Monday, December 27, 2010
A last -- a real day of retirement
Yesterday felt like my first real day of retirement. I got to stay in my jammies all day, watching movies and playing computer games, and taking a short snooze. It was fabulous and I got some much needed relaxation time after the hectic pace of the holidays. I must admit that I really haven't figured out how to schedule my time very well so far -- far too many things to do and far too little time to just putter. How do retired people do it? I feel tired all the time and feel like I'm running as fast as I can. OK -- retirement lesson #1 needs to be to stop scheduling so much stuff.....a lesson I've been trying to learn for years and still haven't mastered. Maybe I should declare January to be a month of NO? But that won't work because there are some really fun things coming up in January that I don't want to miss. sigh I think I need to make a Manhattan and contemplate my options.
Friday, December 10, 2010
What day is it?
Today I had my first "I'm retired" moment. I woke up and couldn't figure out what day it was. I thought it was probably Saturday because I knew I didn't have to go to work, but found out it was really Friday when I checked my cell phone. What a hoot!!!!
On the other hand, someone asked me yesterday how retired life is and I immediately launched into my how-would-I-know-I'm-too-busy rant. I've been racing from one thing to another -- mostly Revels stuff heavily laced with personal errands. I haven't had a single sleep-in morning or a chunk of time that I can curl up with a good book. OK, so I know the working people are not exactly crying boo hoo for me, but you have to at least grant me some sympathy.
On another retirement topic, some friends got together and worked up a list of the top 10 things that I MUST do during retirement. So here goes. Working from bottom to top of the list....
10) Kick around the house wearing pajamas and slippers all day. [My comment: what a crock. Who has the time? However, I'm looking forward to this one after Christmas.]
9) Quit wearing lipstick. [My comment: what a crock. I look terrible without lipstick. Not gonna happen.]
8) Drink no more diet manhattans. Manhattans with cherries only. [My comment: this is one that I can do and plan to do with great pleasure.]
7) Never multiply anything by 1.15 again. [Explanation: this stems from a work group who regularly went out to lunch together. Several people had problems calculating the tip so I casually mentioned one day that you just multiply the total by 1.15. They fell over laughing because that sounded even harder to them. And to those who think that a 15% tip is not generous enough, my defense is that the statement was several years ago. Clearly, they have never let me forget my "easy solution".]
6) Wear earrings that don't match. [My comment: OK, most people know that earrings are a big deal for me and that I own several million pairs. And a couple of the pairs do not exactly match. But to intentionally wear earrings from two different pairs -- that's hard. Not sure if I can bring myself to do it.]
5) Be on time, not early for a rendezvous with friends. Maybe even be late. [My comment: OK, they really nailed me on this one. I'm always early. So I'm going to really make an effort to slow down and show up late. But I don't guarantee the results.]
4) Wear your tiara grocery shopping. [My comnment: Now that's a tall order. I'd have to be in a really silly mood -- but I might just do it.]
3) Sleep into double digits. [My comment: For a person who just naturally wakes up around 6 AM, this is not an easy thing to do. And besides, who has the time -- see rant at the beginning of this post.]
2) Unlearn Excel. In fact, uninstall Excel. [My comment: Absolutely, positively, NO. I run my budget on excel, and my travel schedule, and multiple things for Revels. Excel is essential to life!!!]
And the #1 thing I must do during retirement? Have bourbon and butterscotch shnapps coffee for breakfast everyday. [My comment: I wish I could. In fact, I've been a dismal failure -- I haven't even accomplished #1 yet although I do think of it fondly. OK -- I'm gonna try to do at least this one thing tomorrow.]
All in all, I don't think I've earned a very high retirement score so far. sigh
Any other "must do" things during retirement?
On the other hand, someone asked me yesterday how retired life is and I immediately launched into my how-would-I-know-I'm-too-busy rant. I've been racing from one thing to another -- mostly Revels stuff heavily laced with personal errands. I haven't had a single sleep-in morning or a chunk of time that I can curl up with a good book. OK, so I know the working people are not exactly crying boo hoo for me, but you have to at least grant me some sympathy.
On another retirement topic, some friends got together and worked up a list of the top 10 things that I MUST do during retirement. So here goes. Working from bottom to top of the list....
10) Kick around the house wearing pajamas and slippers all day. [My comment: what a crock. Who has the time? However, I'm looking forward to this one after Christmas.]
9) Quit wearing lipstick. [My comment: what a crock. I look terrible without lipstick. Not gonna happen.]
8) Drink no more diet manhattans. Manhattans with cherries only. [My comment: this is one that I can do and plan to do with great pleasure.]
7) Never multiply anything by 1.15 again. [Explanation: this stems from a work group who regularly went out to lunch together. Several people had problems calculating the tip so I casually mentioned one day that you just multiply the total by 1.15. They fell over laughing because that sounded even harder to them. And to those who think that a 15% tip is not generous enough, my defense is that the statement was several years ago. Clearly, they have never let me forget my "easy solution".]
6) Wear earrings that don't match. [My comment: OK, most people know that earrings are a big deal for me and that I own several million pairs. And a couple of the pairs do not exactly match. But to intentionally wear earrings from two different pairs -- that's hard. Not sure if I can bring myself to do it.]
5) Be on time, not early for a rendezvous with friends. Maybe even be late. [My comment: OK, they really nailed me on this one. I'm always early. So I'm going to really make an effort to slow down and show up late. But I don't guarantee the results.]
4) Wear your tiara grocery shopping. [My comnment: Now that's a tall order. I'd have to be in a really silly mood -- but I might just do it.]
3) Sleep into double digits. [My comment: For a person who just naturally wakes up around 6 AM, this is not an easy thing to do. And besides, who has the time -- see rant at the beginning of this post.]
2) Unlearn Excel. In fact, uninstall Excel. [My comment: Absolutely, positively, NO. I run my budget on excel, and my travel schedule, and multiple things for Revels. Excel is essential to life!!!]
And the #1 thing I must do during retirement? Have bourbon and butterscotch shnapps coffee for breakfast everyday. [My comment: I wish I could. In fact, I've been a dismal failure -- I haven't even accomplished #1 yet although I do think of it fondly. OK -- I'm gonna try to do at least this one thing tomorrow.]
All in all, I don't think I've earned a very high retirement score so far. sigh
Any other "must do" things during retirement?
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
This is it!
Woke up this morning with that Christmas morning feeling, and for a few seconds wasn't sure why. Then I realized that today is the biggest, bestest, most incredible Christmas present of all.......freedom. After 48 years of working full time, retirement day has finally come. I think the full impact of being retired won't hit me for awhile.
My farewell party at the office was a hoot and a half. I decided to show up in my new "retirement uniform" so I arrived wearing my pink kitty cat pajamas and my fuzzy flamingo slippers, with a cocktail shaker full of Manhattans in one hand and a martini glass in the other. Might as well go out with a bang! I have a photo but haven't figured out yet out to upload the photo so that I'm standing vertical and not horizontal. Will work on that.
So what are my first day plans? I want to start this retirement thing on the right tone, so I'm going out to a 2-cocktail lunch and then I'm going to see the new Harry Potter movie. That ought to set the mood correctly.
Back to that "retirement uniform" theme. What a crock......I took a look at my calendar and I have next-to-nil days when I can just laze around in my jammies. Mostly because of my seasonal duties with the California Revels performances (www.californiarevels.org) -- always a very busy time of year. OK, OK, I chose to do all this stuff, I know. Guess I'll have to balance it all with a bunch of do-nothing days in January. Do I think that's really going to happen? Not sure.
My farewell party at the office was a hoot and a half. I decided to show up in my new "retirement uniform" so I arrived wearing my pink kitty cat pajamas and my fuzzy flamingo slippers, with a cocktail shaker full of Manhattans in one hand and a martini glass in the other. Might as well go out with a bang! I have a photo but haven't figured out yet out to upload the photo so that I'm standing vertical and not horizontal. Will work on that.
So what are my first day plans? I want to start this retirement thing on the right tone, so I'm going out to a 2-cocktail lunch and then I'm going to see the new Harry Potter movie. That ought to set the mood correctly.
Back to that "retirement uniform" theme. What a crock......I took a look at my calendar and I have next-to-nil days when I can just laze around in my jammies. Mostly because of my seasonal duties with the California Revels performances (www.californiarevels.org) -- always a very busy time of year. OK, OK, I chose to do all this stuff, I know. Guess I'll have to balance it all with a bunch of do-nothing days in January. Do I think that's really going to happen? Not sure.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
I'm almost retired
I only have 3 more working days until I'm retired!! Retirement -- something we all look forward to with great anticipation. But I'm beginning to think retirement is a lot like being an adult -- as kids we all can't wait to grow up because grown ups get to do anything they want and stay up as late as they want and eat chocolate cake whenever they want. But by the time we reach adulthood, we learn about the other side of grown up life, like jobs and taxes and aching knees and responsibilities. So, getting back to retirement, I think I've had this fantasy that when I retire I can do anything I want and stay up as late as I want and eat chocolate cake whenever I want. I'm a bit apprehensive about the stuff I don't know about.
I do know that I plan to do as much traveling as I can possibly afford while I'm still in decent shape. I've already traveled to many places around the world, and may even throw in a few stories from previous trips now and then. But I think this blog will focus on the ups and downs of retired life and the joys and pains of traveling. So stay tuned.
I do know that I plan to do as much traveling as I can possibly afford while I'm still in decent shape. I've already traveled to many places around the world, and may even throw in a few stories from previous trips now and then. But I think this blog will focus on the ups and downs of retired life and the joys and pains of traveling. So stay tuned.
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