RETIREMENT TIME
Hard as it may be (for me, at least) to fathom, it seems that many people approaching retirement don’t look forward to it because they don’t know what they’ll do with all the time they’ll have when they have no job. That has never struck me as a problem, what with books to be read, writing to be written, learning to be learned (unless you already know everything), trips to plan, music to enjoy, sports to follow, chores to avoid, mislaid items to look for, naps to take, etc….not to mention human behavior forever to be baffled by.
Believe me, friends, if I had half the time my once-upon-a-time fellow wage slaves assume I have, I would be posting a post almost every day instead of once a week or so (which, I concede, may still be too often for you malcontents and party poopers out there).
So, how busy am I?
Oops — how did that clip get there? Fact is, I’m so busy, I don’t even have time to think of more to say about the subject….so I’ll avoid that chore by passing it on to others:
I have never liked working. To me, a job is an invasion of privacy. –Danny McGoorty
I’ve crunched the numbers in your retirement account. It’s time to figure out who will be wearing the mask and who will be driving the getaway car. –Unknown financial advisor
My retirement plan is to get thrown into a minimum security prison in Hawaii. –Julius Sharpe
I will not retire while I’ve still got my legs and my make-up box. –Bette Davis
The trouble with retirement is that you never get a day off. –Abe Lemons
I find the biggest trouble with having nothing to do is you can’t tell when you’re done. –Unknown
As for me, except for an occasional heart attack, I feel as young as I ever did. –Robert Benchley
I can’t wait to retire so I can get up at 6 a.m. and drive around real slow and make everybody late for work. –Unknown
What do you call a person who is happy on Monday? Retired. –Unknown
When a professional golfer retires, what does he retire to? –Evan Esar
When you retire, you switch bosses — from the one who hired you to the one who married you. –Unknown
Time’s up. COMING, DEAR!
obbverse 1:11 am on September 25, 2019 Permalink |
I still am weighed down by the joy(?) of work, so need to dole out my time, of which, there is never enough. I believe retirement will soak up all these drudgery hours wasted at work. Thanks for the light at the end of the tunnel.
LikeLiked by 3 people
mistermuse 8:24 am on September 25, 2019 Permalink |
Curious and active minds don’t stop being curious and active when a person retires. You will have no problem “soaking up all those drudgery hours wasted at work.”
LikeLiked by 4 people
luisa zambrotta 1:00 pm on September 30, 2019 Permalink |
😉🤗😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
calmkate 2:50 am on September 25, 2019 Permalink |
lol retirement is a struggle for the other half who already has a well established routine .. good luck with yours!
LikeLiked by 1 person
mistermuse 8:25 am on September 25, 2019 Permalink |
Thanks, Kate. Actually I’ve been retired for some time, but I can still use the good luck!
LikeLiked by 1 person
calmkate 6:36 pm on September 25, 2019 Permalink
lol I thought you must have been … don’t I remember you telling me you were 110?
LikeLiked by 1 person
mistermuse 7:03 pm on September 25, 2019 Permalink
Some days I feel like I’m 110, Kate — it must have been one of those days when I told you that.
LikeLike
mistermuse 5:18 pm on October 18, 2019 Permalink |
Kate, I’ve been trying repeatedly to enter a comment on your “Friday Fun – restful” post but it won’t ‘take.’ Sorry to trouble you, but here it is, if you can use it:
Since I retired, I run from quarrels —
because I’m resting….on my laurels.
LikeLiked by 1 person
calmkate 6:10 pm on October 18, 2019 Permalink
just posted it, sorry about those WP gremlins, others have posted comments ok 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
emergingfromthedarknight 3:28 am on September 25, 2019 Permalink |
Having ‘retired’ early due to an injury I can relate to most of those quotes and I love the one on work being an invasion of privacy. I also love it when people ask me. “what do you DO all day?” They have no idea 🙂 The happy fact is the day is free to spend however your heart desires.
LikeLiked by 3 people
mistermuse 8:33 am on September 25, 2019 Permalink |
You nailed it! When people ask me “what do you DO all day?”, I feel like saying, When you retire, I’ll be more than happy if you to give me all the time you don’t know what to do with.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ashley 4:31 am on September 25, 2019 Permalink |
Retirement is great! Busy busy busy, doing the things I like, well most of the time! When I was “working” we all used to say “have a great weekend” to each other. Nowadays the weekend lasts for at least 7 days! La la la-la-la-la, la-la, la-la, la la la la la la………
Great post!
LikeLiked by 2 people
mistermuse 8:37 am on September 25, 2019 Permalink |
Thanks, Ashley. Among the perks of retirement is that it doesn’t matter what day of the week it is, they’re all the same. Like me, you obviously don’t have a problem with that!
LikeLiked by 2 people
masercot 5:39 am on September 25, 2019 Permalink |
I’m just trying to retire before the sun becomes a red giant and incinerates the Earth… If I live frugally, I think I can manage…
LikeLiked by 4 people
mistermuse 8:40 am on September 25, 2019 Permalink |
Even with Trump & Friends accelerating the process, you will probably still make it to retirement age. Hang in there!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Carmen 6:25 am on September 25, 2019 Permalink |
Having just retired in June (but having summers off anyway) I must say it’s been great so far! :). Hope your retirement’s been great, too!
LikeLiked by 2 people
mistermuse 8:45 am on September 25, 2019 Permalink |
Thanks, Carmen. Taking early retirement was the best decision I ever made (except, of course, for getting married, having children, and meeting you online. Keep up the good work….I mean, the good retirement!
LikeLike
Rivergirl 7:41 am on September 25, 2019 Permalink |
With my husband it’s not a lack of things to do in retirement… it’s a mixed bag of having a great paying job with wonderful benefits, enjoying the social aspect of working, having a purpose to getting up every day and the simple joy of seeing his TSP ( government version of IRA ) grow. Personally I wish he’d just chuck it all and relax!
LikeLiked by 2 people
mistermuse 8:51 am on September 25, 2019 Permalink |
If, and as long as, your hubby loves his job, I don’t blame him. It’s when your job is (or becomes) a pain in the butt that it’s time to bail ASAP.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Rivergirl 3:28 pm on September 25, 2019 Permalink
The boss he hated just left so that made a big difference…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, Another Blogger 7:58 am on September 25, 2019 Permalink |
Chores to avoid — I am totally on board with that.
Good essay. See ya.
Neil S.
LikeLiked by 2 people
mistermuse 8:58 am on September 25, 2019 Permalink |
Thanks, Neil. Happy chore avoiding!
LikeLiked by 1 person
D. Wallace Peach 8:39 am on September 25, 2019 Permalink |
I couldn’t agree more. Other than writing, I’m retired, and I’m so busy! As soon as my husband retires we’ll be even busier! Lol. Thanks for the laughs this morning. Great one-liners.
LikeLiked by 3 people
mistermuse 9:00 am on September 25, 2019 Permalink |
Thank you, Diana. Great minds think alike (haha)!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Christie 2:35 pm on September 25, 2019 Permalink |
Thank you for the good laugh!
I love this one: “I can’t wait to retire so I can get up at 6 a.m. and drive around real slow and make everybody late for work”
Enjoy your retirement!
🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
mistermuse 3:13 pm on September 25, 2019 Permalink |
Thanks, Christie. I like that quote too (but then, I like them all!).
LikeLiked by 1 person
Rosaliene Bacchus 3:25 pm on September 25, 2019 Permalink |
Love the quote from Abe Lemons: “The trouble with retirement is that you never get a day off.” I refuse to retire and have chosen to continue writing until the “headman” says enough. I’m the boss, so I make sure that I enjoy the holidays off and do fun things on my weekend breaks.
LikeLiked by 2 people
mistermuse 7:13 pm on September 25, 2019 Permalink |
“Boss Bacchus” has a good alliterative ring to it — even better than “Rosaliene the Riveter” which you might have been called back in WW II days (not that you’re anywhere near that old, of course). 🙂
LikeLike
Elizabeth 5:49 pm on September 25, 2019 Permalink |
I love being retired. I only fear that I might flunk the question in the emergency room some day about what day it is. I often have no idea. And I try to forget the answer to who is President.
LikeLiked by 3 people
mistermuse 8:12 pm on September 25, 2019 Permalink |
Well said, Elizabeth. As for your last point, hopefully that won’t be a problem after Nov. 2020 (if not sooner).
LikeLiked by 2 people
Elizabeth 4:08 pm on September 27, 2019 Permalink
One can only hope.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Infidel753 10:24 pm on September 27, 2019 Permalink |
I tend to agree with you. It seems to me that most people who think they’ll have nothing to do with their time when they retire must be very lacking in intellectual interests.
Even if I’d have trouble filling up time occasionally, I don’t see why the preferred alternative would be still engaging in some form of drudgery so onerous that I would never have considered doing it if I didn’t need the money. Even being bored for a while would be preferable. At least it doesn’t sap your energy in the same way.
LikeLiked by 2 people
mistermuse 12:02 am on September 28, 2019 Permalink |
Another alternative for retirees lacking in intellectual interests, hobbies, or other pursuits would be to volunteer their time with a non-profit organization to help those in need. I would think that making oneself useful to others not only helps others, but would give purpose to one’s own life.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Silver Screenings 6:22 pm on September 28, 2019 Permalink |
These are great quotes, but the one about the professional golfer retiring made me laugh out loud.
I’m pleased to hear your retirement seems to be a time of productiveness and fulfillment. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
mistermuse 7:17 pm on September 28, 2019 Permalink |
Thank you, SS. Fulfillment is something almost everyone seeks in some form or another, but attaining it in full measure is often dependent on fate and factors beyond our control. I can’t claim ‘full-fillment’– but I’m not complaining (much).
LikeLiked by 1 person
luisa zambrotta 1:01 pm on September 30, 2019 Permalink |
😉😉🤗
LikeLiked by 1 person
literaryeyes 11:08 pm on October 1, 2019 Permalink |
I like all of these. I’d like a day off, I’m busier than ever. I’ve un-retired a lot of things I wanted to do.
LikeLiked by 2 people
mistermuse 11:26 pm on October 1, 2019 Permalink |
I wish I could un-retire some of the things I wanted to do, but these old bones will no longer cooperate, so they’ll just have to stay retired. No matter — I don’t have time for them anyway (at least, that’s what my head tells me, and my body doesn’t argue….or is it the other way around?).
LikeLike
holliedoc 5:29 am on October 2, 2019 Permalink |
I started my blog in my retirement, to assist in writing down my thoughts and feelings. Originally I wasn’t sure how much I’d enjoy retirement but have since taken up learning Spanish and playing the guitar amongst other things. It’s amazing how quickly you fill up your time in retirement.
LikeLiked by 2 people
mistermuse 12:53 pm on October 3, 2019 Permalink |
You’ve got that right! My time is not only filled up, but overflowing.
LikeLike
Kally 10:22 am on October 17, 2019 Permalink |
This is simply so well written! I love it. May I reblog this out and link it back to your blog please?
LikeLiked by 1 person
mistermuse 11:16 am on October 17, 2019 Permalink |
Thank you, Kally. Feel free (just like I do since I retired).
LikeLiked by 1 person
Kally 9:16 pm on October 17, 2019 Permalink
Thank you so much!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Robert Smith 7:16 am on October 22, 2019 Permalink |
Relatable post! Thanks for sharing such an amazing article.
LikeLiked by 1 person
mistermuse 12:54 pm on October 22, 2019 Permalink |
Thanks, Robert. Sharing is caring, as someone once said (maybe it was me — ha ha).
LikeLike
Guest Post: RETIREMENT TIME – MiddleMe 1:00 am on November 15, 2019 Permalink |
[…] this wonderfully written post and do pop by his blog […]
LikeLiked by 1 person
live an untethered life 7:37 pm on November 30, 2019 Permalink |
Reblogged this on Live an Untethered Life and commented:
I don’t intend to go from 60 to 0. I plan to leap over to a new highway and keep or increase my speed!
LikeLiked by 2 people
mistermuse 8:18 pm on November 30, 2019 Permalink |
Thank you for the reblog!
LikeLike
Paul Hannah 1:52 pm on December 25, 2019 Permalink |
Hmmm…I avoided retirement like I avoided kids with snotty noses at the grocery store. When I was finally there I saw a flat, endless plain of nothing-to-do. So just this week I started a blog, Retirement-TheSnarkSide. Now I’ve got something fun to do, once I get the hang of WordPress. Thanks Robert.
LikeLiked by 5 people
mistermuse 4:05 pm on December 25, 2019 Permalink |
Paul, I’ve been blogging on WordPress for over ten years, and I still don’t get the hang of their shenanigans (see my posts of Dec. 11th and 15th to give you an idea of one of the problems I have with WP). I hope you have more technological expertise than I, otherwise it may not be as much fun as you anticipate. In any case, good luck…..and Merry Christmas/Happy New Year.
LikeLike
holliedoc 6:07 pm on February 17, 2020 Permalink |
Well if you happen to get time in your retirement, please do have a look at my retirement blog. I’d be keen to hear your thoughts and would welcome any comments on my articles.
https://itsthetimeofyourlife.com/
LikeLiked by 1 person
mistermuse 6:53 pm on February 17, 2020 Permalink |
I attempted to leave a comment on your Nov. 25 2019 post, but apparently it didn’t take. I’ll try to give it another try when I have time, but it won’t be today.
LikeLike
mistermuse 12:15 pm on February 18, 2020 Permalink |
I tried again today to leave a comment on your Nov. 25 post, but again, it apparently didn’t go through. I’m sorry, but I’m not tech-savvy enough to figure out why, and I can’t keep wasting time trying.
LikeLike
holliedoc 5:43 pm on February 18, 2020 Permalink
Hmm that’s a shame. I wonder why myself. I’ll have a look into why it’s not possible. Many thanks for your reply!
LikeLiked by 1 person