Anyone consult for "fun"

[OldPro]

So it follows that DaVinci , Picasso, Michelangelo were all uncreative, sure the first piece of art was creative, but after that it was just cranking out repeat, repeat, repeat.

Sorry, but I've been doing creative stuff all my working life, and now in retirement, I'll still do it for pay. I also do it for my own private use.

Creating something new out of nothing but imagination and skill is to me being creative.

Maybe I didn't make my thoughts on the subject clear enough Sunset. If Picasso retired from his job, would you expect him to continue painting or would that be 'not retiring'?

When you retire, you have an OPPORTUNITY to do anything you want. Why not learn to fly or sail as Sengsational is doing? Why stay in your comfort zone and spend those 10 hours a week or whatever, doing what you have already spent years doing? You have a chance to do something NEW with your time, how you choose to use that time is of course completely up to you.

All I am suggesting is that there are alternatives and in my opinion, doing more of the same is a missed opportunity. You don't have to agree, I'm just saying give it a thought.

 

[OldPro]

Sengsational, I agree about using past skills for a new use. I'm certainly not suggesting that we should all stop using our reading skills or any other basic skills we have. At one time since retiring, as I have said, I designed and sold decks. My sales skills are as natural to me as breathing. But selling decks is not the same as selling multi-million dollar computer based control systems which is what I did in the latter part of my working career. I used my basic sales skills but to do something far more fun for someone who enjoys creating a design for something. It was the designing part I enjoyed, the sales part was just like breathing.

Suggesting looking at something new rather than consulting that is pretty much an exact continuation of past work, is not an either/or thing necessarily. Your example of your app interest is an excellent example of doing something new while using some past skills to do so.

 

[superdave]

As a retired IT guy, I still enjoy figuring out IT issues. I set up a home theater for my brother in law over xmas. Some IT like troubleshooting involved. He paid me in beer. So, I guess I was consulting!

 

[jollystomper]

I can see consulting for "fun" if you enjoyed many aspects of the job. Not everyone retires because they hate what they are doing. I like my job and some aspects of it are more like a hobby. I just want to have more flexibility which is why I plan to retire.

One of my brothers, a retired CPA and Investment Banker, really enjoys working with numbers. He also likes to help people. So he volunteers helping low income people with their tax returns. Through that he was asked to teach a community college course on personal finance basics. Now he is consulting with them on expanding their finance curriculum. No pressure, getting some money, and able to control how much time he wants to spend on these - that is the type of consulting I wouldn't mind doing when I retire.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I am also doing something I never did before and that is teaching a college class. About 6 months after I retired I was offered the opportunity and took it. I love it and also do a little consulting in my past field.

 

[Winemaker]

I consult with 2 local wineries; but I still make about 150 gallons/year for myself; it keeps the "artistic juices" flowing. Educated as an engineer and spending 35 years of 10+hour days, as an operation management guy, there is not to many things I haven't seen. It is rewarding just to comfort someone who makes a mountain of a molehill, or light a fire under someone who needs replace the finger in the dike with a stronger patch repair.

Some of the best things in life are free and are simply right under our noses, if we just slow down and take the time to notice.

 

[Sunset]

Maybe I didn't make my thoughts on the subject clear enough Sunset. If Picasso retired from his job, would you expect him to continue painting or would that be 'not retiring'?

When you retire, you have an OPPORTUNITY to do anything you want. Why not learn to fly or sail as Sengsational is doing? Why stay in your comfort zone and spend those 10 hours a week or whatever, doing what you have already spent years doing? You have a chance to do something NEW with your time, how you choose to use that time is of course completely up to you.

All I am suggesting is that there are alternatives and in my opinion, doing more of the same is a missed opportunity. You don't have to agree, I'm just saying give it a thought.

I appreciate that, I don't feel that I lose anything or any opportunity as I work approx 7 weeks in the entire year.

I would lose more time if I slept in 1 extra hour each day.

However, you are totally correct in that folks can get in a rut or pattern of behavior, and maybe I need to think am I one of those folks.

It might be time for me to learn to play the piano, as I'm saving skydiving until I'm 80 in case I don't succeed

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

I have done some consulting in my line of work in the year I have been on the bench. Some of it was simply to boring to continue.

I help out a friend and get paid when we get a contract. That is fun.

I have two patents up my sleeve but to what end? I might publish the results after the kitchen remodel is done just for grins. Cheaper than patents anyway.

I might do more training courses again for another friend, but his business is way down (oil and gas, y'know).

It may be only a waste of energy.

I am inclined to pursue my hobbies and be a metal artist and follow my DW around the country as she goes to quilting retreats and classes.

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

There have been interesting opportunities at the local technical colleges, but they won't talk to me without a MS.

Screw them.

 

[AnIntentionalRoad]

There have been interesting opportunities at the local technical colleges, but they won't talk to me without a MS.

Screw them.

That surprises me. There are lots of non-masters lecturers at community colleges and even universities (myself being one). Your field must be one that has a glut of qualified instructors.

Sent from my SM-T237P using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[target2019]

That surprises me. There are lots of non-masters lecturers at community colleges and even universities (myself being one). Your field must be one that has a glut of qualified instructors.

About 5-10 years ago I taught at local community college, with just a BA.
Once they signed a deal with local university to provide the first two years of education, I was no longer qualified. Lots and lots of MA, etc. in this area.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I have lived in 5 different states and the instructors at colleges always had at least a Master's degree.

 

[nun]

I do a lot of reading and cycling, but also do some consulting for fun. I volunteer (ie no money) on a project to work out the engineering issues for future asteroid mining and get paid to do some optical engineering for a small local company.

 

[RetireAge50]

No