Replies to Comments #2

I will now finish up with replies for this batch from my recent a) retirement posts, and b) my liquor store posts.   

As is my usual, I list comments alphabeticallly by author who wrote the comment and my reply is below that. 

Retirement Posts:

AC

We’ll see how it goes. You are heavily invested in work, so retirement will be a big step for you. I think you will be set financially but I don’t know about socially.

I am rather concerned that I might feel lost and rudderless when I retire, unless I formulate some sort of plan.  I think I have to put forth a great deal of effort this year to think through my worries and fears, to try to determine how I hope to live, and what I hope to do.  And, I need to try to conceptualize it in as concrete a way as I possibly can in advance.  Even though I am not sure if I will begin the retirement process after this upcoming academic year, I want to be prepared in case that is what my wife and I decide. 

DMP:

Consider becoming an adjunct professor, perhaps at a Community College near you?

I very much like that idea, and I hope to do so.  My wife and I are talking through our plans on where we would like to live, and hopefully there will be nearby adjuncting opportunities.  We are trying to discern if we want to stay put (but its awfully damn cold in the basically six months of wintery weather) or move somewhere warm (but sadly out of our community).  

...just a minor point, but at his age becoming a Permanent Deacon probably isn't in the cards .... I looked into it late in life too ... turned out to be too late. The Catholic Church has rules that say you have to go through the years of discernment and training and still be less than "X" years old to be ordained. I missed my chance.

It is very interesting, DMP…… that BOTH you and I have looked into this possibility.  I almost applied for consideration in the last opportunity for a class that formed in our Diocese a few years ago.  I ultimately did not submit an application at that time as I thought it may be too difficult to complete the course work and class work while keeping my full professor position.  I had been keeping in the back of my mind as a possibility at retirement.  I had not given a thought to there being an age restriction.  

However, I am not sure if there is a universal cut-off date nationwide, or if a cut-off age date is determined by each Diocese.  It seems in my Diocese, the last cohort of student Deacons had a few fellows who could not have been too awfully different in age than I am.  I had not really thought about an age cut-off until you mentioned it., though so I will have to see what the restrictions may be in my Diocese (or if we move, what Diocese we move to).  

 

Margaret:

You will always be a teacher/professor. There may be volunteer opportunities or part-time gigs for you. Remain open to that possibility while you explore the idea of retirement.

 I had to make my own routine and schedule which took me a while. I drifted for a couple months--not a great feeling. You can do it!

I do fear not having or establishing a routine.  I think if I do not have some plan, some goals, some aspirations… I think I would end up feeling very down and gloomy.  Part of what is hard also, is trying to FIGURE OUT what my goals, aspirations MIGHT be, since in theory they could be damn near ANYTHING….. but I worry about flitting around trying a bunch of different things, and never sticking with anything… for that too would not be mentally/emotionally good for me…. at least I do not believe it would be.  I guess I kind of worry that I might just sort of “give up” on things if I try something….. because there would not necessarily be any compelling NEED to do anything.  Does that make sense?  

Pat M:

From what I have seen, the folks who do best in retirement are the ones who don't fully retire, but rather transition to work of their own choosing, at their own pace, on their own terms. 

I think that sounds very logical.  But what sort of real, legitimate “work” could I do?  Teaching and research has ALWAYS been my profession… and in a lot of ways I guess it is who I am…. or at least who I perceive myself to be.  Can I learn to PERCEIVE myself as something different?  But, even more important…. can I PERCEIVE myself as something different that has MEANING and VALUE?   Meaning and value for myself, of course, but also MEANING, VALUE, and PURPOSE for others is equally important I believe for my ability to view this transition positively.  Will I have any sort of VALUE to anyone anymore?  Will I actually be able to find a way to CONTRIBUTE in some fashion that is meaningful?  I do not know.  

Maybe they stay on as editor of an academic journal. Maybe they teach some classes at a local high school or junior college. Maybe they devote their time to a book manuscript that their full-time university workload didn't give them time to complete. 

Those are indeed all possibilities.  And, I could likely do any of them and may want to any/all of them…… but one aspect of the above suggestions is that in many ways each of those is more akin to a “sporadic” activity/action.  And, in some ways, as how I understand myself, a major THING that I tend to NEED is a ROUTINE.  None of those above tends to lend itself to a routine….. and while each is good…. I think I have to ALSO figure out something that CAN BE A ROUTINE to wrap my day around.  But, confusingly enough, I bristle at the idea of TOO MUCH RIGID STRUCTURE as well, so in some ways it seems a double edged sword…. I want to have commitments and commitments with routine, but at the same time, I do not want a persistent PRESSURE of my HAVING to do “a”, “b”, or “c” as well.  I do not see ways to resolve this dichotomy.  

Maybe they connect with local attorneys and get hired as an expert witness in court from time to time.

I did that one time, and I enjoyed it.  I would be open to that again.  

The saddest cases I've seen are the ones where a formerly busy researcher or administrator tries to live a life of nothing but leisure, then finds that his mind and body quickly atrophy.

I definitely worry about “atrophy” as well.  Perhaps akin to this, I worry about a loss of feeling “passion” in what I am doing.  I do not want, but I do FEAR, that retirement COULD feel like a period where I am useless, and I am rudderless, and I am just waiting around until death happens.  I have seen that in some, and I am fearful that I could evolve into that mindset…. perhaps so EVEN IF I TRY to adopt alternative strategies.  

If you hadn't abandoned your pipes, I could see you becoming a tobacconist, or maybe working part time for a tobacconist whose company you enjoy. 

That potential is ALWAYS on my mind.  I would like that VERY MUCH.  I think perhaps being a part-time employee at a tobacco shop would be delightful.  Even though not my “profession” per se….. I have an “ability” at being a salesman of sorts.  One of my first jobs as a kid was in one Summer where I sold aluminum siding and windows OVER THE PHONE.  My role was to cold-call folks and get them “enthused” about having a salesman come out and price options for the siding and/or windows.  It took a couple of days figuring out the “ropes” of the job, but very quickly I ended up being the telephone solicitor at this company who a) booked the highest rates of appointments per call volume and b) the appointments I did establish resulted in a higher volume of sales of the products by the in-house salespeople than others.  The company owner was sad when I left at the end of the Summer to go back to school.  He told me I had a “real knack” for the job.  

I do believe even if I could not be hired by a tobacconist….. I could and would not necessarily mind becoming just a “fixture” at the place…jawing and talking and having it be a “watering hole” of sorts for me.  It would be even more exciting if the place would be within walking distance of wherever we end up living.

Or maybe you could train to become a permanent deacon and lean into church service. Or maybe there's some research you have always wished you had the time to do, or a book you wished you had the time to write. 

The Deacon idea is something I have very strongly considered.  DMP suggested it may not be possible at my age, but if it happened to still be an option within whichever Diocese I end up living…. I would relish the opportunity.  

One way or another, Professor, my strong advice would be that you NOT stop working, but rather that you use retirement as an opportunity to change HOW you work and WHY.

I agree wholly.

Professor, as you think about retirement, I'll echo something I have heard people mention on several occasions of late. Perhaps instead of thinking in terms of retirement, you could reframe those thoughts into thoughts about re-fire-ment -- meaning that you aren't looking toward an end of activity, but rather toward an ability to re-fire, re-launch, in a new direction appropriate to your current place in life. In other words, it's not so much about "not a full-time tenured professor anymore." It's about "what will fulfill me in the years ahead, and how can I arrange for that fulfillment with the resources (time, money, skills, health, etc.) I have available?"

I like the SOUNDS of those words and advice.  BUT…. HOW to do this seems elusive.  

My Liquor Store Story:

AC

Oh, a cliffhanger. I was a Schrodinger sort of guy: both cool and not cool at the same time.

A good story there, Mr Pipe. I imagine that everyone everywhere is carded now. At least that is how it works here.

In theory, they are now supposed to “card” EVERYONE regardless of age in my region.  But, I never get carded…..  with my big, grey beard and moustache….. I might look akin to “Father Time” to some of the younger servers and clerks.  When the mood strikes, I sometimes (jokingly) inquire, “Uh, do I really need to already be 21 to get this beer?  Couldn’t you let it slide for me… at least this time?”    That usually gets them to laugh. 

Margaret

Oh, my, I can't believe you glued dog fur to your moustache. Wow! I was also uncool, and nerdy in high school, but didn't care. (#4 in my class, bookish, teacher's pet) In college I let loose a little but still cared a lot about my grades, so didn't do much partying.

Haha!  Yes, I find it very funny NOW about how I tried that with dog fur.  Being a “nerdy” type who railed against being perceived as a “nerdy” type was HARD WORK 😊

The laws weren't so strict then but I imagine the story you provided to the store owner and his friends. LOL

Yes, I can only imagine how I became a humerous topic of discussion for a lot of the day. 😊

PipeTobacco