Posted on 08/21/2025 8:36:31 PM PDT by Cronos
The fifties are when retirement gets determined. Not financially—most boomers figured that out—but existentially. It's when patterns solidify, relationships either deepen or atrophy, identity either expands or calcifies around a job title.
1. They let their entire identity collapse into their job title
2. They believed retirement was a reward rather than a transition. You can't flip a switch from workaholic to fulfilled retiree.
3. They stopped making new friends Somewhere in their fifties, they closed the friend roster. The social circle became fixed—college buddies, work colleagues, couple friends from the kids' childhood. No new applications accepted.
4. They ignored their health until it was crisis management The fifties send bodily invoices for decades of neglect. But instead of paying attention, many worked harder, ignoring the check engine light. The cruel irony: the fifties are the last decade when you can build reserves rather than just slow depletion.
5. They avoided difficult conversations with their spouse Parallel lives seemed sustainable in their fifties. She had book club; he had golf. They'd "reconnect in retirement."The gray divorce rate has doubled since 1990, largely driven by couples discovering their marriage was held together by busy schedules, not connection.
6. They dismissed therapy as weakness
7. They abandoned learning "I'm too old for new things," became their fifties refrain, usually about technology but eventually everything. They stopped reading challenging books. They stopped being curious.
8. They never developed interests that weren't productive Every hobby had purpose. Golf for networking. Reading for professional development. Nothing for joy.
9. They ignored their changing relationship with their children
10. They thought money would solve everything
(Excerpt) Read more at vegoutmag.com ...
Being laid off at an elder age was common with DOD contractors and probably happened at many large companies too. Boomers were certainly a make-it-happen bunch. Age discrimination has been rampant for a very long time. What stupidity.
retired for 4 months, lol. Hobbies is where it’s at man.
I made a hot tub out of a jet sled, lol. It came out really nice. Also have been working on my own RC plane (ducted fan) that I envisioned for decades. I do some Tramp art (woodburning) during the winter.
The real secret is to keep off your wife’s Honey-do list. I met an old man this summer while buying some mulch. We were laughing so hard. I told him that is why most men die before their wives, lol.
Roots.
That was the most important retirement decision for me.
Where am I going to place my roots.
I bought a house when I was 39 and stopped getting W2’s when I was 46.
I’m happily living in the same place and the same home.
I chose well as my fifteen house on acre lot neighborhood is populated with God fearing folk who live quiet decent lives and go about their business.
Not much turnover in houses and when there is, it is usually sale by owner not a realtor.
The main thing is, I am never bored and I look forward to getting up each morning in anticipation of what my good Lord has in store.
My oldest is a threapist. Her accepting family cut us off 11/6/2024 due to our excitement for PDJT. Yeah, helping folks deal with trauma? Not!
"You can't flip a switch from workaholic to fulfilled retiree."
I did. Retired at age 53. Immediately enrolled in university as a full time freshman student. Studied music at conservatory. Studied French language. Got horses and learned to ride. Tai Kwan Do. Wrote memoirs. Traveled around the world with my children and grandchildren. Studied world religions. Just to mention a few things. I can't remember it all.
" They ignored their health until it was crisis management"
Nope. Not me. No alcohol. Vegetarian. Careful, healthy diet, low cholesterol, low NaCl. Regular exercise. Blood pressure what it was in my 20's.
"They avoided difficult conversations with their spouse"
Not me again. I have never refused to discuss anything with my wife, at any time, with one exception: I refused to fight in front of our children.
"They dismissed therapy as weakness"
Not me, yet again. I went to a psychotherapist at age 18, got a job after school to pay him. Continued therapy for the rest of my life. My children and grandchildren have all been in therapy. They love it. It's great for all of us. Weakness??? Hell no! It shows great strength! It takes strength, courage, and wisdom to confront and defeat your demons! And the rewards are great and well worth it!
"They abandoned learning"
No again! Hell no! Vide supra!
"They never developed interests that weren't productive"
No again. What good is reading for pleasure, learning French, riding horseback? I learned to study and learn as a workaholic. After I retired I realized that I love it!
"They ignored their changing relationship with their children"
No. Do that and you will lose them.
Whom did these people interview anyway???
Me too! I’ve never been happier!
You’re absolutely right. God is my guide and redeemer! It is He Who has blessed me with all my happiness.
I wonder whom he interviewed.
'LOL.'
Looks like the people he interviewed could use it--bigtime!
1. Presuming that people are defined by their job title.
2. Presuming that people who finish a career are "workaholics"
3. Presuming that people stop making new friends.
4. Presuming that people (men) didn't ignore their health issues before their 50s
5. Presuming that gray divorce rates are growing because of a lack of connection
6. Presuming that therapists are effective or even marginally helpful
7. Presuming that anyone stops learning
8. Presuming that non-productive hobbies are somehow better than the productive ones. (Didn't you JUST whine about not learning anymore??)
9. Presuming that we ignore our children in any way
10. Presuming that money isn't important to protect and preserve in our later years.
"Vegout Magazine is a plant-based, food and lifestyle magazine and media company." Yeah, exactly as I expected. Sanctimonious Liberals pretending that they know better.
Yes at my age I was a prime target for a layoff.Even with stellar performance appraisals over 33 years because Northrop Grumman was putting away 8.5 % into a pension for me, plus they were matching my 5% 401k contributions. New hires were not getting the pension so I had to go, especially since our division laid off 850 of the 1200 employees they had at the time.
Yes, I’m seeing the need for another hobby or two. I love working around the house but it’s starting to turn into a life of projects and chores. Nice hot tub jet!
The posts on this thread reveal the results of their intelligence.
Retirement is not in my vocabulary.
Gonna steal that!
I also have several older ham rigs, including a few Heathkit rigs, both CW only. You could figure out which ones if you know Heathkits. Got a nice Drake 4 transmitter/receiver series combo too, circa 1970s, and a Kenwood TS-520. My current oldies rig is a Kenwood TS-450S with a built-in tuner. I know, hi-tech, right? I also have a slew of "homebrew" rigs I built in my early ham radio days. Those are pretty cool. The best I have is a QRP rig built on the venerable 2N2 design. It’s called the 2N2/40 rig, and it’s designed for 40 meters. It was a phase I went through, and unfortunately, I forgot most of what I learned. I did, however, go ahead and get my Extra about six years ago.
My life seems to go in stages or jumps. After ham radio, it was the reloading stage. I also have the Dillon 550B, what a great machine. Picked up a few extra dies too: 7.62, .45, .38, .357, you know the drill. Reminds me, I’ve got to get out and do some shooting again.
Oh yeah, how could I forget the R/C airplane stage? I built several R/C airplanes. My favorite was a beautiful little 1/64th scale DHC Beaver with about a 14-inch wingspan. It had a tiny electric motor weighing around 5 grams and a small lithium battery that gave it about 10 minutes of flight time in my aerodrome. I also built its big brother, a much larger-scale Beaver with an almost 4-foot wingspan. I can’t fly this one in the aerodrome though. It swings a 10-inch prop, has four channels (power, ailerons, elevators, and rudder), and has a motor that’s just a beast. Also electric, but with amazing torque. These electric motors have a torque curve that maxes out at startup, making them perfect for R/C aircraft. I also have a little 1/64th Zero, an old WWI relic biplane, and a few others. That was a fun stage as well.
Did I mention I’m also a drummer and guitarist? Yeah, well, you get the idea. Life is in stages. We gain interest, we lose interest, we move on. I do find myself in somewhat of a circular pattern, coming back to the same interests with new enthusiasm and zeal.
Oh, did I mention I also rebuilt a 1971 VW Super Beetle? Funny thing, when I was 19, I drove a VW Beetle from California to Nebraska a few times, so I got bit by the VW bug early. About five years ago, that was reawakened. The circle of life works in many ways.
Not always due to mistakes the 70’s was bad times for investing oil embargo massive layoffs many had to sell what they did invest in to make ends meet timing has a lot to do with good investments.
And a lot of good luck.
Meanwhile, I'm in the process of setting up my reloading bench, a move induced by my recent acquisition of a Tisas Tank Commander. Back in the .45 game, boys.
You're exactly right about that.
I like you're explanation better.
I once worked for a Fortune 500 company and read the average lifespan after retirement was 18 months. I had been working 56 hours a week for a decade. That is no life to live was my conclusion. That was a wakeup and they got the boot.
There are many that can’t set down for a minute and those are the ones hardest hit. They are always going to be doing something.
You may love your wife dearly, but you being around them 24/7 places a strain on both of you.
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