So what will you do with your days?

[susandennis]

I remember my very first friend who quit work when she had a baby to be a stay at home mom. I asked her what she did with all her free time. She was so pissed. In retrospect I get it but at the time I was totally baffled.

Today I told my friend, Madeline, at the pool that I was looking at early retirement and her reaction was that I was not nearly old enough (she's retired and about 10 years older than I am) and then "So what will you do with your days?"

I think I'm going to start a list of all those things that right now I would not even come close to considering:

1. Teach Madeline how to use a computer (that was her suggestion)
2. Drive old people places
3. Deal in any way with children.
4. Teach anything.
5. Go into an office every day.

That's my short list and all of it is subject to change. The next six months are for figuring out what I'm going to do with my days.

But I'm not retired yet. Still no word from bossman. It's pretty clear he hasn't said anything to anyone I work with which will soon get awkward. I did have to say something to one of them but so far been able to dodge the issue with a couple of others.

---

When I got back from the pool, Betty was in the kitchen begging for lunch. So I opened up a can of something she has liked before. I split maybe a third of the 5 oz can into two plates. Travis usually takes a couple of bites and she eats both plates.

Today both pates were cleaned. And then 20 minutes later, she threw up every single bit of it and more in three places on the carpet. And then she hopped around getting snuggly, picking on Travis, getting between my fingers and the keyboard. I mean it's clear that she does not feel bad. I will feed her something else tonight.

Comments

[cfchica.livejournal.com]

Aw, poor Betty. Albert has a touchy stomach, too, and it's hard when they get older. Sending "feel better" purrs.

[sea-weed.livejournal.com]

Crack me up, I read that list of being things you were planning to do, by the time I got to dealing with children my eyes were popping out of my head wondering what on earth was going on! I think there's always enough to do but it takes time to adjust to a different routine and figure out what it is you WANT to be doing with your free time.

[susandennis]

that cracks *me* up!

[sea-weed.livejournal.com]

My thought process was something like this:

1. Teach Madeline how to use a computer (that was her suggestion)

Ok I guess.

2. Drive old people places

Really? I can't imagine that's something Susan would enjoy but maybe I was wrong.

3. Deal in any way with children.

What the fuck??? I better go back and check what this list is really all about. :-)

driving old people places

[henare.livejournal.com]

the only place i'd drive anyone is off the deep end.

[(Anonymous)]

I was in my late forties when I quit working a daily job.

People asked me then and still do, that question, what do you do with all the time?

It always amazes me that people are so limited in life that not working means one stops living. Even if I do nothing during a day's time I still realize I have done something without even thinking about it. But what I want to ask those who ask, why do I or you have to do anything?

[dorisduke.livejournal.com]

the last post from anonymous was from me. I have no idea why it came up that way.

[susandennis]

Speaking only for me, work has always been my life and my identity and my past time for more than 40 years and it's been a very great. I don't have any problem being asked the question. I've been asking it myself! Doing nothing is a viable option and might be mine.

[johncomic.livejournal.com]

Please tell me that you now understand about the “small children/free time” concept.

And: I have the ideal solution for what you can do with your days [besides make bears, that's a given]--

make a webcomic.

If your instant response is “I can't draw”, I urge you to check out the myriad webcomics out there which are produced by people who clearly can't draw... yet they make them anyway.

Making comics is great fun! (At least, that's how the world appears from over here in my corner.) ;)

[kittymistress.livejournal.com]

I've been retired for a couple of years now and I always find enough to do to fill my days.

[rsc.livejournal.com]

As I've probably mentioned before, after I'd been retired for a few months, I was wondering "How did I manage to have a job and a life at the same time?"

Anyway, I know how you'll spend your "free" time:

- Watch TV
- Knit bears
- Go to the pool
- Go out to brunch
- Browse the internet

Might be some sleeping time in there somewhere.

[susandennis]

You totally nailed the list as I see it now. And it looks pretty darned good!

[catmomma.livejournal.com]

I quit working full time in 1998 at the age of 28. Not because I was a Mom but because my job had screwed me too many times and my husband got a raise that was the same as my annual income so I told Sears to stuff it where the sun don't shine. Here is what I did with my time:

* went back to college for a few years to learn Interior Design
* took up yoga, dollhouse building, decorating, reading, traveling
* adopted more cats
* joined a car club and ended up a board member for the last 7+ years
* walked the Breast Cancer 3Day 5 years in a row and volunteered for another 3. I do other volunteer stuff here and there.
* spent time with my family when Mom was dying, now I try to hang out with Dad more and take him places.
* for the last 6 years I have worked 10-15 hours a week as a caregiver
* gained and lost about 80 lbs, lol

I have been SO happy with my "free time" and I know I am very lucky to have it to myself. I just know I am more cut out to be a house frau than to work full time. It's not laziness, it's just how my brain works. (or doesn't work depending on who you talk to, lol)