Early-retirement wannabe

Mr_Toad

greenglide wrote: »

Is "Retired Accountant / Doctor / etc" not the best term?

It says you were one, are probably not practising any more but may have some knowledge. It sounds better than "used to be" because it sets the context as to why you dont any more?

Yes I think that would be correct but I have to say I'm not sure why people do it. It's as if being retired is somehow diminishing rather liberating.

I just say retired.

kidmugsy

I think I might say "I'm a retired Renaissance Man".

wotsthat

greenglide wrote: »

Is "Retired Accountant / Doctor / etc" not the best term?

It says you were one, are probably not practising any more but may have some knowledge. It sounds better than "used to be" because it sets the context as to why you dont any more?

Would anyone introducing themselves say they're a retired checkout operator or retired care worker?

If someone says they're a retired accountant they're trying to sell you part of their life narrative.

wotsthat

Marine_life wrote: »

Actually what I have agreed "indoors" is two more fiscal years i.e. to 30 June 2017, which would mean resigning 1 October next year. But don't quote me on it ;-)

Is there are time limit for which the forum team wil allow threads to stay open.

chucknorris

wotsthat wrote: »

Would anyone introducing themselves say they're a retired checkout operator or retired care worker?

If someone says they're a retired accountant they're trying to sell you part of their life narrative.

Yeah, I think it is clinging onto perceived kudos from their profession. Maybe it is because they feel insecure about retiring and giving up their 'professional status'. They probably need to look deep into themselves and ask what it is that they really want out of life. The short answer is happiness, but what brings it, isn't always as easy to identify as one might think. For me the my dog brings me a lot of happiness, and when I went beck into work from very early retirement 5 years ago, I had to leave my dog 2-3 times a week for many months of the year, to go to work. When he passed away I deeply regretted going back to work and losing that additional time that I could have had with him. Our current dog is only 5 this November (we got him when he was 2.5 years old), and I will be retiring next September, so I will be able to be with him for longer.

atush

wotsthat wrote: »

Is there are time limit for which the forum team wil allow threads to stay open.

AS long as we/he keep posting.

BucksLady

Sadly, I think many people have a tendency to live in the past and focus upon what there were or what they did, simply because their lives don't have meaning today. My father is about to retire and has so many plans for the future. However, many of his colleagues in the same position say they feel lost and don't know how they will cope. I guess it's as Catie the Investor commented - we are all wired up differently.

Mr_Toad

BucksLady wrote: »

Sadly, I think many people have a tendency to live in the past and focus upon what there were or what they did, simply because their lives don't have meaning today. My father is about to retire and has so many plans for the future. However, many of his colleagues in the same position say they feel lost and don't know how they will cope. I guess it's as Catie the Investor commented - we are all wired up differently.

This is very true.

I know several people delaying retirement because they don't know what they are going to do.

However, there is a common factor connecting all of them, they have few or no hobbies or interests. No wonder they dread retirement. :eek:

I've always had many interests outside work and one of the reasons I jumped at early retirement was that working was getting in the way of the many things that I am interested in.

I'm very interested in history so I read a lot and now have the time to visit the places that interest me.

I'm a keen amateur astronomer and that has many offshoot interests that allow me to use my computer and programming skills.

I play the guitar and now have the time to practice as much as I like. I also go to jamming sessions with friends twice a week. There is some talk of us forming a band. :eek:

I'm looking for an old British motorbike to restore over the winter, I'm not sure which winter as things keep getting in the way

The list goes on and my days are flying past at a rate they never did when I was working.

Anyway, tea break is over so I'm off to the garden centre for some plants to fill a few gaps in the garden. I can't put it off as tomorrow I'm out all day. In fact I don't have a spare day until the back end of next week!

Marine_life

I don't have any fear of titles or status. Most people don't really understand what I do so I tell them I'm an accountant because it's somehow digestible. I think once I am retired that I would simply say "retired". Actually as we were looking for a new house last year I was telling some estate agents it was our 'retirement home' and getting lots of funny looks (I look quite young for my age). Who actually cares.

I think the challenge that I have been wrestling with over the last few months is the following: I don't hate the job (at the moment), mainly because I am working on an interesting project that might last until next March. And if you don't hate something then the natural instinct when the money keeps rolling in is to do nothing. Consequently feeling a little bit in limbo. A colleague was made redundant this week - probably with a nice package.........sometimes I wonder.

robin61

Marine_life wrote: »

And if you don't hate something then the natural instinct when the money keeps rolling in is to do nothing. Consequently feeling a little bit in limbo. A colleague was made redundant this week - probably with a nice package.........sometimes I wonder.

When retirement is years off it's easy to think you will definitely retire as soon as you can but once you reach the point when you could actually do it I expect that for many of us there will be reasons to keep working. If you really hate your job or you have health issues or if you are pushed like your colleague it's a much easier decision.