# What will you do in your old age?



## Bullgrit (Jun 17, 2015)

I know most of us here in Misc are like 35+ years old. So our parents are old and probably retired. Do you know what your parents do all day? Would their lives drive you crazy if you were living them?

What will you do 20+ years in the future when you are retired and the children are moved out on their own? We're the first generation with video games and RPGs as part of our culture -- will you sit around playing games all day?

Do you think you'll actually end up doing all day what you think you'd love to end up doing all day?

Bullgrit


----------



## Ryujin (Jun 18, 2015)

Doing nothing would kill me quickly. I'm slowly building a bunch of crafting skills, that I'll use in my retirement. I've built rigs to coil and cut wire into rings for chainmailing, and have been making costume grade chainmail armour for the last few years. A few of my pieces are now in the hands of several indie actors. One appeared in the last season of "Standard Action." 

Along the way I started making simple chainmail jewellery using the same equipment that I'd made to produce rings for armour, and supplemented by bits and bobs I buy from my wire stock supplier. A run of good luck resulted in a whole bunch of sales; enough that my rigs and all the wire stock that I currently have was paid for.

To build the rigs took some basic carpentry skills so I acquired some basic woodworking tools, and have been slowly adding to them. I've got a slowly progressing project to build a stand to hold my 2 bows and modest collection of reproduction medieval cutlery.

The whole costuming thing made me want to produce various accessories, like hats, boots, and archery quivers so I'm trying to pick up some basic leather working skills.

And then there's bow making. I started out making bows with PVC plumbing pipe and oak, which shoot surprisingly well. i wrapped one of them in deerskin to make it look like a more authentic Mongol style horsebow, so that a friend could use it for CosPlay. I'd like to move into making bows from fibreglass and carbon fibre, but that's in the future.

I suspect that my retirement will be more busy than my working life.


----------



## Scott DeWar (Jun 18, 2015)

I am an electrician, so I will probably do that for just about forever. That and fishing, biking, hiking, horseback riding, kayaking, swimming, oh, and fishing.


----------



## Nellisir (Jun 18, 2015)

My dad's a general contractor. He just laughs when the subject of retirement comes up. Not a happy laugh.

My mom (they're divorced) goes on trips, volunteers one or two places, goes to my sister's a lot to help with the grandkids, helps my brother with his kids, and complains that she doesn't have any time to get stuff done.

I'm transitioning back to some kind of regular work schedule after grad school and a few years of under-employment. I still have more projects to be done. I started making wooden utensils and writing (again), and go out a lot more with friends.  Not concerned about retirement.


----------



## Jan van Leyden (Jun 18, 2015)

My mother and step-father both live retired in a small rented house in a rural area. My step-father is tending his garden, my mother goes shopping twice a week and like do bake. They're still quite mobile at age 79 and 74 and don't suffer any serious health issues, so their style of living may last for some more years.

Me, I don't make any real preparations for my retirement in 12.5 years. As a 36-years diabetic I prefer living for the present as long as I'm able to. My only real plan/wish/dream ist to travel to the Mediterranean Sea by bicycle, spending my 67th birthday at a cafe on the Côte d'Azur. 

Everything else will have to wait until I know my health situation at the time. Although being a fan of hobbies without strict physical requirements (roleplaying, reading, writing, ...) probably helps.


----------



## delericho (Jun 18, 2015)

Bullgrit said:


> Do you know what your parents do all day?




They seem to divide their time between looking after grandkids (my neices and nephews) and heading down to England to help look after _their_ parents.



> Would their lives drive you crazy if you were living them?




Probably.



> What will you do 20+ years in the future when you are retired and the children are moved out on their own?




Retirement is a tricky one, since my private pension officially kicks in at 60, while my wife is considerably younger _and_ her pension won't kick in until 66 (or older if the government changes it again in the interim). Realistically, we'll probably resolve that by my working as long as I reasonably can and her stopping as soon as possible, but there will still likely be a good number of years when I'm retired and she's still working. (And that also means that by the time I do retire, my health may well not be holding up too well - I'm lucky enough to still have three grandparents living (and the fourth died at 95), but in all cases their health noticably deteriorated in their mid-seventies.)



> Do you think you'll actually end up doing all day what you think you'd love to end up doing all day?




Unlikely. I'm actually extremely lucky in that I mostly enjoy my job, and I spend my evenings playing RPGs or teaching kids to play the bagpipes. So I mostly do what I love _now_. Retirement would obviously bring the job to an end, while age will inevitably bring the piping to an end at some point. So I'm not at all sure that represents an improvement.

That said, maybe I'll finally find the time to write that novel I've always wanted to get around to. It would probably be hideously over-written dross, but since it would be more about the process than the result I don't think that's a problem.


----------



## Hand of Evil (Jun 18, 2015)

Well, I am retiring August 1st.  33 years at the same place and just 55, lucky I was that I am grandfathered in their pension plan, I am leaving with 70% of my salary, a good 401K and health care.  

At this time I am putting in for a passport.  Want to plan to travel, just go somewhere.  First place is here in the US, want to see the Grand Canyon, thinking about a seven day slow river trip package and then the Zion National Park.  After that, Ireland. Would like to see some of the undergrounds of the world, travel the rivers.


----------



## Janx (Jun 18, 2015)

whats this retirement thing you keep talking about?

As my parents didn't get to 60, I expect to work until I die.


----------



## Scott DeWar (Jun 18, 2015)

My mom is on disability and she has been since early 50 something

My step dad died at 59 - rough lifestyle

My bio-dad was deported to another country so never met him.


----------



## Dioltach (Jun 18, 2015)

My mother went back to university in her 50s, got a Master's degree and a research position, and a few years later got her PhD. Now she spends her time writing articles and giving lectures at conferences -- living the dream that she couldn't live before because she was raising children -- and editing academic papers for an increasingly wide circle of clients. My dad spends his time gardening and brushing up his photography skills. In between they drive around buying the best ingredients they can, which my mother then turns into some truly wonderful lunches and dinners. Not a bad life.

To me, retirement is still too far away to think about seriously. I put a load of cash into a couple of funds every month, and I hope that when the time comes it will be enough. I'll have a state pension (which will definitely not be enough to live on), but I'm earning quite a lot now so I'm planning ahead. But I'm self-employed, so I can keep working past retirement age, at least part-time.

Hopefully the wife and I will move somewhere warmer and sunnier than Northwest Europe; perhaps back to the Caribbean, or maybe Spain. Then build my dream kitchen and spend my time there.


----------



## Scott DeWar (Jun 18, 2015)

Dioltach said:


> Hopefully the wife and I will move somewhere warmer and sunnier than Northwest Europe;_* perhaps back to the Caribbean, o*_r maybe Spain. Then build my dream kitchen and spend my time there.




I hear the Island of Bon Aire is a fine place! Scuba is a regular thing over there, as well as fishing for Lion fish


----------



## sabrinathecat (Jun 18, 2015)

Retiring would require actually being employed.
(grumble)
That's what the wonderful world of managing rental properties is good for.


----------



## Scott DeWar (Jun 19, 2015)

sabrinathecat said:


> Retiring would require actually being employed.
> (grumble)
> That's what the wonderful world of managing rental properties is good for.



 which would help in developing a retirement package of some sort.


----------



## sabrinathecat (Jun 19, 2015)

So I retired at 18?


----------



## Scott DeWar (Jun 19, 2015)

Sorry, let me clarify: employment gives money, which some get set aside for retirement.without employment, no saving for retirement.


----------



## tuxgeo (Jun 19, 2015)

I'm already _*in*_ my old age. 

Yeah, I'll probably do more of the same sort of things I'm doing now: downloading data; reading books; posting on EN World; growing decorative plants; (minor) cooking and cleaning; traveling as little as I can get away with; paying down debts _(Curse You, $5200-repair to sewer line; Curse You!)_; repairs to the house, such as reroofing the back porch in the autumn of 2014 (at age 68) _Yay!_ 

And buying stuff on eBay, because they have the selection that nobody else has. . . .


----------



## Scott DeWar (Jun 19, 2015)

52, broke and not working yet.


----------



## Legatus Legionis (Jun 19, 2015)

.


----------



## Jhaelen (Jun 19, 2015)

Bullgrit said:


> What will you do 20+ years in the future when you are retired and the children are moved out on their own? We're the first generation with video games and RPGs as part of our culture -- will you sit around playing games all day?



Yep, pretty much. IOW, I expect I'll be doing almost exactly the same things I'm doing now. 
I don't actually believe retirement will mean I'll quit my job entirely, either. I'm a software engineer and even in today's time it's not unsual to continue working in that function after reaching retirement age. Experienced specialists are hard to come by, so companies hire them, regardless of age, on a contract or project basis.

And playing RPGs, board or card games, visiting online discussion boards, watching movies, reading books, listening to music - all of that will be perfectly possible at any age.


----------



## sabrinathecat (Jun 20, 2015)

Aside from a 6-month stint at a restaurant, I've been unemployed almost 10 years. Just about given up any hope of finding a job.


----------



## gamerprinter (Jun 20, 2015)

So you're asking what am I doing now? I seem to be a lot older than many of you - I'm 52, though I don't feel necessarily much different than when I was 30. A little rougher shape physically and bit gray in the hair, but in my head I'm not really different.

Seeing my parents struggle now with major medical issues (mother suffered a stroke several years ago and requires care, dad recently suffered a heart attack and triple bypass surgery), issues about taking care of them, their home and their future are a concern. Despite the economy, my dad's finances are secure so paying for them is not an issue. Which gives me pause, in that I've only ever run my own businesses, and while have some retirement plans in place, it's nothing like my parents - so I wonder about my future when I get to their age.

Right now, I'm doing my game cartography as a full-time freelance occupation, and though at least the video game strategy guide side pays well, its nothing like working for a corporation with more retirement incentives than what I can offer myself. Still with over 20 years of self employment "being my own boss" I doubt I'd fare well in a corporate environment, let alone having someone as my boss. I'm having more luck with experience in receiving commission work - I still seem to have desired skills. Really I've gotten more freelance opportunities in the last 10 months than the previous 8 years, I seem to be in good shape with keeping myself cash flow positive, though I'm not getting rich.

Also working on some side income streams. I have well over 100 non-published personal maps (perhaps more than 200), many of them posted in my map emporeum thread, and I'm going to spend much of my summer monetizing them. Throwing grids on them, insuring the scale and resolution is correct then preparing them as both whole map, and letter-sized sliced maps PDF files with accompanying virtual tabletop ready JPG files (without grids). RPG sales of maps don't make but a few sales a month each, but I've learned that the secret with RPG product sales is having a huge line of products. So I want to try and get 50 or more of my maps and map symbols sets available for sales. Again if you're only selling a half dozen of each product a month, only by having many products doing that at the same time is capable of generating any more serious income. I've already released 5 products over the past 3 weeks - an undersea domed city map (for sci-fi games), a hand-drawn swamp map, a dwarven mine, and mostly recently an 1880's train set (floorplans) from locomotive to caboose and a train station as a destinations. Strangely (to me) the railroad cars are selling pretty well, I never thought that would be a "best seller".

I'm guessing I'll still be creating maps, map symbols, writing RPG content even far in the future - I see myself making maps in the nursing home if and when it comes to that.

I'm trying to make my finances more secure, and am hopeful.


----------



## Scott DeWar (Jun 20, 2015)

sabrinathecat said:


> Aside from a 6-month stint at a restaurant, I've been unemployed almost 10 years. Just about given up any hope of finding a job.




I am sure this has been mentioned somewhere by you sometime or another, bur 

A) have you been to collage?

B) what did you study in? 

C) is anything useable in government service - or even the military?


----------



## sabrinathecat (Jun 20, 2015)

Scott DeWar said:


> I am sure this has been mentioned somewhere by you sometime or another, bur
> A) have you been to collage?
> B) what did you study in?
> C) is anything useable in government service - or even the military?



A: Yes
B: English (Technical Writing), German, Computer Graphics
C: no.
Supposedly, San Jose had a huge market for technical writers. By the time I finally managed to get an interview for that type of position, it was almost 3 years later. Tech Writing is a use-it-or-lose-it skill. In three years, I'd rather atrophied.
I did, however, get a job doing technical illustrations for a publisher. (There's a much longer version of this story). While employed, I purchased rental property. I survive on rents.
This is likely to continue for a long time.


----------



## Scott DeWar (Jun 20, 2015)

I bet rentals keep you plenty busy. I guess there is nothing for you for now anyway.


----------



## sabrinathecat (Jun 21, 2015)

Scott DeWar said:


> I bet rentals keep you plenty busy. I guess there is nothing for you for now anyway.



So busy I have time to learn how all this.


----------



## megamania (Jun 21, 2015)

Never will I be able to retire.    As it is I need to get a second job to pay monthly bills again.    Throw in Cancer, heart, lung, anxiety and diabetes I doubt I will live long enough to pay off the house


----------



## megamania (Jun 21, 2015)

If I won a small lottery so I could retire I would teach my grand kids DnD.   My son's first word at age 8 months was "dice"   (pronounced as "ice" )


----------



## Nellisir (Jun 21, 2015)

gamerprinter said:


> So you're asking what am I doing now? I seem to be a lot older than many of you - I'm 52, though I don't feel necessarily much different than when I was 30. A little rougher shape physically and bit gray in the hair, but in my head I'm not really different.




9 years ain't that much, man. I'll be 43 in 8 days. I went back to school in my late 30's.


----------



## Umbran (Jun 21, 2015)

I am not sure economic reality will let many of my generation really retire.  

Luckily, I'm not sure I'd ever *want* to retire.  I like having something constructive to do with my day.  Something someone else needs.  If I'm going to spend my day doing things that other folks need, why shouldn't I get paid for it?


----------



## sabrinathecat (Jun 21, 2015)

Being able to retire is not a choice many people are going to be able to make, whether they want to or not. Many people simply won't be able to afford to. I have a bit of a problem with that. Sadly, if I go any further into this topic, I venture into the area of banned politics.


----------



## Dioltach (Jun 21, 2015)

Scott DeWar said:


> I hear the Island of Bon Aire is a fine place! Scuba is a regular thing over there, as well as fishing for Lion fish




My wife is from Curacao, one island to the left. Apparently Bonaire has little to offer besides scuba diving (which my wife loves but I don't -- I feel like I'm not getting enough air and start to panic).


----------



## megamania (Jun 21, 2015)

Scuba Diving takes time to adjust to.  I've dabbled in it and yes- the first instinct is panic-   can't breath.  But after twenty minutes of messing around in the pool I was able to adjust.


----------



## megamania (Jun 21, 2015)

And yes,  money aside,  I would need to remain active.  Travel is the common choice bur getting back to my art would be nice.    I would look into community things also.  The foodshelf and kid activities mostly.


----------



## Nellisir (Jun 21, 2015)

sabrinathecat said:


> Retiring would require actually being employed.
> (grumble)
> That's what the wonderful world of managing rental properties is good for.




I don't quite understand what's going on here. If you own property, and are able to pay your expenses with those properties, that sounds perfectly reasonable. That's a job. Obviously you're grumpy about it, but dude, ALL your posts are grumpy. What are you looking for? Health insurance? A bigger paycheck? Other people to work with? (I'm not dissing any of those; I want all of them).


----------



## sabrinathecat (Jun 21, 2015)

Getting paid to do something I want to do--using my creativity. Managing the rental properties takes up about 3-10 hours a month, and requires no creativity at all.


----------



## Scott DeWar (Jun 21, 2015)

And that is what I figured the problem is. My brother wants me to go into restaurant ownership. I can cook, yes. but not so good I wold make a successful food business. He is afraid I might die in my job. Yes it is possible. But yes, I am careful. 

My love is The Electron. I think Umbran pointed out how he felt he should be paid for something he does for someone. I am totally in agreement with that, unfortunately, too many people think that electrician work is nothing but a play time. 

I love being an electrician - troubleshooting is my specialty - He does not get that. I have to ignore him and pursue my love and hope I can make money at it. But I will never be able to retire as the economic slump that started in 2007 still affects my field severely.

edit: Sorry I rambled a bit there.


----------



## gamerprinter (Jun 21, 2015)

Scott DeWar said:


> And that is what I figured the problem is. My brother wants me to go into restaurant ownership. I can cook, yes. but not so good I wold make a successful food business. He is afraid I might die in my job. Yes it is possible. But yes, I am careful.




Reminds me of when I got out of the army, and my parents told me they were considering going into business, and they were considering opening a Japanese Restaurant - and wanting me to be the cook. I can cook, sure, but I've never wanted to do it for a living (I've worked in kitchens as a teen, and too hot for my taste), besides I was really an artist. I convinced them if they were serious about opening a business involving me, going graphic design studio/digital print facility was more my skillset and interest, so that's what we did.


----------



## Dioltach (Jun 21, 2015)

My sister became a cook because she loved cooking. After she quit, it took her years to rediscover that love: the long hours, hard (and largely monotonous) work, poor pay, and harsh criticism from customers spoiled it for her.


----------



## Scott DeWar (Jun 21, 2015)

Dioltach said:


> My wife is from Curacao, one island to the left. Apparently Bonaire has little to offer besides scuba diving (which my wife loves but I don't -- I feel like I'm not getting enough air and start to panic).



 I would love to do some scuba myself, but after the coma I was put in, I am not sure of how I would react. We (docs and I) are finding some long term psychological as well as the physical effects from being in a 6 week coma.



Dioltach said:


> My sister became a cook because she loved cooking. After she quit, it took her years to rediscover that love: the long hours, hard (and largely monotonous) work, poor pay, and harsh criticism from customers spoiled it for her.



 and these are the very reasons why I do not want to go into the restaurant business!


----------



## Nellisir (Jun 21, 2015)

sabrinathecat said:


> Getting paid to do something I want to do--using my creativity. Managing the rental properties takes up about 3-10 hours a month, and requires no creativity at all.




I was unemployed and underemployed for years. Two things I did that helped maintain my sanity were a) get back into writing RPG material, and b) I started making wooden utensils. You might not have a workshop handy (not that you need one, but it helps), but you can write and you like RPGs. I intentionally used my time to find hobbies that I liked and didn't take a lot of money to practice. Bonus points if I could make something back from them.


----------



## JamesonCourage (Jun 22, 2015)

Bullgrit said:


> What will you do 20+ years in the future when you are retired and the children are moved out on their own?



I won't even be 50 yet, so hopefully not retiring yet. I only work jobs that I enjoy, so I hope to still be working.

As for what I *will* be doing in old age... die. I'll die.


----------



## sabrinathecat (Jun 22, 2015)

restaurants are nasty, cut-throat businesses. opening any business is hard, but any food service is probably harder than just about anything else. There's a reason they have such a high failure rate. And you have to be totally dedicated to your restaurant for it to have any chance of success.


----------



## gamerprinter (Jun 22, 2015)

My grandparents owned and operated 3 restaurants over the course of their lives (I'd work in one over a couple of summers in my youth). My dad joined the navy straight out of high school partly so as not have to work every morning and after school in the family restaurant (and away from his family altogether). My grandfather was a hard working, ingenuitive jack of all trades with a 3rd grade education, with my grandma doing the books (she had a high school education), so they did whatever they had to survive, with their limitations. I have no real love for the restaurant business either.


----------



## Scrivener of Doom (Jun 22, 2015)

Honestly, threads like this make me wonder why people live in the USA. And I don't mean that as a political comment: it's purely a comment about how depressing the economic situation there really is except for a few.

Back on topic, I'm 46 and have been semi-retired for a while thanks to a dozen years or so years in Singapore with extremely low taxes and a surprisingly low cost-of-living if you know the place reasonably well. I'm in the Philippines now - well away from former US army bases and their red light districts with their associated high crime rates - which is where I expect I will "retire" because this is where my family is. But I will never "retire" unless some unforeseen health issue knocks me down and stops me from doing what I do now.

We're involved in several businesses and I also have a couple of international directorships so I don't go stir crazy from dealing only with the Philippines. (Seriously, I have done business with some of the most corrupt people and nations on this planet and that wasn't enough preparation for daily life here.) I hope and expect that to continue and, as my kids get older (I started late because I wanted to be a proper dad), I also plan to stop being semi-retired and go back to something closer to full-time. But there's no hurry.

Aside from business, I will keep trying to stay physically and mentally fit: I'm a keen cyclist and a fairly voracious reader. I also want to take up kayaking as we're surrounded by a small network of rivers. And, if I continue to still have people interested in playing, I also hope to keep running D&D for another three or more decades. My wife and I will probably also begin travelling again in a couple of years when our kids are a bit older so that's something else to look forward to.

But I think one of the most important things to be aware of once you're in your 30s, if not earlier, is your health. Fortunately, I stopped drinking when I was about 22 and I have never smoked. Add that to a regular exercise routine and avoiding soft drinks ("soda" and "pop" for you pseudo-English speakers) and I hope to stay healthy. (And, seriously, if you smoke and/or drink Coke and similar drinks, ask yourself this simple question: "Why am I committing suicide slowly?")

I'm actually looking forward to the years to come but I know that part of that is because we're relatively secure financially and I have never been one to splurge on expensive toys. But, again, health is key.


----------



## gamerprinter (Jun 22, 2015)

Scrivener of Doom said:


> But I think one of the most important things to be aware of once you're in your 30s, if not earlier, is your health. Fortunately, I stopped drinking when I was about 22 and I have never smoked. Add that to a regular exercise routine and avoiding soft drinks ("soda" and "pop" for you pseudo-English speakers) and I hope to stay healthy. (And, seriously, if you smoke and/or drink Coke and similar drinks, ask yourself this simple question: "Why am I committing suicide slowly?")




Well I use to smoke, but quit about 10 years ago, though I never drink soda, I prefer unsweetened ice and hot tea for 90% of my water consumption, though I drink juice as well. While being smart and eating healthy is good for most people, there are no promises of a longer lifespan. You're assuming you'll live longer based on your diet and habits, but I knew somebody that smoked and drank all their life and died at 96 years old, and someone else who was a vegan, exercising healthnut that had a heart attack and died at 45 (both were members of the same family), so what you choose to do for habits is no guarantee on health and long life.


----------



## Scrivener of Doom (Jun 23, 2015)

gamerprinter said:


> Well I use to smoke, but quit about 10 years ago, though I never drink soda, I prefer unsweetened ice and hot tea for 90% of my water consumption, though I drink juice as well. While being smart and eating healthy is good for most people, there are no promises of a longer lifespan. You're assuming you'll live longer based on your diet and habits, but I knew somebody that smoked and drank all their life and died at 96 years old, and someone else who was a vegan, exercising healthnut that had a heart attack and died at 45 (both were members of the same family), so what you choose to do for habits is no guarantee on health and long life.




Absolutely, it really is no guarantee. But look at these two things:

1. I've watched smokers die. It takes 10-20 years but those sleepless nights while they sit up with a hacking cough as their body tries to get rid of the obstructions in their lungs take a horrible toll on not only their body, but their emotions or soul.
2. Heavy "soda" drinkers are often overweight (morbidly obese) and diabetic, neither of which contributes to quality of life.

So, yes, I accept your comment that it's no guarantee of a long life, but it is guarantee that you won't want do simply die everyday because your body has decided to get its revenge on your for a lifetime of bad habits.


----------



## Scott DeWar (Jun 23, 2015)

I have stopped most soda drinking, stopped all smoking (woke from my coma with a trach tube from double pneumonia) but still have a vice or 2, such as chocolate.


----------



## Nellisir (Jun 24, 2015)

gamerprinter said:


> Well I use to smoke, but quit about 10 years ago, though I never drink soda, I prefer unsweetened ice and hot tea for 90% of my water consumption, though I drink juice as well. While being smart and eating healthy is good for most people, there are no promises of a longer lifespan. You're assuming you'll live longer based on your diet and habits, but I knew somebody that smoked and drank all their life and died at 96 years old, and someone else who was a vegan, exercising healthnut that had a heart attack and died at 45 (both were members of the same family), so what you choose to do for habits is no guarantee on health and long life.




A horse that wins 90% of the time isn't a guaranteed win either, but it's the one I put my money on.


----------



## Nellisir (Jun 24, 2015)

Scott DeWar said:


> I have stopped most soda drinking, stopped all smoking (woke from my coma with a trach tube from double pneumonia) but still have a vice or 2, such as chocolate.




I don't smoke. I drink less soda than I used to. The big help for me was switching to the little packets of "energy" drink mix - they've got some caffeine in them and no sugar, so I get the caffeine in the AM which is what I'm addicted to. I'm not behind a desk anymore and I eat less, so I lost about 20 lbs over the past year. I'd like to lose about 10 more; that'd put me at 170 lbs and 6' tall. My new job is very physical, so as long as I don't eat a lot extra I should be fine.


----------



## Morrus (Jun 24, 2015)

gamerprinter said:


> You're assuming you'll live longer based on your diet and habits, but I knew somebody that smoked and drank all their life and died at 96 years old, and someone else who was a vegan, exercising healthnut that had a heart attack and died at 45 (both were members of the same family), so what you choose to do for habits is no guarantee on health and long life.




Everybody has a random anecdote like that.  Whatever you do, don't bet your life on an anecdote. 

There are no guarantees in life.  But odds are a real thing. Living healthy improves your odds.

You're gambling, whatever you do. Stacking the deck doesn't guarantee you'll win, but it improves your odds.

That said, unhealthy things are fun!  Quality of life is as important as length of life.  I quit smoking 5 years ago.  I exercise most days, and always have.  I do binge drink at the weekends, which is my main vice.


----------



## Scott DeWar (Jun 24, 2015)

I have some single malt scotch at home, as well as some Tennessee ale. I so rarely drink though, it will probably last me at least another year.


----------



## Ryujin (Jun 24, 2015)

Morrus said:


> Everybody has a random anecdote like that.  Whatever you do, don't bet your life on an anecdote.
> 
> There are no guarantees in life.  But odds are a real thing. Living healthy improves your odds.
> 
> ...




Yep, it's all a numbers game. There's always some guy who says that he'd have died in a crash if he'd been wearing a seatbelt, but your odds of living are a lot better if you're wearing one. Anecdotal evidence isn't reliable, in and of itself.


----------



## gamerprinter (Jun 24, 2015)

I don't base anything I do, on what somebody else does or doesn't do, I make my own choices on everything, on whatever seems be smartest for me at the time. I have some fun and unhealthy habits too, but everything in moderation (even moderating too much healthy living).


----------



## bone_naga (Jun 26, 2015)

I will probably turn my home into a zombie apocalypse fortress, create all the awesome 3D gaming pieces that I want but don't have the time or space for right now, build an obstacle course on my property, shoot guns in my backyard, and yell at kids to get off my lawn.


----------



## Ryujin (Jun 26, 2015)

bone_naga said:


> ... and yell at kids to get off my lawn.




Some things are just a given.


----------



## Bullgrit (Jun 27, 2015)

Here's a question:

How many of us are getting AARP stuff in the mail, already.

<raises hand> 20 years too early.

Bullgrit


----------



## tuxgeo (Jun 27, 2015)

Young 'un! 

I've been getting AARP mailings since I turned 50 -- over eighteen years ago.


----------



## Jan van Leyden (Jun 27, 2015)

Bullgrit said:


> How many of us are getting AARP stuff in the mail, already.




AARP? Care to explain to a non-US citizen?


----------



## tuxgeo (Jun 27, 2015)

_American Association of Retired Persons_. 

It's a powerful political lobby, created to look out for the interests of people who have left the work force, and who may therefore need governmental help in sustaining them when they are no longer suited to provide for themselves. 

In practice, it tilts the political playing field to the financial advantage of older members of society, such as I am.


----------



## Bullgrit (Jun 27, 2015)

> American Association of Retired Persons.
> 
> It's a powerful political lobby, created to look out for the interests of people who have left the work force, and who may therefore need governmental help in sustaining them when they are no longer suited to provide for themselves.
> 
> ...



I've been getting their mailings for maybe 10 years (since before age 40), though not so much in recent years. I often wonder how/why they picked up on me so early.

Bullgrit


----------



## Morrus (Jun 27, 2015)

Ah.  I was assuming it was the annual aardvark newsletter.  Good to get that cleared up!


----------



## Scott DeWar (Jun 27, 2015)

_*A*_nnual *A*a*R*vark *P*eriodical, I am guessing? By the way, how did your birthday go, Morrus?


----------



## gamerprinter (Jun 27, 2015)

I thought AARP mailings were designed to insulate the sides of waste baskets, that's what I use them for (and yes, I get AARP crap too).


----------



## MechaPilot (Jun 28, 2015)

I will probably never retire, at least not fully.  Being an accountant isn't a physically demanding job, so as long as I retain my mental faculties I will probably maintain at least a small tax return practice for extra cash.

One of the things that I definitely want to do is to establish a charitable trust, funded by the proceeds of my life insurance policy (I do not have a family of my own, and at this point in my life I don't plan on having one), that will provide grants for the development of technologies geared toward the exploration and settlement of space.


----------



## Scott DeWar (Jun 29, 2015)

My brother started as an accountant, 2 year degree, And he is saving to move to Belize as his retirement plan.


----------



## Jan van Leyden (Jun 29, 2015)

tuxgeo said:


> _American Association of Retired Persons_.
> 
> It's a powerful political lobby, created to look out for the interests of people who have left the work force, and who may therefore need governmental help in sustaining them when they are no longer suited to provide for themselves.
> 
> In practice, it tilts the political playing field to the financial advantage of older members of society, such as I am.




Ah, thanks for the explanation, which pretty much explains why I never heard about it. So they try to garner members by their mailings?

Judging by other replies their works is not universally acclaimed...


----------



## tuxgeo (Jun 29, 2015)

Jan van Leyden said:


> Ah, thanks for the explanation, which pretty much explains why I never heard about it. So they try to garner members by their mailings?
> 
> Judging by other replies their works is not universally acclaimed...




A couple of things: 
(1) AARP sends out many physical mailings -- asking for donations, offering insurance plans, etc. -- so the volume of waste paper that the recipients need to throw away (or "recycle") is large. Many national organizations do the same: I have heard that the NRA ("National Rifle Association") does this as well; and of course any alumni get voluminous mailings from the universities from which they graduated. The volume of the mail is not a _distinguishing_ characteristic of the AARP, because so many other groups follow the same practice; but it is a characteristic. If it irks a lot of people, that's because they mail to a lot of people.
(2) AARP lobbies (attempts to persuade) Congress for financial advantage for older people. Some of the results may be beneficial to the nation, but some of them may be obstacles to fairness.


----------



## Bullgrit (Jun 29, 2015)

My problem with the AARP mailings is that they started a good 20 years before I should be a part of their demographic. I'd be just as non-plussed to regularly get subscription requests from Seventeen magazine.

Bullgrit


----------



## Ryujin (Jun 29, 2015)

Funny, I used to get the odd email from AARP, until I reported them for spamming. It's not like a Canadian was going to be signing up, any time soon.


----------



## Scott DeWar (Jun 29, 2015)

tuxgeo said:


> A couple of things:
> (1) AARP sends out many physical mailings -- asking for donations, offering insurance plans, etc. -- so the volume of waste paper that the recipients need to throw away (or "recycle") is large. Many national organizations do the same: I have heard that the NRA ("National Rifle Association") does this as well; and of course any alumni get voluminous mailings from the universities from which they graduated. The volume of the mail is not a _distinguishing_ characteristic of the AARP, because so many other groups follow the same practice; but it is a characteristic. If it irks a lot of people, that's because they mail to a lot of people.
> (2) AARP lobbies (attempts to persuade) Congress for financial advantage for older people. Some of the results may be beneficial to the nation, but some of them may be obstacles to fairness.



(3) AARP also airs a lot of time on the TV, so mailing and internet are not the only ways they advertise.

Ryujin, do you frequent sights from the US? They may have spammed you because of that. Just guessing.


----------



## Ryujin (Jun 30, 2015)

Scott DeWar said:


> (3) AARP also airs a lot of time on the TV, so mailing and internet are not the only ways they advertise.
> 
> Ryujin, do you frequent sights from the US? They may have spammed you because of that. Just guessing.




That was my assumption also, though that would imply a level of information sharing that I find rather annoying.


----------



## Scott DeWar (Jun 30, 2015)

Ryujin said:


> . . . . ., though that would imply a level of information sharing that I find rather annoying.




big brudder watchin, ya know.


----------



## Ryujin (Jun 30, 2015)

Scott DeWar said:


> big brudder watchin, ya know.




Don't I know it! Try doing Google searches both logged in and on a computer you've never used before


----------



## Scott DeWar (Jun 30, 2015)

Someone used George Orwell's "1984" as an instruction manual.


----------



## Purringchildren (Jul 8, 2015)

Hi, I think, I'm very near to getting old. In preparation, I'm already assisting my young adults to save for their future and even invests on their own if they have enough income. For myself, I would want to work while I do travel and relax once in awhile  Life is too short and I have to spend it for good!


----------



## amerigoV (Jul 8, 2015)

As one who is in the retirement business (actuary), I suspect most people will be working. Pension plans are dying, people are not saving, and longevity keeps improving. Not a good combo.

I plan on getting through all my gaming material then dying. So that should take me to about 95 -- but by then I will have forgotten what I have run and will start over again - senile immortality!


----------



## Homicidal_Squirrel (Jul 8, 2015)

> Do you think you'll actually end up doing all day what you think you'd love to end up doing all day?



Yup, totally. I'll be  old and spending my time with 18 year old strippers.


----------



## AlexM (Aug 4, 2015)

I plan to keep on doing what I'm doing. Retirement doesn't interest me, just interesting science. And being a book editor.


----------



## was (Aug 7, 2015)

Given the constantly rising age of retirement, I'll probably die at work and it will be hour or two before anybody notices.


----------

