

Originally Posted by walkinwood

Reading your posts reminded me that I got a lucky break. I work for megacorp from a home office and my colleagues are scattered around the country. As a result, my social life is very separate from work. So, from a social life standpoint, ER is not going to have an effect on me. I can still keep in touch with my friends from work - after all, most of our communications take place by phone today with only a couple of in-person meetings a year.

I like to get a job like that -- no traffic, live anywhere, get up at any time.

[Moemg]

The only rethinking I've done about retirement is why I waited so long .

[Goonie]

Today I got reinforcement for my never wanting to work again. I went to the annual cookout/steak-fry put on by the operators association I used to be a member of. Most of the guys I used to w*rk with were there, and they were relating the all the fun sh*t they'd been doing this past week.

(First a quick note: operations were always severely affected by rain, and by power outages)

Anyway, this week we've had a lot of rain, 5" to 7", in 3 days nights! Also we had a hellacious lightning storm the other night for about 3 hours straight, along with several wide spread power outages. Several of the guys were out all night fighting the elements, hooking up generators to run the large pumps, pulling motors on critical equipment that were zapped by the lightning strikes, trying to troubleshoot and fix malfunctioning equipment, pumping out motor rooms, etc. Just all sorts of fun and wonderful stuff!!!

They had my sides aching from laughter, telling me all about there sorrows!!! I told them that I sure was glad that I would NEVER have to have that much "fun" EVER again!!!

Heh.....Been There....Done That.....Got the Pension to Prove It!!!

[old woman]

My brother is retiring Aug 1 and his wife tells me he needs a job not to go stir crazy home alone all day. He studied to be a casino dealer but hasn't landed a job yet. They have an embroidery business in the home with more work than they can handle when they both work full time. He will get 3 pensions and she will work 3 more years. He already gets tired early and naps a lot and his shoulder hurts is why he is retiring at 58. My guess is after the first month not having a dealer job he will quit looking. He doesn't need the money, he can go to the casino and gamble to be around people or go grocery shopping, invite people over, play with his grandkids. The dealer job will be less and less appealing. Or he will land the job and burn out or get fired or take too much time off.
I think it will be more of a back up idea in case he gets bored.

[TargaDave]

Originally Posted by laurencewill

I've met people who love to work and retired only when health required it, in their 70's+, and that's fine, more power to them. What bothers me is how many people on either side of this choice seem to feel the other side is full of people needing medical attention.

Laurence, you da man. Completely agreed.

[volga]

Its very telling that the main stream media is now attempting to manipulate opinion to keep the woking stiffs on the job. Its a scare tactic at one level. I suspect it may also be driven by policy makers that do not like the looming prospect of a large, well educated number of people with time to freely read, view and react to policy issues by being independant of the daily work place. The rank and file have broken their chains to the corporate establishment and just may have some views they are willing to vote on or react to. Bottom line is this propaganda piece is an indication that keeping us all busy has social utility to those in power.

[Oldbabe]

Originally Posted by chinaco

Yup! Unfortunately, American Business is becoming more and more heartless.

I also agree that there will be an eventual labor shortage. Unfortunately, by the time that happens, most people will be too old to work for the reasons you cited. Right now... we are at what is considered full employment (marco economics). If you are an older worker, you had better have a skill that is in high immediate demand. Otherwise, all else equal, the company will choose the younger worker. In many cases your wisdom (via age) does not trump (the perception of) younger, smarter, faster. Not to mention that as you age it is likely that your boss will be biased and just "relate/bond" better with younger employees that are closer to their age.

I agree. From what I have seen myself and heard second hand, the workplace has definitely become Darwinian. So if you're elderly and you want to work part time, then find a boss who is middle aged and will appreciate your maturity and other good qualities. The majority of young bosses do not like to hire and work with elderly people.

Here's what my experience has been trying to get a part time job in my field of expertise. Employers continually asking me why I am interested in the job "at my stage." There are some odd assumptions going on here. Maybe, that at my "stage" I wouldn't want a job, or that I don't need a job. Why would any employer assume that? I also have the sense that the workplace, full of youngish people, has no idea what kind of crisis is coming down the tube.

But unfortunately most employers were not interested in interviewing me. So it goes. I'm lucky that I won't be on the street. Some others, not so much. I'm not looking forward to seeing so many elderly folks in my generation go through a tough time.

[old woman]

[quote]So if you're elderly and you want to work part time, then find a boss who is middle aged and will appreciate your maturity and other good qualities. The majority of young bosses do not like to hire and work with elderly people.[quote]

Part is the elder employees own fault. I was asked what I thought of a potential hire once and didn't want her because I thought she was older than me. Younger bosses may not get the respect from older employees. How would you feel if you were 25 and had a 65 year old with 40 years experience reporting to you? Some are bound to think they know the job better than that young whipper snapper.

[Spanky]

It's much harder for older workers to find jobs. Employers view them as harder to train, more expensive, more prone to illness, and less adaptable.

[Delawaredave5]

Two years ago, 6 folks retired from my SBU in Megacorp. They all had nice DB pension, etc.

5 of the 6 started other jobs - they clearly never developed "life outside work" and couldn't survive outside the work structure.

The one that "stayed retired" was the one that had a ton hobbies and volunteering interests for a long time.

[CuppaJoe]

Originally Posted by volga

Its very telling that the main stream media is now attempting to manipulate opinion to keep the woking stiffs on the job. Its a scare tactic at one level. I suspect it may also be driven by policy makers that do not like the looming prospect of a large, well educated number of people with time to freely read, view and react to policy issues by being independant of the daily work place. The rank and file have broken their chains to the corporate establishment and just may have some views they are willing to vote on or react to. Bottom line is this propaganda piece is an indication that keeping us all busy has social utility to those in power.

That's a radical idea! Informed voters. Media wants to keep 'em on cruise ships.

[Mach]

You left off the ending.

"Those who say 'I'll never work again' are making a major, major mistake. Because they're going to find themselves adrift, away from a community purpose and a sense....in bed."


Seriously, what a goof. Uttering the words "I'll never work again", is a major, no not major...a major major mistake?
I'd like to see what qualifies as a major major major mistake.

Here's the answer:
I find myself adrift from community purpose and a community sense.
I go back to work?

Wow, a major major mistake is corrected so quickly and easily. I wish I could do that with my major major investment mistakes...

The reality is that you either live by your choice, or the choice of someone else. What that choice is, is much less relevant.

-Mach