Poll:How would you grade your ER experience?

[FlaGator]

..........
2) I don't like crowds. I get a high from being able to do whatever I want during the weekdays when everyone is at work, and then I feel like it's been taken away from me on the weekends. It's a complete reversal of work life, where you look forward to your free time on the weekends. I guess it just comes with the ER territory.

And I suppose it's not realistic to expect every day to be an A. My weekdays really are enjoyable, so my C grade reflects an average across all seven days, but without a couple of weekend days to deal with, I probably wouldn't appreciate what I have on the weekdays nearly as much.

I understand the sentiment.

I live on the "Redneck Riviera", and it's busy during spring break and the summer, and just stupid packed on the summer holiday weeks. Spent 3 hours in the car Saturday to do 90 minutes of shopping. Reminds of my life in SoCal .

Thought I'd made a big mistake relocating here the first year. Now into the 3rd summer, have finally adapted to the rhythm and don't let it bother me anymore.

 

[Goonie]

In the slightly more than 10 years since I retired, I've never been bored! I always have stuff to keep me occupied....hobbies, books, walking, biking, books, hiking, theater, books, gardening, traveling, books, concerts, enjoying the great outdoors, books, redesigning landscape, books, etc.

All in all, I can easily say that retirement is far more awesome and enjoyable than I had imagined that it would be, prior to pulling the plug!

 

[Koolau]

For the most part, I liked my j*b. It was worth while. But now I'm retired. I like this a lot better. Now, my stash (and delayed compensation such as pension and SS) pay me for doing what I want. What could be better?

 

[Scuba]

For the most part, I liked my j*b. It was worth while. But now I'm retired. I like this a lot better. Now, my stash (and delayed compensation such as pension and SS) pay me for doing what I want. What could be better?

Well said! When friends tell me they're not sure they want to retire because they like their jobs, I ask them whether they like their jobs more than they like their favorite hobbies, family time, etc. Gives them food for thought.

 

[48Fire]

I'd be surprised if anyone gave themselves a D or F.

I spent a lot of time pre-ER observing several D and F people. Here's an interesting article on Lee Iacocca's failure.

HOW I FLUNKED RETIREMENT LEE IACOCCA SAYS HIS THREE YEARS OF RETIREMENT HAVE BEEN MORE STRESSFUL THAN HIS 47 YEARS IN THE AUTO BUSINESS. THE FORMER CHRYSLER CEO EXPLAINS WHY TO FORTUNE'S ALEX TAYLOR III. - June 24, 1996

My Father and FIL were both D-

I graded myself a "B". But the poll strikes me as a little narrow. Maybe overall happiness is better grade. And as several have discussed, are you happier now would be a key question? And is your spouse happier since you retired?

Overall a great thread, and I enjoyed reading every reply

 

[mystang52]

What some people consider bored I consider time to chill, or pray, or do whatever I please. Life is great! I gave myself a "A"

+1 Let's not forget, as well, that while w*rking I occasionally found myself bored during a day off or weekend; so that part evens out. A bit over 4 years for me, now, and the novelty simply has not worn off.

 

[Ready]

I spent a lot of time pre-ER observing several D and F people. Here's an interesting article on Lee Iacocca's failure.

HOW I FLUNKED RETIREMENT LEE IACOCCA SAYS HIS THREE YEARS OF RETIREMENT HAVE BEEN MORE STRESSFUL THAN HIS 47 YEARS IN THE AUTO BUSINESS. THE FORMER CHRYSLER CEO EXPLAINS WHY TO FORTUNE'S ALEX TAYLOR III. - June 24, 1996

Great article, thanks for sharing.

I met Lee at his Bel Air home a number of years ago. He was writing a book and keeping as busy as ever. I just looked him up and he outlasted the 20 years he was hoping to have left at the time of this interview. He's now 92 and still going strong.

 

[Scuba]

I think there are people, perhaps not on this board, who might have a D or an F. The ones I know spent a lot in the first 10 years of ER and had fun, but didn't manage to a low enough spend rate. Now after 20 years of ER and higher healthcare costs, they are struggling to make ends meet. Could have done a lot years ago to avoid this situation, but as they've aged, the options have narrowed.

 

[Ronstar]

I have too many hobbies and interests to ever get bored......

+1

 

[MBAustin]

I'm definitely a happier, more chill person since I ER'd. I'm still a to-do-list maker, and I don't get nearly as much crossed off each day as I think I should, so some things are tough to change. I do find that summer is a little slower than I prefer as many of my regular activities (choral singing, volunteer committees, etc.) are on hiatus, plus the weather here in July-August is hotter than I enjoy so I'm stuck in the A/C after 9am most days. Overall, a good solid B+.

 

[48Fire]

Great article, thanks for sharing.

I met Lee at his Bel Air home a number of years ago. He was writing a book and keeping as busy as ever. I just looked him up and he outlasted the 20 years he was hoping to have left at the time of this interview. He's now 92 and still going strong.

That's awesome! Always liked him, so this article really seared my memory, which is pretty hard to do these days

 

[Loving Life]

After 1 year of retirement, I went back to work for the last 4 years and continue - Therefore I must have failed

 

[Senator]

It's only been 1 year, but I have been on 8 road trips so far, and been gone for 10+ weeks.

I am never going back.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

I came to the party too late to vote in the poll, but I would give myself a B+. The only reason I didn't say "A" is that it's almost impossible to meet the requirements as listed in the poll. Everyone will have a bad day...for me, I had a gall stone removed a while back and the two days in the hospital certainly weren't any fun!

As far as the weekend/week day thing goes, the reversal of this is something I love in retirement. For the most part, if I have to go out and do something, I do my best to do it between 10am and 2pm on Tues,Weds or Thursday...I refer to it as "retiree drive time". I actively avoid doing anything away from the house on the weekend if I can avoid it.

The freedom that is afforded in retirement is the greatest thing for me. As an example, I normally get up around 7 and get my day going. This morning, I got up and was almost done getting the coffee pot ready to go when I realized I was a little on the tired side...so I went back to bed and slept until 10. No harm, no foul. The best part? I didn't have to come up with some dumb excuse or call someone to explain my dumb excuse for not going to w*rk. I only had to answer to my dogs, who expect an AM walk and treat...and guess what? They get over it!

 

[brucethebroker]

A for me.
C+ for DW.

 

[Koolau]

My dad would have voted "F". He never wanted to retire. He only retired officially so that my little sister could receive whatever SS benefits were available to her as she attended college. My dad continued to come into the family business and "work" even though he didn't get a pay check. My DW who was the manager had to eventually tell him to quit coming in. It was sad. From then until a couple of years before his death, dad was out either w*rking or looking for w*rk. Oddly, DW eventually had to "fire" my mom from the family business as well. Also very sad as she was simply no longer able to do the w*rk and was causing too many problems as she slipped into dementia. I can't imagine what genes they had which did not pass to me. I've had no "jones" to w*rk since I retired. YMMV

 

[Sojourner]

The freedom that is afforded in retirement is the greatest thing for me. As an example, I normally get up around 7 and get my day going. This morning, I got up and was almost done getting the coffee pot ready to go when I realized I was a little on the tired side...so I went back to bed and slept until 10. No harm, no foul. The best part? I didn't have to come up with some dumb excuse or call someone to explain my dumb excuse for not going to w*rk.

+1

If the poll were still open, I would have voted for "I generally like ER but find that I get bored more often than I'd like", which I guess would be a C+.

I see a fair number of people here claiming they never, ever get bored... even going so far as to say they've never experienced a moment of boredom in many years of retirement. To me, that seems impossible just due to basic human nature, but if that's someone's perception of their mental state, then more power to them! After all, perception is reality. But I can think of 3 or 4 times I felt bored just within the past 24 hours.

Retirement, for me, is not like some magical panacea that cures all ills and induces a state of continuous and never-ending emotional and mental bliss. Rather, it's just a freedom from constraints on my time, giving me more time and flexibility to do things that I want to do. And yes, undoubtedly, some of that time I will end up being bored since I will inevitably be stuck in traffic sometimes, or waiting in line at the post office, or listening to someone talk my ear off about something their child did, or filing my taxes, or loading the dishwasher... etc.

 

[Koolau]

DW does quite a bit more than I do and she also gets bored easily. I'm content to while away hours doing practically nothing while she needs to be "engaged" most of the time. I'm guessing she would vote "C".

 

[Johanson]

It's only been 1 year, but I have been on 8 road trips so far, and been gone for 10+ weeks.

I am never going back.

That's a normal quarter for me but most of the travel would be for work.

 

[Danmar]

Didnt get to vote but it would be an A or B for sure. I am quite surprised at this as I was such an ambitious, type A guy while working. Guess I was able to get all that "out" prior to retiring 11 years ago. Constantly moving around between several different places maybe helps. As well as international travel and helping to take care of aged parents. Physical fitnesss devotee. In the overall scheme of things, pretty busy, I guess. Agree that freedom and his "brother" control are key factors for contentment. At least for me.