You're just a kid! I'm 82, and am feeling more engaged, more active, and enjoying life more than ever. I'm a war correspondent and have had close to 60 articles published on Ukraine after three recent trips there. The interviews for 10 of them were conducted in bomb shelters in cities under active attack.
I was "early retired"at 62 from my job as a corporate executive, but took up business consulting -- which I really enjoyed -- for about seven more years until I decided that if I was going to continue putting my butt in airline seats, I'd rather fly to places that I chose rather than where a client happened to be. Now, at 83, I'm still loving travel and finding myself in better health than when I was working!
Well, I empathize. I'm turning 65 next March. My parents are both dead: my mother in 1996 at 70, my father three years later at 78. So I feel like I'm on the glide slope as well.
After my mother died, I quit my job and spent three years with my father. After he died, I discovered I didn't need to ever work again, and frankly wasn't inclined to. So for the last nearly quarter-century, I've been traveling, reading, and hanging out with my friends. I moved to Florida in 2020, right ahead of the Late Unpleasantness, and now live a simple and uncomplicated life as per above, less the traveling.
I've lost plenty of friends along the way, but many of them went when I was younger, so I had to get used to the idea earlier than most. Of course the age cohort of my parents has entirely vanished, including an aunt who died two years ago at the age of 105 and a half (she was most insistent on the half).
All I know is, I'm happy. I don't miss work even a little bit. But I also have observed that people in academia seem happy and even desirous to--as my mother used to sarcastically say of my father--"die in harness." I don't know a lot of folks in academia, but I've yet to hear of one who is eager to lay down the chalk, so your sentiments seem in line with that, professor Reynolds. And I say, if you're happy staying on as an instructor, have at it.
The one thing you might want to consider, assuming your organization permits, is going part-time: my father accepted an appointment as a "Professor Emeritus In Residence," which was a highfalutin' way of saying "teaches part-time but still retains his tenure, benefits, and other accouterments."
Not sure if your parents are still living but I think when you reach the age where they passed it does give you pause. I am almost 73 and so about halfway between when my mother died at almost 70 and my father at 75. Of course they both grew up in the era before people knew that smoking would kill you, and health technology is a lot better today, as long as you can get access to it, but nothing is promised!
I'm in the same boat as Insty. I feel pretty good, feel and look very much like a later-middle-aged as opposed to "old" or elderly person. Dealing with the sobering realization that my husband and I only have, on average, another twenty active years---if we are lucky. Many of our peers are dealing with significant health issues---in some cases (smokers) it's not surprising, but in others it's out of the blue despite a healthy lifestyle.
I retired at 60, and as it happened it was right before the Covid response broke the world. I haven't found my way back into engaging with the world....yeah it was nice being able to relax and start some new interests but 1) covid crushed the ability to take new directions out of the gate, and 2) after about six months of being able to relax and set my own schedule, I began to feel useless. So I'm guessing that people like Insty would always be more fulfilled if they kept their hand in to some extent. As for me, I'm kinda groping around....I lost my momentum and haven't gotten it back.
Much enjoyed, not at all morbid. Thanks. Why isn’t big Pharmaceutical developing an at home kit to estimate our due date? Some would prefer to not know but many would prefer to be informed. BTW I lived better and did more after 50 than before- I’m looking at 80. Stay healthy, stay happy and keep writing, I’m a fan. Doc
My friend is 98. He asked me what I was doing and he didn't mean my golf score. He never really retired. He flew in WW2, started his own oil business and never stopped. Just like you my friends are dropping. I had one pass from pancreatic cancer. Many with heart attacks. Just had one do open heart surgery.....the line between life and death gets thinner
I'm a very healthy 57 year old woman. 3 months ago i suffered a subarachnoid brain hemorrhage, which i survived and should recover from completely. Drs have no idea why it happened, if it will happen again or when i can begin resuming normal activities. The field of medicine can't do much more about the brain today than they could 1000 years ago, they certainly don't know much. As much as I'd like to say wow I'm so happy to be alive and I'm so grateful, I'm finding that a close brush with the grim reaper has me terrified of... dying. Maybe it's just the trauma of what happened, but i recommend not thinking much about death. It's going to happen, nobody knows when and worrying about it wastes the life you have. Just my 2 cents...
I left the work world at the end of 1995, when "all the jobs are vacant" reorganization struck and. I had saved enough to not need to work. Work had been fun and challenging, but that world was fading fast. We moved from the Great Lakes to the West Coast, and to NW Arizona in 2017.
Over the years I played a lot of golf, bought a place in Alaska for the step son to make and sell chainsaw carvings, ,tool up several wood working hobbies, and caught a lot of fish. Now travel is out as I have macular degeneration and need to avoid driving other than local trips.
Parents and grandparents were mid 80's to mid 90's. I']l be 80 this coming summer. I'm still too young to go to the Senior Center.
A large point: I never retired, I just stopped working. That induces a much different mind set and outlook.
Retired at 68 (physician), now am 75. Have lost a few pounds on power lifts but have much more patience, compassion, generosity and forgiveness, and love mentoring a select group of people--something more satisfying than I could have imagined.
Professor, you're self-aware enough to know when it's time to retire, to take your career, bless it and release it. You'll be making room for new, wonderful things to enter your life.
Enjoyable post. I'll be 65 in March. and retired at 59. Fill my time with volunteer work and helping take care of my mom (87) and in-laws (FIL 96, MIL 92). Spend a lot of time reading and other hobbies. Enjoy your life, blogfather.
I have days when I think as did Paul "to die is gain" and others where I can easily see myself working another 10-15. I'm 68, and while Dad dies at 70, Mother is still kicking at 97 (her dad made 102). I find it does concentrate the mind somewhat and makes me less tolerant of giving @#$%s.
My husband died four weeks ago at 72. He retired at 61 and said he was retired and basically did nothing except watch TV, and I think that affected both his physical and mental health. I feel stronger and better than I did 30 years ago and I hope I can keep going for a long time. I have interests and hobbies and lots of grandchildren.
You're just a kid! I'm 82, and am feeling more engaged, more active, and enjoying life more than ever. I'm a war correspondent and have had close to 60 articles published on Ukraine after three recent trips there. The interviews for 10 of them were conducted in bomb shelters in cities under active attack.
Thanks, Mitzi! But you're a wonder.
Thanks, Kid.
I was "early retired"at 62 from my job as a corporate executive, but took up business consulting -- which I really enjoyed -- for about seven more years until I decided that if I was going to continue putting my butt in airline seats, I'd rather fly to places that I chose rather than where a client happened to be. Now, at 83, I'm still loving travel and finding myself in better health than when I was working!
Well, I empathize. I'm turning 65 next March. My parents are both dead: my mother in 1996 at 70, my father three years later at 78. So I feel like I'm on the glide slope as well.
After my mother died, I quit my job and spent three years with my father. After he died, I discovered I didn't need to ever work again, and frankly wasn't inclined to. So for the last nearly quarter-century, I've been traveling, reading, and hanging out with my friends. I moved to Florida in 2020, right ahead of the Late Unpleasantness, and now live a simple and uncomplicated life as per above, less the traveling.
I've lost plenty of friends along the way, but many of them went when I was younger, so I had to get used to the idea earlier than most. Of course the age cohort of my parents has entirely vanished, including an aunt who died two years ago at the age of 105 and a half (she was most insistent on the half).
All I know is, I'm happy. I don't miss work even a little bit. But I also have observed that people in academia seem happy and even desirous to--as my mother used to sarcastically say of my father--"die in harness." I don't know a lot of folks in academia, but I've yet to hear of one who is eager to lay down the chalk, so your sentiments seem in line with that, professor Reynolds. And I say, if you're happy staying on as an instructor, have at it.
The one thing you might want to consider, assuming your organization permits, is going part-time: my father accepted an appointment as a "Professor Emeritus In Residence," which was a highfalutin' way of saying "teaches part-time but still retains his tenure, benefits, and other accouterments."
Not sure if your parents are still living but I think when you reach the age where they passed it does give you pause. I am almost 73 and so about halfway between when my mother died at almost 70 and my father at 75. Of course they both grew up in the era before people knew that smoking would kill you, and health technology is a lot better today, as long as you can get access to it, but nothing is promised!
I'm in the same boat as Insty. I feel pretty good, feel and look very much like a later-middle-aged as opposed to "old" or elderly person. Dealing with the sobering realization that my husband and I only have, on average, another twenty active years---if we are lucky. Many of our peers are dealing with significant health issues---in some cases (smokers) it's not surprising, but in others it's out of the blue despite a healthy lifestyle.
I retired at 60, and as it happened it was right before the Covid response broke the world. I haven't found my way back into engaging with the world....yeah it was nice being able to relax and start some new interests but 1) covid crushed the ability to take new directions out of the gate, and 2) after about six months of being able to relax and set my own schedule, I began to feel useless. So I'm guessing that people like Insty would always be more fulfilled if they kept their hand in to some extent. As for me, I'm kinda groping around....I lost my momentum and haven't gotten it back.
Much enjoyed, not at all morbid. Thanks. Why isn’t big Pharmaceutical developing an at home kit to estimate our due date? Some would prefer to not know but many would prefer to be informed. BTW I lived better and did more after 50 than before- I’m looking at 80. Stay healthy, stay happy and keep writing, I’m a fan. Doc
My friend is 98. He asked me what I was doing and he didn't mean my golf score. He never really retired. He flew in WW2, started his own oil business and never stopped. Just like you my friends are dropping. I had one pass from pancreatic cancer. Many with heart attacks. Just had one do open heart surgery.....the line between life and death gets thinner
I feel you. BTW, none of the songs on that album are in waltz time.
I'm a very healthy 57 year old woman. 3 months ago i suffered a subarachnoid brain hemorrhage, which i survived and should recover from completely. Drs have no idea why it happened, if it will happen again or when i can begin resuming normal activities. The field of medicine can't do much more about the brain today than they could 1000 years ago, they certainly don't know much. As much as I'd like to say wow I'm so happy to be alive and I'm so grateful, I'm finding that a close brush with the grim reaper has me terrified of... dying. Maybe it's just the trauma of what happened, but i recommend not thinking much about death. It's going to happen, nobody knows when and worrying about it wastes the life you have. Just my 2 cents...
I left the work world at the end of 1995, when "all the jobs are vacant" reorganization struck and. I had saved enough to not need to work. Work had been fun and challenging, but that world was fading fast. We moved from the Great Lakes to the West Coast, and to NW Arizona in 2017.
Over the years I played a lot of golf, bought a place in Alaska for the step son to make and sell chainsaw carvings, ,tool up several wood working hobbies, and caught a lot of fish. Now travel is out as I have macular degeneration and need to avoid driving other than local trips.
Parents and grandparents were mid 80's to mid 90's. I']l be 80 this coming summer. I'm still too young to go to the Senior Center.
A large point: I never retired, I just stopped working. That induces a much different mind set and outlook.
Retired at 68 (physician), now am 75. Have lost a few pounds on power lifts but have much more patience, compassion, generosity and forgiveness, and love mentoring a select group of people--something more satisfying than I could have imagined.
Professor, you're self-aware enough to know when it's time to retire, to take your career, bless it and release it. You'll be making room for new, wonderful things to enter your life.
Enjoyable post. I'll be 65 in March. and retired at 59. Fill my time with volunteer work and helping take care of my mom (87) and in-laws (FIL 96, MIL 92). Spend a lot of time reading and other hobbies. Enjoy your life, blogfather.
"Why isn’t big Pharmaceutical developing an at home kit to estimate our due date?"
Dr. Pineiro, please call your office...
I have days when I think as did Paul "to die is gain" and others where I can easily see myself working another 10-15. I'm 68, and while Dad dies at 70, Mother is still kicking at 97 (her dad made 102). I find it does concentrate the mind somewhat and makes me less tolerant of giving @#$%s.
My husband died four weeks ago at 72. He retired at 61 and said he was retired and basically did nothing except watch TV, and I think that affected both his physical and mental health. I feel stronger and better than I did 30 years ago and I hope I can keep going for a long time. I have interests and hobbies and lots of grandchildren.
Sitting around watching TV will kill you at any age!
Sorry about your loss.
I never thought I'd make it past 40 so the last 24 years are a surprise gift.