I may scream!!!I am retiring next year at the end of Spring semester (May 2012). I am retiring at 55 which means I am getting hit with a penalty from our retirement system. I know this, and I have planned for it. This was not an easy decision for me to make. Family, friends, and people I do not really know are asking me, "what are you going to do when you retire?" My answer has been either I will be taking care of myself for those that know I have MS to I am not sure to those who do not. I am so tired of being asked this question. Yes, I may move but I do not want to make that decision until at least year after I retire. Yes, I hope to do some volunteer work. Yes, I may be willing to teach one course. Most people ( including my family and closest friends) do not understand how hard it is for me teach every day. I think I am going to start telling everyone that I am going to be writing mysteries

So Barb . . . What are you going to do when you retire? j/k

You'll know what you want to do when the time comes. Plans are just that, plans. Once you retire you may decide to do something entirely different than what you planned. This happens quite often when people retire.

Ok, so I just had a thought . . .Take a calendar and randomly fill in something on every single day. When someone asks what you are going to do, hand them the "filled" calendar. haha Or, tell them you are writing a book of dumb questions people ask.

Seriously though, you will know what it is that you want to do when the time comes and will find different ways to fill your time and to do things. You are an intelligent person as well as a caring and compassionate person and I know you will use your wonderful traits to benefit not only yourself but others as well.

Oh, Barb, you could have fun with this! There's all kinds of outrageous things you could do (if only in your imagination)!!

Tell em you're going to write a Bio/expose and they will all be in it.

And t hen AFTER you retire, they will all be asking, "So how are you enjoying retirement?" Start thinking up some good answers for that one, too.

I swear, I was NEVER this busy when I was working. once I retired young I had a gaggle of folks think that just because I am home during the day that I was available to sit and wait for the cable guy or pick up packages while I was in town, or whatever...they just added to my list.

Folks think they are being friendly when they ask social questions such as "what are you going to do when you retire?" they have no idea they are being intrusive, and causing you stress, or discomfort. Consider it a good will gesture and not a nosey rosey comment. Think up a simple one liner such as "sleep! and then nap! and then doze off, and maybe I will go to bed early" try to inject some humor into it, and perhaps you can deflect them with your wit. Simple answers such a "run away from here!" keeps um smiling. I know you dont want to start biting at folks who truly mean well, but its horrible to be pecked to peices about things that are truly nonabeezwax.

Folks thought that since I did an early retirement that I must be chilling and relaxing. they had no idea I was home suffering, in pain, miserable, lonely and missing that fat paycheck. You just cant blurt that out tho. it invokes even more questions. Best to deflect um.

Hang in there.

At the wedding that I went to yesterday, we sat with a number a few public school teachers that were retired as well as a colleague from the Biology department who I have never met. Well when he found out I was retiring he was driving me crazy with questions. How long have you taught at EIU? Aren't you rather young to retire? What do you mean you bought years from another institution? What are you going to do? Are you going to move? Why would you stay here? ... And then his wife began recruiting me to act as a child advocate for the court system. I finally said I am retiring early due to a medical condition and they shut up. They saw me walking with my cane, but I guess that was not a hint.

I think I am also feeling a little defensive/apprehensive about my decision to retire.

Ah, go easy on Mr Full of Questions. When I started at my district, it was 10 years to be vested. I wasn't sure I was going to make it through one! So the years began to accumulate. People retired. I started to open my ears, and started to question. So I could start kicking my own retirement around in my fuzzy brain. I am so glad I did! My retirement came with no notice. I went to work, retired 4 hours into the day. But I had a real good idea what would come.

Now when people ask me what
my nephew
By*janpruitt
on 4/16/11 11:06 PM EST
4 4/19/11 7:18 PM EST
By* dblanchard1278

I do all day, I say sleep. It's not a lie. If they want to do lunch, I'll give them a decimate maybe.

Or you could tell them that you won the powerball lottery and you'll be starting an international business. You could have fun with this, especially if they think you'll be rich.

Sounds like Mr. Nosey would love to be able to retire, and simply cant figure out how. Since you showed it can be done, perhaps he was looking for you to school him on how its done.

When I first moved to the street we currently live on I had no idea how much money the folks at the end have, and it is a disqusting display. New neighbors went in beside us, and they wanted to treat us like their personal professional money planners. How much should we put in our IRA? which stock is better X or B? What percentage of your pay should go to your kids college fun? Sheesh! Dude! back off! I finally said "look I know you moved here and see all this money and think folks are going to fling open their doors and teach you some secret to getting rich or staying rich, but it doesnt work that way. Several are lawyers and got rich off of clients. Others came from money and have no idea how to take care of their own, and others got settlements from injuries or accidents and invested well. Trust me, they are as clueless as you are, and not a single person here will take you for free and tell you a thing." it did stop the constant barrage of questions. These folks rented for one year and moved on. The day they left the wife told me that not one person from this street offered to teach her about money. well...duh!

Same thing when folks hear my DH and I retired in our 40s. they are all over us on how we did it financially, and what our strategy was. Well, first off we didnt buy things! we just saved and saved and saved. no new cars, no new tvs, no fancy vacations, just hard work and saving. the old fashioned way. it wasnt a trick.

Hang in there, at least you dont live next door to Mr and Mrs nosey.