I have retired this blog. The title no longer applies. I'm no longer in my 50s and I may be creeping up to being older than dirt. I don't know. But I wanted to give one last post to say fairwell to my 50s and say hello to the spectacular life I'm living at 60.
It's been six weeks since I pulled the plug on my day job. I feel like I'm getting away with something by not punching in every day. I've had a steady paycheck since I was 14 when my dad put me on the payroll. Dad and Mom believed that the best way to prepare for adulting was to learn how to manage your money early. With receiving a paycheck, I got my own checkbook and learned how to balance it every month. My parents didn't dole out any extra money. I was expected to budget what I earned to pay for my own clothes and activities and save for college. It was the best thing my parents ever did for me.
I continued to work all through college. When I moved to California, I got my first grownup job. Since then, the only time I have been unemployed was the three weeks after we moved back to Minnesota. I got a job as a temporary at Mayo Clinic and then was hired on as a permanent employee after a few weeks.
I realize how much a person's life is dictated by their work schedule and, even before that, a school schedule. All through school, I dreaded when I'd have to return at the end of summer. And once I was punching in at a job, no matter if I were on vacation, had a day off or out on maternity leave, I always had that niggling thought of the day I'd have to go back to work.
A lot of people claim they love their job. I truly liked my job, but I love my life way more. There is a reason a job is called work. My life outside work is a lot more fun.
Over the years I've watched coworkers have a really difficult time making the decision to retire. It seemed they were fearful--I'm not sure why. I had no fears. It is what I expected it to be... freedom!
But I can't truthfully say I'm fully retired. I'm just not working. My new career doing my art does not feel like work at all. I am supplementing our income with what I truly love and have been extremely busy with art commissions and sales since my official last day on the job.
I told my husband I couldn't think of one thing I miss about my job. I didn't dislike what I did and there was satisfaction of helping people, but the actual tasks I performed I don't miss. I think over the years I became fairly competent with performing invasive procedures on people, but do I miss sticking a needle in someone's arm? Nope. Never plan to jab a person again.
The part of my job I enjoyed the most was the relationships I made with our donors, but I continue to speak with and see the donors with whom I became close friends. I will keep up with coworker friends on Facebook and we will not doubt meet up occasionally.
I guess there is one thing. I am not as active as I was when I was up and moving around at my job. Just by walking from my car to my building and taking short walks during my breaks and after I got home, it was fairly easy to get in 10,000 steps each day. Now, I am sitting at my desk painting much of the day. It's winter and icy so not easy to take a walk outside. I need to take breaks and do some short workouts, otherwise I'll be a jelly belly in no time at all.
Dave is having more major medical issues, unfortunately. It's another reason I am grateful to be retired. I don't have to worry about getting a day off or having to take an occurence to take him to appointments. I hope to be more available to watch grandkids when my girls are in a pinch too.
So there you have it. Life is good. I know I was a bit annoyed when I'd hear people gloating about their retirement while I will slogging my way to work every day. But, there's hope peeps. Keep your eyes on the prize. In the meantime, enjoy what you do, but know you won't have to do it forever. Unless you want to... And, then I'd ask why you would!
If I start another blog, I have to think of another title. Open to suggestions!
Happy New Year, friends.
