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When people learn that I will soon no longer be working full time (I can't quite yet use the word retirement) they almost always ask what my plans are. Plans? Yes, it seems like I am expected to have a plan for the additional free time I will soon have, but the truth is that I don't and this seems to disappoint people. I think I'll just start saying that I am going to write a book.
I'm pretty sure that I don't actually have a book in me, but it seems like the perfect answer. If I said I was going to become something like a gardener or a painter people would expect some kind of results pretty fast. If I say I am going to spend my time reading books and blogs people will just think I am lazy. If I say I am writing a book, I could throw in a few months of writer's block here and there it could be quite a while before any actual results would be expected.
Okay, before anyone gets all serious on me, I'm not really going to lie to anyone and I am not minimizing the efforts of someone who really does write a book. It just seems like a good answer to the inevitable question until I actually come up with a real "plan".
LOL that people would want to know what your plans are. I think one of the benefits in my opinion about retirement is the absence of having to make plans, plans on what time to get up to work, plans on what to wear to work, plans on how to cram in everything you need to get done on the weekend, etc. Maybe instead of the book you can say you have plans to hike Mount Everest :)
ReplyDeletebetty
Just tell them that the beautiful part is that you don't have to have a plan. That is the best part of 'not working full-time.' One does not have to have a plan.
ReplyDeleteI love the above answer! Or you could say something like, "I'm finally going to indulge in my passion for collecting Amish Porn!" ;-)
ReplyDeleteOr, you could say, "I'm going shopping for a villa in Italy with all the money I made while I was working." I think shopping could take up a lot of ones time... if we played our cards right! Congrats on "no longer working" from a "no longer working" herself buddy!
ReplyDeleteOh, you'll love retirement. I know I do. Enjoy it. Noexcuses above has the perfect thing to say. Lol. And by the way, I did write and self-publish 3 memoirs. Wasn't hard, and I have grossed $8,000 so far.
ReplyDeleteWhen my Mom retired recently she just said she wanted to sleep late. That was her only plan. She has succeeded:) Enjoy your retirement!
ReplyDeleteI never found my 'free time' I was plannin' on when I retired. Heck, if anything I'm busier than ever.
ReplyDeleteSeems, my free time got filled with other responsibilities. Booger!!!
I do so hope your 'free time' is waitin' with open arms and heck...ya may just write a book girl!
Enjoy this wonderful day sweetie.
God bless ya!!! :o)
That is so funny and a perfect answer! So you won't be lying you could start writing one about your life.
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the time to write on this topic.
ReplyDeleteHey Jeanie, I've been in your shoes and all I can suggest is.... If you'll never see the person again make up something totally WILD that you "intend" to do. If it's someone you care about and will see again, tell them you're going to sleep in for a while and leave it at that. Otherwise, every time you see them, they'll ask about the book (or anything else you mention).
ReplyDeleteI retired 4 years ago and people still ask me about the cooking classes I was going to take. Sheesh.
Regardless of what you do ENJOY every minute of it... even when you're not doing anything :-)
xo jj
My Mom retired...she is busier now than when she worked...When my daughter graduated from high school everyone kept asking her what she was going to do...she thought about telling everyone she was going to study taxadermy...just to get a reaction...
ReplyDeleteHey, that answer works for me -- and I bet you could write a pretty good one, too!
ReplyDeleteMaybe you can solve world hunger AND make a quilt at the same time!
ReplyDeleteCute post!