# I am Retired **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 7, 2021, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-retired/939546 "2021-04-07T14:08:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_was_in_Saudi)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2021, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-retired/939546/1 "2021-04-07T14:08:01Z")
Well, the taxi will be here in two hours. The an hour to Qatar, eight hours in the lounge, then fourteen hours to Philadelphia. Then the rest of my life. My only real plan is to get a kitten. I will offer my services to the local community college as well as whatever local community service that helps immigrants. **I suppose I will need a new username.** In the future, I shall be more willing to speak frankly about the Kingdom. It is a big step. I feel I have mastered my profession, only to be forced to leave it at age 63. So he comes the final phase of my life. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2021, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-retired/939546/2 "2021-04-07T14:13:40Z")
Congratulations and best wishes! ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2021, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-retired/939546/3 "2021-04-07T14:17:41Z")
Congrats. I’ve always wondered what you were doing in Saud. Perhaps you’ll share once you’ve settled. Love Philadelphia, btw. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2021, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-retired/939546/4 "2021-04-07T14:25:20Z")
> [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](#): > > In the future, I shall be more willing to speak frankly about the Kingdom. Can’t wait to read about that! ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2021, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-retired/939546/5 "2021-04-07T14:29:58Z")
All the above. Congrats and waiting for more exciting news about your past and your future. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2021, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-retired/939546/6 "2021-04-07T14:58:07Z")
Yeah, more congratulations, and here’s someone else looking forward to stories. j ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2021, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-retired/939546/7 "2021-04-07T15:00:52Z")
Enjoy. I retired 6 months ago, best thing I ever did. ---
**Author:** ![Daithi\_Lacha](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daithi_lacha/32/5430_2.png) [@Daithi\_Lacha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daithi_Lacha)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2021, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-retired/939546/8 "2021-04-07T15:05:35Z")
Paul, one suggestion – don’t think of this as the “final phase” in your life. It’s just a phase, singular. My dad retired from being a public school teacher after decades of service. He was just as busy afterwards with various projects, volunteer assignments, church duties, etc. He joked that he was out of the house even more after he stopped working. Compare and contrast to one of my father’s teacher friends who retired around the same time and did virtually nothing besides drink heavily and sleep 'til noon every day. _His_ was a “final phase,” and he did it for another 20 years. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2021, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-retired/939546/9 "2021-04-07T15:26:11Z")
Congratulations, now you are in a position to ignore who you want, and not accept crap from anyone for fear of losing your job. At last you are in charge of your own life ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2021, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-retired/939546/10 "2021-04-07T15:41:55Z")
One of us. One of us. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2021, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-retired/939546/11 "2021-04-07T16:00:46Z")
Congratulations! Nothing like going out at the top. And as others have said, not the final phase - just the next adventure. Paul\_in\_Philly has a nice ring to it. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2021, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-retired/939546/12 "2021-04-07T16:33:07Z")
Congratulations! ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2021, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-retired/939546/13 "2021-04-07T16:35:27Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > Paul\_in\_Philly has a nice ring to it. How about PhilaPualia? Or Paulaphilthia? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2021, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-retired/939546/14 "2021-04-07T16:37:28Z")
Congratulations! I’ll be retiring likely end of the year, or early in '22. Whatever you do, don’t catch Covid on the way home. Airports/airplanes scare the sh!t out of me right about now. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2021, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-retired/939546/15 "2021-04-07T17:09:52Z")
Congratulations!! May I suggest “ **Paul\__was_\_in\_Qatar** ”? I was there, twice. In the early '00s. For a few months each time. Tripler Longer than I was in the Marianas trench. . . ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2021, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-retired/939546/16 "2021-04-07T17:20:18Z")
Congratulations, well played sir. Looking forward to reading post from Paul\_in\_the\_Common\_Wealth\_of\_Pennsylvania. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2021, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-retired/939546/17 "2021-04-07T17:28:58Z")
I’ve always enjoyed your posts in the past, and look forward to more in the future. Eager to hear how you decide to spend your time. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2021, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-retired/939546/18 "2021-04-07T17:51:39Z")
Congratulations. It sounds bittersweet. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2021, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-retired/939546/19 "2021-04-07T19:29:25Z")
Congratulations. I have another 15 years before retirement, but I’m already wondering what it will be like to go back to the U.S. after spending more than half my life in another country. Good luck adapting to the homeland. ---
**Author:** ![Fluffy\_PickleSniffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/77aa72/32.png) [@Fluffy\_PickleSniffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fluffy_PickleSniffer)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2021, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-retired/939546/20 "2021-04-07T19:32:05Z")
Congrats and safe travels! You’ll have to show us the kitten when it comes into your retirement. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-retired/939546.md?page=2)