What's it like to Be Retired? Interesting Commentary by Irwin!

Reality set in after Retirement

by Anonymous

I am 67 years old and had a part-time job working from my home. I loved my job and never wanted to quit.


Unexpectedly and due to the economy, my position was eliminated on 9/2010. I am depressed about losing my job and paying bills.

I feel overwhelmed and can't seem to figure out what I want to do now.

I have one grown son and lost another son two years ago. Getting lost in job details helped not to dwell too much on the lost of my son.

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Retirement Reality: What May Help a Bit
by: Anonymous

Sorry to hear of your current struggle. I can well appreciate your feelings.

You have been through quite a lot--recently losing your son as well as a job. You might consider a few visits with a psychotherapist to deal with such a massive dose of loss.

In my hard time, I was able to find a very capable therapist for very little money, and it helped tremendously.

Whatever you do or don't do, you have my deep wishes for better days.
i understand
by: Anonymous


LETS BECOME PEN PALS. GINA
Fit your-self in God's Scheme of Things .... Don't Worry, Be Happy ....
by: Retd. Prof. Mr Durgesh Kumar Srivastava JiBhaiya@gmail.com New Delhi, India

Dear friend,

I too was like you, not knowing what to do after my retirement in 2005. The first few days after retirement were used up in arranging to put my monetary retirement benefits into various options for investment.

When three weeks had passed, I began to worry about doing nothing all day long. I would hover around the kitchen asking my wife about what to do next. She was tired of preparing endless cups of tea for me. I would be willing to go to the nearby market even for the smallest of errands.

I decided to seek a post-retirement job. I prepared my c.v. and got a good computer print made of it. It had my scanned photo at the top.

I asked my newspaper supplier to begin giving me The Times of India, Hindustan Times and (Hindi) Hindustan everyday. My mornings were spent in scanning the Situation Vacant columns of these newspapers. I began sending my applications in response to advertised positions. In the beginning I demanded a starting monthly salary of INR 25,000. When I did not get any replies, I reduced my demand to INR 20,000. I began getting responses but the employers wanted me to reduce my demand further.

I got a call from a management institute for interview. They asked many questions on my subject and finally selected me. But they wanted me to further reduce my salary demand. Sensing an opportunity but not wanting to tone down my demand, I offered to cut my demand by 10% for every cut of one hour in my hours of duty in the morning and by 5% for every one hour cut in the evening.

Ultimately a deal was struck with a 30% cut in my salary demand. I was to work from 11-30 in the morning to 4 pm in the evening on 5 days a week on a monthly salary of INR 13,000. This was quite satisfactory under the circumstances.

The employer did not stand to lose since the total number of lecture periods per week were what he wanted - 15 lectures per week. I served this college for about 5 years till a few months ago when I had to quit in order to undergo heart bypass surgery. I also got two salary raises.

I was able to pass my time, earn some extra money and make many new friends from among the teachers and students. The friendship with the students was most soul satisfying. We continue to be friends even though I have stopped going to the college.

Now, I stay at home and write about my life experiences and send it to Wendy's website retirement-online.com for publication. It is a joy to see my articles in print.

May be, in the future, this may open some avenues for an extra income for me. I feel quite satisfied with my life. I shall be 68 on 22nd February, 2011. i find my life quite satisfactory and i can pass my time in creative writing which is my hobby now.


Retd. Prof. Mr. Durgesh Kumar Srivastava,
JiBhaiya@gmail.com New Delhi, India,20 Jan, 2011

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