Retired and Turned into a Vampire!

by Rhonda
(Port Wentworth, GA, USA)

I was forced into retirement in 2013 at the age of 59. I did grieve my job and looked for other jobs for 2 years. Didn't even get any responses to my applications.

My husband was forced into retirement in 2015. He was off a month and couldn't stand being off, so he found a part time job that turned into a full time job.

I have no motivation to do anything. They say do something you have always wanted to do...well, that was traveling and we don't have the funds for that.

I sleep all day and stay up til dawn either on internet or watching tv. I don't necessarily have a problem with this, but my family makes me feel guilty for not doing anything. I cook their dinner every day and make sure the house is not nasty, but do not clean like i use to.

Guess I wondering if there is others out there who have this problem. I guess it's a problem. Others think it is.

I have tried staying up and changing my schedule, but I am like for what? I just sleep all day again and get back on my vampirish schedule. Don't want to volunteer, don't have any hobbies, etc.

Comments for Retired and Turned into a Vampire!

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Baby steps
by: Debbie

There are some great comments here, and I agree with all of them. I have not been retired for a full year yet, but I know that I felt pretty lost at first, and found that I enjoyed doing nothing. It was nice not to have the stress of getting up at a certain time and trying to make a boss happy.

At some point I realized that I really did want to do something worthwhile in my life. And I think you might also, and that's why you wrote to us?

Anyway... what I have to do is make a list of things that I could do the next day. Sometimes they are not "want to's", but "could do's".

I write this out at night, because for some reason I am more awake at night also. So, when I get up in the morning, I look at my list.

When I first started this, I really didn't want to do anything on the list. But I would force myself to do one thing on my list. Then as time went on I found that I was enjoying doing the things on my list, and now I am busy all day and enjoying my retirement. I am not stressful busy, but just enjoyably busy.

I think if you take baby steps... just get out of the house. Like others have mentioned, just go to the mall, walk down a city street, pick one store a day to wander through. Go visit one interesting sight. (One day I just sat in the shade and watched some children playing in a park.)

I think you will find more and more things that you want to do and you will start enjoying your days.
Do it when you want to!
by: Sally, Mass.

I have people breathing down my neck about doing something after one year of retirement! It bugs me because I'm going to do what I want to do when I want to!

Isn't that kind of the point after working for 48 years?

Something will come to you at some point. If you feel lost or depressed, you might want to see a professional, but I'm not telling you what to do! Ha, ha!

Cheers and hang in. Everyone does things in their OWN time!
Yes, you can
by: Sherry/ NC

If you can play computer all night that tells me you have a brain.

You can do other things to make you think, also.

Get going, girl!
Vampire Woman
by: Wee-zer

Rhonda, Your first paragraph sounded like me. I am also not truly happy with retirement. We used to travel to the Caribbean twice a year and now we have not been since 2004. A long time.

We no longer enjoy driving due to rude drivers so that is a problem going on vacations. We also have two old dogs and we don't want to put them in the kennel. So we stay home. Which is what we worked for our whole lives and we want for really nothing.

I agree with Wendy, get out of the house as often as you can. Shop for groceries, go to Walmart and just wander around and look at things...remember, you don't have to buy anything! Do check out your senior center as Wendy suggested.

Another thing you can do is to start decluttering your house. Get a box of garbage bags and start clearing out your closets. Donate the stuff to Goodwill. Throw the bags in your car and take the bags there. If you have previously had dogs and still have beds or crates, stainless bowls that are in good shape you can take them to Animal Welfare. They always want towels. Call them and see what is on their wish list.

Maybe you could get a part time job at Burger King or work in a store like Target. Not a career type job but it would get you out for 4-5 hours a day. You need structure in your life. That is why you are going vampire. Even if you don't get a job, you really should try to establish a schedule/routine that fits with your family to a certain point.

You say you can't afford a vacation. Sit your husband down and plan something fun but inexpensive. Do some internet investigation of your area. Find some hidden gems to visit. Maybe a waterfall in a small town, visit it, eat in a cute restaurant, visit some historical monuments in that town. Maybe you could even plan an overnight visit.

Back when my hub and I were young, we would take road trips to Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. We would just drive and drive and visit cider mills, places that sold cheese and apples in the fall. We would have hot coffee on a cold morning and eat some cheese in the car. There are so many cute, small stores we visited. I am sure in GA there are places like that.

Wishing you the best and remember, only YOU can turn your life around.
Get tested
by: Anonymous

Please check to make sure your attitude is not due to some medical problem. Low magnesium for instance can cause many problems.
VAMPIRE
by: Anonymous

i FIND IT ANNOYING WHEN PEOPLE WANT TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO WITH MY RETIREMENT. gEEZ, IT IS TIME TO DO WHAT YOU FEEL LIKE. sTICK WITH THE VAMPIRE SCHEDULE AND TELL PEOPLE TO GET OFF YOUR BACK.
No Life = Vampire LIfe?
by: Wendy, retirement enthusiast

First thought -- you sound depressed.

If your life is only this-- cooking and cleaning for others -- uggg!

Yes, you can sleep all day -- play computer and tv all night. If that's what you want out of life -- that is what you will get.

However, if you would simply get out of the house, get around people again, I would bet your Vampire lifestyle would change, and for the better.

Simply HELP someone out there. Many are not as fortunate as you (despite what you might think) and a simple helping hand would do much for them -- but also FOR YOU!

Go to an afternoon matinee.

Ask a friend, neighbor, family member to meet you for lunch.
If nobody wants to join you, think twice -- maybe you have become a Grumpy Ole Soul?

Go on a day trip -- senior centers take busloads on day trips. Just try it once. See a new place, learn something new, breathe in the fresh air, watch the countryside as you are driven, meet new people too. It might not be THE travel you had hope for -- but day trips can brighten up your week.

There IS more to life. Problem is: it is YOU that must seek it out. Nobody can do that for you!

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