Let Me Check My Calendar

 

Do you remember reading way back in one of my initial posts, that one of the many pieces of advice I picked up from a retirement seminar was the importance of establishing a daily, post-retirement schedule. 

On the surface, this seemed like an eminently practical piece of advice, especially for me.  Even before I retired, I knew that I simply do not do well in unscheduled time.  It’s something I have always know about myself. 

Never mind having to work with a weekly production schedule while I was gainfully employed.  Even on vacation, I’m one of those annoying people who cannot simply sit on the beach and snooze.  I’m the one with the guide book who is researching museums, galleries, theatres, walking tours and all the other sites and attractions a particular vacation destination has to offer. 

I’m that annoying person who arranges her vacation day into three blocks of time - an activity in the morning (beginning at 10 a.m. - when the museums and/or galleries open their doors), a lunch break, an afternoon activity, a dinner break, and usually a theater performance in the evening – basically every vacation I ever took to London, New York or Edinburgh.

But practical advice or not, isn’t liberating yourself from a “work schedule”, from the daily grind, from the rat race, etc., the prime reason absolutely everyone gives for wanting to retire? 

To finally be free to do what you want, whenever you want?

So on second thought, actually working to re-establish and maintain a “schedule” once I retired seemed to be a little counter-intuitive.

Well, I am now into my second summer of retirement and have stumbled over yet another one of those ironies of retirement.

The Calendar.

Capital “T”, capital “C”.

The Calendar.

To my eternal shock and chagrin, I have discovered that the one essential thing I need to survive early retirement is believe it or not, a calendar.  An actual pen and paper calendar!  (Come to tea lunch next month and I’ll show it to you!)

Thanks to my insistence on a comprehensive and detailed “Retirement List” and my dogged pursuit of as many “personal growth opportunities” as possible, my days are now actually more regimented and organized than they ever were when I was working for a living.*

And I think I know how it happened ....

For much of our working lives, our daily “schedule” is managed and maintained by others.  Managers, colleagues, project load, etc., dictated to us when and where we had to be on an almost hourly basis.  You may have actually written an appointment or meeting into your calendar or day timer, but the need for the appointment or the meeting was probably not initially your idea.

And let’s not forget that if you actually wanted to get paid for working for this living, it is human resources and payroll who control the actual beginning and end to your work day …. as well as your actual payday!

It doesn’t take long once you have retired, however, to realize that now you, and only you, are in charge of organizing your own life. 

You are now captain of your own ship!

And it is truly the most annoying thing in the universe to be captain of your own ship!

If you have a spouse or school-aged children, some of your daily retirement routine will automatically be scheduled for you.

Unfortunately, I have neither spouse nor children, so the onus for organizing my days falls to me and me alone.  And I am a pain in the *** to keep organized and moving forward!

As much as I like the “freedom” that retirement has brought, knowing that on a daily basis I can go anywhere I want, any time I want – using a calendar to aid in re-establishing a structure to my days has proven to be, well …. useful!

Knowing that you have something scheduled for the day ahead gets you out of bed and off of the couch and ultimately keeps you in contact with the human race.

You will find there is actually a certain amount of comfort in knowing where you are supposed to be and what you are supposed to be doing on a daily basis – even if it’s only doing the laundry or grocery shopping. 

And working your way through a daily schedule actually gives you a sense of accomplishment, especially if you are able to cross something off your Retirement List. 

Bet you’d thought I forgotten about The List!

Never forget about The List!

‘Cause it’s that List that is going to help you to re-establish a structure and order to your post-retirement life!

 
 
*Just because I have a calendar, doesn't mean I'm managing to keep myself out of trouble.  Sorry again Linda, Howard!

Hey lady …. !

 

Do you remember that variety store in the strip mall beside your middle school?  Or just around the corner from your childhood home? 

If you’re as old as I am, you remember when those small, independent variety stores sold wax lips, sticky candy necklaces, and Creamsicles.  And maybe, individual cigarettes, and for sure, fire crackers and fire works for the long weekend in May (remember the burning school house?)

And do you remember standing in front of said variety store with a group of friends waiting for a teenager of shady reputation to come along.  And asking him (always a “him” for some reason) to buy contraband for you and your friends because none of you were old enough to buy it for yourselves?

Well, here’s some irony for you.

You still may not be old enough to buy contraband.

If you manage to take early retirement, like I did, or you’re not quite 65 (or in some cases 60), you don’t qualify as a “senior” and therefore, do not qualify for senior’s discounts!

(I don’t mind the not being a senior bit.  It’s the not getting the discounts bit that has my support hose in a twist!)

You find yourself right back in front of that variety store – in this case, admission booths at trade shows and movie theatres - waiting for a sympathetic, older, retiree to happen by ...

And asking them to buy a senior’s-priced admission for you. 

Well, not really.  I don’t actually cruise the floor of the Direct Energy Centre or the International Centre looking for sympathetic-looking seniors.  (But it’s an amusing thought.  Maybe there’s pocket money to be made in scalping senior’s-priced tickets to events. The next time Tom Jones comes to town ….. )

If I think I can get away with it (particularly if the cashier at the Cineplex theatre looks young and bored enough), I ask outright for a senior’s priced ticket.  The chances are pretty good that she is going to be more interested in her iPhone and flirting with the concession stand hunk than in actually asking to see any proof of age. 

And she probably thinks I look older than her mother anyway.

Or if you are out with friends and one member of the group is 60+, you find yourself asking if they will buy your admission ticket along with theirs.  After all, they’re on a fixed income and a tight budget as well.  So they understand the importance of saving a few dollars whenever possible.  

But ... the most important thing of all that I have learned.  

If you’re lucky enough to be able to afford a restaurant lunch or dinner prior to the movie, keep your mouth shut when the waitress asks - “senior’s discount?”

Just nod.

Actually, the only retailer I have found offering a senior’s discount at age 50 is the Sears store in Dixie Value Mall – and we all know what happened to Sears Canada!

There is something slightly ridiculous and Kafkaesque about being caught up in this “what goes around, comes around – again” scenario.  Old enough to stay up and watch all of the Late Show and the infomercial that follows, but not yet old enough to buy my way into the local Cineplex at the senior’s rate.

I guess it’s high school all over again!  Gonna have to go out and get myself yet another fake ID, just so I can once again “prove” I am older than I really am!