If you don't have outside interests or hobbies other than your job, you'll be totally miserable when you retire. I worked with some men who had enough time on the job to retire, but decided they'd rather die on the job, and be carried out. There is life after retirement. It's what you make of it.
I'm not one of those individuals that feels they have to be around people, or need to be doing something productive every minute of the day. The less people I see, the better. I enjoy being alone, and don't need someone to entertain me. I'm very independent.
I went to college while I was working full-time, and completed my B.A. and M.A. I did it to prove to myself that I could, and never used my degrees for my job. I spent many years researching the Civil War, traveling to do research, visit Civil War sites, and met many nice people during those years. My mother died at 69, and I decided that if I wanted to travel, I'd do it while I could still get around. I did go overseas in 2006 and 2007, but at 76, I only travel to visit the very few family members I have left.
I'm an avid book reader as well. I always have 5 hardback/paperback books going at once, and two books on my Kindle that I read before going to bed each night. I spent the majority of my later career years working the 3-11 p.m. shift, so when I retired, I continued with the schedule of staying up late. I usually head into bed around 4 a.m. or so, read for an hour, then turn out the light.
Just remember, the older you get, the faster time flies, so take your retirement, and enjoy it.
*I hate having to set my alarm clock,/I’m not one of those individuals that feels they have to be around people*
I’m happy for you. I still set my alarm early-5am. There aren’t enough hours in the day to enjoy. I let the nighttime dictate when I sleep.
*My May/December marriage will mean my wife will work 7 years after I retire.* Had an attractive girlfriend like that. While she’s at work I wanted to go to the sports bar for lunch, walk the dogs, prepare dinner and give her rubdowns when she got off work. After 60+ minutes of attention the plan was to ‘retire’ in my den-leave her alone. Unfortunately she was having none of that. A working woman’s space is more important. Can’t blame her.
*The most common lament is that we are busier now than when we were working full time.*
People that say that are just lying. Trying to make themselves look like there’s a lot going on in their lives. While it could be true they no longer have to live up to someone else’s standard-Same as a housewife.
In one way, I'm also a civil war buff. The difference is I follow only the Japanese civil wars that ran for most of the 16th and 16th centuries :- )
NHK and TV Japan make it easy for me. There's an epic TV series called the Taiga Drama that runs every year on the theme of one person's life -- 50 episodes (once a week) broadcast on prime time for 45 minutes with no commercial interruption. Fantastic television -- these docudramas feature maybe 50 nationally known actors. Costumes, elaborate sets, highly orchestrated battle scenes, and lots of real horses! Of course, most episodes don't feature the actual battles, but the strategies, personalities, and intrigue of the civil war period.
I don't know Japanese, but I can look up the history on-line.
This year the missus and I plan to visit Himeji Castle, the most beautiful and strongest defensive fortress of the civil war period. So I'm reading up to enjoy the visit fully.