Some people never retire because they wouldn’t know what to do with themselves. My uncle is one of them. At eighty, he still goes to work every day. But he can’t drive from Long Island to Manhattan and brave the horrendous traffic. Without him and his incredible experience as VP, the contracting company would collapse. To keep him, the CEO assigned him a car and chauffeur to bring to the office every day.
Most seniors don’t have such luxury— or luck—to continue working while enjoying a certain comfort. If they don’t have a hobby and are forced to quit working, they often slouch in front of the TV for hours, lose interest in trying new things, and miss fantastic opportunities to be useful and active. I have another uncle in that category who ended up with Alzheimer’s disease.
Others, like me, wish there were more hours in the day to fit my new career as a writer and the endless promotion that came with it as an unwelcome bonus. I also have to create time for exercising, socializing, traveling, doctors’ appointments, and answering my long-suffering husband when he tries to interrupt my busy schedule with a question or a request. Oh, I also try to create time for cooking. I forgot to mention it because I often forget to cook, and end up quickly fixing a salad or grilling ‘something’.
Recently, I started a new endeavor: I publish my own ebooks. Check them on Amazon and spend an entertaining moment with two lovely romances that are priced at only $0.99.
NO MORE LIES http://tinyurl.com/3lenmfd
RIGHT NAME, WRONG MAN http://tinyurl.com/85o4wg7
To which category of retirees do you belong?
Welcome to Spunky Senior Authors and Talents, Mona. It's wonderful to retire and do something you love doing.
ReplyDeleteMorgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
Thank you for inviting me. I think we never really retire. We go from one career to another. Retiring is dying a little bit, slowly, slowly.
ReplyDeletewww.monarisk.com
Hi Mona! *waving furiously* How wonderful to see you here. Great post and I do have to note...there are certain things some people never retire from and that's inspiring others. You, my friend are one of those people. Love ya!
ReplyDeleteRetiring? Don't know the concept. I used to be a teacher-stopped the job early ie well before retirement age for various reasons-but I now spend EVEN more hours writing, researching and reading. But guess what? I LOVE it! Enjoy your time, Mona...and salads are GOOD for yo-says me, whose husband does almost all the cooking now!
ReplyDeleteI taught school for 30 years, retired 10 years ago, and have been writing ever since. I love my new job!
ReplyDeleteI hear ya on the forgetting to cook thing. Good thing my hubby can, and does, cook or I'd starve. lol I admire your uncle. What a wonderful testament to dedication!
ReplyDeleteI retired early from nursing (I was a Registered Nurse for 26 years) after I'd sold my third book to Harlequin Mills & Boon. Not because I was making a lot of money at it, but because I'd worked for the same company in many different capacities (before I was an RN I was a medical transcriber) that I had earned a good pension. The most important thing, though, was my husband was supportive of my retiring to write. Now that he's retired, though, it gets a little more complicated.
ReplyDeleteHi Karen, I hade a good career as a pharmaceutical chemist, and later as a Director of an environmental lab. It was great and I enjoyed the side benefits and traveling abroad. But never regretted my early retirement to write. I think there's a time where we have to do things because we want to do them, not because we have to do them. But my previous life influenced my writing, foreign setting and chosing doctors for heroes!
ReplyDeleteHi Nancy, thank you for reassuring me about my cooking, or recent lack of it. Unfortunately my DH's cooking is restricted to omelette, and warming ready-made pizzas. Good thing he's not difficult. The kids are more demanding. I often hear, "Mom, it's Christmas time, we don't want to eat what WE can cook. Something more elaborate, please."!
ReplyDeleteHi-Five, Linda. I don't think we'll ever retire from writing. Although, we can face some frustrating situations and a continuous roller-coaster of emotions.
ReplyDeleteHi Calisa, a husband who can cook is a precious one. Keep him with both hands. LOL
ReplyDeleteLynne, I hear you about the 'complicated life' when DH is home too. We had to go through a real adjustment in order to live together without killing each other. But after six months, we established our nice routine, and I love having him around.
ReplyDeleteI'm not retired yet, but unemployed. It's great to have that extra time to write, but it goes by so swiftly. I have no idea how I managed when I had a full time job.
ReplyDeleteMorgan Mandel
I can relate to your lifestyle, Mona. Mine mirrors it. Endless marketing, writing, scurrying around and on top of that, my dh has written a HUGE non-fiction reference book that I've organised. Then there's exercise if you are to avoid the dreaded writer's backside (too late for me) and yes, housework and cooking. My husband has picked up a couple of new hobbies which is great - playing in a band and growing orchids as he did when he was younger. That gives him just enough time to do the ironing for me...
ReplyDeleteI've retired twice, Mona. First from my full time job as a bookkeeper to be a stay-at-home mom, then when the boys started school, I started a typing service so I could be available to them after school and volunteer for in school activities. My boys are all grown up now, but I do still do a little typing. I've really scaled down, though, to only a couple of clients to bring in a little extra cash when I need it. Mainly I concentrate on my own writing.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I'm busier than I've ever been. Never seems like I have enough hours in a day.
Vonnie, you lucky one, how did you manage to convince him to do the ironing!!! I ironed his shirts for 20 years, and then I revolted, and stopped ironing even a handkerchief. Thank God for tissues. It's good that your man is busy with his hobbies. Mine plays tennis three times a week, on Mon, Wed, Fri. I'm not allowed to have emergencies on these days.
ReplyDeleteHi Susan,I did the opposite, stay-home mom first when the kids were babies, and then working when they went to school. To be honest, I never regretted any change I did in my life. It's always good to move on and try different things.
ReplyDeleteMy God, Mona, you and I are living the same life. I retired at the end of 2008. Now I seem to have less time than ever. Promotions for all my books, especially my indie books, take up a large part of my day. I try to squeeze writing in there, the gym, dinner. And don't forget my husband who actually expects me to talk to him once in a while. Throw in a needy cat who interrupts me constantly when I'm at the computer, and my days are too full. I don't even do as much housework as I did when I worked fulltime. I don't understand people who say they wouldn't have anything to do if they retired.
ReplyDeleteHi Mona,
ReplyDeleteNice blog. Ooh I have just retired (2 weeks ago) and so far I have been so busy, I don't know how I ever had time to go to work. Hopefully things will settle down and I can concentrate on my writing career. My hubby does most of the cooking, but as a trade-off I do the gardening, which I don't mind because it is a form of exercise.
Cheers
Margaret
Cara, we have more in common even. We both like romances set in europe. Did you see my review for Murder Me, Amore on amazon?
ReplyDeleteHi Margaret, congratulations on your retirement. Now you're going to be really busy!!!
ReplyDeleteI decided to take early retirement 14 years ago, and it was the best decision I ever made. Now I've returned to my 'other' career of writing, which proves to be as full-time as my previous teaching career was.
ReplyDeleteIt seems I forget to exercise too. Any little excuse will do - too tired, too busy, too sleepy, too hungry, too on the run. I'm paying for my lapse in inches these days.
ReplyDeleteI so much admire all that you do and have done Mona. Your international romances are so heartwarming. Congratulations on all your endeavors!
Maggie
http://mudpiesandmagnolias.blogspot.com/
Enjoy your writing career Mona! :-) The good thing is that you can do it from anywhere anytime.
ReplyDelete