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Old 03-31-2018, 08:41 AM   #21
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Wow! Judge much? And people say those of us who go back to work don't have an imagination.
My statement was in reference to the statement from the article referenced by the OP and not for people who retired in the early forties like you.

"A more recent survey, from RAND Corporation, the nonprofit research firm, published in 2017, found almost 40 percent of workers over 65 had previously, at some point, retired."
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Old 03-31-2018, 08:52 AM   #22
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I wonder if there are gender differences. Work is more central to a man's identity than it is to a woman's. Men also have a harder time creating a social network than women do. Those are two big factors drawing people to work, so I'd guess that there are more men who "change their mind" and go back to work than women.

I think the issue for a lot of men is having something that requires effort and responsibility, keeps them engaged, and makes them feel like they're doing something worthwhile. That doesn't have to be paid work -- it could be raising a family, or learning something that makes you a better person or enables you to contribute somehow, or volunteer work -- but I think it needs to be there in some form.

I personally dislike the picture of retirement as golfing, relaxing on the beach with a margarita, or playing tennis at the country club. That would bore the hell out of me after about two weeks. It would make me feel as if I was just frittering life away.

I struggle with the social engagement part. I'm just not very good at getting out there and making social contacts, then nurturing them to the point where they develop into long-term friendships. I'm semi-retired at this point, but the idea of stopping work completely makes me worried about becoming isolated.
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Old 03-31-2018, 09:01 AM   #23
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I don't see this happening in my group of associates. Of course they were roofers, block layers, concrete finishers, and carpenters.
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Old 03-31-2018, 10:05 AM   #24
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Nah, I'm staying retired.

When I was working I worked straight through. Now I'm retired until death.
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Old 03-31-2018, 10:24 AM   #25
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I can't see me changing my mind. Actually it was a leap of faith when I quit my job. Now some 22 months later it has gotten so much easier . I had to learn a few things about being retired, but I learned them. I'm committed to not working anymore at this point.
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Old 03-31-2018, 10:26 AM   #26
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There are some interesting observations in the article which would resonate with many members here.

Quote:
Longer lives, better health and less physically taxing jobs than in previous generations help provide that choice, Dr. Maestas pointed out. “You hear certain themes: A sense of purpose. Using your brain,” she said. “And another key component is social engagement.” Earning money, while welcomed, rarely proved the primary incentive.
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Most retirees who returned to work told researchers they had long planned to re-enter the work force.
The implication that many people are retiring, then unretiring, is the headline and a key point of the article, but is not supported by the data. First, the journalist links two studies, presents them as independent, with one supporting the other. She neglects to mention that the lead researcher (Maestas) in both is the same individual, they certainly are not independent. The second study (RAND) barely mentions retirement, does not provide any data, and is entirely unsupportive of the “unretirement” conclusion.

The data set is a group of people that reported themselves as retired in 1992, and then tracked for 10 years. Of this group, about 19% said they went back to work, either full or part time. The largest cohort to return to work was people in their early 50’s. Not clear how long they worked, nor if they were “really retired” the first time around.

All of the other larger numbers thrown around the article confuse part time and fully retired. No real conclusions can be drawn, and it takes some real imagination to get to the 40%.

It’s a shame, really, because without the weak data, an interesting article could be written about how some people leave jobs they dislike, take some time off, then go back and find jobs they enjoy more. This allows them to find more balance in their lives.
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Old 03-31-2018, 10:31 AM   #27
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+1

Grit and determination seem to be lacking in the current generation of retirees. I blame it on video games and social media. Our civilization is doomed if something isn't done to change this alarming decline of intestinal fortitude.
I agree, but I blame it on lack of sufficient video games.

I would NEVER give up on retirement in a million years. If I went back to work, I wouldn't have nearly as much time for all the video games and other leisure activities that I enjoy so much in retirement.

Retirement has been by far the best time in my life. I'd rather live in a refrigerator box under a bridge, than go back to work. But right now I have my dream house paid off, not to mention SS and mini-pension, so I doubt it would ever come to that.
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Old 03-31-2018, 11:02 AM   #28
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The implication that many people are retiring, then unretiring, is the headline and a key point of the article, but is not supported by the data.
Funny how often that happens.
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Old 03-31-2018, 11:36 AM   #29
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I've been hearing more stories too of people who retired, started doing all the things they loved, and then realized they could make money off of some of them. I know I'm not planning on that for myself, but if it would happen, I wouldn't turn down some extra dough!
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Old 03-31-2018, 11:48 AM   #30
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I have found that I don't have enough time to get a j@b! After sleeping 7 uninterrupted hours, I get up without an alarm clock, no matter where I am in the hemisphere. There is always something to do, or "the warden" has a "honey do list". And as an aside, I never ever had an 8 hour w*rk day in my life til now. It's 8-4 or 9-5, and I get a "paid" lunch. Weekends are optional, that is MY option.
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Old 03-31-2018, 12:02 PM   #31
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No way would I ever change my mind. I would see going back to work, even part-time as a failure of my ER plan to actually work out as planned. That was 9 1/2 years ago, and I want no part of that whatsoever.


Simply not having to get up early in the morning regularly to catch a train, whether it was ~220 times during my FT working days, or 50, 100, or 50 times in my various PT days, is great! I don't mind having to get up early a few times a year to go to some rare all-day events associated with my volunteer work, or to drive my LF around to work or a doctor appointment.
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Old 03-31-2018, 12:02 PM   #32
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I'm one of those who did unretire for a while. I retired at 52, then stumbled across a low-stress job with a 3.4 mile commute and I worked 2:00 PM to 10:00 PM, which suited me just fine. At the time DW was spending a huge amount of time looking after her father, we've never cared much for travel, and I took the attitude of "I'll see how it goes and if I don't like it I'll quit". I was very much aware that working was optional and that I'd long ago earned my KMA* hat. Except for a few unfortunate souls with lots of debt almost everyone there was in that position and the supervisors knew it so they didn't even try to jerk anyone around.

At least two of the guys I worked with there were multimillionaires and said they were working just to have something to do. I stayed on there for ~5 years and when things turned south I quit.

*Kiss my A**
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Old 03-31-2018, 01:29 PM   #33
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I'm not retired, I'm an Asset Manager (my own!) It just doesn't take up much time
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Old 03-31-2018, 05:29 PM   #34
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I would imagine that with the amount of INTJs on here, the social interaction aspect would be pretty far down the list of needs, me included.
+1. I get my SI dosage through a few hours a week at the soup kitchen. Don't really need it (social interaction) as I'm strong INT with weak J.

A paying job? Not in the rest of this lifetime. Who knows? Life could end tonight (but I'm still gonna top off the Keurig).
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Old 03-31-2018, 05:47 PM   #35
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Retired ar 52 the first time. Lasted 6 months until I was offered a dream job. Worked that job for 6 years until it no longer was a dream but a nightmare. Retired again.
That retirement lasted 4 years until I decided I missed the technical/intellectual challenges of doing a job I enjoyed.
Started w**king again 2 months ago doing the technical job I enjoyed. Was promoted to management after 1 1/2 months (not given the option) so have turned in my resignation.
Have decided retirement is like dancing or playing music - some of us have to practice lto get it right
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Old 03-31-2018, 05:48 PM   #36
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+1. I get my SI dosage through a few hours a week at the soup kitchen. Don't really need it (social interaction) as I'm strong INT with weak J.
I'm gonna have to research this personality type thing. Somehow all of you managed to run across this in your work careers and I didn't. No idea what those letters mean, but I have been running across this on this website for years now and clearly I am missing out on important stuff.
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Old 03-31-2018, 05:57 PM   #37
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The nice thing about be FI is that you have options. You can try out stuff and if it works out- Great! If you don't like it, or it doesn't make you happy, you have the option of trying something else.
Life is good.
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Old 03-31-2018, 06:23 PM   #38
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I'm gonna have to research this personality type thing. Somehow all of you managed to run across this in your work careers and I didn't. No idea what those letters mean, but I have been running across this on this website for years now and clearly I am missing out on important stuff.
This explains the INTJ personality.
Portrait of an INTJ
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Old 03-31-2018, 08:00 PM   #39
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I retired and then returned on a very part time basis for one long year . I then retired but started an ebay business mostly to prove that I could do it . My daughter was in disbelief . I started selling things around the house and then I got a supplier for women's dresses and my business grew . I eventually became a top seller and after eight years I just closed shop . I was still making money but the thrill was gone . I never considered it a job . I did it on a part time basis in either my pj's or yoga pants. I considered it a profitable hobby .
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Old 03-31-2018, 08:02 PM   #40
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The nice thing about be FI is that you have options. You can try out stuff and if it works out- Great! If you don't like it, or it doesn't make you happy, you have the option of trying something else.
Life is good.
+1
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