First work nightmare after FIRE

[fisherman]

I am a little over two weeks from completing my first year of Early Semi-Retirement. Last night I had my first dream about my old job and it was a nightmare. Thought I was past that by now since I had made it this long without one. I got a few calls from some retired co-workers last week who wanted to get together and that must have triggered it. How many years later has anyone else had one of these nightmares?

 

[Cruisinthru]

I retired in April 2005. So it has been three years now. Everytime I talk to one of my old co-workers or hear anything about what is going on at the office I experience bad dreams about my old work enviroment. I wake up in a cold sweat, smile to myself when I remember that it's only a dream, and go back to sleep. I wouldn't go back to that enviroment for all the money in the world. Life is good. Nightmares are few.

 

[REWahoo]

I had them sporadically after pulling the plug. They tapered off gradually and after a couple of years stopped completely.

 

[Khan]

I had them sporadically after pulling the plug. They tapered off gradually and after a couple of years stopped completely.

Same here.

Once in a great while I have one, but I quickly realize it's a dream and tell everyone in the dream that they are all part of the dream, and I wake up/roll over/go back to sleep.

 

[CuppaJoe]

Too bad, Fisherman, you almost made a full year without one.

I've been out almost three months and haven't had one about w*rk yet but last night had a nightmare about an in-law.

Reminds me I need to go thru my computer photos to hide the ones from work. It's horrifying to look at them even in the light of day.

 

[TromboneAl]

Two years and still have them. But I still have the dreams about being in school and forgetting to go to class. I've even have dreams in which I am working, and forget about going to class.

 

[Nords]

I am a little over two weeks from completing my first year of Early Semi-Retirement. Last night I had my first dream about my old job and it was a nightmare. Thought I was past that by now since I had made it this long without one. I got a few calls from some retired co-workers last week who wanted to get together and that must have triggered it. How many years later has anyone else had one of these nightmares?

First, you went nearly a year without dreaming/nightmares about the old job. I'm impressed.

Second, you included "dreams" as one possibility of workplace sleeptime memories. I'm impressed.

Over six years later I'm still having occasional nightmares. I don't bolt upright screaming orders, or at least not that spouse remembers, but I still run like hell. And when I wake up that's usually all the sleep I'm going to get for at least the next 12 hours.

When we veterans get together we joke about it being cheaper than therapy, until someone points out that we're funding our own group therapy. But at least the food & beverages are better. I'm already looking forward to a neighbor's Thanksgiving.

Is there any relation between your first anniversary of ESR and your co-workers wanting to get together?

 

[Walt34]

I've never had nightmares about work, but still remember diving over the Jersey barrier when I saw the 18-wheeler sliding sideways on the ice toward me. Missed being roadkill by about two seconds.

 

[freebird5825]

I am a little over two weeks from completing my first year of Early Semi-Retirement. Last night I had my first dream about my old job and it was a nightmare. Thought I was past that by now since I had made it this long without one. I got a few calls from some retired co-workers last week who wanted to get together and that must have triggered it. How many years later has anyone else had one of these nightmares?

funny you should mention this...i had a very disturbing one last night. it's been a really really long time since any sort of dream. i'm FIREd 1 yr 7 mos.
i did send a check in Monday for the annual semiformal holiday party. i was invited by an 81 yr young guy friend who hates going to these things alone. he is like an adopted uncle to me. he asked me last year, but i had other plans.
so we will make quite the pair...an 81 year young gentleman with a 50 year old lady on his arm, of course with me dressed to the nines.
dh2b thinks it's a riot!

 

[CuppaJoe]

....
i did send a check in Monday for the annual semiformal holiday party. i was invited by an 81 yr young guy friend who hates going to these things alone. he is like an adopted uncle to me. he asked me last year, but i had other plans.
so we will make quite the pair...an 81 year young gentleman with a 50 year old lady on his arm, of course with me dressed to the nines.
dh2b thinks it's a riot!

Have a blast, Freebird. I remember old timers at holiday lunches who were the life of the party.

 

[Hank]

I didn't realize that lots of people still dream about their last work place environment. I didn't dream at all about work until the crash in September and now I do.

 

[dizzy]

Ahh, the dreams... Recently FIREd, and I have them too. Most of the work related dreams are nightmares as reported here, but some are "superhero" work dreams where I am suddenly able to predict the future and rally the troops more effectively than ever in real life. It's quite amazing how the subconscious is still working hard at processing all of the changes....

 

[fisherman]

First, you went nearly a year without dreaming/nightmares about the old job. I'm impressed.

Second, you included "dreams" as one possibility of workplace sleeptime memories. I'm impressed.

Over six years later I'm still having occasional nightmares. I don't bolt upright screaming orders, or at least not that spouse remembers, but I still run like hell. And when I wake up that's usually all the sleep I'm going to get for at least the next 12 hours.

When we veterans get together we joke about it being cheaper than therapy, until someone points out that we're funding our own group therapy. But at least the food & beverages are better. I'm already looking forward to a neighbor's Thanksgiving.

Is there any relation between your first anniversary of ESR and your co-workers wanting to get together?

Compared to all you did an several others on this board I have not had it to bad and since I never did serve I can't even fully appreciate all you did.

The dream has not re-occurred. I should have described it since it is kinda funny.

The dreams was they called and said if I did not get back to work they were going to fire me. I have never been even close to being fired so it was quite strange and the weird part is I cared until I woke up and realized I was FIRED. This is really not a joke although it would make a good one!

My old co-workers and I are getting together next week and It is not related to the one year anniversary on my part anyway but that would be a good reason too!

 

[tightasadrum]

No dreams/nightmares, yet. I tapered down while working to less stressful jobs for the last six years. That probably explains it. However, I still react to the radio's afternoon traffic reports as I mentally project what's blocked and how I can get around it. Then I remember that I won't need to get around it; I'm already home.

 

[Gumby]

First, you went nearly a year without dreaming/nightmares about the old job. I'm impressed.

Second, you included "dreams" as one possibility of workplace sleeptime memories. I'm impressed.

Over six years later I'm still having occasional nightmares. I don't bolt upright screaming orders, or at least not that spouse remembers, but I still run like hell. And when I wake up that's usually all the sleep I'm going to get for at least the next 12 hours.

When we veterans get together we joke about it being cheaper than therapy, until someone points out that we're funding our own group therapy. But at least the food & beverages are better. I'm already looking forward to a neighbor's Thanksgiving.

Is there any relation between your first anniversary of ESR and your co-workers wanting to get together?

It has been over 22 years since I left the Navy, but I still occasionally have dreams/nightmares about it.

 

[Nords]

It has been over 22 years since I left the Navy, but I still occasionally have dreams/nightmares about it.

Oh great.

 

[freebird5825]

Have a blast, Freebird. I remember old timers at holiday lunches who were the life of the party.

i think this will be a very good thing for me to attend. my escort is held in high regard in many circles, so it's not like i will be walking in alone. there are many people i would love to see again, all good folks. and you know i shall look my best and brightest for the wagging tongue vultures to comment about. i clean up well, or so i've been told.
i left in disgust, but my rearview mirror is fully adjusted to laugh about it now. it's like it was someone else's life. aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

[template]

After 7 years of retirement, I still have dreams I can trace back to work -- a stressful yet boring job which I didn't like.

However weird the dreams are now, they aren't what I would consider frightening nightmares.

I've concluded that the more active I am during the day and the more experiences I have, the richer and more varied my dreams are. If I spend a week doing nothing special, I am more apt to dream about the distant past.

My friend retired and had essentially no life after he retired. He spent most days never leaving his house until he passed away in his late 50s. He confided that he dreamed about work every night.

 

[CuppaJoe]

....
My friend retired and had essentially no life after he retired. He spent most days never leaving his house until he passed away in his late 50s. He confided that he dreamed about work every night.

That's gotta be an especially heinous kind of torture.

 

[mf15]

Been out about a month and a half now, no dreams or nightmares about work.
Although the market is a nightmare.
Old Mike

 

[youbet]

My career involved plenty of stress, anguish, long hours......blaaah, blaaah, blaaah.....

But, I always carried the attitude that doing what I was doing was my own choice and it would have been my responsibility to find or do something different if that's what I wanted. Probably because of that attitude, most of my memories of wo*k are relatively pleasant and seldom involve bad dreams. I see ex-coworkers regularly because they're great and appreciated friends.

It's soooo sad to see folks who are bitter today over how they chose to spend their yesterdays......