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So I took a week off for a "trial retirement"

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maroon barchetta
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In reply to CharleyKerfeld • 8:02p, 7/1/26
CharleyKerfeld said:
fc2112 said:
I was going stir crazy by Thursday/Friday. I can only read so much and watch so much TV.

Good news was the house was sparkling, the yard perfect and my wife enjoyed home cooked meals for lunch and dinner every day. She liked that - ALOT.

But man - I have got to find more to do outside the house to make this work. Less than a year to go before i pull this trigger. I know I could do more at church related stuff. Also thought about volunteering at local animal shelters to play with the dogs.

My dad retired at 50. He was a huge grouch for the next year or so because he was bored out of his mind. He started volunteering at Houston's medical center in the cancer center and is about to hit 30 years of volunteering. He got to know former UH coach Bill Yeoman and his wife very well because Yeoman was there a lot at the end of his life.

If you're a people person, volunteering at a place like this can be a huge dividend for your life and all the people that are there for the worst, scariest reasons.


I've considered this.
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Duckhook
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8:24p, 7/1/26
AG
I'm 3 months into my retirement.

I've always played a lot of golf, even when working. So I'm just playing more during the weekdays than I used to. Not an every day golfer though. That sounds like a job to me. But I have a couple of groups that do play every day so I always have somebody to play with.

Aside from golf, I'm still figuring out what else I might want to do. I kinda like doing the grocery shopping during the week. My wife has a booth in a boutique that I've helped her with some. Got some pressure washing I need to do, but waiting for cooler weather for that. Still serving on the board of a large non-profit EMS system. One of my retired buddies drives a golf cart shuttle at the hospital one afternoon a week and he's trying to get me to do it too. I've taken a few golf trips already and my wife and I have 3 other trips lined up. I like taking trips Monday - Friday.

Watched my dad not do anything in his retirement but sit on the couch and promised myself I wasn't going to do that. He was pretty much asked to retire at the age of 77. He told me "I planned everything else in my life but retirement".

I'm really not worried about how I'm going to fill the rest of my retirement days. If I get bored I'll find something to do.
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infinity ag
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In reply to fc2112 • 8:56p, 7/1/26
fc2112 said:
I was going stir crazy by Thursday/Friday. I can only read so much and watch so much TV.

Good news was the house was sparkling, the yard perfect and my wife enjoyed home cooked meals for lunch and dinner every day. She liked that - ALOT.

But man - I have got to find more to do outside the house to make this work. Less than a year to go before i pull this trigger. I know I could do more at church related stuff. Also thought about volunteering at local animal shelters to play with the dogs.


Take it easy. It is a phase. You will go through this and eventually figure out how to occupy your time.
Beats waking up, work meetings, deadlines, coworker bs, menopausal boss (both male and female)
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infinity ag
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In reply to NoahAg • 8:58p, 7/1/26
NoahAg said:
I'm 46 and have plenty of hobbies/interests to keep me busy for a lifetime if I retired today. I'll never understand people whose whole identity is wrapped up in their career and don't know what to do in retirement.


My thoughts exactly.

Those people have a very sad life.
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chiken
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11:18p, 7/1/26
AG
Any rich retirees wanna take me in as their wife so I can stop working? Im a gently used 46 year old. No debt. No kids. Tons of hobbies. Will pur out daily.
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Serious Lee
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In reply to chiken • 12:52a, 7/2/26
can you still type with oven mitts on?
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YellAgs
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In reply to chiken • 6:05a, 7/2/26
AG
chiken said:
Any rich retirees wanna take me in as their wife so I can stop working? Im a gently used 46 year old. No debt. No kids. Tons of hobbies. Will pur out daily.
a chicken purs daily? Wrong animal?
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fc2112
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In reply to chiken • 8:01a, 7/2/26
chiken said:
Any rich retirees wanna take me in as their wife so I can stop working? Im a gently used 46 year old. No debt. No kids. Tons of hobbies. Will pur out daily.

64/2 + 7 = 39

checks
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Schall 02
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In reply to fc2112 • 9:14a, 7/2/26
AG
fc2112 said:
That actually sounds pretty cool. I'm guessing real trials are a bit more mundane than the TV shows portray them, though.

100%
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EclipseAg
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In reply to NoahAg • 9:15a, 7/2/26
AG
NoahAg said:
I'm 46 and have plenty of hobbies/interests to keep me busy for a lifetime if I retired today. I'll never understand people whose whole identity is wrapped up in their career and don't know what to do in retirement.

When I was in my 30s, the company I worked for was acquired and all the rich senior leaders -- all in their 50s and 60s -- immediately went to work with other companies.

I could never understand why they didn't just take their payouts and relax. But I guess you don't get to be a CEO or SVP with that mentality.
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Tarponfly
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10:53a, 7/2/26
AG
I cannot imagine being bored in retirement. Between planning fishing and hunting trips, caping trips with the grandkids, small vacations with the spouse, etc., I always have projects on the ranch to keep me more than busy.

I would not last a week if I were required to sit home and read a book or watch TV.
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stonksock
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In reply to EclipseAg • 11:27a, 7/2/26
EclipseAg said:
NoahAg said:
I'm 46 and have plenty of hobbies/interests to keep me busy for a lifetime if I retired today. I'll never understand people whose whole identity is wrapped up in their career and don't know what to do in retirement.

When I was in my 30s, the company I worked for was acquired and all the rich senior leaders -- all in their 50s and 60s -- immediately went to work with other companies.

I could never understand why they didn't just take their payouts and relax. But I guess you don't get to be a CEO or SVP with that mentality.

For a lot of them its a combination of lifestyle creep and competition with other executives. The offices in the C-suites are pretty nice and you have other perks like corporate cards for lunches and vehicle allowances, plus you get to call the shots and people actually listen to you. If I had a job like that I doubt I would have retired.
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fc2112
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11:31a, 7/2/26
As a follow up - two of my former big bosses are back at work on a contract basis. No way in hell they needed the money - they both probably were bored.
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IIIHorn
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In reply to fc2112 • 1:08p, 7/2/26
fc2112 said:
As a follow up - two of my former big bosses are back at work on a contract basis. No way in hell they needed the money - they both probably were bored.

Firestone employees retire every day.
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jja79
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In reply to Enrico Pallazzo • 1:28p, 7/2/26
AG
I'm 69. I play golf 4 days a week with a group from my age up to 80 so I'm going to disagree the 70's are brutal
.
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Enrico Pallazzo
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In reply to jja79 • 1:33p, 7/2/26
jja79 said:
I'm 69. I play golf 4 days a week with a group from my age up to 80 so I'm going to disagree the 70's are brutal
.


The vast majority of people do not leave their 70s near the condition they entered them. Whether it is illness, injury, stamina, etc, it is a significant decline for the vast majority. That's just a fact. For a man that makes it to 68-70, the average age of death is 83-84, and for most, a physical decline that greatly limits their activity starts long before that. The point is not that the entire 70s will suck, but that someone waiting until their late 60s or 70 to retire is most likely looking at a short active window because that health cliff is usually looming. A window that will fly by. At my club, quite a few guys in their 70s still playing, albeit skews much more to the early 70s. The 80+ are very very few. Few as in one that I can think of.
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jja79
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In reply to Enrico Pallazzo • 2:12p, 7/2/26
AG
How old are you?
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Enrico Pallazzo
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2:28p, 7/2/26
52, planning to retire 55-56. I've just seen what the 70s does to folks over and over, from relatives, friends, members at my golf club. My parents were a prime example. Probably top 1% of being active at age 70 (cyclists, hiking Colorado peaks). At 75 mom was dead and by 77 my dad could no longer safely get on a bike (basically a shut-in by 77-78 and died a few days after turning 83). That's one anecdote, but again, I have seen this story so often. My in-laws are mid 70s and have been big-time global travelers, but that is dropping way off now
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Enrico Pallazzo
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2:37p, 7/2/26
Which my parents retired around 62 and my in-laws right at 60, so they both got to enjoy a good window of those activities and I am very thankful for that. I partly just think what a shame it would have been if they had not; they enjoyed that stretch so much. I also have a close friend/mentor that retired 8 years ago at 55. Neither one of us can believe how fast 8 years flashed by.
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jja79
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In reply to Enrico Pallazzo • 2:44p, 7/2/26
AG
I retired at 67. I had a 20 year old I was just getting off my payroll. My experience living in a retirement community with several thousand people mostly in their 70's is different than yours.
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B-1 83
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3:06p, 7/2/26
AG
Been retired for almost 10 years. I have zero issues staying busy.
Being in TexAgs jail changes a man……..no, not really
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Enrico Pallazzo
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In reply to jja79 • 3:31p, 7/2/26
Yes, as I mentioned in my initial post, oftentimes financial necessity drives it and it is what it is. But regardless of our separate anecdotal experiences, the demographic math tells us that on average a male that makes it to age 70 dies at 83. And as we all know, for the vast majority there is a physical decline that starts well before that. Most of us spend our 70s headed for the exit ramp. Most don't bob along in the same exact condition they were at 70 for 13 years and then drop dead. Hence why I think folks considering retirement decisions should account for a strong likelihood of an activity cliff at some point in the 70s, particularly those looking to enjoy big travel or physically active hobbies in their retirement years. Or sometimes that dream doesn't happen or happens for a shorter window that flies by.
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maroon barchetta
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In reply to IIIHorn • 3:46p, 7/2/26
IIIHorn said:
fc2112 said:
As a follow up - two of my former big bosses are back at work on a contract basis. No way in hell they needed the money - they both probably were bored.

Firestone employees retire every day.


ttt for ArkyAggie
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Burdizzo
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In reply to jja79 • 3:46p, 7/2/26
AG
jja79 said:
I retired at 67. I had a 20 year old I was just getting off my payroll. My experience living in a retirement community with several thousand people mostly in their 70's is different than yours.


Congrats on the sex in your late 40s
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fc2112
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3:52p, 7/2/26
There is no doubt the biggest decline is seen in the 70's. I still run two half marathons a year at 64, but I've seen my times falling back. And in races around here, any runners at all over 70 are a rarity. There might be one or two, but that's it.
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He Who Shall Be Unnamed
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In reply to YellAgs • 4:05p, 7/2/26
YellAgs said:
chiken said:
Any rich retirees wanna take me in as their wife so I can stop working? Im a gently used 46 year old. No debt. No kids. Tons of hobbies. Will pur out daily.

a chicken purs daily? Wrong animal?

Maybe Chiken is a furry!
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IIIHorn
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In reply to fc2112 • 4:35p, 7/2/26
fc2112 said:
There is no doubt the biggest decline is seen in the 70's. I still run two half marathons a year at 64, but I've seen my times falling back. And in races around here, any runners at all over 70 are a rarity. There might be one or two, but that's it.


You don't have a car?
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Claude!
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In reply to Enrico Pallazzo • 5:00p, 7/2/26
Hey! It's Enrico Pallazzo!
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hillcountryag86
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In reply to Serious Lee • 5:09p, 7/2/26
AG
Serious Lee said:
Enrico Pallazzo said:
It's a good plan, but waiting until one's late 60s to do it leaves a pretty small window to enjoy the fun while you have good mobility and health. The 70s are brutal on folks. Now sometimes that is simply financial necessity and it is what it is. But I never understand it when someone doesn't retire just because they basically just need something to kill time.

for some people (mostly boomers who grew up in an agrarian lifestyle), work is all they've ever known how to do.


Glad you said this. I didn't know how without coming across as some kimd of bragging.

I've worked since I was 10 years old. Am 63, own 3 retail businesses and have a herd of bison. I am at the stores 6 days a week.

It's all I know and have known my entire life.

I seriously do not remember taking a family vacation growing up. At all. Closest was when we lived in Hawaii and we did stuff on weekends and showed friends and relatives the island when they visited.

Dad lost that job and we quickly moved to Texas where parents bought a business. I was going into third grade. That's when they worked 7 days a week and my older sisters and I just don't remember ever getting away as my parents kept the business afloat.

So I don't know anything else. Both parents died at this business. And I worry about the same. At my age, I have friends getting sick. Some dying. I worry about that.

It's a mental block. Being able to let go and retire.

It's more difficult than some think.
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maroon barchetta
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In reply to Claude! • 5:16p, 7/2/26
Claude! said:
Hey! It's Enrico Pallazzo!


"Bunch of bombs in the air!"
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jetch17
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5:21p, 7/2/26
AG
Figured OP would just spend retirement going to sh*tty band competitions
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one safe place
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In reply to EclipseAg • 5:44p, 7/2/26
EclipseAg said:
NoahAg said:
I'm 46 and have plenty of hobbies/interests to keep me busy for a lifetime if I retired today. I'll never understand people whose whole identity is wrapped up in their career and don't know what to do in retirement.

When I was in my 30s, the company I worked for was acquired and all the rich senior leaders -- all in their 50s and 60s -- immediately went to work with other companies.

I could never understand why they didn't just take their payouts and relax. But I guess you don't get to be a CEO or SVP with that mentality.

Back when I was still working, I had many dozens of clients who were multimillionaires. This one guy was one year older than me, we went to high school together. He had five ranches by the time we were in our 50s. He decided to develop a few subdivisions and did well on those. On three or four occasions, he ventured into something brand new and he made money, often lots of money, in all but one thing, but only lost $80,000 or so on it.

I had a gal that had worked for me for over 30 years and the last two or three times this guy tried another venture, I would comment to her that at what point is enough, enough. Why spend the time and capital on something new when already worth tens of millions of dollars. Then I would catch myself and answer my own question: he has what he has because that is his nature, to take risks, make educated guesses, and to make things work. Me, I have what I have, because I don't have the same traits he does!
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Enrico Pallazzo
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In reply to fc2112 • 5:50p, 7/2/26
fc2112 said:
There is no doubt the biggest decline is seen in the 70's. I still run two half marathons a year at 64, but I've seen my times falling back. And in races around here, any runners at all over 70 are a rarity. There might be one or two, but that's it.


Wasn't expecting "hey, most people tend to decline a lot in their 70s, leave time to do the things you want while you are healthy" to be controversial lol.
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Langley
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6:24p, 7/2/26
Try golfing.

Surely it won't piss you off
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Serious Lee
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In reply to Enrico Pallazzo • 7:34p, 7/2/26
Enrico Pallazzo said:
Wasn't expecting "hey, most people tend to decline a lot in their 70s, leave time to do the things you want while you are healthy" to be controversial lol.

well the pushback seems to be from someone who is counting their chickens a little too early. Hope he can stay healthy to still do the things he wants. Im in my early 40s and had to officially retire from jogging this week cause my body is failing me.
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