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Thread: "Semi-Retired" I Guess, and Bored

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    Senior Member SiouzQ.'s Avatar
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    "Semi-Retired" I Guess, and Bored

    I've been only working two days a week gallery-sitting for several months now because it has been really slow in our tourist town. I mean REALLY slow. There have been many days with no sales at all. It's also been really cold lately. My already kind-of boring job is even more boring, like I am going-to-lose-my-mind kind-of-bored sitting there seven hours a day. I know in reality that I have all sorts of stuff to be grateful for but I find myself slipping into a funk because of the boredom.

    There are only so many fingerless gloves I can knit, only so much doom-scrolling on my phone I can do while sitting on the uncomfortable wooden chair. I try to read a book, but my bad wrists can't hold it up for very long. Sometime I take my computer to work to catch up on stuff but I'm not feeling particularly creative these days. I can no longer play my guitar, so that's out. I guess it sounds like I am a little depressed, and I suppose that's true to some extent.

    It's funny, all those decades of working my a** off to get to "retirement" and now that is is here, I'm not sure I like it very much. I was talking to my sister last night, who at 68 years old is finally going down to part time work and she feels the same way. What do you DO with all that time?

    I know once it gets warmer here I'll have my big yard to fool around in, but spring is sure taking its time coming here into the mountains. I have not been very successful so far in working my way out of this funk I seem to be in...

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    Senior Member Rogar's Avatar
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    Our library has tons of audio books you can check out for free. I use those Bluetooth in the ear buds, so it’s pretty subtle.

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    Senior Member iris lilies's Avatar
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    I surf the internet offering my wisdom to a variety of forums. I read a bit. I watch a ton of video. I do garden work and worry about not doing more garden work.

    i’m president of two garden organizations. I’m a treasurer of another one. I’m a secretary of another one. I have my hands in a couple of other garden organizations at committee level work.

    I pet my cat and play with her.. I talk to my dog. I go to the grocery store 3 times a week. I cook whatever I feel like when I feel like it.

    Once we met the deadline to move all of our crap out of our house of 33 years, there is no pressure to do anything here at our new home. All of the surfaces, well, the ones that are finished, are nice and shiney and new and are a little bit fun to keep clean BUT I will eventually hore a house cleaning person.

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    Senior Member JaneV2.0's Avatar
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    I can't relate to boredom in retirement, but I was often bored beyond belief at work. Your job, with its Throne of Torment, sounds awful to me. Not helpful, I know. Could you read e-books on your laptop or tablet? How about a reverse coloring book? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b42aUlY3BE

    I thank the Universe every day for retirement.

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    Senior Member SiouzQ.'s Avatar
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    I think I miss a little hustle and bustle at work, is what it is. This damn job is SOooooooo sedentary. I've gained about 20 lbs since my Wholefoods job from 6.5 years ago. I really miss the job I that I moved out here for, the one I lost back in the fall of 2021 when the owners decided to sell the gallery. I had all the responsibility of running the place day-to-day back then and it was the perfect amount of stuff to do in a cool place to do it. I don't have that kind of role at this new place; the owners are a bit loosey-goosey with things that I don't have the authority to change so I just try to roll with it the best I can.

    I know I sound kind of whiny right now, but that's where I'm at with it. I'll get sick of my whiny self at some point and figure it out...

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    Senior Member Rogar's Avatar
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    I have retired friends who have done a variety of volunteer projects. Meals on wheels, hospice visitors, naturalist educators, museum docents, habitat for humanity re-use store, etc. I had project's to my suiting for 10 years after early retirement, maybe 15 or 20 hours a week. They ended with Covid and I'd like to find something new. I've just started getting comfortable with groups of people after covid. It used to be there was a national directory where you could search for specific types of volunteer duties by area. I think it's still out there, but haven't checked. By experience some are mindless and thankless, others a learning experience and fun or rewarding.

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    Senior Member iris lilies's Avatar
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    With all those galleries out your way, I can’t believe that you can’t find more challenging work in a gallery. Good employees are so incredibly hard to find these days, let alone someone with your experience. If you want to continue to work because that’s entertaining for you, get cracking in finding a better job lady!

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    Senior Member catherine's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SiouzQ. View Post
    I think I miss a little hustle and bustle at work, is what it is. This damn job is SOooooooo sedentary. I've gained about 20 lbs since my Wholefoods job from 6.5 years ago. I really miss the job I that I moved out here for, the one I lost back in the fall of 2021 when the owners decided to sell the gallery. I had all the responsibility of running the place day-to-day back then and it was the perfect amount of stuff to do in a cool place to do it. I don't have that kind of role at this new place; the owners are a bit loosey-goosey with things that I don't have the authority to change so I just try to roll with it the best I can.
    Could you come up some kind job that approximates what you loved about your old gallery job? Up here we have a group of artists who rent a building to sell their art (fine art, jewelry, cards, textiles, etc) and they take turns manning the store. Do you have any friend/artists that you could assemble to do something like that? Share costs and labor?

    I just looked on their FB page and they also do workshops.
    "Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it--every, every minute?" Emily Webb, Our Town
    www.silententry.wordpress.com

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    I think the weather contributes a lot to that sense of being confined and bored. I am salivating to get outside and hike/garden/walk and this very cold, dreary winter just drags on. I recall how boring it can be to sit all day especially without some human interaction - I did that in my state government job on many days. If I hadn't spent hours over this winter starting seeds and learning all I could about native plants, I might have lost my mind. DH can look at the internet all day - I can't. I think in retirement you have to put a lot of effort into getting out there and Covid sure messed that up. Right now, I have book club and garden volunteering. Maybe things will pick up after the weather gets better. I know it's a drive but maybe two days at a gallery in Santa Fe would be more fun.

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    Senior Member bae's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SiouzQ. View Post
    What do you DO with all that time?
    I retired > 20 years ago, in my mid-30s. So I've had a while to work on the problem :-)

    I've found the key is to keep fully-engaged in "things", especially things that have purpose.

    - I've gone through several part-time careers since "retired", most in public service.

    - I also try to learn something substantial and interesting every year - a skill, a language, a body of knowledge, and so on.

    - I'm still spending ~10 hours a week studying structural firefighting, technical rescue work, and emergency medical skills.

    - I tend to read several non-fluff books a week, not directly related to whatever I'm studying.

    - I do a bit of research in mathematics and computer science still.

    - I engage in social activities with friends and relatives.

    - I spend a lot of time taking care of my health, with the theory that it will never be any easier than it is today to get in better shape for tomorrow. Long walks on my hilly mountain, and lots of bicycling, and lifting of weights is involved.

    - I practice martial arts, mostly historical fencing these days

    - I spent a lot of time until now raising my daughter, and still spend hours every week teleconferencing with her - she's teaching me several of the languages she specializes in, which is fun.

    I think I'm busier these days than when I worked for a living.

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