rainy days - Im bored already! what will happen once I retire?

[retiringat50]

Been raining all week. Due to surgery recovery this summer has not been what I anticipated. Been out of work since May 21st - 6wks sick leave, 4wks vacation then "early retirement" kicks in August 1st.
Been raining all week so Ive been in the house doing some cleaning, watching Lifetime, etc. Im bored now- how will I ever survive retirement?

Seems I need a push, something to strive for, a goal

 

[REWahoo]

Suggest you keep working to avoid dying early of boredom. Plus, we need the SS tax base.

 

[retiringat50]

I already left - the boss is a bitch

 

[HFWR]

Though I have occasionally been bored, I don't ever recall thinking "I wish I was at work"...

 

[toofrugalformycat]

Were you involved with anything outside of work?
After I ERed, I chose to set up and maintain a web site and news alert system for a local organization I care about. It's amusing, sometimes angering but always stimulating, and since I'm a volunteer I can blow it off when I want to travel or do something else.
If you didn't have any interests outside of your job, maybe you should think about looking at course catalogs of a nearby community college, and if there isn't one, some correspondence school maybe. Take a class in something you've never had time for - cooking, gardening, writing, whatever. You'll meet new people and get outside yourself. It worked for me.
Or volunteer at a soup kitchen. Just seeing unlucky people down and out makes me feel grateful to have a roof over my head and a sofa I can stretch out on whenever I want to.
Volunteer to teach English as a 2nd language? That's on my list.
And then there's the gym. Endorphins, and also people that are fun to observe.
We are so fortunate to be able to choose howwe spend our time.

 

[73ss454]

I already left - the boss is a bitch

Don't worry you can always find something else.

As REW said this retirement thing is not for everybody, it's a lot of stress doing nothing all day. SS and medicare can use the money.

 

[Moemg]

Take a class , find a project , go to the gym daily , make new friends , try out new recipes , take a trip , remodel a room , clean out your closet , read ,shop , go to the movies , take a walk , visit a friend , have a nooner , organize your files , go to the beach , find a hobby , plan a trip , help someone , sell on ebay , organize your pictures ,clean out your spices , go for a bike ride , plant a garden , learn to cook Mexican food , make home made pizza , join an investment club , volunteer

 

[CuppaJoe]

This is awful, retiring@50. BTW, how did your surgery go?

About three months before my R-date, i started photographing my workday, emphasizing the most boring parts so that I can remember why I wanted to leave. I went over a year confirming to myself each day that the j*b held no redeeming virtues. Maybe you could concentrate on the worst parts; you may be in a normal "buyer's remorse" phase, mourning process? Thinking of the boss as a bitch is a start. In the past, when I left j*bs, it usually took about 3 weeks to get it out of my system and start concentrating on the good future. All the best to you.

 

[73ss454]

Moemg, what are you trying to do, kill the guy?

 

[Darryl]

Moemg, I'm calling to cancel the cable & phone landline, eliminating garbage pickup in favor of composting, selling my wife's car she can walk she's tough. Heck I may sell one of the kid's I need to move the date closer so I can spend my days as you just described.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Easy. Move somewhere where it doesnt rain.

So far its only rained here once since about January. And that was for about 20 minutes and just enough to ruin the clean car.

Of course, its also about 100 with zero humidity and a nice 15-20 mph wind right now, so theres tradeoffs.

 

[UncleHoney]

I used to love rainy days when I was w*rking. I was just glad no one else was outside enjoying a nice day while I had to suffer inside.

Now, I enjoy a rainy day or two so I can rest up from all the outside fun.

 

[Goonie]

Now, I enjoy a rainy day or two so I can rest up from all the outside fun.

Me too, 'cause if it's nice out....I'm outside doing something or just sitting in a comfy chair under a shade tree sipping something cold. Rainy days are for resting up and watching old westerns!

 

[BunsGettingFirm]

Been raining all week. Due to surgery recovery this summer has not been what I anticipated. Been out of work since May 21st - 6wks sick leave, 4wks vacation then "early retirement" kicks in August 1st.
Been raining all week so Ive been in the house doing some cleaning, watching Lifetime, etc. Im bored now- how will I ever survive retirement?

Seems I need a push, something to strive for, a goal

Isn't the daily sponge bath enough motivation?

 

[Ronstar]

You need a hobby you can do indoors. I read, nap, go to movies, play on the computer, and do woodworking when the weather's bad. When the weather's ok, I go outside to play.

 

[W2R]

Rainy days are for resting up and watching old westerns!

I love rainy days, when it isn't flooding! The rain is so peaceful and soothing, rinses all the dust and dirt off, cuts the heat, makes the plants grow, and encourages the birds to chirp happily.

It rained today, and since I took this week off from work, I was home. I cancelled my plans and decided instead to organize my files and listen to the rain. It was a really pleasant afternoon and now my files are nicely organized.

It rains twice as much here in New Orleans as it does in Missouri, and that is something that I think I will miss after I move north.

 

[NW-Bound]

Moemg, what are you trying to do, kill the guy?

That's a gal. I looked up her previous posts. She has been fretting over ER, about not having anything to do, ever since joining this forum. I have seen other posters with the same problem.

Retiringat50, do you live alone? What activities have you had outside of work? Nearby family members?

My wife has been taking her ER very well, due to having her parents and siblings living in town, whom she gets along with very well. I have been easing myself into ER, working part-time for the last 5 years. It's difficult to let go, I know. I have many friends in the same profession who are still working, and once I leave, I will not have much in common with them anymore. I have been trying to make friends in this forum. How's that working for you?

PS. I am not a type-A personality, I don't think. Probably type AB.

 

[bbbamI]

I agree with NW-Bound. Perhaps you need to ease yourself into retirement by working part-time in an area that sounds interesting to you.

Retirement is about being happy...there are no set rules.

 

[Rambler]

R @ 50 - you need to find something to do pronto or you're gonna go nuts. Not to be demeaning, but almost all your posts have to do with "what to do" after retirement. You must be type A, and must have allowed your work to define you. You probably need to go back to work of some kind...PT, FT, volunteer, etc, otherwise I think you will think yourself into a depressive state. You don't want that...it is not healthy, retired or otherwise.

Here's a thought: How about becoming a financial advisor, or perhaps doing retirement clinics as a volunteer? You obviously know something about getting the FI part right (but need work on the "what do you do all day" issue).

Bottom line is that you need to do something fulfilling, and you need to find it fast. You will find some suggestions on this board, but you won't find what suits you without some exploring. Maybe you should polish the resume, the retirement clinic PPT presentation, and soul search your heart/mind for some of those "always wanted to do___________" items.

Good luck, keep posting, let us know how it goes and if we can offer any more help.

R

 

[Singleee]

My Father retired at 52. Not long after, he was walking out of the bank when he saw a traffic warden writing out a parking ticket. So he went over and said "Aw come, I've only been inside for two minutes, give me a break!". But the Traffic Warden said he didn't care and continued to write up the ticket. So my Father said, "You are all the same, you should be out catching the real bad guys, doing something really useful". The Traffic Warden, starting to get annoyed suggested that he hold his tongue."Aw screw you, give you a uniform you think you are the Gestapo!". Really annoyed, the Traffic Warden, wrote another ticket for harrassing a public official. Undeterred, my Father replied, "Shove where the sun don't shine Nazi". So the Traffic Warden said, "Right, that's it. I'm gonna write up tickets for the partially worn tire and a loose rear light. The fines are gonna p**s you off and because you got 4 tickets on one occassion you'll have to go to Court! Ha. How clever are you now wise guy! See you in Court" and gave my Father a smug 'I have the Power" grin.

So my Father answered............................................





...............................................................







"I don't care buddy, I'm retired, have nothing better to do and by the way, this ain't my car" turned around and walked off!


So you see, if you use your imagination, there are a multitude of ways to entertain yourself during the day.

 

[LeatherneckPA]

Bored? Who has time to be bored? Since my last post my wife has been leaving chore lists every day. At least my old warden was less demanding than the "little Hitler" that I married.

 

[Dawg52]

Sunny days = golf. Rainy days = old movies, reading, internet, napping. Life is so simple now.

 

[Moemg]

. It's difficult to let go, I know. I have many friends in the same profession who are still working, and once I leave, I will not have much in common with them anymore. I have been trying to make friends in this forum. How's that working for you?

.

I had the same worry about friends since most of mine were people I worked with but I've been slowly making new friends . It's pretty easy in Florida since everybody is from somewhere else and they are looking for friends also .

 

[rs0460a]

I have many friends in the same profession who are still working, and once I leave, I will not have much in common with them anymore.

Those are not "friends" - they are co-workers.

If they truly are friends, do you meet with them on a social basis outside the office (e.g. sports, parties, kids, etc.)?

If so, that relationship should/will continue, since you are meeting in a non-work situation.

I had many "working acquaintences", but no friends. How do I know? I see none of them since I retired a bit over a year ago.

When you retire, you will (after a time) understand that your former j*b was just that. A phase in your life (like childhood, elementary/high school, college, etc.)

The next phase of your life should be exciting, interesting, and fulfilling. However, unlike the other "life events" that you "had" to do, your future is your own to plan/pursue. There is no "parent/boss" telling you what you must do.

Now you have the time (and hopefully the money ) to make this the best time of your life (it certainly is, for me )...

If you have a "false start" in your retirement, the advantage is that you have enough time (the rest of your life) to "get it right"!

- Ron

 

[Walt34]

Seems I need a push, something to strive for, a goal

Same feeling I had. The first year was like being on vacation, 2nd year I wanted "something to do" but for some reason lost interest in radio control airplanes, a hobby I'd enjoyed for 20 years. I guess I just went as far as I could with that. I also did not want to commit to a job or anything else that would have a set schedule.

A friend was building a full-size airplane (Pitts S-1) an acrobatic biplane so I spent a couple of years helping him with that 2-3 days a week. He says he wouldn't have finished it if I hadn't kept showing up to work on it.

I bought a small boat with a 5hp outboard and went fishing. I hadn't been fishing since high school so thought I'd try that since so many people seem willing to spend all their waking hours doing that if they could. It's all right, but not something I want to do all day every day.

After that I gave up and started looking for a job. In an act of desperation I was even a car salesman for a month. That was kind of neat - it was the first time in my life I've ever been fired from a job. While I have many talents, sales is not one of them.

It took a few years to find a job that (I think) will fit. I've only been there a week and a half, but the people are decent, for what I'm doing the pay is absurdly high, it gets me out of the house and will pay for some toys.

YMMV.