# So, tomorrow it is all over **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 20, 2007, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-tomorrow-it-is-all-over/396694 "2007-03-20T09:22:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-tomorrow-it-is-all-over/396694/1 "2007-03-20T09:22:34Z")
My working life. I am retiring (gracefully I hope) at 53. Strangely there is no great emotion or relief. Guess I’ll have more time to plague the boards. ---
**Author:** ![Strain\_of\_Thought](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3be4f8/32.png) [@Strain\_of\_Thought](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strain_of_Thought)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-tomorrow-it-is-all-over/396694/2 "2007-03-20T09:29:19Z")
“No great emotion or relief” sounds a lot like shock to me. It also sounds like you don’t have very detailed plans. Isn’t there some tiny, obscure country in central Asia you’ve always wanted to visit? ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-tomorrow-it-is-all-over/396694/3 "2007-03-20T09:44:43Z")
No, I prefer Scotland and the UK to be honest. Asia has not appealed to me. I don’t have detailed plans, but I have known my options for years. Maybe that’s why it is not a huge shock. ---
**Author:** ![Strain\_of\_Thought](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3be4f8/32.png) [@Strain\_of\_Thought](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strain_of_Thought)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-tomorrow-it-is-all-over/396694/4 "2007-03-20T09:55:36Z")
But you’re not happy to be retiring? Do you like your job? How’s your family life? ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-tomorrow-it-is-all-over/396694/5 "2007-03-20T09:57:12Z")
Oh, I’m happy about retiring. Family life is fine. But there is no overwhelming feeling. ---
**Author:** ![Strain\_of\_Thought](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3be4f8/32.png) [@Strain\_of\_Thought](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strain_of_Thought)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-tomorrow-it-is-all-over/396694/6 "2007-03-20T10:08:14Z")
Okay, well, maybe I’m completely misunderstanding this, but the impression I got from your first post was that this lack of overwhelming feeling was disappointing to you in some way. One doesn’t generally announce a happy retirement as “it is all over.” I’m way too young to be able to offer any serious reflections on retirement specifically, but I remember being utterly underwhelmed at my graduation, and I have come to believe that that was an indicator of the rough times to come. Major milestones of life should mean something to us, because we ought to be either moving on to better things or leaving good things behind. If the day before and the day after feel the same to you, then maybe nothing is really changing- and that can be bad. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-tomorrow-it-is-all-over/396694/7 "2007-03-20T10:13:18Z")
Good luck in your new life! ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-tomorrow-it-is-all-over/396694/8 "2007-03-20T13:44:41Z")
[QUOTE=Strain of Thought] \but I remember being utterly underwhelmed at my graduation, and I have come to believe that that was an indicator of the rough times to come. \ [/QUOTE] I was pretty underwhelmed at both my high school and undergrad graduations. Long before both of them, I had already figured out what I was going to do for the next few years, at least. I didn’t think (and there haven’t been) there were going to be rough times ahead, but I had things pretty much figured out, so the actual ceremony wasn’t a big deal. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-tomorrow-it-is-all-over/396694/9 "2007-03-20T14:00:06Z")
I have a lot of friends and coworkers who, like you, have retired at an early age and gone on to do other things, as well as some relaxing. It’s a wonderful chance, while you’re still young enough, to explore other opportunities! My husband and I have been thinking about buying some years into our retirement system for this very reason … though he’s already older than you. I hope it’s the beginning to an exciting new chapter in your life! Take advantage of it! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Canadiangirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Canadiangirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadiangirl)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-tomorrow-it-is-all-over/396694/10 "2007-03-20T14:48:46Z")
Oh, how I envy you! I’m still five years away (house will be paid off then). I have so much planned, I don’t know where I’ll find the time. When I have a day off, I wonder where I find the time to work. Seems there’s always something to do…I’m getting excited just thinking about it. Congratulations! ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-tomorrow-it-is-all-over/396694/11 "2007-03-20T15:00:05Z")
Underwhelmed is a good term to describe my reaction to most of life’s milestones. People build them up so big, then when they happen…meh. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-tomorrow-it-is-all-over/396694/12 "2007-03-20T15:19:25Z")
My dad just retired at 56, after some 40 years of working. It took a lot of prodding to get him to do it. Everyone was kind of worried about him not having any “plans” - no hobbies or anything, and my mom still works so no travel just yet. You know what he ended up doing? Becoming a housewife! It’s very cute - he cooks 3 meals a day, cleans and takes care of other chores. Basically he’s decided to take this time to worship his wife. Everyone is sort of shocked but also relieved, as he’s not yet bored. Good luck to you! ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-tomorrow-it-is-all-over/396694/13 "2007-03-20T15:55:11Z")
Theoretically, I could retire in 7 more years at age 49 with 31 years of service. I have a feeling though that I wouldn’t be able to afford the expensive hobbies then I enjoy now. Helluva Catch-22. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-tomorrow-it-is-all-over/396694/14 "2007-03-20T15:58:08Z")
I could retire completely this year (I’m also 53), but am aiming to work part-time as I like teaching. Of course you can hear more about this if you can make the proposed Vegas Dopefest in August! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-tomorrow-it-is-all-over/396694/15 "2007-03-20T16:19:42Z")
[QUOTE=ZipperJJ] You know what he ended up doing? Becoming a housewife! It’s very cute - he cooks 3 meals a day, cleans and takes care of other chores. Basically he’s decided to take this time to worship his wife. Everyone is sort of shocked but also relieved, as he’s not yet bored. [/QUOTE] My father got bought out at IBM at 48 and instantly looked ten years younger. He has taken over the household duties as well, not to worship Mom but because he is compulsive and doesn’t trust her to do them right. For example, he keeps the coupons and prices himself on paying cents on the dollar for his groceries and household stuff. They also go camping a lot and have enjoyed a few Elderhostel trips. He has always been a pennypincher so they can now be comfortable on savings and his pension and SS. Enjoy the free time! ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_Bowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-tomorrow-it-is-all-over/396694/16 "2007-03-20T20:41:03Z")
[QUOTE=TroubleAgain] Underwhelmed is a good term to describe my reaction to most of life’s milestones. People build them up so big, then when they happen…meh. [/QUOTE] Drop the needle on Peggy Lee singing “Is That All There Is?” ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-tomorrow-it-is-all-over/396694/17 "2007-03-20T21:45:29Z")
I get a (meager) pension, have a 401k, & savings (also meager). I have no practical possibility of retiring. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2007, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-tomorrow-it-is-all-over/396694/18 "2007-03-20T22:02:37Z")
[QUOTE=Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor] I get a (meager) pension, have a 401k, & savings (also meager). I have no practical possibility of retiring. ☹ [/QUOTE] I think I can. By 72, if I’m lucky. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-tomorrow-it-is-all-over/396694/19 "2007-03-21T00:56:56Z")
I took early retirement last September, at age 54. I could have stuck it out longer and gotten a higher pension, as well as possibly prepared a little better for a number of post-retirement changes, but I decided I couldn’t take things at the office any longer. There have been times when I wonder if I made the right decision, but in general I think I’m better off for having done it. Immediately after I retired there was a feeling that I had gotten a load off my shoulders. I’m still adjusting to things like lower income, more free time, and a number of other things associated with the fact that in addition to retiring I moved 800 miles away from where I’ve lived all my life. There are a number of personal isues I still need to resolve, but I’m working them out. ---
**Author:** ![Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sophistry_and_Illusion)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-tomorrow-it-is-all-over/396694/20 "2007-03-21T03:46:42Z")
How the hell can anyone afford to retire in their early 50s? What financial mistakes have I made in my life that this is impossible for me (I mean, besides getting a PhD in philosophy)? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-tomorrow-it-is-all-over/396694.md?page=2)