Retirees Playground

[LegendInMyOwnMind]

I retired in Jan of 2025.

So far, it's been a big adjustment of having worked 30 yrs in higher education. Someday I miss it and some days I don't. I haven't really done much since, but I do like the freedom of being able to do what I want, when I want.

Perhaps I'll take a little trip somewhere for no reason at all ...

Best of luck in your retirement. If you happen to travel to Southern California, you can say hi to me in person should you wish.

 

[boo56]

Very cool. I love Ukulele music.

I’ve been plucking at guitar strings since I was 15. Started with classical guitar lessons, switched to acoustic steel string and electric guitars, but never got very good. Raising a family and working took priority. When I retired in my mid 50s, I started spending more time learning and practicing. YouTube and social media sites for guitar players has helped me immensely. I haven’t touched my electric guitar in 4 years and focus exclusively on finger picking on acoustic guitars. I’ve improved enough to rationalize spending a small fortune on my first Martin last year.

Me too and writing songs. I learned 3 chords out of the Chet Atkins guitar method book and wrote a song. Never stopped. I think I was 16. Martin makes some nice ukuleles, too. On balance, less expensive than guitars.

What Martin did you spend a fortune on? I've always wanted a showy D-35. I always known I'd be perfectly happy with a D-28 or a D-18. Am inclined to think that when I buy my Martin, it will be a DX1E or a DX2E, because I cannot justify spending a fortune on a guitar. I do want a dreadnaught not a parlor guitar because that's what the cool guys all played.

 

[PacificWaves]

Me too and writing songs. I learned 3 chords out of the Chet Atkins guitar method book and wrote a song. Never stopped. I think I was 16. Martin makes some nice ukuleles, too. On balance, less expensive than guitars.

What Martin did you spend a fortune on? I've always wanted a showy D-35. I always known I'd be perfectly happy with a D-28 or a D-18. Am inclined to think that when I buy my Martin, it will be a DX1E or a DX2E, because I cannot justify spending a fortune on a guitar. I do want a dreadnaught not a parlor guitar because that's what the cool guys all played.

I got a D28. It sounds amazing and I find it very playable. The only drawback is they are very sensitive to too little or too much humidity. During the winter months, the humidity can drop really low inside the house so I keep it in the case with a D’Adario humidity pack. I could get a good room humidifier but I don’t want to have to keep adding water every day or two. It only Dec-Feb or March, so I just play my one of my other guitars I keep laying around on the sofa during those months.

 

[boo56]

I lived at 7000 feet for a few years. I think the weather was responsible for the crack in the soundboard on my old Japanese faux Dreadnaught. It's still playable, though. My 'go to' guitar these days is a $50 Rogue that I picked up in a bundle with a $50 mandolin. It sounds and plays okay and I never worry about it. Dinged? Broken? Stolen? $50! Perfectly decent for what I do.

 

[PacificWaves]

I lived at 7000 feet for a few years. I think the weather was responsible for the crack in the soundboard on my old Japanese faux Dreadnaught. It's still playable, though. My 'go to' guitar these days is a $50 Rogue that I picked up in a bundle with a $50 mandolin. It sounds and plays okay and I never worry about it. Dinged? Broken? Stolen? $50! Perfectly decent for what I do.

The nice thing about guitars and probably other acoustic instruments as well is that you don’t have to spend a ton of money to get an instrument that sounds good. Maybe not as good as a super high end instrument, but good enough for 99% of us. I didn’t need a Martin. I don’t play professionally and no one who hears me play will mistake me Chet Atkins, Billy Strings, or Doc Watson. I just wanted one.

I also have a $200 Fender acoustic that I got at Guitar Center for $180 because it was a floor model. It has a solid mahogany top and body, and looks gorgeous. The tuning pegs, nut and bridge are crappy and someday I might upgrade those, but I have plenty of playing that guitar and don’t worry about getting scratch here and there.

 

[boo56]

The Literotica women who play guitar are probably getting aroused reading about our gear and gear dreams. You think? I can feel the personal messages being composed...

 

[PacificWaves]

The Literotica women who play guitar are probably getting aroused reading about our gear and gear dreams. You think? I can feel the personal messages being composed...

Yeah. Can’t keep up with all the DMs.

 

[SimplyMsT]

So when we were working we all dreamed of the day when we could retire. We made a list of all the things we wanted to do when that day came.

What are some of the things that were on your list? Have you done any of them yet?

Do you miss the working environment?

 

[boo56]

On my list was making more time for music. So, yes, I've done that, which I've enjoyed, but it hasn't made me any money, yet. I do not miss my work. I miss the check. I miss one or two pf the people whose company I enjoyed.

 

[PacificWaves]

So when we were working we all dreamed of the day when we could retire. We made a list of all the things we wanted to do when that day came.

What are some of the things that were on your list? Have you done any of them yet?

Do you miss the working environment?

When I was working and dreaming of retirement, I swore I’d go to the gym for hours every day to stay in the best shape of my life. On the very first day, I arrived at the gym at 6 am and got home at 10 am. By day 3, I was rolling in around 9, and getting home around 11:30.

I fell into a pattern. Worked out for about 90 minutes, get home and have lunch, then take my 17 year old hound for a walk to the shady neighborhood park about a quarter mile away. That was about as far as that old dog wanted to go, so we’d rest in the cool shade of a huge redwood tree.

Life was good, until one day we arrived at our shady spot to find a homeless lady occupying our space.

The next day, I made a point of getting to our spot in the park a little earlier. As we rested under that big tree, I saw the homeless lady come by. Seeing that the spot was taken, she moved on.

The next day, she was the one who arrived early. As the days went on, an unspoken competition took place between me and the homeless lady. After about a week of competing for that shady spot in the park, I realized what my retired life had become. Competing with homeless people for shade in public parks.

I knew I needed to fix things. I started consulting part time, volunteered as a docent at a local history museum, published a book, and got appointed to a city government commission.

The lesson I learned is retirement isn’t just about having a financial plan. You need a plan to stay connected, active, and exercising your mind as well as your body.