Secrets to staying busy in retirement?

[Ron Selzer]

One thing I do enjoy about being older is I can start a conversation with a pretty young women and it is not creepy. We both know I am not trying to put the move on her so we can be honest.
Bill D

Yup, altho having women hold the door open for me has taken some getting used to, been long enough now I don't say anything other than thanks
Ron

[Bill Dufour]

My wife asks for stickers when she goes to the doctor or dentist, gets a flue shot etc. She keeps them in her purse . if she sees a kid being good in a restaurnat etc she gives a sticker to the parents to reward the kid.
Sometimes I will see a mom with a misbehaving kid I will tell her thank you for not giving in. Some day the kid will understand, we hope so at least.
Other times I see a mom dealing well with multiple kids and shopping bags. I will say in passing you are a good mom and doing a good job. Your kids are lucky to have you as their mom. The Mom usually is too busy to acknowledge it until I am long gone. A few times they wave at me in the parking lot.
BillD
Bill DF

[Bryan Hall]

For me, I expect to be working until my hands won’t work anymore. Not full time, and not because I need to, but because I enjoy the experience. I fully expect to be the old man socializing at makers markets with small items I’ve made until I die.

Beyond that, I jokingly consider myself a professional athlete that is sponsored by myself. I work so that I can surf, wingfoil, Kiteboard, snowboard, climb, hike, paddleboard, camp with my dog, play games with my wife. As such, “retirement” just means My sponsorship has been upgraded and my brand requirements have been decreased!

[Frederick Skelly]

My wife asks for stickers when she goes to the doctor or dentist, gets a flue shot etc. She keeps them in her purse . if she sees a kid being good in a restaurnat etc she gives a sticker to the parents to reward the kid.
Sometimes I will see a mom with a misbehaving kid I will tell her thank you for not giving in. Some day the kid will understand, we hope so at least.
Other times I see a mom dealing well with multiple kids and shopping bags. I will say in passing you are a good mom and doing a good job. Your kids are lucky to have you as their mom. The Mom usually is too busy to acknowledge it until I am long gone. A few times they wave at me in the parking lot.
BillD
Bill DF

Great idea Bill! I'll bet it makes a small difference in their day. Love your wife's idea too,

[Frederick Skelly]

For me, I expect to be working until my hands won’t work anymore. Not full time, and not because I need to, but because I enjoy the experience. I fully expect to be the old man socializing at makers markets with small items I’ve made until I die.

Beyond that, I jokingly consider myself a professional athlete that is sponsored by myself. I work so that I can surf, wingfoil, Kiteboard, snowboard, climb, hike, paddleboard, camp with my dog, play games with my wife. As such, “retirement” just means My sponsorship has been upgraded and my brand requirements have been decreased!

Nothin' wrong with that! Sounds like you'll be as busy as you want to be - and I think that's key.

[Myk Rian]

I took up WWing, restoring vintage machines for the shop, astronomy, and for the last few years I've been building some motorized bicycles.

There's always things to do around the house. Walks, bike rides, fishing, range time. The last thing you want to do is sit around waiting to die.

[Derek Meyer]

I bowl in leagues, have for 30 years, and plan to keep bowling in leagues as long as I can. It's a great way to interact and socialize with a diverse group of people of all ages and walks of life. Plus it gets you a bit of exercise, and gives you something to focus on and try to improve on, if you are willing to put in the work.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Medi care has the free silver sneakers program that gives you a free gym membership. Seems like a good thing to try even if just to walk inside the gym on bad weather days. Also a good chance to socialize with younger folks. It is free so you do not have to go everyday to get your money's worth.
I would think you could join a nation wide gym so you can go in when visiting family in another town. Or take a swim in a heated pool after a long drive to get somewhere scenic.
Bill D.
Maybe in three years.

Medicare doesn't provide Silver Sneakers - SS is part of your Advantage Plan or your supplement plan.

You have to check carefully about the Silver Sneakers coverage.
Some (United Healthcare/AARP) dropped Silver Sneakers a few years ago. They really were dirty about it also.
They didn't tell anyone during the enrolment period it was going to be dropped starting in Jan. and a lot of people found out too late they no longer had a SS account.

They have their own version that may or may not be honored by gyms/pools in your area.

[Jim Becker]

Well, I found something to help with the occasional "busy" requirement...joined the Borough Planning Commission. . A neighbor is an elected Borough Council member and has been involved in the Planning Commission for many years now. She apparently "hand picked" me, twisted my arm to observe a meeting and, well...it seems interesting.

[Stan Calow]

One thing I do enjoy about being older is I can start a conversation with a pretty young women and it is not creepy. We both know I am not trying to put the move on her so we can be honest. . .

According to the waitresses I flirt with, they do think its creepy, they just recognize that I'm harmless.🙁

[John K Jordan]

On NPR I listened to an interviewer of an author (Steve Lopez) who wrote a book on the subject of retiring. Quite enlightening about why some people are happy in retirement and some are not.

Independence Day: What I Learned About Retirement from Some Who’ve Done It and Some Who Never Will

The book: https://www.amazon.com/Independence-.../dp/B09N8RVS42

The interview transcript: https://www.npr.org/2022/11/22/11385...out-whats-next

JKJ

[Jim Becker]

Best advice I can offer to anyone facing retirement...it's not "the end"...it's "the beginning". Treat it accordingly.

[roger wiegand]

Well, I found something to help with the occasional "busy" requirement...joined the Borough Planning Commission. . A neighbor is an elected Borough Council member and has been involved in the Planning Commission for many years now. She apparently "hand picked" me, twisted my arm to observe a meeting and, well...it seems interesting.

At least in our town that's about as thankless a task as one could get, right up there with school committee. Bless you!

[Jim Becker]

At least in our town that's about as thankless a task as one could get, right up there with school committee. Bless you!

The pay is high (zero) but it's at least interesting to me. There is one fellow on the commision that I do feel is going to be, um...interesting...to work with. While most members are pretty middle of the road, this particular guy swings one way "really far", without getting into details since we don't discuss politics here at SMC. I'll see what it's really going to be like in January when the next topic is to review the transportation section of the ten year plan to see how it's tracking with reality. Which reminds me...I probably should start reading it. LOL

[Jim Koepke]

My dad used to volunteer at his town's visitor center when he lived on the Olympic Peninsula many years ago. He learned a lot from others about businesses all over the Peninsula and knew a few places for me to take Candy hunting for antiques & rust.

jtk