For the last 24 years, I have owned and operated a one man floor maint business. It has served me well. But, as good a run as it has been, as of 12:00 AM 1-1-2021, like many here in this forum, I am retired. Worked my last night shift on Dec 31, finished at just before midnight. I was well liked by all my customers, but didn’t realize how much until…
On the final drive home across town, I was deeply touched by how sweet it was of the whole community of Bend OR to celebrate my last work night and retirement with tons of bright colorful fireworks, and lots of loud noise! [swg]
SO! I ask this forum, What EVER is a retired night owl going to do with those quiet late waking hours to fill the void? Hint: it won’t be TV. And the layout room is a separate structure, so whatever noise I make won’t be an issue.
I just had to share somehow, somewhere. Thanks for reading. Dan
I retired in 2006 after 40 years in the “oil bizzness”. During the last several years at work I would occasionally run into retirees. I was amazed at how many would say, “I just don’t know how I got anything done when I was working, I’m just so busy now”.
Well, I would laugh at that and thought it was a joke. But it wasn’t long after I retired that I found myself saying the same thing - and it still applies.
One thing that kept me busy (in a very good way) was building a new layout. I started the replacement in 2008, and worked on it for years. In addition, I did all the yardwork and most all of the home/vehicle maintenance, etc.
Said another way, the key is having hobbies and/or obligations.
You say you are a night owl, and I doubt that will change. I was a very early morning person (at my desk in downtown Houston by 6 am) and still find myself “up and at em” at 4 in the morning.
The telephone will ring. Someone in your family will say "As you haven’t anything to do please go to ---------- pick up ----------- help with ---------------------- "
You get the picture.
After doing this, that and the other for everyone else you find a hobby that ‘gets you out of the way’. [(-D]
Congratulations on your retirement. I retired 10 years ago - so far it’s the best job I ever had.
Find what you like to do and fill your days with it. When you get bored is when you spend your days sitting in a chair mindlessly wandering on the internet… looking at train videos… reading model railroad forums…
I retired in 2010 after working for 45 years, 38 of them with the US government. I was just worn out. The 3 hour commute in all kinds of weather as I was designated as an essential person, plus the long hours fnally got to me. I am enjoying my retirement and model railroading. I have even gotten my wife somewhat interested in trains. WHAT A MIRACLE. Enjoy your retirement.
Congrats and welcome to retirement. I think you’ll find that without having to go to work, there STILL won’t be enough hours in the day. And, yes, you’ll get “volunteered” into helping other people get the things on other people’s “honey-do” list. Good thing your layout is in a separate building. When your significant other calls you, just flip on the table saw. [:-^]
Congratulations! I retired in 2018 from being a manufacturers’ sales rep in the toy biz. I’m so glad I have a hobby, THIS hobby. I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have it. Yes, I have my wife and we do travel (until this C19 hit us). All I can say to others is to find a hobby or something to keep you busy in your retirement years.
I’m sure you will keep busy with your model railroad and other things you thought may not have the time to do, but now you can!
I think you’ll find retiring is the best decision you’ve ever made. It sure was for me! I enjoy life now more than I ever have. I hope it’s the same for you.
Happy model railroading, and be sure to share your adventures with the rest of us.
I have been retired for a great deal of my life, first time when I was 29, then got married and had kids and retired again at 52. I am 68 now. I find that sometimes you are very busy but other times there is bordom. See I was able to work 7 days a week and up to 20 hours a day and can still do 8 hr on a construction job (helped install a kitchen on someone elses honey do list). Point being is if you are used to long hours, there are a lot of hours in a day that need to be filled. Before the shut down I could fill alot of them but not now. Lucky for you this seems to be ending so by the time you get your layout in reasomble shape, hopefully this will be over and you can do the things you like besides model railroading.
When I retired 6 years ago, about all I did to celebrate was turn off the alarm clock and never turn it on again. I thought of smashing it with a sledge hammer, but why do that to a perfectly good clock that had served me well for thirty years?
When I retired and people ask me what it was like, I tell them it’s like stepping off a cliff and landing in a cloud.
Retired since 2013 and now it seems unimaginable that I got up every weekday at 5:30 am. Thinking about work and dreaming about work became very rare early on.
Random observations. You’ll have less “free time” than you thought you’d have. You’ll likely sleep later. Suddenly going to hardware stores and coffee shops will seem interesting. You’ll eagerly await the arrival of the daily mail even though most of it goes directly into recycling. You’ll get to know neighbors and even also-retired former co-workers better. You might be asked to join various retiree lunch and breakfest groups (as soon as social distancing is over) - do so.
When I (rearely) drive down the same roads as I drove every day to work, I am often shocked at the changes. Houses have been torn down and built, stores have come and gone, trees taken down due to emerald ash borer.
I expected I’d be able to devote what had been my 8 hour work day to model railroading. it has not worked out that way.
I retired in February 2020, talk about great timing! That was the best bounce I ever had. I was offered an excellent package from my employer of 31 years, and I checked out at age 52.
I am also a night owl. I was in school, so it makes sense I would be one in retirement. I have been working on my house since I left employment, so I really don’t have the “nothing to do” experience yet.
My wife and I stay up until 4:00 - 6:00 AM every night, and sleep until noon. I don’t have an alarm clock.
I eat when I am hungry, go to sleep when I am tired, and wake up when I am rested.
This is the life!
So so true. I don’t know where I found the time to work so many hours, raise children, take care of my wife, or maintain anything. I also had leisure activities like concerts, conventions, and train shows that are gone now.
Thank you for the replies. And Congrats to you, Peter!
I might add a few details: I was down to about 3 hours a night for 4 nights a week in the last few years. Not much, you might say. But we are foster parents to the most precious developementally disabled girl, who has been my main occupation for years. It as been said if you can find a way to find a way to make a living doing something you love, you never have to go to work. SO TRUE!!!
The night work was our main source of income for years, but that leaned off with the resession in around 08-09. I still kept the core accounts. But it was time, I was burned out. I did a good job to the end. So my days don’t change, other than not having to save energy for work on work nights.
I’m about 90% done building a 21x40 shop with a concrete floor for my mechanical and welding interests (plenty of projects lined up for that!), so I’ll be enjoying that after being cramped in a 17 x 21.
The cozy layout room is 10x20, I wouldn’t want it bigger. I’m a slow builder, this layout will suffice nicely. That’s night activity, and winter weather.
And I’ve already got a busy day planed, so I got to get at it!
I stopped working in September of 2004, but didn’t actually retire until December 31st of that year, as I had 15 weeks of saved vacation time.
I enjoyed most of my working time in a steel mill (except for the dayshifts), but the last couple of years, in a different department, weren’t all that pleasant, and I was glad to leave a couple years shy of the 40 year-service mark.
I remain a shift worker, preferring afternoons and especially nights, with dayshift only when absolutely necessary.
Many of the older farts with whom I worked are gone, possibly because their only life was work, with never a hobby even considered.
Model railroading is one of the things keeping me sane (well, as much as can be expected, I guess) in these current times. Keep busy, keep living.