Push or Pull Retirements

[ls99]

Name that critter.

Ulama. Very annoyed. Input only, thus full of it.

 

[calmloki]

Name that critter.

Two-headed critters are common on Caucasian rugs - thought it was just a weird weaver conceit but then drove by a field with a couple llamas laying one behind the other and sonufagun -there was the rug element! Figure llamas are cameloid enough that i can imagine the weavers depicting camels doing the same thing. So two headed llamas i can understand - but why are their legs so short? Oh - Bob, BTW.

 

[simple girl]

I don't handle stress well anymore. It makes me sick, physically sick. I used to handle stress so much better in my twenties, I don't understand what happened. But that's what it is. So for me, I definitely just want to relax and avoid stress at any cost, and the answer would be #4.

I can really identify with this, unfortunately.

 

[mickeyd]

Ulama. Very annoyed. Input only, thus full of it.

Looks like a pushmepullyou. My kids loved Dr. Doolittle when they were, well, kids.

 

[RunningBum]

Not retired yet, still part time, I picked #4, but really I'm just waiting for something to happen, like:

- tagged in next round of layoffs. I'm a bit surprised I've survived past layoffs, because 2 others in my group went and I figured I'd be the first to go.

- something stupid at work pushing me over the edge (nearly hit it last week when I needed senior VP approval to appove travel that will be under $500 total, and it was getting hung up)

- a nice buy out package (probably won't come because we just had one for 55 and over only, and I don't expect another one for awhile)

- some personal life issue that makes me decide to put aside work for good

Otherwise, it's easy enough to put in 20 hours/week for some pay, benefits and security in a job I don't mind doing, especially since I telecommute and have great flexbility. I have plenty of time to do things I want, and have lots of vacation days to block out time off when I need it, and its easier at 20 hrs/week.

 

[freebird5825]

Looks like a pushmepullyou. My kids loved Dr. Doolittle when they were, well, kids.

DING DING DING
It relates to the thread title, Push or Pull.

 

[Goonie]

I punched the button beside #6....it was a balance of many things. Between be forced to go to Kindergarten at a young age, and then having worked since my early teens, I was ready for some quality, long-lasting ME time, with no more forced obligations to do what "they" wanted me to do!

Work was 'OK', but was going down hill real fast, and the politics were really getting out of control....it was definitely time to jump out of that plane before it crashed! I never really had any great desire to work, but did it out of 'social' obligation....'cause your s'posed to'.

I have hobbies that have been sorely neglected for many years, due to "work"....and I decided that it was high time to correct that situation. So now I have a good balance in my life....endless days of play, to make up for 45 years of school and work!!! So when I turn 95, I'll reevaluate things to determine if I should keep on playing, or go back to school and/or work and once again contribute to society!

 

[hankster]

to pursue specific enjoyable pursuits in retirement; work is OK but irrelevant

My job is one with lengthy periods of boredom mixed with intense periods of action. The equipment is on auto pilot most of the time, but when things go wrong, it can get crazy busy. I do have great autonomy and work alone the majority of the time so I'm spared constant interaction with [-]insufferable, micromanaging drones[/-] management.

Even though I get more vacation time than a guy can usually hope for, it still doesn't permit me to do the things I would like to do; spend the winter in Arizona, exploring the desert. Or taking a leisurely trip to Alaska via the Alaska Highway and taking all summer to do it.

 

[bbbamI]

that is what I like about vacations (practice retirement)... I like to have a cold one at noon and wait for someone to ask why I am drinking a beer so early... where I reply..."Because I can"... man I can't wait...

The light at the end of the tunnel will get brighter with each passing day...and that beer will just be getting colder and colder....

 

[bbbamI]

I chose 6, because it is really all of the above, with each day being a different scenario. I just got a new boss a few months ago. He left me alone (no visits, no calls, no emails) for about 3 months. I just kept plugging away in anticipation. He came out to see us a few weeks ago, and things seemed great. I thought "this is a guy who I could work for and be OK for the next few years until FIRE". Now I'm not so sure. We had our first round of budget discussions yesterday (after a pre-first round discussion when he was out to see us a few weeks ago), and the expectation is completely different now than it was then. We still have some future discussions to go, so all is not lost yet. If the expectation laid out yesterday becomes final, however, it will mean that I have to ask 2500 people to work without realistic anticipation of being able to hit their targets and thus receive their incentive payments. Or, I could undertake a massive restructure, let 400 people go, and then re-hire, re-train and wait for productivity to begin to rise somewhere in 2011. Then, if the market picks up in 2010, I won't be able to take advantage of it because I don't have the resources to do so, and thus market share will be lost. It is a no-win situation. Toxic. For me and my employees.

That said, there are some really good days. Today for example, I am giving a lecture to some college students on the meaning of work and careers and goal setting, etc. I find this part of my role very rewarding. However, you can bet that my lecture will be somewhat different today that it may have been yesterday, before that budget discussion.

On top of all of this, being posted overseas, I miss terribly the opportunities that exist in my hometown for outdoor activities, my own hobbies, etc. At the end of the day, I have some new responsibilities that will keep me busy, and hopefully keep my mind off the toxic stuff.

R

Man...sorry Rambler.

I hate to hear this news...and quite frankly the word "toxic" makes me shudder. I hope things turn around for the better...

 

[CuppaJoe]

My primary motivation for retirement was: because I could (door number three); got out as soon as I could after reaching FI.

 

[heyduke]

The light at the end of the tunnel will get brighter with each passing day...and that beer will just be getting colder and colder....

you have inspired me to add a signature to my replies...

 

[Cattusbabe]

I voted for "to just relax and minimize anything of a stressful or demanding nature" because that was the closest to my reason for quitting.

My attitude was that life was too short and there was much better ways to spend ones time than getting ready for work,working and then resting from work. I felt that a job chewed up much too much valuable time with very little left to do the things I wanted to. Prior to quitting I had already begun the process of minimizing the amount of contact I had with my job. I was working two 12 hour shifts from 7pm to 7 am every Sat and Sun with the rest of the week off.

I will admit that as the years went on my job became less and less appealing and I enjoyed the role of caregiver less and less. What about the care giver? As I got older I saw that there was more time behind me and less ahead and I wanted the time that was left for me and not giving my all for a job. So it was time to go.

Most of us do not have a choice and just slog along year in, year out. When I got the chance to bail out of my nursing career I took it and never looked back, no regrets.

 

[audreyh1]

My version of number 3 was something like:

Hey, I'm FI! - now I can go do all those things I've always wanted to do; work is really starting to get in the way!​

Audrey

 

[harley]

The light at the end of the tunnel will get brighter with each passing day...and that beer will just be getting colder and colder....

I was looking for an excuse to post this link. Thanks bbbami!

Racing fans "limited" to 24 beers a day - Yahoo! News

 

[REWahoo]

Racing fans "limited" to 24 beers a day - Yahoo! News

Looks like things are no better for wine drinkers:

Wine lovers must make do with no more than four liters of cask wine per day

I had no idea those Aussies were so uptight...

 

[deserat]

I'd have to say none of the above - I'm doing it to own my own time and do what I want and pursue my own agenda, not anyone else's. I've had my share of crappy and great jobs - what I realized, luckily enough early on - was the FI key - and that could be FI for a few years only. To be able to mentally tell someone FU if I don't want to work for them and know that I have enough money to at least cover a few years of no tworking, makes for me a huge mental transformation. I then can do the job to the best of my ability and not worry about the long-term affects. One great thing about the military is every year there's about a 33% turnover....can be a new job every year, although their idea of "I own your a$$" 24 hours gets old. I had my Reserve boss ask me to go on 365 day orders - I said no 8 days here, 12 days here, is OK and keep me in the game. However, longer than that and they are getting too attached. It's the same for my business - short projects - definable deliverables. Gives me breaks of time.

I'll be honest, I don't know if I'll totally retire from the consulting business - from the military, yes. But as above, the key is FI.

 

[bbbamI]

I was looking for an excuse to post this link. Thanks bbbami!

Racing fans "limited" to 24 beers a day - Yahoo! News

......Hey glad to oblige! ......

 

[Fireup2020]

My version of number 3 was something like:

Hey, I'm FI! - now I can go do all those things I've always wanted to do; work is really starting to get in the way!
​

Audrey

I agree - and chose #3 also! While I do thoroughly enjoy my j*bs, being employed just continues to get in the way of things I look forward to doing (extended trips, being involved in certain organizations to the degree I am interested in, etc...) Like many here, I have golden handcuffs (and anklets!) - just have to wait to a certain age to collect! However, I am practicing RE like mad on weekends and vacations! 11 or so more years to go!

 

[19kilo]

Left on Oct 1st. Time to go and I'm just eligble this month. Been in construction for 30 years and my knowledge and nohow is not wanted.
also started school at 4 years old and have been making my way since I was 13. Time to step out and enjoy life. 7 days and counting.

 

[kumquat]

left on oct 1st. Time to go and i'm just eligble this month. Been in construction for 30 years and my knowledge and nohow is not wanted.
Also started school at 4 years old and have been making my way since i was 13. Time to step out and enjoy life. 7 days and counting.

enjoy!!

 

[SciFiFan53]

In my situation, it was a balance. I worked for the same company for 30 years and have seen it change so much. When I joined it, I went to work there instead of somewhere else because of the people with which I would be working. Gradually over the years, the company (the people at the top) has changed dramatically. The people who really cared about employees have gradually been replaced by the current crop of MBA's who know they won't last long in any one situation or company and are out to make the most money in the least amount of time. That has made work less enjoyable. At the same time, the company focus has changed to a very short term emphasis (no concern for the future). Since I worked in research, that meant my work was given less importance.
[Maybe this just sounds like a microcosm of what has happened to American business in general over the last 30 years....]
In addition, I saw many people that said they wanted to do other things with their lives - and then waited too late to do them. They ended up dying or being physically unable to live their dreams. I didn't want to end up like that.