Mar 18 2009
No Excuses for Boredom in Retirement
Yesterday, I found myself telling a former co-worker that I am bored now, and beginning to think about a part-time job.
When I thought about it some more I realized that I am not bored. That’s not the correct word. I am simply living in a rut.
Unlike when I was an employee and someone was Paying me while I worked on a boring project, I am now free to schedule my own time and I can’t justify (or blame someone else) for being in a rut.
I follow virtually the same routine each day–house chores–house pets–paperwork to attend to, and then…sitting here at the computer until noon.
Afternoons are for working outside or in the garage on special projects, and then, more often than not, a trip to town to run errands. That trip takes about two hours.
Once home again, the routine kicks in, with pet needs, other chores, preps for dinner, checking in by phone with other family and friends, then dinner with the wife when she arrives and three hours or so of television, often ending with both of us falling asleep in front of the TV, (like I am exhausted from all the work).
Perhaps this experience should be teaching me something about routine: it is how we measure our days, find some discipline in the otherwise unstructured and unscheduled lifestyle that is retired life.
I realize that a part-time job would detract from the variety of activities that we look forward to as springtime arrives. Most part-time jobs involve working evenings and on weekends. Spring and summer are our times for getting out in the Montana wilderness and enjoying our free time. Fishing and camping and day trips are planned for almost every weekend. A part time job would deprive me of the time my wife can spend with me.
Her full-time job is what enables me to remain retired, so I need to ensure that her free time is my free time too.
