Sitting at my desk here at work, I'm passing the time before I go off to the canteen where they present me whatever they're going to present me with after 19 years with this company. I'm retiring. My choice, which makes feel even stranger. Tomorrow I start on a different life. It should be fun, but right now it feels very odd ...

CC

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Put the fun back into dysfunctional.
Mr Punch's Studio

Strange indeed. Enjoy your retirement!

Hugh

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Technical Editor, Sound On Sound

Enjoy it! If you're anything like my retired friends, they all say they've no idea how they managed to fit in everything they're doing when they were working the day-job as well.

Quote ConcertinaChap:

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I go off to the canteen where they present me whatever they're going to present me with after 19 years with this company.
CC

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I'd order duck, basted in bear fat with an orange sauce.

Edited by Airfix (24/07/12 10:51 AM)

The end of one era, but the start of another. Enjoy your retirement and make the most of it.

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http://soundcloud.com/richie-royale
http://www.mixcrate.com/richieroyale

Great decision. Days like today you will be able to just go for a beer in the sun. When it's raining you can try out that new bit of gear you bought.

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getting better all the time..

I wish you a long and stimulating retirement CC. I understand it can be a hugh transition. Take life easy. But try taking it head on a little too. Even in my early fifties I know physically there are things it would now be daft for me to attempt. But many new things I have yet to try that older bones are easily capable of. As they say, youth and enthusiasm are no match for age and treachery. Try scaring yourself a little once in a while, now you have the time. Even if its just in your studio. See how you get on. After all, for now your new routine is that you have no routine...

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Strictly project and just for fun

CC, stop showing off, you rotten b@stard.

(Still 3240 days to go in the Sam Plan)

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Instant gratification is actually pretty good. It's fast as well.

My dad worked and worked since he was 14 with a mere 1 week off a year in the later days. He started to panic as retirement closed in wondering what he would do day in day out.

Within 3 months came this short statement. "How the hell did i have time to work?"

Enjoy every minute of it as he is doing right now...you can play golf...right?

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I eat kebabs when i'm sober!

Well I've just got back home. They did me proud with all the wine and that. Feeling less strange (but that may be the wine and beer ). I know a fair bit of what I'm going to do:-

1) Support my partner's greetings card business. Since she started the music degree she hasn't been able to spend the time on it she would like. The down side is, on my first day retired I can't have a lie-in because she's arranged for her accountant to call round at 8.30 am. Now that's cruel.

2) Music. We're in the process of starting a four-part close harmony group, plus we find we are apparently founder members of the Bath Jubilee City Waits, there's sessions to run and friends to play with.

3) Recording. I've spent the last few years building up a set of decent studio equipment and learning how to use it, basically for the interest of it, and in the process gaining a modest reputation among the local folkies. I'll never make a living at it but a little income will help the money go further. But first I've got to rebuild the whole set up to get my partner's desk out of the room, lay a new carpet and make more space in time for some customers next month.

I don't play golf, but even if I did I probably wouldn't have the time. So much for taking it easy ...

Thanks for the best wishes all.

CC

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Put the fun back into dysfunctional.
Mr Punch's Studio

See! You're already running out of time for all the things you want to do

Also consider time shifting your day to avoid traveling when everyone else is. My parents changed to getting up at 11AM and going to bed at 2AM.

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It wasn't me!
(Well, actually, it probably was)

Quote Folderol:

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My parents changed to getting up at 11AM and going to bed at 2AM.

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+ 1. That's what I've always tried to do as a starting point. Works very well.

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Strictly project and just for fun

Gratz on the retirement CC

Enjoy the time (when the wife tells you that is!) .

Are we all old farts round here then ?

Mostly yes

Many congratulations CC, and long may this new phase of your life last


Martin

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YewTreeMagic

Enjoy it CC... you'll soon settle in!

I'm another of the BOF/Bus-pass=brigade and have time-shifted somewhat since the big R. Don't miss the 5.30/6 AM starts. Now it's usually 8.30 and bedtime is midnight+

The great thing is that most of the time you can now please yourself - if you aren't bothered about doing something "now" then you don't have to.

All the best.

We're not all old farts. I'm only 43. That's young. It is. Really. At least I keep telling myself that.

With the retirement age constantly going up, I'm wondering if I'll ever get the chance to retire!

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* Soundcloud *
* Bandcamp *

Quote Yago:

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Are we all old farts round here then ?

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Far from it. I have another 30+ years of work to look forward to.

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http://soundcloud.com/richie-royale
http://www.mixcrate.com/richieroyale

Quote Folderol:

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My parents changed to getting up at 11AM and going to bed at 2AM.

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I would dearly love to go to bed late and rise late, but my body won't let me. I keel over at 11 - midnight and wake at 5. 5! There ain't no such hour, but I'm frequently awake to see it. Early to bed and early to rise - ah, spit!

Otherwise everything's starting to look quite good. Nice chap, Anne's accountant!

CC

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Put the fun back into dysfunctional.
Mr Punch's Studio

Quote Yago:

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Are we all old farts round here then ?

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Knocking on 51's door here.

I'm jealous, I'd retire tomorrow if I thought I could afford it. I think in the current unsettled climate a lot of people would given the chance.

I'm sure you'll break the 5am habit with a bit of practice!

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Not much in life worth running for. Or from.

Quote Martin Walker:

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long may this new phase of your life last

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Or ... long may this last phase of your life feel new.

Quote grab:

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Quote Martin Walker:

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long may this new phase of your life last

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Or ... long may this last phase of your life feel new.

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I'll take both of those as good wishes ...

Cheers,

CC

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Put the fun back into dysfunctional.
Mr Punch's Studio

Quote Dynamic Mike:

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Knocking on 51's door here.

I'm jealous, I'd retire tomorrow if I thought I could afford it. I think in the current unsettled climate a lot of people would given the chance.

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Here, here,

I've just turned 49 myself. Whilst I am showing the odd sign of wear and tear I'm still pretty fit and healthy and I should be thinking in terms of another 10 years of work at least, however, the current economic climate is something of a bugger. My firm, like many, is in the midst of a major re-structuring (read redundancies). Whilst I appear to have escaped morale is low amongst those who are left as they adapt to a new working environment. No doubt things will feel different in a few months time as we come to terms with the situation but right now I find myself wishing my life away looking forward to the day I retire.

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http://www.random-thought.co.uk/

As an elderly uncle of mine used to say. "I'm nearer to 40 than to 30".
... but then he spent much of his working life in market research.

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It wasn't me!
(Well, actually, it probably was)

I'd imagine it's quite a strange one. Managing your own time rather than having to meet deadlines, be places on time, etc. I work for myself, with very few demands on when I have to do stuff. It's difficult for me to follow a routine, but I think it depends on who you are. I know a fellow who works from home but he still gets up for work on the dot, like he still has a boss!

For retirement, I suppose hobbies now take the place of work. I suspect they're vital for sanity and happiness.

Retiring! I love it. Done it times. And now in my fifties I'm bringing up two young kids, so although I don't work full time I'm prettty busy. I do hate it when I have to drive in peak traffic times, so I'd add my support to the time shifting bit - like you, CC, I can't sleep in so I get up and do stuff quietly or walk the dog before rousing the rest of the household. Quite amenable to a lunchtime nap, even if it's only a couple of minutes. With the kids on holiday now I don't suppose I'll be doing that until September.

It is kind of weird raising a family when most people are watching their children raise families, but never a dull moment. and the big thing about being at home is there's no backup team - you do what you do until you drop.

I endeavoured to retire at 18...it didn't quite work, but as far as managing time goes, I think if we do stuff we enjoy/are good at until we croak, then retirement becomes somewhat moot. Dave

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My head hurts!

Quote turbodave:

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I think if we do stuff we enjoy/are good at until we croak, then retirement becomes somewhat moot.

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That'll do me nicely for a philosophy.

CC

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Put the fun back into dysfunctional.
Mr Punch's Studio

Quote ConcertinaChap:

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Quote turbodave:

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I think if we do stuff we enjoy/are good at until we croak, then retirement becomes somewhat moot.

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That'll do me nicely for a philosophy.

CC

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CC - you don't have to class yourself as retired... you can now be a full time whatever you like... full time musician until the day you pop 'em... how's that?

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Quote GlynB:

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Quote ConcertinaChap:

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Quote turbodave:

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I think if we do stuff we enjoy/are good at until we croak, then retirement becomes somewhat moot.

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That'll do me nicely for a philosophy.

CC

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CC - you don't have to class yourself as retired... you can now be a full time whatever you like... full time musician until the day you pop 'em... how's that?

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That's exactly right, provided of course you are fortunate enough to have subscribed to a pension scheme that actually pays a pension or have some other means of day to day survival. One thing those of us of a certain age should not lose sight of is that people coming into the formal workplace today, for the first time, will not have that kind of arrangement to fall back on. I don't know what will replace it.

Many people don't realise the concept of pensions was invented in Germany by Otto von Bismarck in the 1880s. His concern was that as Germany became more industrialized the traditional model of rural families taking care of one another across the generations didn't work as well anymore, and something was needed to replace that. I guess that means retirement is a relatively new concept!

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Strictly project and just for fun

Well financially, once I and my partner reach state retirement age we're going to be OK (not rich but OK) when you add together all the various bits-and-pieces we'll be getting. I've chosen to leave work 4 years before that day so there's some space to fill to make ends meet. The calculation is to do that in ways that will be more satisfying that what my previous employment had to offer (the company is changing and what had satisfied me for a good few years now no longer does).

So, since the visit of Anne's accountant yesterday, to the Inland Revenue I am now officially self employed. Yes, I am determined that music will form part of the mix as will recording and working on my partner's cards business. It's a big change but now I'm over the "strange feeling" bit I'm getting more and more excited about it. The encouragement here is not a little part of that, as is the encouragement from my partner.


CC

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Put the fun back into dysfunctional.
Mr Punch's Studio

Sounds like a great adventure. It'll be interesting to see how your previous career experience and skills feed into your new career.

All the best.

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Ohm's Law states, "Your PA isn't as powerful as you think it is".

Quote ConcertinaChap:

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Well financially, once I and my partner reach state retirement age we're going to be OK (not rich but OK) when you add together all the various bits-and-pieces we'll be getting. I've chosen to leave work 4 years before that day so there's some space to fill to make ends meet. The calculation is to do that in ways that will be more satisfying that what my previous employment had to offer (the company is changing and what had satisfied me for a good few years now no longer does).

So, since the visit of Anne's accountant yesterday, to the Inland Revenue I am now officially self employed. Yes, I am determined that music will form part of the mix as will recording and working on my partner's cards business. It's a big change but now I'm over the "strange feeling" bit I'm getting more and more excited about it. The encouragement here is not a little part of that, as is the encouragement from my partner.


CC

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The most precious thing anyone has is time. it's strictly limited, though no-one knows how much they have... so to get back the use of your precious remaining time to do with whatever you want is a fantastic opportunity, and one that future generations may well not have the luxury of .... Enjoy!

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