Oct. 2, last day. With whittling away at my paid time off, I am working only 15 more days between now and then.
It’s funny, my younger coworkers, every one asks: “but what are you going to DO all day?” LOL. Yesterday, I said to one “Thats the beauty of it…I’m going to do WHATEVER I WANT!” They’re cute. One just looks at me and shakes her head, she’s very against it. I say to her “I’m TWENTY years older than you! Someday you’ll be tired and done also.” And the truth is that I tell them, I love my profession, I have been so blessed to have a mostly wonderful job BUT I’m tired of doing even the great parts of it. With the new merger with the corporate attitude reaching its ugly tenacles down into healthcare and trying to quantify it, now the hassles have come to outnumber the good, “fun” parts.
I’m happy for you, @VaBluebird. I don’t get people who ask ‘What will you do all day?’ I’m not at the retiring age yet but my reply will be, ‘Live my life without having to work to do so.’
I confess that my mind wanders to retirement often these days. I will be 56 at the end of the year, so too young to retire now … but old enough that I need to make sure my ducks are all in a row for when the day comes. I do dream of that day!
I’m semi-retired. My work ebbs and flows. On the days I’m not busy with work, I go to the gym, walk the dogs in the woods, work on some project (I recently recovered a chair), read, do laundry, go to the grocery store, have lunch with a friend.
Even though I love my work, sometimes when I get a lot of it I’m sad.
H has been retired now since 12/31/2012 and has not accepted any work since 8/2013. He is loving it and busier than ever, but on HIS schedule and HIS stuff. I am semi-retired also, and make my own schedule. We are never short of activities or just enjoy whatever we choose to do whenever we want! He’s doing a lot deferred maintenance and now when we travel, he doesn’t worry about work piling up on his desk for his return.
The key is to retire when you have enough $$ to do all the things you want to do while still healthy enough to travel, downsize or move to where you want, etc.
I retired from corporate America last October. I do freelance projects and will be a reading tutor at an inner city school whose kids are overwhelmingly in need. So I sort of work, when I want and under conditions I specify. DH and I travel (off season, so cheaper and fewer tourists) and during the winter I ski midweek to avoid crowds. My mornings are glorious: leisurely cups of coffee on the sunny deck, reading the paper (and CC.)
Retirement – when you’re ready for it psychologically and financially – is a good thing. Scratch that. A great thing.
I am 56 like kelsmom and am hoping to retire at 62. Some days that retirement day seems like it’s tomorrow and other days it seems like it’s an eternity away.
When I talk about leaving the workforce some of my coworkers say “But what will you DO all day?” and I just smile. Fun stuff! That’s what I’ll do - whatever I want! Read, travel, volunteer, sleep in, garden - everything I do now, just with more time to do it in.
I am ready to retire NOW psychologically and almost ready financially. I can’t wait!
I’ve completed several projects outside the house and several inside the house. The added time can be used to find bargains and free programs offered in your area. You won’t ever again have to feel guilty if you take a long lunch. Devote time to your hobbies and your family and never travel during rush hour. I just came home after helping my grandson learn how to ride his bicycle. The smile on his face was priceless.
It’s like the first day of summer vacation when you were a kid all over again!
Congratulations to VaBluebird and all you lucky retired people!
I am 56 and still working… sent two kids to private colleges, helped D with more school, helped pay for a nice wedding, and will help S if he decides to continue in school. I also carry insurance for H, S, and myself. H is semi-retired and doing some consulting. I will work one or two more years - I will be ready to retire. I have already picked out my volunteer opportunity - working with kids to help them learn to read better and learn to love learning. I also have my fingers crossed that I will be a grandmother in the next few years. TonyK - You are so lucky!
I seriously don’t get the “what will you do all day?” questions. I know that some people live for their jobs, but I think that’s the exception. There is so much i’d like to do that I run out of time for. Like…nothing, some days.
Congrats.