Retired - Now What?

[Newboomer]

I cannot disagree.

You are only as old as you feel.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

My retirement journey got kicked off a few years ago when I had a major heart attack & spent four days in an ICU staring at the ceiling listening to machines beep. It's moments like this that bring your mortality into sharp focus. If there was anything I wanted to get done during this particular life, I might want to prioritize that list starting now. So to a certain degree, I threw caution to the wind & started setting some large goals for myself. Guaranteed success was not a criteria. If I failed, I failed trying & hopefully learned something new.

Like a lot of people, for many years I had prioritized other people's needs over my own: The lovely & charming ex, the kids, my elderly parents, etc. But now I've reached a nice spot in my life where it's all about me. The ex is remarried, the kids are grown and my parents have passed away. I can do whatever I want without hurting anyone. I picked a few things to keep myself busy but these items reflect my own personal interests so they may not appeal to anyone else.

I decided to build a small wooden boat. It was simply the challenge of taking a 2D blueprint & converting it into a 3D object. To make it more engaging & time-consuming, I decided to make it out of as much native Arkansas wood as possible. Mostly sassafras, black locust, cypress, white oak, osage orange & old-growth longleaf pine. It's been a lot of fun & eventually I'll use it for remote exploration & camping.

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I bought a BMW motorcycle. I'm going to start touring the backroads of North America a lot more.

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After years of not backpacking much, I've been adding some epic remote hikes to the itinerary. Here's a photo of me in the Wind River Range outside of Lander, Wyoming last year.

A few months ago, I went to Bears Ears National Monument in southeast Utah for a week. Very desolate. We had a couple of million acres all to ourselves.

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I've always loved photography so I started shooting large format B&W film again. It's slow, laborious, highly inconvenient & produces great results enough times to make all of that sacrifice worthwhile whenever I visit someplace like Bryce Canyon NP.

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As you might be able to tell, whenever I travel, I like to avoid lots of people. The last trip I took with my daughter was to the Dry Tortugas National Park for a week of rustic camping, snorkeling & sea kayaking.

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I bought a retirement sailboat & I'm going to see where that takes me. Sailing into an unknown anchorage in the dark can be high-anxiety but every day I'm out on the ocean is way better than a day inside an office. I've worked as a computer programmer for 39 years now & I'm looking forward to finally pulling the plug in a few months. I'm currently working remotely from my sailboat on the Chesapeake Bay & enjoying making plans for when I can cast the lines & head for the horizon soon.

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The best part about my upcoming retirement is the uncertainty of it all. I don't have a rigid fixed plan. I'm just making it up as I go along. I've enjoyed being a programmer but moving forward, I think I'm just going to work on open-source projects at my leisure & avoid the pressure of any kind of contractual commitment. I just want something to keep my mind sharp & challenged without any unnecessary pressure or stress. I doubt I'll do everything on my bucket list but I'm going to keep trying to check them off for as long as I'm able.

@odonata
Heart attacks are only a minor set back
Had my first at 18, second at 22 and last one that should have been lights out at 32.
The doctors said I was to young to have heart attacks and I told them bullshit. My mum and dad bot died of them at 74, so I figured I get mine out of the road while I was still young that way they were over and done with so I can die if something else.
Yes each one slowed me down for a while but I still did everything I wanted just a bit slower.
I go to the stage where very little bothers me.
One boss said nothing seems to worry you. I told him you only pay me to drive trucks not worry , if you want me to worry about shit that will cost you extra. Even my wife tells me nothing seems to phase you. As long as it isn't interfering with my property, family or friends I just don't give a crap.
I'm still looking for the t-shirt that says don't piss old people off, at our age life in prison doesn't worry us.
Life goes in you just rearrange your priorities to suit your life not the other way around.
Bob

 

[MS 9x56]

@odonata
Heart attacks are only a minor set back
Had my first at 18, second at 22 and last one that should have been lights out at 32.
The doctors said I was to young to have heart attacks and I told them bullshit. My mum and dad bot died of them at 74, so I figured I get mine out of the road while I was still young that way they were over and done with so I can die if something else.
Yes each one slowed me down for a while but I still did everything I wanted just a bit slower.
I go to the stage where very little bothers me.
One boss said nothing seems to worry you. I told him you only pay me to drive trucks not worry , if you want me to worry about shit that will cost you extra. Even my wife tells me nothing seems to phase you. As long as it isn't interfering with my property, family or friends I just don't give a crap.
I'm still looking for the t-shirt that says don't piss old people off, at our age life in prison doesn't worry us.
Life goes in you just rearrange your priorities to suit your life not the other way around.
Bob

You are an inspiration to me Bob.

 

[K-man]

You are only as old as you feel.

I always heard it "you're as young as WHO you feel..."

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Personal experience.....

Ok......I honestly never read the previous 5 pages of responses to your dilemma....

You are definitely going to regret retiring if your married!....LMFAO ....to those that are currently married.

That "HONEY DO LIST" has now been put on your "Primary To Due" list by your wife. Because now you have NO- Zero, Zip, Nile, etc, etc, excuses not to complete the "Honey Do List", ....poor ______ well.....fill in the blank.

Now....IF....I Say IF.....you can......FAT CHANCE!!....
Your wife allows you.....she may allow you two days to adjust to retirement....not likely!..... honestly she will only allow you one morning to sleep in till 8am; shower, dressed and starting your "Honey Do Lists" by 9am.

SO Much for retirement!

Your vacation...well it's on hold per your wife...you want a vacation, aka your dream Africa hunt...Best include her or an equivalent vacation for her and that is after you complete 50%+ of your "Honey Do List".

Yeah.....retirement is just a word.....
No such thing as "Your now on permanent vacation". Retirement is just another word (if your married its worse) you will be working harder for zero to no pay and for a new full time boss....yourself, or wife. Hobbies will become your new full time job because you are board with working solely for your wife.

For those of us that are single, divorced, widowed, etc, hobbies become full time work at our own hours, being our own boss, because we are wanting to remain active.

Simply put after a week of retirement we find retirement is boaring and that's a good thing.

@Ridge Runner
My wife has given up on giving me a to do list because I either lose them in the circular filing cabinet (aka rubbish bin) and she gets sick of re- writing them
Or
I tell her yeh, yeh I'll put it on the five year plan. I just don't say which five years.
She knows the more she asks me to do something the longer it takes to get done. Tell me once and I will eventually get it done. Nag and it won't.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

You are an inspiration to me Bob.

@MS 9x56
Thanks mate
My wife says I drive her to desperation at times
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

You’re not truly old Bob until you have to start replacing parts. The new knees are working great for me and no more pain is truly wonderful.

@MS 9x56
Just saw an orthopaedic surgeon about my knees. One will need replacing in a few year. The other the arthritis is starting to fuse the knee cap to the femur and needs to be cleaned out.
He won't do it because he says I'm high risk because of three heart attacks.
I told him bullshit I've undergone three major surgeries in the last six year without a problem.
Now have to see another one that has already done an ankle reconstruction on me. Fortunately he does knees and hips as well.
Still not truly old but working on it
Bob

 

[Newboomer]

@MS 9x56
Just saw an orthopaedic surgeon about my knees. One will need replacing in a few year. The other the arthritis is starting to fuse the knee cap to the femur and needs to be cleaned out.
He won't do it because he says I'm high risk because of three heart attacks.
I told him bullshit I've undergone three major surgeries in the last six year without a problem.
Now have to see another one that has already done an ankle reconstruction on me. Fortunately he does knees and hips as well.
Still not truly old but working on it
Bob

Hang in there, Bob. You got a few good years yet. I can sympathize. Two metal shoulders, right knee, and a neck fusion.

 

[MS 9x56]

Sometimes Doctors just amaze me. What good is living until your old if you’re in such pain you can’t do the things you love doing.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Hang in there, Bob. You got a few good years yet. I can sympathize. Two metal shoulders, right knee, and a neck fusion.

@Newboomer
Geeze mate when you go to the happy hunting ground they won't know wether to bury you or sell you to Sims metal.
Bob

 

[Tanks]

@Newboomer
Geeze mate when you go to the happy hunting ground they won't know wether to bury you or sell you to Sims metal.
Bob

Made me think. I did have a hip replacement some time ago. I wonder how that impacts cremation.

 

[JimP]

Made me think. I did have a hip replacement some time ago. I wonder how that impacts cremation.

Recycle it.

 

[Newboomer]

@Newboomer
Geeze mate when you go to the happy hunting ground they won't know wether to bury you or sell you to Sims metal.
Bob

Just call me a walking junkyard or a bionic man as my daughter says. Oh, and I have 5 screws in my right foot to add to my collection.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Made me think. I did have a hip replacement some time ago. I wonder how that impacts cremation.

@Tanks
The crematorium just collects all the metal parts and when they have enough they sell them off, titanium brings good prices apparently.
Bob

 

[NIGHTHAWK]

Well, last Friday 13th was my last official day working, took a layoff, spent Saturday in San Francisco with my Girlfriend (De Young Museum, then dinner) made some plans, went to the SCI Nashville and booked trips through 2029.

Get an emergency call from a client Friday. “Where are you? We reached out and you’re not there?” “We need you to decommission our project in Ca and look at the next one!” “Tell us who you want to do it with”

I guess I’m going back to work for a while… The caveat being my list of hunts that will be my priority!

 

[Mekaniks]

Well, last Friday 13th was my last official day working, took a layoff, spent Saturday in San Francisco with my Girlfriend (De Young Museum, then dinner) made some plans, went to the SCI Nashville and booked trips through 2029.

Get an emergency call from a client Friday. “Where are you? We reached out and you’re not there?” “We need you to decommission our project in Ca and look at the next one!” “Tell us who you want to do it with”

I guess I’m going back to work for a while… The caveat being my list of hunts that will be my priority!

It sounds like your retirement has worked out just like mine… Every time I think I might be done, I get busier, but it makes it easier to prioritize the things I like to do rather than “have to” do….
Thank You for introducing yourself at the AH dinner. Always great to put folks real faces to screen names.

 

[JimP]

Get an emergency call from a client Friday. “Where are you? We reached out and you’re not there?” “We need you to decommission our project in Ca and look at the next one!” “Tell us who you want to do it with”

I guess I’m going back to work for a while… The caveat being my list of hunts that will be my priority!

I had the same type of thing happen to me when I retired, only it was a question of "what kind of dumb fu..K's do you have working now"

I just told them that I was now retired and that they needed to go through the channels to get what they needed. I did help a few out but it was very rare. A few months later the company that I retired from was calling asking for me to come back to work. I gave them my stipulations and they said that they couldn't agree to them, I then told them to quit calling me and hung up.

 

[Jon G]

Inspirational to hear all your experiences. I went from working full time for someone else start my own business and only work part time (semi retired) at 49. My wife quit her job and the kids being out of the house we could travel, stay in our vacation house etc. Also downsized from a big house to an apartment in thw city. Absolutely terrific! Should have done that 10 years earlier! Lot of time now to hunt, travel, be with friends etc. You should really consider downsizing, free up money and time to do more of what you love.

 

[Rare Breed]

Absolutely. I went from a 5,000 square foot home three story to a 2,600 square foot ranch and love it given we are empty nesters. best move I made. I thought you might like to see my labor of love 15 years ago I bought my Gone With The Wind Greek Revival and completely restored her keeping the heart pine wood floors that were original. When refinished they looked like burnt honey.

 

[Green Chile]

Well, last Friday 13th was my last official day working, took a layoff, spent Saturday in San Francisco with my Girlfriend (De Young Museum, then dinner) made some plans, went to the SCI Nashville and booked trips through 2029.

Get an emergency call from a client Friday. “Where are you? We reached out and you’re not there?” “We need you to decommission our project in Ca and look at the next one!” “Tell us who you want to do it with”

I guess I’m going back to work for a while… The caveat being my list of hunts that will be my priority!

I was thinking of your topic here and then heard you dropped some major coin at SCI...well played sir...well played.