Reflections on retirement

I retired nearly two years ago. I’ve occasionally been asked if I miss working, and the answer is a hard no. I liked my job, and I was well-compensated, but by the time I retired, I was ready for it. Partly, this may be owing to having taken the five-year phased retirement path, which afforded me the opportunity to transition. It also helped that my wife had retired two years earlier.

Certainly, life is very different. I live in a different state, far from all the friends in St. Louis. The house still feels more like a rental after leaving the house in St. Louis we lived in for 35 years and overhauled during that time. I still need Siri for directions to most destinations outside of the most routine.

My lifestyle is changed considerably. I don’t play my guitar or banjo anymore. I had to give up cycling due to sciatica, although I’m outdoors walking in nature nearly every day for 1.5-2 hrs. I’ve replaced the musical instruments with photography. On the other hand, I still wake up between 4:30 and 5 AM without an alarm clock. I still read for about the same number of hours a day, but now it’s mostly history and biography rather than science. I still write every day, but instead of scientific manuscripts and grant proposals, I write posts for my personal blog and Angry Bear Blog, for which I’m a moderator. I still enjoy our pet birds, including some either hatched or adopted since we moved to Rhode Island. We still enjoy concerts and local theater.

I traveled quite a bit during my career for meetings and invited talks, both across the US and in various countries. I always enjoyed the travel for the science. Since I went on phased retirement, that pretty much ended, and I can’t say I miss it.

The first year and a half were made problematic by the many home repairs. I’m told this is normal, but after 35 years in the same house, I wasn’t prepared for it. Now that things seem to have settled down, I’m glad we found this house in this neighborhood.

I still attend monthly faculty meetings on Zoom. I edit grant proposals and manuscripts for colleagues.  I judge the house staff poster competition each spring. 

Many people claim they’re busier than ever after retiring. I’m not. I used to work in the lab, office or classroom 50-60 hrs a week year-round, including holidays. Now, I’m reading and writing at home. Instead of learning new science technology, I’m learning more about digital photography and how to take better pictures.

Both of my parents retired in their early 60s. By the time they died, they were paupers, dependent on their children or Medicaid. I waited until 69 to retire, to maximize financial resources to avoid their catastrophe.

Finally, I’m very aware of my privilege in being able to retire comfortably. It is an opportunity not afforded to many Americans. I know plenty of people who died before retirement. I certainly plan to make the most of it while I’m still alive and healthy.