Really annoying Qs "What do you find to do all day, now you're retired?"

Adrian · August 09, 2015, 12:26:21 PM

I'm sure I'm not alone on the Forum in having to deal with this particular Qs. Even worse, when the psudo sympathetic enquiry is directed via my wife!

It's as though life is actually defined as "working life" and when you retire it all ends!!

I don't feel inclined to list what I've been doing each day - as though I have to justify my continued existence!!

So, I'd like to asked those colleagues at a similar stage in their lives, what's your best response? Witty but incisive would be brilliant, but so would a good "put down"!!!

Awaiting your help

Adrian

D1042 Western Princess · August 09, 2015, 12:35:06 PM

If a casual friend, 'playing with my train set' (pitch it at a level their poor mind can cope with) makes them change the subject. Or even just 'keeping busy' often answers the question.
Yes, it is an annoying question.
Only in the case of real friends, who don't really need to ask anyway because they already know, do I give a straight reply.

Bealman · August 09, 2015, 01:45:49 PM

A common response here in Australia is, "There ain't enough hours in the day... dunno how I ever found time to go to work"

Jon898 · August 09, 2015, 02:02:35 PM

Adrian, I suspect you may be running into a generational thing here. It used to be that (in the UK) one never asked people what they did for a living in polite conversation. That was a legacy of the 18th and 19th century idea that one should not need to work to live, and for some reason hung on well into the 70's. That began to change (quite rapidly) and a more US-style approach became the norm such that the first question you're likely to get when meeting someone is "so, what do you do?". Since most retirees will have grown up before the change, our identities are less likely to be rooted in past jobs, whilst current working people will be invested more heavily in their careers, hence the question. One thing that has always marked me as a foreigner here in the US is that I never succumbed to the identity=job equation, in fact I was once asked what my dream job was and I answered "idle rich, where can I apply for that job?" (incidentally it was in a job interview and I was offered the position

)

Here in the US, the idea that "you are what your job says you are" is paramount, so, when people find out I'm retired I'm often greeted with your title question. The responses I've used so far have included "only the things I like to do", "everything I didn't have time for when I was working", and comments in a similar vein. If I want them to think, I'll say that "I maintain or use the single-stage, stator-less, nuclear powered, gas turbine I keep in my garage", while I can usually get rid of obnoxious people by telling them that "most of the time I'm looking at embarrassing, foreign stuff on the internet" (they don't need to know it's this Forum)

.

Jon

Zogbert Splod · August 09, 2015, 02:25:25 PM

"Sorry, don't have time to answer that question right now, never seem to have a minute to my self these days! Things to see, people to do, you know how it is......"

tim-pelican · August 09, 2015, 02:32:21 PM

Quote from: Bealman on August 09, 2015, 01:45:49 PM
A common response here in Australia is, "There ain't enough hours in the day... dunno how I ever found time to go to work"

For sure. I'd desperately love to retire tomorrow (I'm 42) - I have *already* more than enough things on my to-do list to keep me busy from now until I die.

Newportnobby · August 09, 2015, 03:55:43 PM

Quote from: Adrian on August 09, 2015, 12:26:21 PM

So, I'd like to asked those colleagues at a similar stage in their lives, what's your best response? Witty but incisive would be brilliant, but so would a good "put down"!!!

Awaiting your help

Adrian

I don't suppose "Waiting for you to come in and cook the dinner" would result in longevity of life

All I can say is that having taken early retirement when I was 60, it was the best thing I ever did. Of course, I always tell folks I stepped down so a younger person could remove themselves from collecting benefits

D1042 Western Princess · August 09, 2015, 09:09:14 PM

Quote from: Bealman on August 09, 2015, 01:45:49 PM
A common response here in Australia is, "There ain't enough hours in the day... dunno how I ever found time to go to work"

We have a similar expression in the UK.

Malc · August 09, 2015, 09:21:59 PM

I like Bealman's response as well. It's true as well as being snappy. When I think of all the time I sat in airports, on planes and stuck on motorways etc, I'm just glad to be out of it all.

Webbo · August 10, 2015, 01:48:29 AM

Quote from: Bealman on August 09, 2015, 01:45:49 PM
A common response here in Australia is, "There ain't enough hours in the day... dunno how I ever found time to go to work"

My answer too. It also happens to be 100% true.

Webbo

Komata · August 10, 2015, 02:10:00 AM

All great and interesting answers, and Bealman, the same response applies across the ditch. However, does anyone have suggestions as to how one should reply when asked the self-same question BEFORE you retire? I've got few years to go before 'R' day, but because my hair and beard are already silver I'm getting the 'What do you do now...' type of questions. I usually laugh it off, and thank the enquirer for their concern, but methinks there has to be a better response than that. Any ideas?
Thanks.

dannyboy · August 10, 2015, 05:43:43 AM

I have not got there yet, but I'm looking forward to the day next May when someone can ask me that question!

Bealman · August 10, 2015, 05:46:17 AM

Quote from: Komata on August 10, 2015, 02:10:00 AM
All great and interesting answers, and Bealman, the same response applies across the ditch. However, does anyone have suggestions as to how one should reply when asked the self-same question BEFORE you retire? I've got few years to go before 'R' day, but because my hair and beard are already silver I'm getting the 'What do you do now...' type of questions. I usually laugh it off, and thank the enquirer for their concern, but methinks there has to be a better response than that. Any ideas?
Thanks.

Yeah... but can't print 'em here!

Komata · August 10, 2015, 06:09:54 AM

Now, now B'mann - all ANZAC's together....

Thanks though; the possibilities that your answer implies are 'interesting', though not sure how they would be received by our locals; (probably 'in kind' I suspect...)

Zogbert Splod · August 10, 2015, 12:42:42 PM

Quote from: Komata on August 10, 2015, 02:10:00 AM
...does anyone have suggestions as to how one should reply when asked the self-same question BEFORE you retire?...

"What made you think I was retired? I'm still your friendly, neighbourhood tax assessor/hit man/insurance salesman/mob enforcer, like I've always been. Strange we should meet today, I have you down for a visit in a couple of days! Will you be in on Wednesday evening?"