On retiring, what new things did you start...

[CaptJCool]

Gamification

I hate chores so I gamified it.

Stuck them all in a jar and then the rooms in another pot, and progressively randomly draw them.

Also found I can celebrate clearing out long held trash. .... a lil chocolate and Chivas Regal

So far so good. Only about 35% of the way through and keeping the done stuff maintained.

Oh the next is the shower walls - some labour needed but pretty straight-forward to get done when I get to it.

It's a project done where progress is tracked and completion celebrated

 

[Renato1]

Doing Nothing - Martha Beck. Renatos comment reminded me of this

But Martha says in that article,
"Every day, after meditating for an hour and a half,......."

I remember reading in a psychology book many years ago (don't ask me to cite it, because I can't) that meditation performed properly is beneficial, and that machines had measured the brainwaves of people meditating, which showed that meditation changed the typical Alpha waves into the more relaxing Beta waves.

On the other hand, the book went on to state that the machines also showed that the brainwaves changed to the more relaxing Beta waves almost instantly when a person was engrossed in reading a good book.

I'm always reading good books because I have about 1000 unread ones, and if nothing much happens after reading a quarter of a book, I throw it out, and start on another one which hopefully delivers engrossment.
Regards,
Renato

 

[jb747]

I know what I'm not going to do....have any involvement with CASA.

 

[burmans]

Obviously views vary & I was born in a small country town & loved that lifestyle BUT as we get older I am not sure many "towns" especially ones say 5,000 population and less have the essential services that may be required.

This very much depends on your definition of country "town", e.g. Armidale and Orange are somewhat bigger than this and have good infrastructure including good hospitals.

 

[RB]

This very much depends on your definition of country "town", e.g. Armidale and Orange are somewhat bigger than this and have good infrastructure including good hospitals.

Agree re places as big as Armidale & Orange have some good options but I think many people here that are commenting are city based & have little concept of living in places of say 5,000 or less. As an example ladies from my old home town have to travel a couple of hours to give birth and they are lucky compared to may in western NSW. A Dr recently left the old home town & people were advised they may have to wait 3-4 weeks to get a non urgent appointment with the Dr still there.

 

[jb747]

Albury/Wodonga. About 100,000 between them, good transport and access to snow, mountains, river and lake. All the facilities you could need. But, still has a 'non city' feel about it.

 

[RooFlyer]

I just realised another thing I have done since I retired - a much healthier lifestyle!

Without deadlines, meetings and lots of travel for my client, I no longer 'grab' lunch or do take-away for dinner because I'm travelling, stressed, late or tired. I also can take my daily exercise when it suits me. Even though I am still at a desk - its my home office, study/research/writing - if its fine in the morning, out I go .. or leave it to later etc ... or both. No excuse for not doing it every day.

I'm not yet in @JohnM's class, but give me 6 months and the budgie smugglers might (might, I say) get an airing.

Oh, I can also plan my international travel much longer in advance, and take advantage of better pricing, AND stay away longer.

 

[Pushka]

I’m planning on living somewhere near water. Already have an investment apartment overlooking the river. Our son is the current tenant so he’s on borrowed time.

 

[Quickstatus]

@drron
That’s is a very good idea to start looking for “final resting place” 15 years prior.

We will need to downsize but have absolutely no concrete ideas except that country towns are attractive. Better get on to it before can even start thinking about what to do after

I’m not a water person. As we age need somewhere close to medical facilities
Wagga, Albury/Wodonga, Dubbo looking good.
Photography of night sky is better in the country
Even Jindabyne but air connections are poor via Cooma and YJIN is not commercial.

Is it too late to learn to be an aviator?

15 years from now the super balance transfer cap will be around $2M assuming 2%CPI not the $1.6M currently. (Assuming legislative risk is zero )

 

[RB]

@drron
That’s is a very good idea to start looking for “final resting place” 15 years prior.

We will need to downsize but have absolutely no concrete ideas except that country towns are attractive. Better get on to it before can even start thinking about what to do after

I’m not a water person. As we age need somewhere close to medical facilities
Wagga, Albury/Wodonga, Dubbo looking good.

15 years from now the super balance transfer cap will be around $2M assuming 2%CPI not the $1.6M currently. (Assuming legislative risk is zero )

Many people would suggest Tamworth would be a better choice than Dubbo but I guess you you already know that

 

[Quickstatus]

Many people would suggest Tamworth would be a better choice than Dubbo but I guess you you already know that

Yes add Tamworth to the mix. Lots of places including other states as well.

I don’t think I want to live overseas in retirement.
NZ is OK though

 

[cove]

We are happy to spend time between Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, London and Los Angeles. I looked at the World ship but Mrscove is put off due to sea sickness. I keep getting mailers on what cabins are available.
I do enjoy Los Angeles and Mrscove really enjoys London as a base.
We still have Mrscove’s mum living with us 5 or 6 nights a week so our trips are still usually up to 3 weeks maximum.
As we get older we cut lots of places off the travel to list based on what if you get seriously ill.
We really do enjoy New York City but 4 or 5 nights and I am good to leave. Same with Las Vegas where 4 nights is enough.

 

[JohnK]

Yes add Tamworth to the mix. Lots of places including other states as well.

I don’t think I want to live overseas in retirement.
NZ is OK though

Luckily I don't need to look for a place where I want spend the rest of my time. I'm there already in Sydney. Has everything I will ever need and more. It'd be good when the house in Thailand is finished but that's a few years off yet.

A friend is 73 and not quite fully retired. He's built a 3 bedroom house in Udon Thani, he grows mushrooms (apparently good money in this business) and a few other ventures. He has nothing in Australia. Once he finalises a few things off he goes.

 

[Denali]

Who was the poster that said he's taking up welding?

Got a business idea for you.

 

[Quickstatus]

Who was the poster that said he's taking up welding?

Got a business idea for you.

View attachment 121022

What’s with the glove

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Ok looks like welding may be off the "things I can do list"

Keep the ideas coming as I suspect that I will need them, and this is why I started this thread.

While I have read that some are content with a "nothing" approach (which is not really nothing) as it suits them, I would think that based on my personal history that this would not suit me as I tend to like to be organised and active. In this regard I would believe that I am a "chip off the old block", even if I have not also acquired my fathers love of petrol fumes (all things cars).

ie

• I have stayed at resorts in the past where you mainly just do "nothing". But I tend to climbing the walls after 4 days or so.
• With my travels/holidays I very much more enjoy the ones which have major activities, or a special theme or goal to them, rather than ones where I am just looking at things. (ie Trekking to Annapurna Base Camp, Cycling the Danube from Germany to Vienna, driving a 4WD 5000km across Africa etc)
• I like activities of the mind kind too, and not just the physical ones

I will in May try out my first 14 day cruise on a small ship (my first cruise on anything larger than a Nile Cruise), though this has lots of hikes etc as day activities. It will be interesting to see how I go. I normally skipper my own yacht as I enjoy the responsibility and deciding what and were to go as well as just the joy of sailing in itself.. I suspect that I will not be a "cruiser" at heart, but I may surprise myself.

 

[RooFlyer]

Keep the ideas coming as I suspect that I will need them, and this is why I started this thread.

Have you thought about family history, if you are not already into it? It is a wonderful hobby, that can take as much or as little time as you wish and can take very little money to progress. I often liken family history to a detective story - clues, leads, witnesses, follow them up ... blind alleys ... and then ah-ha! ... you get your ancestor!

A lot can be done on the net these days, which is fine as long as you remain sceptical about what you get, and cross check it, but it can also take you to great places you would never have gone to. I've travelled all over obscure places in the UK and Ireland hunting down ancestors and its a brilliant feeling when you knock down a 'brick wall'.

And the good thing is that there are many well organised web sites (eg Rootsweb 'Lists') where people offer to help, can look up resources that you don't have access to, all over the world - no trolls, no nasty comments or rolling eyes, just like minded people who get help, and give help back.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Have you thought about family history, if you are not already into it? It is a wonderful hobby, that can take as much or as little time as you wish and can take very little money to progress. I often liken family history to a detective story - clues, leads, witnesses, follow them up ... blind alleys ... and then ah-ha! ... you get your ancestor!

A lot can be done on the net these days, which is fine as long as you remain sceptical about what you get, and cross check it, but it can also take you to great places you would never have gone to. I've travelled all over obscure places in the UK and Ireland hunting down ancestors and its a brilliant feeling when you knock down a 'brick wall'.

And the good thing is that there are many well organised web sites (eg Rootsweb 'Lists') where people offer to help, can look up resources that you don't have access to, all over the world - no trolls, no nasty comments or rolling eyes, just like minded people who get help, and give help back.

My wife has been passionate about it for years (as have a number of relatives) and uses Ancestry.com., Family Tree Maker and various other tools like Trove etc and has investigated back on both her and my side and yes we do incorporate this into some of our travels.

Records vary by the country. ie Ireland is problematic, England very good.

One branch of mine goes back to the Domesday Book where one ancestor came across from Normandy (so a little bit of French). Another goes back through one of Captain Cook's sisters (So I can visit the transported home of one om forebears in my own home town in Captain Cook's Cottage). There was a rogue or two but no convicts, though my wife has a convict on her side. Some parts of my tree are seventh generation Australian and so records get somewhat problematic as for example family names can vary in how they were spelt both before and after arrival.

 

[RooFlyer]

My wife has been passionate about it for years (

Hmmmm .. Cross that of the ' to do' list, then.

It was Ireland's poor records (most destroyed in WW2, I think?) That took me to Ireland and a fantastic time.

I have 6 convicts in all, bless em - great record keeping, even colour of eyes, types of tattoos etc

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Hmmmm .. Cross that of the ' to do' list, then.

Well not so much crossed off, as it remains a hobby in progress which is mainly my wife's but which I also partake in.