what do you tell ppl when they ask what youre doing after you "early retire"?

[RetireeRobert]

If anyone asks me, sometimes I tell them "It's really none of your %%#@%& business what I do now, is it?".

Other times I may tell them "Whatever I d*mn well feel like doing. You got a problem with that?"

And even less often, I sometimes tell what I actually did the last few days.

[Ronstar]

I cut back to working 3-4 days a week, but I still get the questions about what I'm doing with my spare time now and what will I find to do when I totally pull the plug. I tell them the boss (DW) has a list of house projects for me, + boating, biking, yardwork, woodworking, traveling.

[freebird5825]

easy one...laughing all the way to the bank. now that would be mean to say, wouldn't it? <snicker>

out loud, i really say any of : volunteering, socializing, driving around, learning Playstation 3 gaming (gone to the dark side), planning my tomato & veggie garden, whatever pops into my head.

the reactions are either "way to go!" or you see that hooded expression with the darting eyes that says "i envy (hate) you!"

[Walt34]

Oh, whatever I feel like doing that day. Drag out the boat & go fishing, maybe, if I feel like it. Go for a bike ride or walk along the C&O canal. Some TV. In the winter I pretty much hibernate. Have free time to spend with family. Read books.

Enjoy being disorganized, not having to deal with obnoxious people, heavy traffic, or anything else I don't like.

[Lsbcal]

Generally I'm only asked very occasionally if I'm retired -- to which I reply somewhat hesitantly, yes. That's about as far as the conversation goes. Perhaps it's the grey hair and the fact I'm 59 that helps. Now if I were in my 30's it might be another type of conversation.

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by freebird5825 easy one...laughing all the way to the bank. now that would be mean to say, wouldn't it? <snicker>

Well maybe, but gee, I really LIKE that one!!!

[myself]

Enjoying the rest of my life more fully with my dear wife!
And some gardening ...
And a little golfing ...
And a little fishing ...
And asking the youngun's why they haven't figured out artificial intelligence completely yet ...
And whatever I decide to do that morning when I wake up ... if I wake up.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

"I've dedicated my life to finding a way to eat bacon while sleeping"

[Rustic23]

You're kidding........ aren't you?

[Notmuchlonger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cute fuzzy bunny "I've dedicated my life to finding a way to eat bacon while sleeping"

Or I am a CPBC. Certified Professional Bacon Connisuer

[Marquette]

unclemick wins... professional amature turdologist.

sounds too much like middle management to me, though.

[HFWR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Khan Watching the squirrels.

I'm always on the lookout for squirrel...

[freebird5825]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Want2retire Well maybe, but gee, I really LIKE that one!!!

thank you thank you <she humbly bows>

it's so hard not to gloat with my still working friends. i try to be humble, i really really do, but this little devil on my left shoulder keeps stabbing me with his fork and saying "SCREAM it from the rooftop - I'm FIREd!!!!!!"

so you poor folks get to listen to me gloat...<groan> LOL

[Midpack]

I can't answer from the other side quite yet, but I am taking steps to put myself in a position to:

Have fewer activities, but more of what I enjoy doing, and doing it better than ever (which may take a little more time) --- at the expense of other activities that I did not enjoy or do well, but did them because I had to. Somehow I don't think I will lack for activities at all.

DW and I are identifying those activities and moving in that direction right now. We started with Ernie's Zelinski's Get-A-Life-Tree from How to Retire Happy, Wild & Free - a great place to start IMHO unless you already know what you want, we didn't.

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midpack We started with Ernie's Zelinski's Get-A-Life-Tree from How to Retire Happy, Wild & Free - a great place to start IMHO unless you already know what you want, we didn't.

I've had that sitting on my desk for a couple years now, but I've been too busy to get around to it...

[freebird5825]

ditto. it seemed too much like <gasp> work. but his list of new things to do on pgs 85-91 was a hoot. "watch someone work" has great appeal.

[TickTock]

"I'm not afraid of hard work - I can lie down right beside it and go to sleep."

[audreyh1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by retiringat50 Im really not sure what Im doing. I'll be starting off by recovering from bunion surgery. Then I tell them "wherever life takes me" - no real answer

"wherever life takes me" is a perfectly good answer. It is a real answer. The only reason it doesn't seem like a real answer is because that would not be acceptable in a job.

I love prgsdw's turnabout answer ""So what do you do when you're not working?"

Personally, I love the open ended adventure of having lots of unstructured time with no hard plans tying me down in the future. A very much "life is a journey" approach where one is more focused on the present and not so furiously goal-oriented as our working life demanded. Not that there aren't goals, it's just that we no longer have to answer to a someone else about how we use our time or what we have accomplished or not accomplished.

Audrey

[FinanceDude]

[quote=audreyh1;621743
Personally, I love the open ended adventure of having lots of unstructured time with no hard plans tying me down in the future. A very much "life is a journey" approach where one is more focused on the present and not so furiously goal-oriented as our working life demanded. Not that there aren't goals, it's just that we no longer have to answer to a someone else about how we use our time or what we have accomplished or not accomplished.[/quote]

I LOVE your outlook on life..........

[free4now]

I like the answer "same kinds of things you do on weekends".