ER'd a week and a problem.

[setab]

When I left, I thought for certain I would want to do something else at least part time, After only a week, I am discovering that I would rather sell my house off board by board than do something else. If I can do what I want and get paid for it, okay. Otherwise, shrinking my lifestyle is a more appealing option. I suppose this will level off, but I can't believe how little I miss work.

setab

 

[REWahoo]

After only a week, I am discovering that I would rather sell my house off board by board than do something else.

That's apparently a very common experience.

In the nine months since I left the w*rking world, I've occasionally seen or heard about some part time opportunity and thought, "Maybe I should...nahhhh! If I did that it would require me to be at a certain place at a certain time and follow silly w*rk rules. I might actually have to be nice to people! No way!"

 

[Bimmerbill]

I got laid off in late 2002, and ended up taking 1.5 years off.  I think you will stay busy in the beginning, like I did, but get bored as your list of things to do is worked thru.  

Funny thing is, I never really got that bored since I have a TON of hobbies.  I had the time, and no $.  Now that I am back to work, I have the $ but not the time!

I bet you will go thru a similar process.  After a few months of not working you will achieve a balance I bet.

 

[SC]

It's been six months since I quit, although I'm not fully FIRE'd and working part-time on a project to generate some self-employment income...

At first it was exhilarating to be free of the workplace stress and being able to choose what I want to work on, instead of being told.

Now I miss the camaraderie and teamwork, working with others to solve challenging technical problems... not enough to go back, but it's definitely a void.
I might try a one-day-a-week volunteer gig to fill that.

SC

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

i've been a lazygood4nothinbum for 8 months now. i thought when i quit work i'd do some volunteer stuff but i can't seem to get myself motivated. i must be lazy or something.

 

[Nords]

After only a week, I am discovering that I would rather sell my house off board by board than do something else.

Ding ding ding! We have another winning graduate from the School of Experiential Learning!

For those of you wondering what you'll do all day, start with a month's vacation and see how long it takes to join setab's way of thinking...

I suppose this will level off, but I can't believe how little I miss work.

That's like saying "Eh, I'll grow out of it." I don't think that happens. It sure hasn't happened to me after four years. Cut-Throat? Jarhead?!?

 

[cj]

Setab - now that's the kind of thing I want to hear about!!  Real life experience, real life feelings about the days right after ER.  When you say, "I can't believe how little I miss work", I can totally see that.  On the weekends (I have 3-day weekends, I only work 4 days per week now) I can completely forget about work. I get back on Monday morning and wonder, now what was I doing?

Then SC says,

Now I miss the camaraderie and teamwork, working with others to solve challenging technical problems... not enough to go back, but it's definitely a void.

I can totally see myself feeling this way.  But I am already doing the volunteer thing, so maybe it won't be so bad..

Thanks all for sharing this stuff.

CJ

 

[HFWR]

Don't really have that much camaraderie at work, and most of it is induced by being forced to come to the same place everyday...

I probably won't have a 40-50yr retirement like some; that might make a difference. But as per my sitch, I don't anticipate missing, or even thinking about, work ever again...

Not gonna do it... 8)

 

[Outtahere]

My job is so far from home (45miles) that I do very little socializing with coworkers, usually only when forced to. It's almost like I'm living two separate lives, one at work one at home, I can see myself living the at home life with no problems.

 

[Mountain_Mike]

I never get bored on weekends, and that is really all I want; for every day to be like a Saturday...

 

[Nords]

... for every day to be like a Saturday...

In our house the quote is "Thank God it's Monday!"

 

[cj]

When my parents retired, my brother would say that for them, every day was like Saturday, except for Sunday when they went to church. So Sunday was the only "different" day. That made their week look line this:

Mondurday
Tuesdurday
Wednesdurday
Thursdurday
Fridurday
Saturday
Sunday

That's what I want!

CJ

 

[setab]

All I know is that the big paper comes on Sunday. The other days are pretty much the same. Is that good enough? It is for me!

setab

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Fat paper on sunday, skinny paper on monday. When monday night football goes off the air for the season, i no longer know which night I'm supposed to put the trash out, so I had to put a reminder in outlook, that I managed to miss last week

I feel sorry for the ER stopped on the street by the cops when they're a little intoxicated and the cops test him by asking "What day of the week is it?"

I might fail "Who's the president?"

 

[Andre1969]

About 8 years ago, while delivering pizzas, I got t-boned when a teen girl ran a stop sign and prematurely put the final nail in the coffin of my 192,000 mile 1986 Monte Carlo. I didn't really get hurt, but got really shook up. The paramedics asked me who the president was, and I couldn't get his name out! All I could come up with was "Intern-Dude"

 

[OldAgePensioner]

The only, "only", part-time job that would be of interest is outfit distributor at a "teenage" modeling show.

 

[HFWR]

Bikini waxologist... 8)

 

[OldAgePensioner]

HFWR,
Only if an age limit is specified!

My eyes are still pretty darn good and spending life as a pillar is not on my list.

 

[HFWR]

"Well the danger on the rocks is surely past,
still I remain tied to the mast..."

Steely Dan

 

[starry night]

Thank you, thank you for this stream of consciousness -- just what I needed to read TODAY.

This is my FIRE day -- March 15, mid-month payday and my emancipation. They had a lovely flowing fountain of chocolate fondue to feed my well-known addiction, photos and greeting cards and stuff....and I am OUTTA HERE!

Loved hearing about SET TAB and others' evolutions into well-deserved and awaited sloth. As for me, I don't anticipate any retiree remorse. I expect some weaning, like lunch out with some of those left behind, just to hear the latest office scuttlebutt, but then that will taper off. Then community events, lectures, libraries and book stores, picnics and parks, hikes, kayaks, farmer's markets, beaches, volunteering.

I have had a trial at pre-retirement, if you can call it that, when I left work to care for my mother through Alzheimer's (for 6 years) - the most grueling, yet rewarding job I've ever had. Returning to work following that, my heart just never was in it again, and I have a much deeper grasp of how tenuous and fragile life is. Every day at the office is a chink in the hairline fracture of that fragility.

My time has come -- Life is too beautiful to spend it in the office.

Love you all.....................I love EVERYTHING today!

 

[Martha]

My time has come -- Life is too beautiful to spend it in the office.

Congratulations Starry Night!

Well, I dreamed I saw the silver spaceships flying'
in the yellow haze of the sun,
there were children crying' and colors flying'
all around the chosen ones
All in a dream, all in a dream the loading had begun.
Flying Mother Nature's silver seed to a new home in the sun.
Flying Mother Nature's silver seed to a new home.


Neil Young.

 

[JonnyM]

Congratulations Starry Night!

Well, I dreamed I saw the silver spaceships flying'
in the yellow haze of the sun,
there were children crying' and colors flying'
all around the chosen ones
All in a dream, all in a dream the loading had begun.
Flying Mother Nature's silver seed to a new home in the sun.
Flying Mother Nature's silver seed to a new home.

Neil Young.

I love playing and singing that song. It's nearly impossible to sing, and I don't do it justice, but it always feels so right when I play it with the Band. Now I get why...

 

[Nords]

Fat paper on sunday, skinny paper on monday.  When monday night football goes off the air for the season, i no longer know which night I'm supposed to put the trash out, so I had to put a reminder in outlook, that I managed to miss last week

I had an entire scheduling to-do conversation with my spouse today where she kept getting progressively more annoyed & exhasperated with me.

It turned out that I thought today (Wednesday) was Tuesday. I didn't notice the difference until after 3 PM.

Hey, at least I knew it was March.

 

[HFWR]

Use to be able to sing Mr. Young, but it's a bit harder these days. Always liked "On the Way Home", the acoustic solo version of the Buffalo Springfield song. Also did "Heart of Gold", "Old Man", "Don't Let It Bring You Down"...

Long time comin', long time gone...

Now what was the topic... Oh, yeah, BOOBS!!

 

[cj]

Starry night, congratulations! Wow, a chocolate fountain. I'll have to ask for that when I leave.

So since you go by "Starry Night", does that mean you are into astronomy? Or Van Gogh? DH is an astonomy nut, but I don't care so much. The nice thing about ER would be to be able to stay up late to view the stars and not have to get up the next morning.

Enjoy your new schedule!

Enviously yours,
CJ