KBGS Old Boys' Forum

A place to discuss Keighley Boys' Grammar School. 


Terms of use.  Anonymous, offensive, or malicious postings will  be deleted. School-related topics only please. If you need to add a "family notice" reply to any of the current messages in that thread, and remember to change the Subject to the name of the newsworthy person.

 

 

KBGS Old Boys' Forum
Start a New Topic 
Author
Comment
Retirement

What do forum members think about retirement? I am now 66, which came as a hell of a surprise, and still working full time as a freelance journalist. Of late I have started to question why I keep on doing it - I don't need the money and I don't need the deadlines, the hassles, the self doubt whenever I open up a blank page and start writing. It also seems a bit pointless - nothing I write makes the world a better place.

I'd be interested to see what others think - has retirement brought a better life? Or are you hanging in there for the benefits that full or part time work can bring? Has community work/volunteering proved a good substitute for 9-5 slogging? Does retirement mean a better golf handicap and more guilt-free time in the pub? Have some forum members been forced to take retirement even though they were relatively happy at the job?

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 52-57

Current location (optional) Melbourne

Re: Retirement

Well Im 60 and can't even contemplate retirement yet. Like you money is not important, my wife is also still full time teaching but will probably retire at end of 2008. I just feel I would be bored stiff if I retire soon.! I would certainly need to find something to do at least part time, whether voluntary or paid. I guess that , whilst I have had a career in chemicals, I might like to do something with my 'alter ego' - music, as I have a diploma on piano, but Im not sure that will be possible. I might take up golf again after a failed attempt early 90's.
My present job, which I started in April 2002 has been the most interesting of my life and its based in Yorkshire, though as I still live in the Wirral I only go to the office for two days each week, staying over a night.
No I reckon theres at least three years in me yet, but I may subsequently be proved wrong !

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-64

Current location (optional) Wirral

Re: Retirement

I've retired a few times now, a few years ago I decided to become a grey nomad and start touring around Australia. A mate of mne asked me if I was going to Dubbo, a town in western NSW. I said that I was and he asked me if I could do a psychological assessment for him as it wasn't worth his while going there. I did the job and it more than paid for my petrol. Before I knew it he was ringing me whilst I was on the road and asking me to go to this town, that town and so on. I ended up developing a thriving business as a travelling psychologist. I eventually sold the practice to retire again and another friend asked me if I wanted to do some casual counselling work, within 3 months I was the Senior Counsellor in one of Australia's biggest colleges. I now look upon this as my retirement job.

Just going back to my visit to Dubbo, I was staying with a friend, the house next door was called "Oxenhope". I asked the owner, he said in a very modified Yorkshire accent, it's named after the village I come from in England, nobody has ever heard of it. I replied, and no wonder, it mst be overshadowed by Haworth and the Brontes. Does anyone know a Chris Gamble from Oxenhope?

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-61

Current location (optional) Haworth now Blue Mountains in Australia

Re: Retirement

I retired last summer at the earliest possible date for release of my teaching pension. Although I'd been successful in the job, I no longer found it stimulating (if I ever did!) This, alongside financial, would, I guess, be most people's main criterion for electing not to continue working.
If I'm honest, I must admit to being fundamentally lazy and to having seen hard work in earlier years as my investment in an easier future. Consequently, retirement feels every bit as good as I'd anticipated, with none of the hassles and mind-numbing tedium into which the job was inexorably degenerating.
With regard to voluntary work, I'm soon to start training as a signalman (should that now be "signalperson"?) on the Severn Valley Railway, once the damage caused by last summer's disastrous flooding has been repaired. In addition, I have other hobbies of course; my second childhood seems to be developing very nicely thanks!

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-65

Re: Retirement

Call that working, Paul? Looked a very strenuous day's work when I met you on your commission at The George in Stamford!! The sweet course looked particularly heavy work.Sorry! To make a more serious response, however, I think it's all a matter of how you see/identify yourself and your purpose in your life and the purpose of your profession in your life. We had a young man (sadly now deceased) who resolved our plumbing problems. We referred to him (not to his notice)as "Paul the Plumber". I told him once about this and he laughed, saying that his family referred to me as "Terry the Teacher". I had always seen myself not as a teacher called Terry but Terry who just happened to be a teacher. I felt that my individuality should be preeminent. I always took my work and my vocation seriously but I was always an employee and as such was bound to observe how my employer viewed my work and managed my employment. My employer often did not take my commitment to my work and charges as seriously as I did because "they" frequently had political priorities that undervalued my commitment. I had an equal commitment to my wife and family. My wife had two "close calls" in 2 years and retired on health grounds.I decided that we should spend as much time together as possible while we could - and I took PRC redundancy 7 years later as soon as suitable terms were on offer. We had a further 8 years together during which I took occasional self-employed work and together we traveled widely.I regarded "retirement" as liberation.I had no difficulty finding a lifestyle alternative to employment. We just had more time to spend making a happier life for ourselves.No sweat. No conscience. No sense of guilt.If I had served my "full term", I would have retired 2 months before my wife died and we would have missed so much life and pleasure together.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 52-60

Current location (optional) Lincoln

Re: Retirement

I was happy to retire because I had a sufficient pension and other things to do. The secret is I still work hard relatively speaking, certainly harder than some people in employment. I write,tutor, give talks and am the chair of a Board of Governor's for a local school. (Since you all come from Keighley you will know Parkwood Primary. Challenging to say the least!!).
I enjoy being retired and allowed to organise the way I spend my time. I hope to continue to do so for some time yet.

Re: Retirement

John, I doubt if many Old Keighlians know what a "Grey Nomad" is, you will have to explain.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 43-46

Current location (optional) Tasmania

Re: Retirement

I didn't think that a grey nomad was a particularly Australian phenomenon. A lot of people once they retire decide that they will buy a caravan or campervan and go off and see a bit of the country, before they know it, they are spending more time on the road than at home, hence "nomad".

Two of my brothers have also adaopted the nomadic lifestyle, about 6 months at home and 6 months travelling. One characteristic of the nomads is that they are no longer in a hurry to get to their destination, not that they drive slowly but now have the time to take all of those detours en route that would have previously been bypassed to get to the destination. I was in Broken Hill (really outback Australia) to do a job, I had driven 7 hours to get there at an average speed of 150 km/h, did the job and was on my way back. I stopped off at a layby to boil the billy, make a cup of tea, have a leak, etc, when I started a conversation with this couple of nomads. They had taken 6 weeks to get as far as I had in 1 day.

The country on the way to Broken Hill is incredible, it is so flat and featureless that you can see the curvature of the Earth, the road is so straight that ou just put your foot down and go, safe in the knowledge that there is no where for a police car to hide.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-61

Current location (optional) Haworth now Blue Mountains in Australia

Re: Retirement

I have been to Broken Hill several times, and if retirement implies I have to go there again I'll work 'til I drop and be guided by the immortal words of Peggy Lee:

Is that all there is, is that all there is?
If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing.
Let's break out the booze and have a ball.
If that's all there is.

I have selected this as the anthem for my funeral and I think going to Broken Hill just one more time would hasten the occasion.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 52-57

Current location (optional) Melbourne

Re: Retirement

I have long believed that if you "enjoy" what you do for a living,then it is not a job. At 71 I still work as a self employed contractor,and some weeks I work hard,some weeks I don't. If I want/need to take time off I do so.Last year I took two months off to visit Europe and Keighley,actually two months sounds longer than 8 weeks.Another month around Christmas,summer here.Another couple of weeks in Aust.with my mates there.
I do know that of my contemporaries/friends in NZ,Australia and Yorkshire who are retired,many are envious of my situation.
I meet some lovely people in my work and surely that's what life is about.People.I also have enough interests which would keep me occupied if/when I do stop working,and I might do that next year.
Everyone is different of course and I respect that.Health is another factor and thankfully I'm reasonably active. I've done ok and I'm happy in my life.Also not every job is suited to working at as you get older. Cheers.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 47-51

Current location (optional) Auckland,NZ

Re: Retirement

What's your problem Paul? If you are happy doing what you are doing, keep doing it. If you are not, and you have the means to do so, then stop. There is only one person responsible for your happiness....you.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 52-57

Current location (optional) USA

Re: Retirement

Bernard - many thanks for your insightful advice. Don't know what I'd do without you. I was actually looking for members' views on their own retirement and whether they have found/ are planning meaningful substitutes for regular work.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 52-57

Current location (optional) Melbourne

Re: Retirement

I retired for the first time at 63 in 1990, from what became BAE Systems.
My wife was working from home with a team of ladies catering for business lunches etc., so I joined the team as porter / driver and, when I was trained, as salmon filleter and pastry roller! The two of us continued working together until mid 2006, having gradually handed the busines over to our daughter and her husband.
Meanwhile from 1991 I took on the paid job of Clerk to the local Parish Council, and a few years later became Clerk to another smaller Parish Council. Since my wife died in March I have spent most of my time handling the affairs of these councils (although I am paid for only approx. 6 hours per week), and reading about how other clerks do their work.
I enjoyed my working life up to 1990 and have continued to enjoy my retirement jobs since them. My daughter has suggested to me today that I should inform my councils that I will be retiring from the two clerkships with effect from 31st March 2009, to allow them adequate time to recruit my successor(s) ! I'll then be 82 assuming I survive that long - probably time to retire fully.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 37 - 44

Current location (optional) Huntingdon

Re: Retirement

Great post David. What a great attitude.Only yesterday I met a chap who actually raised this same subject,is about my age and still working part time as a self employed accountant. He said he was reading a good book about this very subject-"Avoid retirement and stay Alive" by David Bogan & Keith Davies. It is NZ focussed and it's main thrust is based on refuting the idea that we are wired in to accept that retirement is normal-it is not (his words). I haven't got around to looking it up yet------ too busy.Cheers.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 47-51

Current location (optional) Auckland,NZ

Re: Retirement

If you want to do something, go ahead and do it - don't assume you will be able to do it tomorrow. I worked for myself doing a very satisfying job as a model maker and traditional signpainter and expected to continue with this, albeit on a reduced scale, as I became older. However, three years ago I was stunned to be diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease (I thought it was the effects of all the Taylor's), not anything I had ever considered, but it was possibly caused by paint fumes, but nobody really knows. No, I'm not a dithering wreck, which is what people assume of PD, but it sure put paid to my dreams about what I had intended to do when I retired. This isn't a "woe-is-me" - life is good, but just not what I had dreamed about. So get out there, boys, and enjoy yourselves while you can.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-63

Current location (optional) Exeter, Devon

Re: Retirement

Nice to see you David Stowell!!. You did contact me a while ago and I answered you but got no reply. I know now that you were obviously working very hard. Glad to see you on the site and feel free to contact me B/C. Arthur

Re: Retirement

The prospect of retirement means different things to all of us. I know people who have:
Looked forward to it as a chance to do more of the things that there never was time for previously.
Viewed it with dread because of the void it would create.
Eagerly anticipated the chance to rest up, or to escape the grind.
Worried about the prospect of greatly reduced financial circumstances.
For me retirement has half arrived. I formally retired two years ago and have been working part time since then supporting 53 primary schools (with a few secondaries thrown in). It has certainly given me more time to go walking and bird watching and to take holidays when the cost is not exorbitant. It has also given me the chance to ease up a little – constantly running at full throttle is not sustainable indefinitely. Plus, working part time means that there are no financial implications to retirement – yet. I have also learnt, if that was necessary, that there will be no void to fill when/if I finally retire fully.
You can’t blame the person who can’t contemplate giving up work, nor can you blame the person who is desperate to put work behind him. I guess it’s a case of each to his own. I’m reminded of what an ex-university friend of mine said when he discovered that the first of our cohort had taken early retirement – “Good grief Steve whoever would have thought, when we were at university, that you would be the most successful of all of us”.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-65

Current location (optional) leeds