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Maybe this is a record of some kind, but I submitted my application for SS & Medicare online on March 15 and got my letter of acceptance on March 27. It only took nine business days for them to process the application. I applied three months prior to my requested start date, thinking it could take at least that long from what I'd been reading lately. I never expected it to go so quickly.
Anyway, I'm staring at this benefit letter in disbelief. This had been 45 years in the making. 45 looong years of working. Working good jobs, bad jobs, utterly disastrous jobs, etc. And now I'm finally seeing it in writing from the US government that I'll be getting this check every month for the rest of my life. It's official - no more working. Ever. This concept blows my mind.
And now on Monday, I will make the call that I've been waiting 15 years to make, to apply for my pension to also begin in three months. The last milestone will be sending my boss that much-anticipated letter of resignation. I've daydreamed for years how I'm going to word that. What I imagine I'll say depends on how my day went and what kind of ridiculous b.s. drama I'd been dealing with from him. I may have been looking forward to sending that email more than any other part of this journey. "Adios amigo, I'm outta here, It's been ...real."
Then, on to retirement. The final frontier. Dunno exactly how that's gonna be, but I'm VERY willing to find out. The times, they are a-changin.
Retirement is wonderful. Aging, not so much, but you take what you can get.
No ridiculous training classes. Wasting time every 2 weeks in an hour-long staff meeting to learn one item that could have been sent by e-mail. No idiotic meetings.
I found out long ago that 2 out of 3 meetings are worthless, and only 30% of the time was productive the one good meeting. So basically, a 90% waste of time.
I don't miss the bureaucracy. I don't miss having a boss constatly over my shoulder.
I got Covid 19, five days after retiring. I was sick 25 days. I can't tell you how NICE it was to be sick for 3 weeks and not have to call in to a boss every day to say "I am sick and can't come in". Not have to hear after a week how I should go and see a doctor, when I knew I would get over it on my own naturally if I just gave it time.
I am over bored in retirement and need to find cheap interests to occupy, so it is not all roses and bon bons, but I kiss the ground every day for my freedom. I am so grateful I can live a good life despite producing NOTHING for society and doing nothing to earn this living.
Thanks, Igor! I'm trying to be realistic and know that retirement will have its own brand of stressors. I am going to have to change how I operate in the world because life as I've always known it, will never be the same. I think I dread boredom the most. But I am very willing to take on that challenge and find constructive new ways to fill my days. Or not! I'll adjust as I go along and as I see fit, not how someone else sees fit. But I know nothing, NOTHING can ever be as stressful as working has been over a lifetime. Mentally, I'd reached the end of my rope and simply can't deal with the insanity of working any longer. Frankly, I'm proud of myself for making it to 65 years, 3 months before pulling the plug; three years ago I didn't think I could make it. I don't rule out some piddly p.t. job in the future IF I feel inclined. And that's a VERY big IF!
Moving to the place I vacationed for years and retiring made me think that retirement should be fun/vacation. I've disabused myself of that and am much more settled in being retired.
Moving to the place I vacationed for years and retiring made me think that retirement should be fun/vacation. I've disabused myself of that and am much more settled in being retired.
Yeah, when I moved to Colorado, I imagined my life would be like a John Denver song, Rocky Mt. High and all that. Well for the first year or two, the place was stunning, living right next to the front range. It was right in front of me on my drive to work every morning and I couldn't believe how lucky I was to see this unbelievable sight to start my day. But the days, weeks, months and years went by and I grew accustomed to that gorgeous view and the beautiful snow became a hassle to drive in on the commute to/from work. I finally decided to move back to Texas where I could afford to buy a house, get a better paying job, and be a Texan again (which I'd missed, believe it or not). So I know that even your dearest dream can "age" and it becomes just another life experience. Where there's a Yin, there will always be a Yang because that's the kind of reality we exist in. But you can't deny that new experiences are the spice of life and I'm always on the hunt for a new adventure. Retirement will be just that - a new adventure and I'm in desperate need of something new right now... and a decent night's sleep.
Congratulations! I have found I’m as busy or busier in retirement than I was when I was teaching. But the difference is I am busy doing things I want to do not have to do. We retired in June. To be honest I didn’t really feel retired until August when everyone returned to school. I wish you the best!
"Congratulations" on winning the tontine.
However, due to the demographics crisis, the number of taxpayers per recipient is below 2. When it drops to less that one taxpayer per recipient, things may get dicey.
Never too late to prepare, as they say.
Congratulations! My last day at work was yesterday so I am in a very similar headspace as you are. Huge accomplishment!
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