"My dad is turning 90 and still works full time as an engineer"
(From a blog comment)
Wow, that is very cool.
I think retirement is waaay overrated. Especially that of healthy, functional people. Not only has it a tendency to lead to depression and reduced health, it will also have a severe impact on the western economy when the baby boomers want to retire at once.
When retirement was institutionalized in the early twentieth, people were worn out at 65 and lived maybe three years after that. Today life expectance goes twenty or thirty years beyond. That is not retirement, that is a looong vacation!
Update:
Thanks guys for the great comments on this posting.
I think we all should work towards being able to do stuff we love all our lives (at least some of the time), instead of hoping to have time and money for it after we "retire". Who knows what happens? My uncle worked hard all his life (he laid bricks), and then died three months after retiring.
I think it would be much wiser not to set a fixed date to suddenly stop working (which should be a pleasurable activity after all), but instead mix work and play all our lives, and scale down work gradually if the energy wanes in our late years.
Personally, I would love to be able to retire early, and finally have time for myself and all of things I would love to be able to do, but never have any time for.
ReplyDeleteBut, unfortunately, this will not be possible, and, like a pit pony from the old days, I`ll probably have to continue working until I drop.
My work has a heavy physical side to it, which will feel more of a strain the older I get.
I like my work, but I am realistic enough to know that the older I get, the less I will be able to do the physical side.
Will a 7 and a half stone, 4`11.5" tall female still be able to shin up scaffolding when she`s 70, never mind 90? ..... Ouch!!!!
I don`t even want to think about that one!!!!!
5:55 PM
I think that part of many people's desire to "retire..and do the things I want to do" is that they don't enjoy their work. My dad enjoys being an engineer, so work is normal (and pleasurable) for him. I also love engineering and love my work. I couldn't imagine giving it up.
ReplyDeleteI have met only one person who retired and made it work for him. Most people who retire seem to have lost their way, and don't enjoy the "time" they now have.
Planning and recognizing limits allow people to enjoy doing things while they work, have a relationship with their spouse, raise children, support their community, etc. The lack of planning (and taking on too much) interferes with them enjoying any of it.
As for what age one can no longer climg up scaffolding, I think it depends on the individual, how lucky (or not) they've been healthwise, how well they've taken care of their body, nutrician, exercise, etc.
My babysitter is 70, and still does yoga, and is quite athletic.
Eolake,
ReplyDeleteMy dad (and I) will be in the Newport to Bermuda Race next June. We have a 43 ft boat, which looks pretty small in the middle of the gulf stream with 15 ft waves at 3AM for a sail change.
He will either tie as the oldest person to do the race or be the oldest person to do the race.
I know what you mean, dragonsbane, but I really DO love my work.
ReplyDeleteI am an Architectural Stained Glass Artist. I have been doing it for 23 years now. And I do love it.
BUT...it`s labour intensive, all of the things I work with come under the categories of hazardous and toxic.
I have an excellent Health and Safety record, but you need to be fit, agile, strong, and have a relatively fast reaction time.
Yes, of course I know lots of people who do amazing jobs in their elder years, and yes, they do them well.
But I am now 47, and I know that bits of me already can`t quite take the strain the way they used to.
And while some people in their 70`s wouldn`t have any trouble assembling a scaffold rigg, climbing it, deglazing existing windows, reglazing new windows (after hauling them up the scaffold too) disassembling the rigg, all in the dead of winter when you can no longer feel your fingers...
I would like to think that there is a time when I can stop...
Yes, I love my work, but, no...I don`t want to be doing all that stuff when I`m 70.
I am trained as an artist, and that`s what I want to continue to do after I retire...except I will switch from glass to drawing and painting, and perhaps a bit of sculpture also.
I don`t believe it is always about enjoying your work at all.
It`s a question of personal choice.
And why shouldn`t people in their later years have dreams and ambitions they want to play with too?
They`re certainly not too old to want to experiment with different things.
I run stained glass evening classes, where a lot of my students are coming up for retirement. They want to do something different after all these years. One of my students is 83.
I would like to do something different too!
I agree that people of all ages should have dreams and ambitions. The young have no lock on them. As one gets older, hopefully they become clearer to us. As I get older (I'm 48), I work on distinguishing between desires with a mild interest, and ones that matter to me. I am studying aikido, and hope to get my black belt in 3 years. Although somewhat fit, it's hard to start as late as I did, but the commitments and responsibilities to work and family slow me down more. In order to study at all, I have to conciously choose to spend time doing it, and make time to do it, and give up other things. It's been a slow road, 11 years so far, but I'm not looking for the quick payoff.
ReplyDeleteI can express my creativity indoors and warm. If I had to be outside in winter it might get old after awhile. From your description, the installation part isn't your favorite part right now, let alone 23 years from now. I think it's hard for any of us to say what we'll be doing that far in the future.
Thanks guys for the great comments.
ReplyDeleteI think we all should work towards being able to do stuff we love all our lives (at least some of the time), instead of hoping to have time and money for it after we "retire". Who knows what happens? My uncle worked hard all his life (he laid bricks), and then died three months after retiring.
I think it would be much wiser not to set a fixed date to suddenly stop working (which should be a pleasurable activity after all), but instead mix work and play all our lives, and scale down work gradually if the energy wanes in our late years.
I agree, Dragonsbane, the older I get, the more things I want to do, but never seem to get the time for them.
ReplyDeleteI think my main worry is that one day it will be too late to enjoy the things I wanted to do, or worse still, I`ll go before I get the chance.
Yes, my description did sound a bit down!
I love scaffold glazing in the summertime....you get a bit of colour, and it feels good!
Winter can just be so cold!
I also know a few people, Eolake, who died shortly after retirement.
There is no doubt that compulsory retirement can kill some people.
It would be much nicer to have the choice of whether we wantto take retirement or not.
Sir: Speaking as a cleric in Newfoundland, I must say that I find just about all of your work to be delightful, stimulating, & enlightening. I especailly appreciate your Quote of the Day. Today's was especially good.
ReplyDeleteI wish you well.