19 working days left - whoo hoo!
Printable View
19 working days left - whoo hoo!
Watch what you wish for....... I've had a month now.......
Up on the farm it's fine, plenty of things to do and we are working on an Easter big auction....
But here in town, 40 years of activity, working around the globe, starting work around 7.00 each morning with a structured day makes a day with little to do difficult.
I still wake before 6.00
I still get up before 7.00 and check the internet.
I read
Around midday I have lunch.
Then an afternoon nap
Then some exercise
At 5.00 I shop for dinner
At 7.00 I have a beer and then a few more
At 9.00 bed.
In Sydney I feel like I'm practicing to be 90. On the farm, I'm 40 again
So.....
Be careful, I hope you have plenty to do.
Greg
Cheers Greg,
Just got a 8 week old Border Collie pup, already have 15 month BC, so I'll be getting up at the same time I do now (5:45am) at least in spring/summer and autumn to walk the dog(s). Why so early, well beat the heat and on some days to beat the workday traffic to get the dawg beach - have to cross the city to get to dog beach (23 minutes versus an hour at peak traffic time). Plus we take the big one to agility and sheep herding and will need to start the other through the same.
SWMBO has a a TODO list for me that has about 30 items on it.
Also have woodie friends that live on a 300 acre farm about 400 kms down south. The have two houses plus a dormitory type shed that sleeps 10 - can stay indefinitely there.
The farm has an unending supply of logs for timber milling, we're about to set up a complete woodwork workshop for them (DC, BS, TS, Thicknesser and Planer etc).
At home I have my own newly set up workshop with wood and metal working areas.
At a treeloppers yard about 30 minutes from home I have about 100 milled logs to play with - also setting up timber processing area there.
I am going to retain some professional international commitments which provides me with international travel to interesting places (This year am going to at least Germany and Turkey)
But honestly I can't wait to have some lazy days; take dogs to beach and have breakfast down there, lazy mornings reading, and afternoon naps!
Also planning to take some WW classes and do some part time teaching next year.
Currently SWMBO also wants to plan some travel whereas I want to play shed.
Ithink I have it covered?
Cheers
BobL
Retirement - the best career move I ever made!
The only difference between early rising when you're working and after you've retired is that it's easier to do when you don't have to.
Enjoy yourself!
Cheers AlexS,Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexS
I've just 8 weeks of holidays so it was sort of like a practice run - although I was crook for about half the time which was a bit frustrating - I came through it very easily and had a very relaxing time - most relaxed I have been in decades.
15 working days to go.
This morning my line manager said he does not want me to initiate or do anything at work that my replacements should be doing and to just watch out they do it right. This has left me twiddling my thumbs a bit but I don't mind doing this for the next few weeks.
I started cleaning up my office last december and have got rid of about 2 wheelie bins of paper.
I'm organizing to give all of my old editions of textbooks to Rotary who send them to third world countries.
SO far have five boxes of book to donate and two other staff have given me a box each as well.
Kinda weird being asked to comment on stuff that won't affect me at all.
The best thing is being able to delete all the corporate email and sever connections with all the folk and units that have given me the whoops over the years.
The problem with retirement is that all the days seem the same, and there are no public holidays :rolleyes: Our life was previously determined by the 5 working day, 2 day weekend cycle and sometimes the long weekend if there was a public holiday. Wednesday was the middle of the week, on the winding down slope to the weekend.
I still get caught on "what day is it?" Often I don't just know - there is no reference point.
Sounds like you have a good plan for being active - that is the secret to a happy retirement. I hope it works out for you.
Retirement - the best career move I ever made.:2tsup:
BobL - go for it!
True there are no public holidays, but you can do what you like, when you like and how you like and as a bonus - if you don't feel like then there is always tomorrow.
Tell 'em you'll work 3 days when it suits - yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Like most you'll probably have a great list of things you want to get done - could I suggest that you "hasten slowly" now there is no pressure to get it done before you have to go back to work - enjoy it.
Since I retired - I don't really know how I actually had time to go to work :D.
Not in my job, up until the last few years I worked on the majority of public holidays and even some days when I was supposed to be on holiday. I also only took about 80% of my allocated holidays so I have a nice little payout coming to me when I finally leave. It would be tempting to blow some of that on a few toys but SWMBO needs a car so it will be going towards thatQuote:
Originally Posted by Dengue
That's exactly the situation I want to find myself inQuote:
I still get caught on "what day is it?" Often I don't just know - there is no reference point.
ThanksQuote:
Sounds like you have a good plan for being active - that is the secret to a happy retirement. I hope it works out for you.
Meeting of an historical group of which I am chairman this morning, watching cricket this afternoon. Hopefully some time in the shed tomorrow if nothing else comes up then off to a concert at the Zoo tomorrow evening.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob38S
Two meetings and a funeral next week.
Life gets tedious.:D:D
Do you really care...there's always tomorrow...if not then then the next day....Quote:
Originally Posted by Dengue
Got a few years to go..but the way things are it might be tomorrow or the next....
Here's to retirement :2tsup:
Hopefully not to many funerals.Quote:
Originally Posted by Chesand
I check the local paper each day to see if my name is in the death notices
I hope so too. This one is an aunt aged 91 - the second last on my fathers side. The passing of that generation certainly marks the end of an era never to be seen again.Quote:
Originally Posted by Handyjack
As my son remarks "they just don't make them like that anymore".
As a line manager for ~65 people for nearly 10 years I found myself attending quite a few funerals, mainly for former and retired staff. One former staff member retired when he was 67 and had only been retired for 5 months when he became very ill and passed away a few months later - this was one of the things that got me thinking about retiring early. Of course one could always be run over by a truck this afternoon.
I spent a while yesterday afternoon discussing my wrap up at work with my line manager ie retirement party. The plan is to have 2 official retirement parties - a personal one for a small select group of people, and a larger gathering for the whole department plus people from outside the department, could be something like maybe 100 people :oo:. The later will include some hangers on and suits, which I am not really that enthusiastic about, but I will be gracious about it and use that opportunity to publicly thank a bunch of people that have helped me over the years.
I will also be holding a private party with a few friends down by the Swan river with a few beers.
The good news is the boss has agreed to give me a 3 year "Adjunct" position in the Department. This is a no obligation, no specific workload, unpaid position on staff. The advantage for the Department is that I agree to provide ongoing advice, or if I undertake any research I acknowledge the Department. In return I get official access to all staff facilities in the Department like email, library, labs and even workshops etc and I am legally covered for academic activities just like other staff. It does not prevent me from doing other part time paid work for the department which I may think about doing in the future.
All the best in your forthcoming retirement Bob.Having more time to engage in the pursuits of your at home activities is undoubtedly a plus with retirement.:2tsup:
Having the new pup in your household will be a source of delight for you as will the challenges of the training involved with the older dog.
Best Regards.
Cheers:)
Thanks John, the new pup is indeed a source of much amusement. New and older pups are constantly play tug-o-war, chasey, and what I call Pirate (lots of wrestling, biting and arrgh - arrgh - arrgh) a fair bit, which is good as this means they wear each other out and don't bug us anywhere near as much as when there is just one dog.Quote:
Originally Posted by John Saxton
11 working days to go!
Although I still have ongoing paperwork to do, today was very quiet in terms of enquiries etc so I spent a hour or so in the workshop doing a bit of ally turning and then most of lunch dumpster diving as there are some major rennos going on in our building - see also here.
https://www.woodworkforums.com/attach...d=254156&stc=1
One thing I realize I will miss are the work dumpsters although I have my moles well installed and a standing arrangement whereby I will drop everything and come out with my van to pick up as required. The deal is we share stuff and I deliver as required.
Only just spotted this thread....
I have 6 working days left myself.... beating you to it maybe? Last day 22/2/2013.
Yippee!
Hmmm, are you sure about that Bob? I seem to remember reading often enough "....so I knocked it up at work.....". Some pretty nice (and no doubt vastly underused) machines tend to hang around Unis. Just duck over to Engineering, and call in a favour. Or of course take a 6pack with you. As I understand it, that is the currency of favour amongst Es, or is that just when they are students?Quote:
Originally Posted by BobL
Cheers
Brett
Excellent but as I'm 3 years younger than you, maybe that kinda puts me in front? :DQuote:
Originally Posted by jhovel
What are your plans - other than play in your shed?
I wish I could even look into our unis very fancy engineering workshops with their CNCs etc. If I want anything done by them they charge full commercial rates. Our very small (by Oz uni standards) science workshop consists mainly of 1960s era machinery and is run by a very talented techo. While the techo says he is happy to do stuff for me I always do it myself with his advice thrown in from time to time. The facilities are allowed to be used for private work by staff but there are rules of engagement like; competent with the use of the machinery, follow OHS rules, unless something is in the scarp bin provide your own materials, leave the workshop and machine at least as clean as when was found - preferably cleaner. Over the years I have also contributed to the general maintenance of the facility in my own time, e.g. fixed the headstock on the big lathe, cleaned out the coolant sumps on the big lathe, mill and hack saw - not the most attractive job. Most of the materials (eg 6 and 8 m long lengths of steel and ally) I have brought in for use I have left the remainders of behind. As well as providing a useful source of materials for the techo to do other jobs with, the bonus for me is I don't need to find a place to store it at home. If someone uses it all up then that is the cost of accessing the facility. The nice thing is that even though I am retiring I will not lose workshop access provided it is for private use - if I want to do commercial work I will have to pay for access.Quote:
Originally Posted by FenceFurniture
Quote:
. . . . the boss has agreed to give me a 3 year "Adjunct" position in the Department. This is a no obligation, no specific workload, unpaid position on staff. The advantage for the Department is that I agree to provide ongoing advice, or if I undertake any research I acknowledge the Department. In return I get official access to all staff facilities in the Department like email, library, labs and even the workshops etc and I am legally covered for academic activities just like other staff. It also does not prevent me from doing other part-time paid work for the department which I may think about doing in the future.
,
:2tsup: Pretty set then.
Good luck Bob.
....
I used to teach stuff on the meaning of work and I think it's transferable to retirement. Look for:
* time structuring
* social relationships
* social status
* a sense of purpose/being able to contribute
People's needs in these respects vary of course so it's just a check-list.
What is striking is the number of guys who've worked hard over a lifetime who cark it within several years of retiring (and not due to pre-existing conditions).
All good points you mention. My worst failing is probably the social stuff as I tend to be a bit of recluse.Quote:
Originally Posted by rsser
Currently I'm racking up things to do that already indicates I will need more than one retirement to handle it.
About half of these will get me out of the shed (BHAWHA ..... :bigcry:) but I know they are good for me.
My PhD supervisor was one. Retired in August and passed away the following March.Quote:
What is striking is the number of guys who've worked hard over a lifetime who cark it within several years of retiring (and not due to pre-existing conditions).
Best of luck to you Bob.
Do you have a list of projects to tackle or is it going to be a case of whatever looks interesting on the day?
I didn't retire so much as relocate to somewhere there's no work for me. It amounts to pretty much the same thing but requires less planning :)
Cheers.Quote:
Originally Posted by snowyskiesau
My list of to do projects includes - in no particular order
Woodwork:
New WW Bench
Picture frames
Coffee tables
Book cases
Dining Table
Double bed
Machinery/Tools
Belt sander
Another grinder stand
Woodworking Planes
Install VSDs on a few more machines
Attend some Blacksmithing courses - well you know what happens after that :2tsup:
Home Maintenance
Theres heaps of these but the two biggies are
Painting of external gables, family room
Renovate Kitchen
Milling Yard
Mill more logs
Set up timber processing facility, docking saw, rip saw and stroke sander
Set up some slab racks
Plus I still have some professional commitments through to 2015 and my interest in Dust research I would like to keep going.
Bob
I make a list of all the jobs that need doing then if the job at the top of the list is not done in 3 months it goes down to the bottom.
It works well.:D:D
I walked away from my Biology/Wood Science Prof job after 31 years.
I don't miss it one dang bit. I did enough of that. Was a very, very good job.
The irony is that I don't do 20% of the things on my preretirement list. Oh well.
So, I tossed a lot in the tip.
Instead, I came to realize that for the very first time in my life, nobody was yanking on my chain to do anything. For the first time in my life, I am in charge. There's a BS rumor that retired people have all the time in the world to do stuff for you because they have nothing to do. Sadly there are a few like that. Me? Im so busy, I don't know how I ever found the time to work.
Of course, there's the day-to-day living rubbish that spoils everyone's fun.
Today was a perfect example. Several wood carvings, staring at me from the bench. I was so dang busy doing house-crap that here it's supper time again.
To all of you about to walk off down the track, I'll meet you somewhere along the way. Good luck to you all.
So Bob where are you going to find the time to go out meteorite hunting?
Thats a couple of weeks in a year I'm sure I can squeeze that in somewhere.Quote:
Originally Posted by rod1949
Hi Bob,
I retired in 1994 after trade teaching for 25 years. I panicked, I had killed the golden goose and lost my "power" base. Took a while to settle, until my health started to settle down.
Now, and for the past 12 or so years, the alarm goes off at 7.00am, it is ignored. Breakfast about 8.00am, smoko at 10.00am, lunch at 12 noon, smoko at 3.00pm, "work" ceases at 5.00pm. Then it is a two km walk up a hill, a ginger beer and dinner about 6.00pm. In between compulsory tea breaks, there is shed time, grass cutting, shed time, some house repairs, shed time, some vegie gardening, shed time, and so it goes on.
We have done four overseas trips, "done" the Indian Pacific, spent time in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. Darwin is next. Later this year a trip to the west coast of USA and Canada could happen.
Woodturning has opened new doors and I have met some wonderful people because of it.
Amongst all this we now have three grand kids from 17 to 11 months to spoil. :2tsup:
Where was I? Oh yes, retirement is bludy good, but there must be some structure to give it meaning.
I am sure you will settle into a routine, and I hope you thoroughly enjoy you new career.
Jim
Hi Jim,
Thanks for your insights they do sound terrific.
Well, I can't wait to completely lose my power base, I've had it up to dolly's wax with being the one calling the shots and am well and truly over it. Maybe I will miss it when it finally disappears but I didn't miss it at all while I was on extended leave in Dec and Jan. It's not like I will be completely away from the workplace either as I will have access to most of the good things but not have to worry about all the compliance, deadlines, HR issues, budgets, quotas, appeals, yadda yadda.Quote:
Originally Posted by powderpost
Sounds good enough for me.Quote:
Now, and for the past 12 or so years, the alarm goes off at 7.00am, it is ignored. Breakfast about 8.00am, smoko at 10.00am, lunch at 12 noon, smoko at 3.00pm, "work" ceases at 5.00pm. Then it is a two km walk up a hill, a ginger beer and dinner about 6.00pm. In between compulsory tea breaks, there is shed time, grass cutting, shed time, some house repairs, shed time, some vegie gardening, shed time, and so it goes on.
That sounds pretty good. I'm done with overseas travelling because I have done so much of it at work and still have 4 more confirmed trips to undertake as part of my professional interest which I am maintaining,. Of course there are a many places I have never been but I currently see travel as time away from the shed so I will keep that to a minimum for a while . One thing we plan on doing when SWMBO pulls up stumps in a year or 2 is seeing more of Australia - I have never been north of Kalbari in WA, Only see tiny bits of QLD and NSW and really would like to spend a bit of time in Tassie again.Quote:
We have done four overseas trips, "done" the Indian Pacific, spent time in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. Darwin is next. Later this year a trip to the west coast of USA and Canada could happen.
Yeah, freedom to travel is a big plus for me though I keep on with some part-time teaching. I like the contact with the kids (well, first years) - they're bright and good hearted and keep me on my toes.
We've done a few outback trips now and the experience has been great. And this winter for the 3rd time I'll rent a bungalow at the foot of the Vic alps and do day and overnight cross-country skiing. Best recipe I know to keep muscles and joints working.
You look at all the studies and the motto 'exercise is medicine' is dead right. Or should that be 'live' right.
I hope I am not labouring this too much?
It's now down to 5 working days.
My office is looking very bare.
All my text and reference books are gone - I took < 1/4 of them home and gave some to other staff.
The rest went into a general collection of old textbooks from around the Department.
I ended up collecting 30 boxes of text books which I delivered to a local member of Rotary that ships them to Africa.
The filing cabinets are empty.
There's just an old geiger counter, a few nicknacks, my CD/DVDs backup, and my computer and peripherals remaining.
The Department is hosting a small lunch for me on Tuesday and a bigger wind up on the day after my last day which is next thursday.
I can hear the fat lady warming up in the distance.
These processes and rituals of ending are important in my book.
I wish I had somewhere to donate my eclectic collection of scholarly works; not ready to let them go without a worthwhile destination and given my patches that's not easy to find.
But I have just emptied for paper recyling my home filing cabinet of article photocopies, saving only a few that continue to speak to me and of which I might want to be reminded when the grey matter goes greyer.
...
Bob, you sound like you're getting a good farewell. It's a great thing when the fat lady performs and it feels right.
Cheers Ern, I do feel a bit on the outer over this. The rest of my workmates are super busy getting ready for the start of semester, my out of work mates are not retiring for a few years and I don't really want to gloat it over them that I'm leaving earlier than them so these forums and my other woodie connections are about the only places I feel some empathy.Quote:
Originally Posted by rsser
Apart from 4 boxes of books, the amount of paper I am bringing home fits in one slimline box file as I have been operating electronically for nearly 20 years.Quote:
I wish I had somewhere to donate my eclectic collection of scholarly works; not ready to let them go without a worthwhile destination and given my patches that's not easy to find.
But I have just emptied for paper recyling my home filing cabinet of article photocopies, saving only a few that continue to speak to me and of which I might want to be reminded when the grey matter goes greyer.
Yeah the people at work that count are being real nice to me and it feels about right.Quote:
Bob, you sound like you're getting a good farewell. It's a great thing when the fat lady performs and it feels right.
Yeah Bob. You are stepping out of the big stream.
Preparing for the future is what you've been doing and that's important (and you are now free to write your own role on the stage and that prospect can be daunting).
My two bob's worth (OK one Bob!) is that we leave work with a lot of experience and nous and it's also important to do something that captures that in some way, any way, just for yourself first off.
Does that make sense?
Post retirement benefit No.1
After years and years of leaving home at around 6.30..... I now get to sleep in with my wife and am enjoying the benefits.
So much for years of being an early bird......
Greg